Sweet & Sour Tofu Stir-Fry
30 min
Meal
Servings
Total
30 minPrep
10 minCook
20 minContains
soy
Swap out
gluten
Free from
peanut
tree nut
sesame
Ingredients
Tofu
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16 oz (450 g)firm tofu, pressed, cut into 1 cm cubes
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¼ cup (32 g)cornstarch
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½ tspsalt
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¼ tspground black pepper
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1 Tbsp (15 mL)vegetable oil
Sweet & sour sauce
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½ cup (120 mL)pineapple juice
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¼ cup (60 mL)rice vinegar
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¼ cup (66 g)tomato paste
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2cloves garlic, crushed
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2 tsp (5 g)cornstarch
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1 tsp (2 g)freshly grated ginger
Stir-fry
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1½ cups (300 g)uncooked white rice
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2 tsp (10 mL)vegetable oil
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1medium red onion, chopped
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1carrot, finely chopped
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1red bell pepper, thinly sliced
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½ cup (126 g)canned pineapple chunks
Optional garnish
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sliced green onion
Directions
- To a large shallow bowl, add the tofu cubes and soy sauce. Stir to coat.
- Then add the cornstarch, salt, and pepper. Gently stir until all the pieces are well coated.
- Add the oil to a large pan on medium-high heat. When hot, add the tofu and cook for 7 - 10 minutes, or until golden on all sides. Don't disturb the tofu too much while it's cooking to avoid crumbling.
- Meanwhile, make the sauce by whisking together all the ingredients in a small bowl.
- Cook the rice according to the package instructions.
- When the tofu is golden, transfer it to a bowl and set it aside. Returning the same large pan to the heat, add the oil, onion, and carrot. Cook for 4 - 5 minutes.
- Then add the bell peppers and pineapple chunks, and cook for another minute.
- Add the sweet and sour sauce to the veggies in the pan, along with the tofu. Let it simmer for 3 minutes, or until the sauce thickens a bit.
- Remove from the heat, serve alongside the rice, garnish, and enjoy!
Storage
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Let us know what you think
Plate method
The Plate Method is a visual tool that helps us ensure our dietary needs are on track. Touch the image below to see how this recipe measures up.
Grains & Starches 50%
• uncooked white rice
Proteins 20%
• firm tofu
Fruits & Veggies 30%
• tomato paste
• clove garlic
• freshly grated ginger
• medium red onion
• carrot
• red bell pepper
• canned pineapple chunks
Calcium
• firm tofu
Fat
• vegetable oil
• vegetable oil
Nutrition info
We believe that focusing on numbers can harm our relationship with food. Instead, our philosophy is to Nourish the Cells & the Soul. If you require specific nutrition information due to a medical condition, please consult with a dietitian or physician. The nutritional information provided is composed with the utmost care. However, we cannot guarantee the correctness of the displayed values, see also our disclaimer.
Watch it step-by-step!
Discussion & Rating
Wow, with your recipe tofu can taste good! Although I wonder how to get rid of vinegar smell...
Love your content!
We keep coming back to this recipe! I wasn’t a fan of sweet and sour before, but now I’m hooked!
We devoured it! It should have made enough for leftovers tomorrow but it was so good we finished it in one go (felt too full afterwards but it was worth it!)
We are not at all fans of meat substitutes but huge fans of a lot of your recipes and appetizing way of cooking and presenting. I love the flavors of the sweet and sour and think the tofu works here because of how its prepared. I have made this recipe a handful of times now and it stays on the rotation. I am rating this a 4 based on my family, but I would give it myself a 5 :)
One of the best dishes made from tofu. My favorite. :)
I’ve been following your channel for a while and this was my first time making a recipe. I’m a big fan of tofu so I made this one. I have to be honest, it was not my favourite. The texture was good but the taste of the sauce was a bit strange and way too sour. Perhaps I did something wrong. Still love your channel, and will maybe try another recipe in the future.
I made this tonight with a slightly smaller package of tofu. I also had to substitute sweet potato for the carrot. Great recipe! I'm just wondering if this would freeze well.
Made this for meal prep two weeks ago for meal prep and it was so delicious, I loved it 😋 It was even good cold ahahah (didn't have the possibility to reheat once ^^'). Thank you for this wonderful recipe the Pick Up Limes team 🙌
This is a delicious recipe! I love how the pineapple adds a boost of flavour to the sweet n sour sauce and the vegetables. The first time I made it, I did it exactly by the book and it turned out delicious. The second time I did not have bell peppers, so I substituted for what I had on hand - green beans. The recipe works really well with those too. This is definitely going on the meal plan.
