Sweet and Sour Tofu Veggie Stir Fry is as simple and easy as it gets! The tofu is baked to crisp perfection with a perfect meaty texture and the sweet and sour Asian stir-fry sauce is so delicious! A quick vegan dinner that comes together quickly whenever that craving for takeout hits.

Recipe Snapshot

  • Prep time: 5 minutes
  • Cook time: 30 minutes
  • Total time: 35 minutes
  • Yield: 2
  • Category: Main Course
  • Cuisine: Asian

Ingredients

For the Tofu

  • 14 oz extra firm (or firm tofu, pressed for 15 minutes, then cubed)
  • 2 tsp soy sauce
  • 1 tsp oil (or use sesame oil)
  • 2 tbsp cornstarch
  • 1 tsp rice flour
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder

For the Sauce

  • 1 tsp oil
  • 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 1/2 cup sliced red or white onion (sliced into 3/4-1 inch pieces)
  • 1 cup sliced red bell pepper (sliced into 3/4-1 inch pieces)
  • 1/2 cup sliced green bell pepper (also sliced into 3/4-1 inch pieces)
  • 1/2 cup chopped celery
  • 3 cloves minced garlic
  • 4 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 1/4 cup maple syrup
  • 1-2 tbsp sugar (optional, add if you like your sauce to be sweeter)
  • 2 tbsp soy sauce
  • 2 tbsp ketchup
  • 1 tsp cornstarch mixed in 1/2 cup of water

Method

  1. Add the pressed and cubed tofu to a bowl, add in the soy sauce and oil and mix well, and let it sit for a minute, then add in the corn starch, rice flour, and garlic powder, and toss well to coat. You can bake this tofu or pan fry it.
  2. To bake, transfer the tofu to a parchment lined baking sheet, and bake at 400 degrees F (200c) for 20-25 minutes.
  3. To pan fry, transfer this tofu to a skillet over medium high heat, add in 2 tsp oil, and add in the tofu, and cook until crisp and golden on most of the edges, then set aside.

To make the sauce

  1. Heat oil in a skillet or wok over medium high heat. When hot, add in the red pepper flakes, give it a quick stir, then add in the onion, bell peppers, and celery, and mix well. Continue to cook until the bell peppers start to get golden brown on the edges, then add the garlic and mix in. then add in the vinegar, maple syrup, sugar, soy sauce, and ketchup, and mix well. Bring to a boil.
  2. In a small bowl, mix the cornstarch into the water and add that mixture into the skillet, and bring to a boil.
  3. Add in the baked or pan fried tofu, and toss well to coat. If the sauce hasn’t thickened to preference add in 1 tsp cornstarch mixed in 1 the water and bring to a boil. then take off heat.
  4. Serve over rice, or cooked grains.

Kiyaan Singh’s Kitchen Note

Keep this recipe as a working base: cook once as written, then adjust spice, texture, and serving style for your own table.