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    Home » Recipes » Dinner

    Vegan sweet and sour tofu

    Published: Dec 17, 2019 · Modified: Mar 6, 2023 by Trish Bozeman · This post may contain affiliate links · 12 Comments

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Easy vegan sweet and sour tofu recipe! Skip the take out and make this simple weeknight comfort food instead. A bit healthier, a bit lighter, a lot more fun.

    Sweet n sour tofu with chopsticks

    As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.

    I received a copy of Vegan Comfort Cooking by Melanie McDonald for review and was granted permission to share this sweet and sour tofu recipe from the book. All opinions are my own.

    Another great meatless weeknight meal for you today!

    We are heading to Chinese take-out for our recipe inspiration. Sweet and sour tofu! A veganized version of one of our favorite comfort classics. Make some fluffy rice, some veggie chow mein, and dinner is AMAZING.

    Sweet n sour tofu: an easy vegan weeknight meal

    This meal is amazing for a weeknight dinner because it is EASY. The perfect recipe for anybody who is new to tofu or is new to trying meatless meals.

    A lot of the ingredients are pantry staples or easily found at your grocery store. Plus.... absolutely DELICIOUS.

    Pro tip from Melanie: When you buy tofu, toss it into the freezer in its packaging; then defrost before you need it, press it thoroughly to remove the liquid, and then continue on with this or any other similar tofu recipe. It really improves the texture!

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    Vegan Chinese food
    Vegan comfort cooking book

    Vegan Comfort Cooking

    This recipe comes from the pages of Vegan Comfort Cooking by Melanie McDonald. She let us share this fantastic recipe with you!

    Melanie is the creator of A Virtual Vegan, where she shares tons of flavor packed vegan recipes. Her debut cookbook, Vegan Comfort Cooking: 75 Plant-Based Recipes to Satisfy Cravings and Warm Your Soul, is the perfect cookbook for somebody looking to add approachable vegan dishes into their everyday cooking.

    "Eating vegan food does not mean you have to give up all your favorite things and it does not mean you have to sacrifice flavor or results," writes Melanie in the introduction. "You just need to find yourself some damn good recipes."

    Some must-try recipes from the book:

    • Ooey-gooey cinnamon rolls
    • Go-to tofu scramble
    • Mom's spaghetti and "meatballs"
    • Bangin BBQ Cauliflower wings
    • Sky-high apple pie

    You can find Vegan Comfort Cooking here on Amazon, or read more about it on A Virtual Vegan.

    vegan sweet and sour tofu

    How to make the crispy baked tofu

    First things first: press your tofu. This will ensure the best texture.

    Rub the Chinese five-spice paste into the tofu and spread out evenly on a baking sheet. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, carefully stirring halfway through.

    The tofu will be crispy and golden brown to perfection!

    Have you tried this honey garlic cashew tofu recipe yet? It's amazing!

    How to make sweet and sour sauce

    Sweet and sour sauce is a classic Chinese sauce made mostly with vinegar and pineapple juice.

    This recipe adds a lot more flavor with the addition of ketchup, Sriracha, sugar, and tamari. It's thickened with a bit of arrowroot powder.

    Just mix the ingredients in a small bowl and let thicken slightly. Add to your stir-fry vegetables and cook down with the veggies until thickened.

    More sauces to try:

    • Honey stir fry sauce
    • Pineapple teriyaki sauce
    • Vegan stir fry sauce
    sweet and sour tofu in a white bowl

    Sweet and sour tofu recipe

    Recipe

    Sweet n sour tofu with chopsticks

    Vegan sweet and sour tofu

    Melanie McDonald
    Easy vegan sweet and sour tofu recipe! Skip the take out and make this simple weeknight comfort food instead. A bit healthier, a bit lighter, a lot more fun.
    5 from 9 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 5 minutes mins
    Cook Time 30 minutes mins
    Tofu pressing time 15 minutes mins
    Total Time 50 minutes mins
    Course entree, Main Course
    Cuisine Chinese
    Servings 4 servings
    Calories 266 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 large block (about 12oz) extra firm tofu
    • 2 tablespoon all-purpose flour or cornstarch
    • 1 teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder
    • ½ teaspoon salt, divided
    • 2 tablespoon tamari, soy sauce, or coconut aminos, divided
    • 2 tablespoon sesame oil or other oil of choice, divided
    • 1 tablespoon arrowroot powder or cornstarch
    • ½ cup pineapple juice (from the can if you are using canned pineapple, below, or freshly juiced if you are using fresh)
    • ⅓ cup tomato ketchup
    • 2 tablespoon Sriracha (optional; you can use more ketchup instead)
    • ¼ cup cane or granulated white sugar
    • ¼ cup rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar
    • 1 pinch freshly ground black or white pepper
    • 1 small onion, sliced into half moons
    • 2 medium bell peppers (different colors), seeded and thinly sliced
    • 3 medium cloves garlic, finely chopped
    • 1 heaping cup fresh or canned pineapple chunks