This is super tasty and super easy to make! Definitely going into my rotation of foods!
I made it for a dinner party, and my friends also enjoyed it as much as I did!
Mmmm! Easy to make and super tasty. Definitely making this again!
My family and I are not vegan or vegetarian but I tried a modified version of this recipe and we absolutely loved it. I have some exposure to eating tofu but didn't enjoy it at all, I love your youtube content so I decided to try out the recipe. I also enjoy that I don't feel out of place watching your content. It is a pleasurable experience watching your content and inspires me to eat more sustainably.
I wish there was a photo option to show how great it turned out! I'll head back to your no-bake desserts now. Ciao!
This meal was fantastic. Enjoyed it immensely and super easy to make.
My husband and I love this! It works well with other veggies too :)
Wow- this is so tasty. I think this is the best sweet and sour recipe I’ve ever tasted. Plus it’s the first time we made tofu tast good! Thank you so much for this recipe
I've made this recipe probably upwards of 10 times. Before this, I had no idea you could make a healthy sweet and sour at home. SO tasty, and the leftovers make a mean lunch at work. Great job PUL team.
I've made it so many times and every time i fall in love with it!!
My boyfriend is just obsessed with this recipe!! He basically brings it up every week and asks if we can make it which sometimes makes me regret I ever showed it to him hahah 😂 But it truly is delicious - I never thought homemade sweet sour sauce can taste so good.
Thank you for all your amazing recipes - they're such an inspiration and they make cooking so much fun!
I love all the tofu recipes. Keep 'em comin! It's nice to have different sauces to enjoy over tofu to mix it up and this one does not disappoint. Restaurant quality in my opinion.
I’m eating it right now! My flavor profile is tangy and this hits the spot. The only things I’ll change for next time is the oil (I’ve never been too keen on canola) and I’d cook the tofu a bit longer.
Loved it!
I liked the sauce and veggies. I cooked the tofu in a cast iron skillet (I don't have a nonstick pan) and it was a mess. If I make this again I will cook the tofu following the instructions in the "spicy garlic wok noodles" recipe and add more veggies.
I loved this recipe! I'm recovering from anorexia and pul is really helpful. PUL has my trust regarding nutrition ❤️
This is absolutely the best homemade sweet and sour recipe I have tried! Perfect!
You are absolutely genius! Wow!
It was delicious! Thank you so much for doing this for all of us eating more plants.😊
Didn't understand it was the canned pineapple juice so I put pineapple juice from a bottle and didn't have pineapple so I used canned Peaches and it was very good. Didn't put tomato paste but it was ok without it.
Nevertheless I plan to cook the recipe with the ingredients you prescribed and can't wait to taste it .
Thank you for giving so good ideas to cook tofu
Be blessed
This was delicious. It was a last minute decision and we were short ingredients. We didn't have maple syrup, pineapple or Bell pepper. We ended up substituting grapefruit and orange juice for the pineapple, honey for maple syrup, and green beans for the bell pepper. It has such a great flavor.
So delicious, but not as sweet as I normally expect from sweet and sour tofu. Still, very yummy and satisfying.
I really love everything I have made from your website and this is no exception! Even my eight year old loved it and that is saying a lot! Was delicious and hit the spot! Thanks!
Love this recipe and how simple it is to make yet has such a flavour full sweet and sour sauce. This will be a regular meal in our house!
We love the taste, thankyou for making this recipe ❤️ and I love this website more, there's plate portion info and nourish your cell and mind info
Thank you, this was beautiful although we wanted more sauce with the rice as the soy etc were sucked up by the other ingredients!
could you replace the pineapple juice with anything?
I LOVE this recipe!!
I've made a bunch of times and shamefully am only writing a review now.
I'd make this every week if I could. It's REALLY tasty and it also hits the spot if you're craving a Chinese takeaway.
My top tips are:
- Have a pot that is relatively non-stick to fry the tofu in. The ceramic coating is worn down on my old pot and I used to have to use a lot more oil than stated to complete that step of the recipe
- I don't whisk the ingredients for the sauce, I like to use an old jam jar - much easier to just shake it all up
- I usually cook the onions, carrots, bell pepper for a bit longer than the recipe states - this is a personal preference but I'm sure that this means that a lot of nutritional content of the veggies is lost in the process
Thank you Pick Up Limes for a fabulous recipe!
The best sweet and sour recipe for sure! 👍
I somehow stumbled onto your website, and boy am I glad I did!! I made this dish last night and loved it. Tomato paste?! I was skeptical but keep the faith (obviously I had no clue!) and to say it was gobbled up by my little family, would be an understatement. Keep up the awesome work. Thank you!!
