Easy Sweet & Sour Tofu

Better than takeout and almost as easy! This sweet and sour tofu is made with crispy tofu and red bell pepper chunks in a tangy pineapple sauce.

Pineapple is a secret weapon of mine for making delicious and easy recipes.

Pineapple is so delicious and pairs well with so many flavors. In fact, you might have to try pretty hard to mess up a pineapple based dish, by pairing it with … I can’t even think of anything (I sat and brainstormed on this for about 10 minutes).

Point proven. Pineapple rules.

Since it’s so hard to make pineapple taste bad, it must be really easy to make it taste good. Such is the case with this recipe. It was so easy.

Let’s talk about just how easy, shall we?

What You’ll Need

• Vegetable broth. I used Better Than Bouillon in roasted vegetable flavor.
• Apple cider vinegar. Rice vinegar can be substituted for this.
• Maple syrup. You can also use another liquid sweetener, like agave.
• Soy sauce. Substitute gluten-free tamari for a gluten-free version.
• Sriracha sauce. This is totally optional — just use it if you’d like a little heat.
• Garlic.
• Fresh pineapple.
• Red bell pepper.
• Water. Make sure it’s chilled.
• Cornstarch.
• Peanut oil. Or another high-heat oil.
• Tofu. Extra firm or super firm works best!
• Toasted sesame seeds. Or substitute chopped roasted cashews or peanuts.
• Scallions.

How to Make Sweet & Sour Tofu

The following is a detailed photo tutorial on how to make this dish. Scroll down if you’d like to skip right to the recipe!

Make the Sauce

• Mix up your broth, vinegar, maple syrup, soy sauce, sriracha (if using), and garlic in a saucepan.
• Stir in the pineapple and diced bell pepper, place the pot over heat, and bring the mixture to a simmer. Let it cook for about 15 minutes.
• Now stir the cornstarch and cold water together in a small container, then stir it into the mixture on the stove.
• Bring the mixture back up to a simmer and wait for it to thicken up a bit before removing the pot from heat.

Fry the Tofu

• While the sauce simmers, place some cornstarch in a small bowl. Add some diced tofu and gently stir it around to coat it in cornstarch.
• Heat some oil in a nonstick skillet — it should be at least 1/8 inch deep.
• Add the cornstarch-coated tofu cubes and fry them for a few minutes on each side, until they’re golden and crispy.
• When the tofu has finished frying-remove the cubes from the skillet and place them on a paper towel-lined plate to drain.

• Now mix up the tofu and the sauce! I like to return the tofu to the skillet after removing the oil, then pour the sauce over it.

• Serve your sweet & sour tofu with a sprinkle of scallions and sesame seeds, and a side of rice — I really like it with coconut rice.

Sweet & Sour Tofu Tips & FAQ

• Can this recipe be made gluten-free? Sure can! Just substitute gluten-free tamari for the soy sauce.
• This dish is best served immediately. The tofu won’t stay crispy in the sauce for long!
• Leftovers & storage: Leftovers will keep in a sealed container in the fridge for about 3 days. The tofu will get soggy, but it will still taste good!
• You’ll probably end up with some leftover pineapple. Put it in a batch of fried rice, stuff it in a sandwich, or make a vegan pineapple upside down cake!
• For an even lighter and easier version of this dish, skip the cornstarch and cook your tofu using this method, which uses less oil.
• You can switch up the bell pepper with your favorite veggies, but keep in mind that the cook-time might be different. Firmer veggies will generally need to simmer longer, while softer veggies will cook in less time.

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