This recipe for Sweet And Sour Tofu is easy to make and perfect for a delicious vegan & gluten-free meal. The tofu is baked until crispy and then tossed in a healthier sweet and sour sauce.

Sweet and sour tofu in a white ceramic bowl with two small bowls on the side filled with green onions and sesame seeds

Crispy baked tofu in sweet and sour sauce

This Sweet And Sour Tofu recipe has become a staple dinner in my kitchen and is perfect for an easy weeknight dinner. This recipe is similar to my General Tso Tofu but has a slightly different sauce that uses pineapple, and the tofu is baked rather than pan-fried.

The best tofu to use for this recipe

The best kind of tofu to use in this recipe is firm or extra-firm tofu.

Do not try and use silken or soft tofu in this recipe, as it will just fall apart. Firm and extra-firm tofu have the least amount of water in them so they crisp up nicely! For more information on the types of tofu and how to cook them, you can check out this guide.

How to make tofu crispy

There are three secrets that will give you super crispy tofu:

  1. Press out some of the water from your tofu: the less water, the more crispy. You can use a tofu press for this, but I just use a few paper towels. If your tofu is already firm, there may not be that much liquid to press out.
  2. Use cornstarch: the tofu gets coated in cornstarch which is what gives it a nice and crispy exterior.
  3. Bake it at a high temperature: 425 degrees F will do the trick! You also will want to flip the tofu cubes halfway through cooking so both sides get nice and crispy.

How to make this recipe

Press out any water from the tofu with paper towels then cut the tofu into cubes and toss with some oil and cornstarch. Bake at 425 degrees for 30 minutes until golden and crispy.

  • cubes of tofu in a clear mixing bowl
  • cooked cubes of tofu in a clear bowl

mix the sauce ingredients together then heat up the sauce in a pan until it starts to thicken slightly. Then add in the tofu cubes and toss together until evenly coated.

  • A white pan filled with sweet and sour sauce
  • A white pan filled with tofu and sweet and sour sauce

Serve right away and top with green onions and sesame seeds.

  • A bowl of sweet and sour tofu on a marble counter with wooden chopsticks
  • A ceramic bowl with asian tofu in it with a small bowl of green onions in the back

Tips for making this recipe perfectly

  • Make sure to use firm or extra-firm tofu to get crispy tofu cubes.
  • Flip the tofu cubes halfway through baking. This will help them get crispy on both sides.
  • Make sure to heat up the sauce in the pan so it thickens before you add the tofu. This is how you get all the tofu cubes nicely coated.
  • Serve right away. This dish is best eaten immediately, otherwise, the tofu loses its crispiness.
  • Serve with rice, rice noodles, or on its own.

How to store this tofu

Store leftovers in a container in the fridge for up to 2 days. The tofu will lose it’s crispiness, but is still tasty.

Reheat the tofu in a pan with a touch of oil. I don’t recommend reheating this recipe in a microwave, otherwise it can become soggy.

More tofu recipes to try

A bowl filled with rice and sweet and sour tofu topped with sliced green onions

If you tried this Sweet And Sour Tofu or any other recipe on the blog let me know how you liked it by leaving a comment/rating below! Be sure to follow along on Pinterest, Instagram and Facebook for even more deliciousness!

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A bowl filled with rice and sweet and sour tofu topped with sliced green onions

Sweet And Sour Tofu

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  • Author: Jessica Hoffman
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 35 minutes
  • Total Time: 45 minutes
  • Yield: 2–4 servings 1x
  • Category: Main
  • Method: Bake
  • Cuisine: Chinese
  • Diet: Vegan
Print Recipe

Description

This Sweet And Sour Tofu is made with crispy baked tofu cubes tossed in a sweet and sour sauce! Top it off with some green onions and sesame seeds.

Ingredients

Scale

Tofu

  • 1 block firm or extra-firm tofu 
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 tbsp cornstarch 

Sauce

  • 3 tbsp  coconut sugar 
  • 1/3 cup pineapple juice (from a can or carton) 
  • 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tbsp ketchup 
  • 1 tbsp tamari or soy sauce 
  • 1 garlic clove, chopped
  • 1 tbsp cornstarch mixed in 1 tbsp cold water

Other (optional) 

  • Sliced green onions 
  • Sesame seeds
  • Rice to serve with 

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F and line a baking pan with parchment paper.
  2. Using some paper towel, press down on the tofu and squeeze out as much water as possible.
  3. Cut the tofu into cubes then toss it in a bowl with the olive oil and cornstarch
  4. Spread the tofu cubes on the baking sheet so that none of the cubes are touching each other, and bake for 25-30 minutes, flipping halfway through.
  5. While the tofu bakes, prepare the sauce by mixing the sauce ingredients together in a bowl. 
  6. Heat the sauce in a pan on medium-high heat until it comes to a slight bubble and starts to thicken slightly 
  7. Add the tofu cubes to the pan and toss together until the sauce is thick and the tofu cubes are coated. 
  8. Serve on it’s own or with rice and top with green onions and sesame seeds. 

Notes

Make sure to use firm or extra-firm tofu to get crispy tofu cubes.

Flip the tofu cubes halfway through baking. This will help them get crispy on both sides.

Make sure to heat up the sauce in the pan so it thickens before you add the tofu. This is how you get all the tofu cubes nicely coated.

Serve right away. This dish is best eaten immediately, otherwise, the tofu loses its crispiness.

Serve with rice, rice noodles, or on its own.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1/4 of recipe
  • Calories: 160
  • Sugar: 10g
  • Fat: 8g
  • Carbohydrates: 15g
  • Fiber: 1g
  • Protein: 6g