An awesome dish! Thank you so much for sharing this
Love it <3
Love your recipies and this one is delicious. And the fussy eaters of the house approved! It's very easy and a joy to follow along with your cooking x
My partner and I make this dish all the time, it is very gay-friendly.
Delicious! Served this with lime wedges an cashews. Will definitely make again. My bf and I have loved all your recipes! :) love from Canada
Love this recipe, cooked it many many times. Sometimes I use tofu but otherwise I use my home made seitan. I'm not the biggest tofu fan but with this preperation I aqtually like it. I cooked this recipe for many friends as well and everybody likes it :) I tried many recipies on this website but this one is my favorite :)
Really good! And the recipe is written very well, so you can go through, really step by step. Keep on your amazing work! 💚
Sooo good! We love this sauce, so I have to double the amount -recommended :)
Asked myself so often, how to make a sweet and sour sauce, that tastes like from a restaurant. And thats it! Will be one of my go-tos since now.
So good! I hardly order anything anymore because this is so easy and just way better! Perfect recipe, love it!
I forgot to take a picture. It was 10/10 GOOD! Even my nonvegan kids loved it. I rarely like the tofu I make. I couldn’t get enough of it. I’m excited for leftovers
Made this dish tonight and it was excellent! I used firm not extra firm but it turn out just fine after I drained all the water from it. Taste was tangy and sweet! I especially liked the red onions in it. I will definitely be making this again!
Love this dish!!
I love this recipe ! Eating it right now :D
It tastes even better when it is the next day or from the freezer.
the flavours develop. It is sweet, sour, salty..perfect mix of all flavours
Delicious and surprisingly easy! I tried this tonight and was impressed with how authentic the sweet & sour sauce was to similar meat dishes. I've been struggling finding good tofu recipes but this will absolutely become a staple from now on! Thank you PUL 😃
Hey there 😊 I absolutely love your website and all of your Videos - I’ve tried many of your recipes and they have all been soooo good!! Absolutely loving it!
I would like to try this recipe again for my family, but my brother is allergic to pineapple - can I substitute it with something else or can I leave it out? Thanks in advance and keep up your amazing work 🤗
It's easy to make and delicious :3 I've done it a few times already!
Such a delicious recipe! I love all the flavors in this dish and it comes together surprisingly easily. My only critique is that the recipe does not indicate if one should press the tofu before starting the recipe. I always press mine and have great results, but the one time my sister made this recipe, she didn't press and had more of a sweet n sour scramble.
I love sweet and sour sauce, so this one was a must try! It was so delicious that it became a regular in our house. Super simple ingredients and super easy to make, I highly recommend it. Makes great leftovers too!
Thank you for all your work <3
This is one of my favorite meals to make ever! It's so easy, makes great leftovers, and tastes amazing.
Absolutely delicious and filling.
This was absolutely delicious ! I absolutely love your recipes, and I try to give a couple new ones a go each month !
Trying out your Aloo Matar today. Thank you for doing what you do ! :)
I tried this recipe because I had all of the ingredients at home. It was so delicious and very easy to make after cooking it a few times now! A new favourite :)
I just tried this recipe and it's absolutely amazing! Super easy to make and delicious, definitely making it again. Thank you! <3
Tried this recipe yesterday and it was easy and delicious. Only downside is the serving size. I used 4 servings and it was just enough for the 2 of us for dinner.
So delicious! Fairly simple to make too, definitely weeknight friendly. I was very impressed by the flavour - like restaurant quality! I will definitely be making this again, and probably regularly
so easy 10/10!!! would recommend, green onions are a must :P
This has to be one of my favourite recipes 😍 I have made it so many times and the dish never disappoints ! The flavour combination is the best !! My mum (who eats meat) has also tried it and everytime she says that it tastes like a regular dish at an Asian restaurant ! It is seriously sooo good and I cannot wait to cook it many more times. Thanks a lot !
Although not my favorite flavor profile, it was still quite good!
Amazing!! I added a spoon of gochujang for some heat. Not traditional but delish
Loved this recipe! Took leftovers to work and had several colleagues ask about it! I might try halving the maple syrup next time, since it’s plenty sweet, but it’s pretty perfect as is.
Definitely on par with the spicy garlic tofu recipe you have on here! I used Chinese cooking wine instead of rice vinegar since I didn't want to use the white vinegar I had and it turned out great!!
I also cut up some chilies to put in the sauce cuz I love the spice and it works well with it too.
