Best sweet and sour tofu, a super tasty and simple Thai dish made with crispy pan seared tofu cubes that are finished in a luscious vegan sweet and sour sauce and vegetables.
Course Main Course
Cuisine Thai
Keyword sweet and sour sauce, Sweet and Sour Tofu, vegan,
Add all of the sauce ingredients to a bowl and whisk them together. Set aside.
1/3 cup filtered water, 3.5 tbsp rice vinegar, 1 tbsp tamari, 2 tbsp ketchup, 3 tbsp brown sugar
Prep the Tofu
Try to drain and press the tofu in advance. Use a cotton tea towel to pat it dry as best as you can. Slice it lengthwise and pat dry again. Continue cutting the tofu into small cubes and pat them dry some more. If prepping tofu in advance you can place it in the fridge at this point and allow to air dry overnight. This step will really help your tofu get extra crispy.
14 oz block extra firm tofu
Just before cooking dust the tofu cubes with the tapioca or cornstarch and use your hands to toss it well to coat all over.
4 tbsp tapioca flour
Pan fry Method
Preheat a large cast iron skillet over medium flame and add a drop of olive oil, enough to coat the entire bottom. Start adding the tofu cubes and pan sear on all sides until golden. Transfer to a bowl until needed. Make sure to work in batches so you don’t overcrowd the pan.
14 oz block extra firm tofu
Air Fryer Method
After pressing the tofu and tossing it in the tapioca place it on a parchment lined baking sheet or air fryer basket. Air fry between 375" and 400"F for 14 minutes flipping it half way. (If the tofu is well pressed the 375" temperature is perfect, otherwise air fry at 400"F). Add it to the pan with the sauce and vegetables and cook everything together until the sauce starts to thicken and tofu is nicely coated all over. Enjoy!
Oven Baked Method
Follow the exact recipe above and bake the tofu at 400”F on a parchment lined baking sheet for about 20 to 25 minutes (or until golden) tossing it half way. Meanwhile prepare the sauce and toss everything together.
Cook the Veggies + Assemble your Dish
Cut the bell peppers and scallions into one inch pieces, discard the core from the peppers.
2 bell peppers, 3 scallions
Add the peppers and scallions to the skillet together with a drizzle of oil (or a splash of water) and pinch of sea salt. Stir fry a few minutes until the peppers just begin to soften.
Pour the sweet and sour sauce over the peppers and bring to a simmer. Add the tofu and give it a good stir. Cook everything together until the sauce starts to thicken and tofu is nicely coated all over, about a minute or two.
Serve hot over a bed of rice or tossed with soba or ramen noodles and a pinch of red chili flakes .
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
Video
Notes
Add Ins Ideas
Pineapple - If you fancy this tropical fruit in your savory dishes make sure to wait and add it at the very end in its fresh form or grilled. Never sautee! Warm pineapple is only amazing when it has been grilled and the natural sugars get to caramelize. You can do this inside a cast iron grill pan after lightly crushing the pineapple slices with a little oil to prevent sticking. Once nice dark grill marks form on both sides you are good to go!
More Veggies- Broccoli florets, asparagus, blanched baby bok choy, stir fried shiitake mushrooms, cabbage or eggplant.