Perfectly sweet, sour, and satisfying despite this being low FODMAP, gluten free, and vegan! This Sweet & Sour Tofu dish is my new go-to weekend dinner when I’m itching to order some Chinese take-out but don’t want to make a dent in my wallet.
Sweet and sour is a common sauce choice in Chinese cooking but the sweet and sour sauce this dish is based off is the Chinese dish that was popular in westernized Cantonese cuisine and is now easily found in most Chinese restaurants all over the world. It was made popular by using pork but you can find it now with chicken, pork, or even shrimp. It’s made by frying meat and tossing it in a quick and easy sweet and sour sauce. This dish I’m sharing with you today is simply based off the sweet and sour dish you might’ve eaten before going plant based.
This isn’t authentic in the slightest. We are using tofu and I’ve changed the sauce to fit my current dietary needs. This recipe is Gluten Free, Low FODMAP, and obviously vegan! But if you aren’t any of those things, give this recipe a try as well. It’s delicious! Hope you enjoy.
What You Will Need For This Sweet & Sour Tofu
Main Ingredients:
- Extra Firm Tofu
- Red Bell Pepper
- Pineapple
- Sweet & Sour Sauce
Substitutions:
- GF Soy Sauce: I use gluten free soy sauce in this recipe but feel free to use regular soy sauce if you are not on a gluten free diet.
- Tofu: You can use cauliflower, vegan chicken, or seitan.
How To Make The Best Sweet & Sour Tofu
Press your tofu. Pressing improves the texture of the tofu and will also help the tofu crisp up in the pan. I have a tofu press and highly recommend it but you can make a diy tofu press easily by putting the tofu in between two plates and stacking heavy items on top. I almost always have pre- pressed tofu in my fridge so it’s ready to use any time! Simply press tofu and then store in an airtight container and use within 2-3 days.
Coating the tofu in cornstarch is key to getting the best crispy tofu. When combined with a little moisture it creates a coating that gets perfectly crisp and golden brown every time. I don’t recommend ever skipping this step. Learn more about making the best tofu ever in the Ultimate Guide to Cooking Tofu.
Be sure not to over crowd the pan when frying. Over crowding will cause the tofu to steam and it will never get crispy. I recommend frying in batches with lots of room in between each piece and remove the crispy pieces to a wire rack while you continue to fry the rest. Placing them on a paper towel or a plate will cause one side to become soggy.
This makes 4 Low FODMAP servings. This note is only important if you’re on the elimination phase. If not, just enjoy!
More Tofu Recipes You Might Like:
If You Make This Recipe:
Tag me on Instagram! I’d love to see your delicious re-creations and feature them! As always, I would greatly appreciate if you share your review in the comments below. Don’t forget to add if you made any fun substitutions. Thank you!
Sweet & Sour Tofu
Ingredients
Sweet & Sour Tofu:
- 1 Block Extra Firm Tofu pressed
- 2 TBSP Cornstarch
- Pinch of Salt & Pepper
- 1-2 TBSP Vegetable Oil for cooking
- 1 Medium Red Bell Pepper diced
- 3/4 cup Pineapple diced
- Scallions for garnish
- White or Brown Rice for serving
Sweet & Sour Sauce:
- 1/4 cup Tomato Sauce
- 1/4 cup Organic Brown Sugar
- 3 TBSP Rice Vinegar
- 3 TBSP Gluten Free Soy Sauce
- 2 TBSP Water
- 1 TSP Cornstarch
Instructions
- Wrap block of tofu in paper towels or a clean dish towel and squeeze out as much water as you can. If you have the time, use a tofu press for 30Min to remove excess liquid.
- Cube the tofu and throw in a large bowl along with the cornstarch, salt, and pepper. Toss until coated.
- Add vegetable oil to a large pan on medium-high heat. Fry the tofu until crispy and golden brown. I do this in batches to make sure they evenly brown. Remove tofu from the pan and place on a wire rack.
- Large dice the red bell pepper and add to the same pan. Cook until charred and soft. Add in the diced pineapple and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes.
- Whisk together all the sauce ingredients and add to the pan with red bell pepper and pineapple. Cook for 1-2 minutes until it starts to bubble and thicken. Toss in tofu and coat evenly.
- Serve the Sweet & Sour Tofu with your choice of white or brown rice and top with thinly sliced scallions. Enjoy!
I loved this recipe! The sauce is a wonderful mix of sweet & Sour. I had no idea you could make a sweet & Sour sauce with tomato sauce in it, but let me tell you, everything about this works. I used brown sugar monk fruit and it worked great. I didn’t have a wire rack but everything still stayed crispy & delicious. I Honestly cannot wait to try another recipe.
So glad you enjoyed 🙂