Will surely be a staple among other dishes to cook every other week. :D
Hi! I've been making a few of your recipes and I've loved every single one! However, I do not suggest swapping cornstarch for arrowroot starch for this recipe. It turned into a gooey mess on the stove. Maybe it was the mixture of the soy sauce and arrowroot. Not entirely sure! Anything corn related is harmful to my digestive system so I tried the switch, but I regret it now. I'm sure it's very tasty with the cornstarch though. Just a heads up for anyone wanting to try the arrowroot. Don't do it!
I throughly enjoyed this recipe. I swapped the rice vinegar for white wine vinegar because that was what I had on hand and it was still delicious! Amazing bold flavour and loved the pineapple it really made the dish perfect :)
This is one of my all time favourites! The flavours in the sweet and sour sauce are amazing and the tofu is the best I’ve ever had! Thank you for all the great recipes :)
Love this recipe! Easy to make and sooo good! 😁
A meal my son ask me to make at least once a week.
So easy and SO DELICIOUS! Definitely to be repeated very soon, thank you so much for sharing!
This is my favorite recipe! I've done it so many times and I still want more!
I can't believe how easy this was to make! This dish was absolutely delicious and got my whole family raving about my "restaurant quality" cooking. If you're like me and you always browse through the comments before deciding to make a dish, let this be your sign — make it!
This recipe is easy to make. My husband is a fan of pilav and this reminded me of the traditional dish we normally make. This recipe is better in my opinion as it is vegan and delicious!
This is one of my favourite PUL recipes. I find myself making it all of the time. I never even thought it possible to make sweet and sour sauce.
This is one of these meals I think of quite often. I've been looking for a sweet & sour tofu recipe for a while, then I found you, and everything's been better ever since! Thank you for your amazing recipes. Every single one I made (and I ALWAYS came back to them too) was delicious!
Loved this recipe! This even got my spouse who is a tofu skeptic on board!! The sauce is perfect, not too sweet or sour. It so easy to put together. I didn’t have a bell pepper but had plenty of zucchini from the garden, so we added that to the stir fry and it was great. Love the new website and how you can scale recipes up or down. Can’t wait to try more PUL recipes!
It seriously blows my mind that this is a budget recipe because it is mouth-watering and everyone one of my friends that tried it LOVED it. The sweet n sour sauce with the pineapple juice is just - m'wah, chefs kiss! This method of cooking tofu is also so versatile for any tofu dish, this is one of the main ways I prep my tofu now - thanks Sadia and the team! I saw the (amazing) new changes to the website and wanted to make sure everyone knew that these recipes were bomb so I thought I'd communicate to fellow home cooks :)
This recipe has changed how I make tofu for other dishes now too. So delicious! Thank you!
Just make it - it’s amazing!!
I’ve made this twice now! My husband and I really love it! Great for leftovers, too! Waiting a day, the flavor got even richer. This recipe is so good!
This sweet and sour is perfect! After I left Singapore I was constantly searching for a recipe that could satisfy my sweet/sour fix. This is the closest I’ve come, and it’s incredible!
As with moth of your recipes,simple and delicious! This one has that perfect tang you want in a sweet & sour dish! I also love it a little spicy, so a little added sirracha adds the perfect kick!
I've made this recipe several times since I first tried it and it's a winner every time! I usually only get three servings out of the recipe as written so I often make a double batch.
This is one of our favorite indulging dinners and is even better when eating our. The balance in the sauce is what I love the most!
I absolutely adore the flavours of the sauce in this recipe. It's so easy to make! It's on high rotation at my place. Thanks, Sadia!
So tasty! This recipe has become one of my favorites! I love the sweet, sour and tangy flavor of this dish. I make it pretty often because it's so delicious!
Hi there!
Since I made this dish the first time, I absolutely fell in love with it. Not a fan of pineapple or ginger, but this recipe is still so good without them. I make it with extra carrots to make up for the ginger and pineapple. Thank you for introducing me to this, Sadia (and the PUL-team ofc)!
I make this recipe often! It is mind blowing how good it is and easy too! The Pick Up Limes recipes truly neverrrr disappoint and I am a picky girl
This has become and absolute favourite in our house. Really recommend it.
I love this recipe so much, it has become one of my favorites!! It’s just super simple and delicious 😋
I absolutely love this recipe, I have made this, like, 8 times since it was posted because it is sooo good!
I will say that I never need the cornstarch in the sauce, because once I add the tofu, it already thickens everything quite a bit.
Somehow, I never have rice vinegar on hand, but fortunately it also works great with white balsamic vinegar, rosé balsamic vinegar or even lemon juice… or with canned peach instead of pineapple!