    Instructions
     

    • Open the tofu package, drain the water, then either press in a tofu press or wrap it in paper towels or a clean dish towel and put something heavy on top. I usually use a heavy cutting board and some cookbooks. Let it sit like this for 15 minutes, unwrap, and cut into ½-inch cubes.
    • While the tofu is pressing, preheat the oven to 400° F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
    • In a bowl large enough to hold the tofu, stir together the flour, Chinese five-spice powder, just ¼ teaspoon of the salt, 1 tablespoon of the tamari, and 1 tablespoon of the oil to form a paste. Toss the tofu cubes in the paste until they are all coated. If you have trouble coating them, use your fingers to rub the paste over the tofu pieces. Spread out on the prepared baking sheet and bake, tossing once at the 15-minute point, for 25 to 30 minutes, or until really golden.
    • While the tofu is cooking, place the arrowroot powder in a small bowl and gradually add the pineapple juice, stirring constantly to work out any lumps. Stir in the ketchup, sriracha (if using), sugar, vinegar, the remaining tablespoon of tamari, remaining ¼ teaspoon of salt and the pepper. Set this pineapple sauce aside.
    • About 5 minutes before the tofu is ready, or just after it comes out of the oven, in a large skillet or wok, heat the remaining tablespoon of the oil over medium-high heat, and stir-fry the onion and bell peppers for 3 to 4 minutes; then add the garlic and cook for another minute. Pour in the pineapple sauce and keep stirring everything around until the sugar crystals have dissolved and the sauce has thickened. Lower the heat to low and add the tofu cubes and pineapple chunks. Allow to warm through, and then serve over fluffy rice or some noodles. Top with green onion and sesame seeds (optional).

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1servingCalories: 266kcalCarbohydrates: 36gProtein: 10gFat: 9gSaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 1214mgPotassium: 457mgFiber: 2gSugar: 24gVitamin A: 1966IUVitamin C: 87mgCalcium: 56mgIron: 2mg
    Keyword dairy free, plant based, vegan, vegetarian
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

    If you make this recipe, please let us know on social media or in the comments below! Leave a star rating in your comment or tag us on Instagram with #Rhubarbarians #AVirtualVegan

    Thank you so much for reading and supporting Rhubarbarians and the brands that we recommend. If you’re looking for a group of people cooking vegetarian recipes through the seasons, join us on Facebook in our vegetarian and vegan recipes group!

    Happy eating!

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Kenzie

      April 20, 2022 at 1:41 pm

      5 stars
      Turned out amazing! I have made this several times!

      Reply
    2. Molly

      November 14, 2020 at 6:42 pm

      Did anyone else find it impossible to rub the paste on the tofu?! It took a whole families effort and we ended up giving up and just sprinkling the past on.

      Reply
    3. Pam

      October 26, 2020 at 3:06 pm

      5 stars
      This was easy and just delicious. Loved it and will make it again and again, Thank you.

      Reply
    4. Natasha

      March 31, 2020 at 4:21 am

      5 stars
      This was so yummy I added carrots and broccoli to increase veg I also doubled sauce as I like it saucy, definately going to be on the meal plan regularly.

      Reply
      • Trish Bozeman

        March 31, 2020 at 11:27 am

        I'm so glad you liked it!

        Reply
    5. Dana

      January 21, 2020 at 9:02 am

      5 stars
      I love making this stuff at home! Using fresh pineapple really makes all the difference too, I find. And this is just another recipe that proves tofu CAN, in fact, be tasty. I'll never forget when my mom told me how gross she thought tofu was. I asked her how she prepared it/ate it and she was like, "I don't know. I just drained it and diced it into a salad." LOL. Girrrrl.

      Reply
    6. Jenni LeBaron

      January 19, 2020 at 3:43 pm

      5 stars
      This sweet and sour tofu recipe looks delightful! I love sweet and sour flavors together and this sauce is so shiny and bright. I can't wait to devour this dish!

      Reply
    7. Hanna

      January 19, 2020 at 3:02 pm

      Looks sooo delicious! Do you think I can make this sweet and sour tofu and put it in the freezer?

      Reply
      • Trish Bozeman

        January 19, 2020 at 4:24 pm

        Hi Hanna! I haven't tried freezing this but here is my suggestion: freeze the sauce separately from the rest of the dish if you can. The tofu and veggies might become mushy if you add the sauce before freezing. I hope it works for you!

        Reply
    8. Debra

      January 16, 2020 at 4:31 pm

      5 stars
      Crispy is the only way I like tofu. Love that you took the healthy road with baked, not fried. Well done! Plus a yummy sweet and sour sauce. YAY.

      Reply
    9. Gloria

      January 16, 2020 at 1:02 pm

      5 stars
      Sweet and sour sauce is so good on lots of things. This is an intriguing way to try tofu. If you like Chinese takeout, this is better.

      Reply
    10. Lisa Lotts

      January 16, 2020 at 7:18 am

      5 stars
      My husband and I have been wanting to experiment with a few meatless meals a week and this sounds like the perfect way to dip my toe into that pond. I love the idea of crispy spiced tofu in this sweet and sour recipe -- the flavors here are spot on! Meatless Monday starts... well, Monday! Thanks!

      Reply

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