Description
This vegetarian sweet and sour tofu is mouthwateringly delicious! It’s an kid-friendly weeknight meal that’s packed with flavor, easy to make and so tasty you’ll want to add it to your dinner rotation.
Ingredients
Units
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- 1 (14 oz.) block extra-firm tofu
- 4 Tbsp. reduced-sodium soy sauce (or tamari), divided
- 4 Tbsp. rice vinegar, divided
- 6 Tbsp. cornstarch, divided
- 1/4 cup pineapple juice
- 2 Tbsp. ketchup
- 2 Tbsp. lightly packed brown sugar
- 4 Tbsp. vegetable or canola oil, divded
- 1 medium red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
- 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
- 1 Tbsp. tomato paste
- 3 scallions, white and green parts separated, thinly sliced, divided
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp. minced ginger (from 1 [1-inch] piece ginger)
- 1 cup chopped pineapple (canned or fresh)
- sesame seeds and rice, for serving
Instructions
- Dry tofu with paper towels or a clean kitchen towel (see note below about wrapping tofu). Cut tofu into 1/2-inch thick cubes. Place in a small container and add 2 tablespoons of the soy sauce (or tamari) and 1 tablespoon of the rice vinegar. Toss gently and marinate at least 10 minutes at room temperature, or up to 1 hour.
- Meanwhile, whisk together in a medium bowl 2 tablespoons of the cornstarch, pineapple juice, ketchup, brown sugar and remaining 2 tablespoons soy sauce (or tamari) and 2 tablespoons rice vinegar. Set aside.
- Pat tofu dry with a paper or kitchen towel and add to a large zip-top bag. Add remaining 4 tablespoons cornstarch and toss well to coat the tofu.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large wok, non-stick skillet or cast iron skillet over medium-high until the oil shimmers. Add half the tofu and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, about 4 minutes. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels and repeat with remaining tofu, adding remaining 2 tablespoons oil between batches.
- Add red pepper and onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly browned, about 4 minutes. Add tomato paste, scallion whites, garlic and ginger and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add pineapple and reserved sauce and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook for 1 minute, until sauce thickens. Add tofu and toss to coat. Remove from heat and serve hot with rice. Top with scallion greens and sesame seeds.
Notes
- For best results, wrap the tofu block in a clean kitchen towel and place a plate on top to weigh it down. Set aside for about 30 minutes to extract as much moisture as possible. This is not required, but will allow more of the sauce and marinade to soak into the tofu.
- If you want crispy tofu, skip adding the tofu back to the wok with the sauce and instead serve the tofu on top of the sauce.
- Store in an air-tight container for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave or serve the tofu cold.
- Prep Time: 20
- Cook Time: 25
- Category: Main
- Method: stir-fry
- Cuisine: vegetarian