I love this dish! I tried it out once and my husband and I have phases where we make it once a week.
This is a staple for my family on cooler days. It’s definitely a challenge to get the tofu crispy without sticking to the pan, but totally worth the effort! I serve it just as you have it pictured which always make my kids go “ooooo!”
Even my meat and potatoes dad likes this recipe! It will be a part of my regular rotation.
This became a staple in our house (along with at least dozen of your recipes). My kids love it, my hubby loves it and everyone who tried it always asks for a recipe. Thanks for making vegan cooking easy and delicious. All the best form Vancouver!
Amazing Recipe! I have made it twice now. The flavors merge together beautifully.
Well Loved recipe and a big favorit in our House!
I was quite uncertain before trying out this recipe, only because I never realized one could get a good sweet and sour sauce at home? But it was soooo much better than the jar sauces I would often get! And so easy too. Absolute fave. :)
One of my absolute favorites! Super easy to make, also as a prep meal! Nice to enjoy for dinner, but what a treat when opening my to-go box for a quick lunch at work :)
This dish has become an absolute staple in my home! It's so easy to make, delicious, and filling!
This is one of the first recipes I provide to pals that are interested in cutting back on their meat consumption.
Thank you!!
This was so good and easy to make! It’s definitely going to become a staple in our household, everyone loved it. Even my brother who hates tofu! What a win! Thank you for the awesome recipe :)
So delicious! I could eat this every night!!
i made this one with canned peaches instead and it still turned out delicious!! as everything from you :)
This recipe is insanely delicious!! I subbed and omitted a few things because I didn’t have them in my pantry. I added 1/4 cup orange juice instead of pineapple and omitted the pineapple chunks in the recipe. I also added a half tbsp more of maple syrup to balance the sweetness. And since I didn’t have any tomato paste on hand, I subbed it with tomato sauce. All of these alterations worked and the end product was so scrumptious.
This was stunning! :D
Love this recipe! It’s my husband’s favourite and it is now a staple in our household. Like many others on this website. Thanks a lot! Warm wishes from Vancouver!
Love this dish and have made it multiple times now! The pineapple is just amazing with it. We love topping it with roasted cashews and serving it with wild rice 😊
I love this recipe as well as all the other recipes on this website. My carnivorous 12 year old daughter said this was one of her favourite meals! High praise indeed. Thank you for your wonderful website and recipes. I love the website's new look, it's the best I have seen.
This is such an easy and delicious meal. My family is full of meat eaters, but everyone loved it. I could eat this fried tofu as a snack all the time. Thank you for the recipe!
I now make this a staple in my house and cook it weekly! I also add some extra veggies such as broccoli and only use half an onion. And I cannot eat enough of this meal! Thank you as always Sadia ❤️
Absolutely delicious!
I made this recipe with a few substitutions:
vegan sausages instead of tofu.
pasta sauce and ketchup instead of tomato paste
And apple cider vinegar instead of rice vinegar
Still turned out great regardless, will definitely be making this one again.
Hi! I'm from Montréal and just find your youtube channel. Thanks to you, my non vegan boyfriend fall in love with this recipe and realise that vegan meal can be delicious.
I was so surprised by how simple this recipe was! I ended up not having pineapple juice, so I ended up letting a few pieces of my frozen pineapple sit in the glaze for a bit, not sure if it did anything but still tasted great!
My only issue was getting the tofu to really crisp up and not get slimy with the cornstarch. Still figuring out how to get it to not all stick to my pan, but next time I think I'll try a touch less cornstarch and a different cooking oil.
Overall, SUCH a good recipe. I can't wait to eat it throughout the week!
Tonight was my third time making this recipe and it's still a crowd favorite! I have started to make one edit- I use orange juice instead of pineapple juice and I just leave the pineapple out. I found that the orange juice has the same zip and is easier to find in the grocery store for me. Leftovers of this recipe keep extremely well. I am not vegan or vegetarian, but I enjoy trying Sadia's recipes and I am getting better at cooking tofu!
Delicious!! The tofu glaze tastes amazing and I really ike the addition of pineapple. Yumm!!!
Hi, I'm from Spain and I just wanted to say that I love your videos. You're such a good cooker and you make everything look easy! Also I wanted to congratulate you with the new website, it's beautiful, cute and also super helpful. Thank you a lot for the love you put on pick up limes, you have inspired me. ( I had started to be vegetarian 5 months ago, but planning to be vegan)
Sorry for my english, I'm 17 years old and I am still learning it.
Best wishes,
Maria
OMG!! How good is it! Love this recipe!