Baked, crispy tofu gets coated in a sweet and sour sauce to create a flavorful, protein-rich Sweet and Sour Tofu! Pair this tofu with some steamed rice and veggies for a delicious, well-balanced meal.
We love tofu in our house.
At any point during the week you can open our fridge and find a block or two of tofu just waiting to be devoured.
I'm obsessed with tofu for a number of reasons.
- Tofu is packed with plant-based protein.
- It's versatile and can be cooked/prepared in a number of different ways.
- Also, it's fairly bland on its own, meaning it can soak up whatever flavor you desire.
Some of my favorite tofu recipes are these Vegan Taco Tofu Crumbles, this Easy Marinated Tofu, a very kid-friendly Baked Tofu Nuggets, and of course today's recipe for Sweet and Sour Tofu!
What is Tofu?
Tofu originated in China and is a protein-packed, plant-based product that is formed by pressing condensed soy milk into white blocks.
Tofu is high in protein and offers all of the essential amino acids. Plus it also contains a good source of fat, carbs and a number of different vitamins and minerals.
Different Kinds of Tofu
Like I mentioned above, tofu is super versatile and can be purchased in a variety of ways.
You can purchase silken tofu, soft tofu, medium tofu, firm tofu and extra firm tofu.
The differences between these types of tofu is basically how much water has been pressed out of the tofu. Silken tofu offers the softest, most water-rich tofu while extra firm tofu is the most dense, dry tofu.
You can now also purchase already baked or smoked tofu that is ready to be eaten straight from the package!
How to Press Tofu
While firm and extra firm tofu have already had a lot of the water removed, you can still press them further to make them even more dry. This allows the tofu to become even more crispy when baked or pan fried.
To press tofu you can use 1 of 2 methods. For both methods, you'll need to begin by removing the blocks of tofu from their packaging.
Tofu Press Method: Place the blocks of tofu into a tofu press and spin the knobs until the tofu is being squeezed between the two panels. Allow the tofu to press for about 15 minutes.
Towel and Book Method: If you don't have a tofu press, you can also wrap your tofu up in clean dish towels and place the blocks on a cutting board. Then carefully balance some heavy books or pots on top of the tofu and allow the weight to press out some of the excess water.
Once your tofu has been press, you can bake or pan fry your tofu until cooked as desired!
How to Make Sweet and Sour Tofu
To make this sweet and sour tofu you'll need to follow the following step-by-step instructions:
- Step 1: Preheat your oven to 400F/200C and line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or grease it with cooking spray.
- Step 2: Remove the blocks of tofu from their packaging and press them using one of the two methods listed above in the "How to Press Tofu" section.
- Step 3: Once your tofu has been pressed, cut it into cubes, place it in a mixing bowl along with the cornstarch and stir everything until each cube of tofu has been coated.
Step 4: Place the tofu cubes onto your prepared baking sheet and spread the cubes out so that they aren't touching each other. Spray them briefly with cooking spray. Bake the tofu for about 30-40 minutes, flipping them over halfway through, until they are golden and crispy.
Step 5: While the tofu is baking, prepare the sweet and sour sauce by whisking together all of the sauce ingredients. Set the sauce aside.
Step 6: Once your tofu is done baking, pour the sweet and sour sauce into a saucepan over medium heat and stir in the baked tofu. Allow the sauce to warm through and thicken while constantly stirring the tofu. This will take about 2-3 minutes.
Step 7: Serve the tofu immediately with coconut rice and roasted veggies...or however you desire!
How to Store Sweet and Sour Tofu
If you have any leftover tofu, you can store it in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days. To reheat it, simply microwave it for about 1 minute.
📖 Recipe
Sweet and Sour Tofu
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 blocks firm tofu
- ¼ cup cornstarch
SWEET AND SOUR SAUCE
- ¼ cup reduced sodium soy sauce or tamari if gluten-free
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoons ketchup
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 clove garlic minced
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes optional
Instructions
- Using a tofu press or a tea towel and some heavy books, press the tofu for about 15 minutes to remove excess water. While your tofu is pressing, preheat your oven to 400 °F and line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper. Set it aside.
- After your tofu has pressed, cut it into cubes, place it in a mixing bowl with the cornstarch and toss everything to coat.
- Dump the cornstarch-coated tofu onto your lined baking sheet and spread each cube out so they aren't touching each other. Spray the tofu with cooking spray and bake for cubes for 30-40 minutes, flipping halfway through until browned on the outside.
- While the tofu it baking, prepare the sweet and sour sauce by whisking together all of the sauce ingredients in a bowl.
- Pour the sauce into a skillet and heat over medium heat. Once the tofu has finished baking, add the cubes to the sauce and stir everything to coat. Stir the tofu over the heat until the sauce has thickened and everything is warmed through, about 2-3 minutes.
- Serve immediately with coconut rice and roasted broccoli...or however you desire!
Angelica M says
Delicious! Directions so easy to follow and everything came together so nicely. I was skeptical about the sauce. I didn't think the quantity was enough for 2 blocks of tofu, but the tofu reduced in size after baking. Thank you so much!
Faith VanderMolen says
So glad you liked it Angelica! And yes, there isn't much sauce but it still coats everything well! You could always double it if you prefer a saucier tofu. Thanks for your comment!