Name: Healthy Vegetarian Sweet and Sour Tofu
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Chinese
Ingredients: 1 (14-ounce) package extra-firm tofu; ¼ cup cornstarch; 3 tablespoons canola oil, (divided); 3 garlic cloves, minced; 1 small onion, chopped; 1 medium red bell pepper, seeded and chopped; 1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and chopped; 1/3 cup low-sodium soy sauce; ¼ cup apple cider vinegar; 3 tablespoons ketchup; 2 teaspoons raw honey; 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated; ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes; 1 teaspoon corn starch; Steamed brown rice for serving; 3 chopped green onions for garnish

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This Healthy Vegetarian Sweet and Sour Tofu will rock your world! It's my take on this classic Chinese sweet and sour recipe, but with a healthier twist. It's the perfect balance of heat, sweet, and acid!

Crispy tofu cubes in a sweet and sour sauce in a white bowl with chopsticks and a red napkin on the side.

Did you know that "red" is the predominant color during the Chinese New Year? Going with the red theme, here's another colorful dish to celebrate the "Year of the Pig," which begins on February 5th.

Crispy tofu cubes in a sweet and sour sauce in a white bowl with a red napkin on the side.

The sweet part is the honey, but only 2 teaspoons! And the apple cider vinegar balances out the sweet. I only used 2 tablespoons of canola oil to brown the tofu, so no deep frying! The tofu is coated with corn starch so they are nice and crispy to the bite. The classic sweet and sour dish has chicken, beef, or pork. You could use whatever protein you have on hand, but I'm keeping it vegetarian this time with the tofu.

Cubed tofu in a brown bowl on top of a wooden board.

Cubed tofu is the star in this colorful dish. Make sure to get the moisture out of the tofu before tossing it in the cornstarch.

How to make Vegetarian Sweet and Sour Tofu:

You'll want to drain the tofu as much as possible, tightly wrapping it in paper towels or a kitchen towel to remove excess liquid. Let sit for at least 30 minutes.
Cut the tofu into one-inch cubes. Then lightly toss the tofu cubes into the cornstarch to coat all sides.
Brown the tofu cubes on all sides in a heavy skillet, about 3 to 4 minutes, until crispy.
Sauté the minced garlic, onions, and bell peppers until fragrant and onions are translucent.

Cubed tofu dredged in corn starch in a glass bowl with a sauce in a bowl and in a small pot on the side on top of a wooden board.

How to make the sauce:

Whisk together the soy sauce, apple cider vinegar, ketchup, honey, ginger, and red pepper flakes. In a separate small bowl, whisk together the corn starch with 2 tablespoons water.
Add the sauce mixture to a small saucepan on the stove at medium heat. Add the in the cornstarch mixture and keep stirring until the sauce thickens, about 30 seconds. Immediately remove from the heat.

To serve:

Pour the sauce over the veggies and add in the cubed tofu, stirring to thoroughly coat with the sauce. Garnish with chopped green onions, and serve with a side of steamed brown rice if desired.

Colorful red and yellow bell peppers, garlic cloves, onion, and ginger on a wooden cutting board.

Now, let's talk peppers. I am not fond of green bell peppers, which is traditionally used in this dish. So I simply substituted the green peppers for red and yellow bell peppers, which are also much sweeter. These peppers truly brighten up this dish, gives it that pop of red, just like the Chinese New Year!

crispy tofu cubes in a skillet tossed in a sweet and sour sauce.

Toss everything together with the sauce. Then garnish with chopped green onions.

Fun Fact: No sweeping on Chinese New Year's Day!

This is an interesting fact about Chinese New Year – all the sweeping and cleaning have to be finished before the New Year’s Eve and it is not allowed to sweep on the New Year’s Day.

According to the old saying, if you sweep on that day, it means you just sweep wealth and good fortune out of the house. In different areas of China, the custom is a little different. In some places, people will not sweep until the fourth day of the New Year for keeping good fortune in house.

“Guo Nian Hao” 新年快乐, as they say in China!

Crispy tofu cubes in a sweet and sour sauce in a white bowl with chopsticks on the side.

TIPS & TRICKS:

Make sure to get all of the moisture out of the tofu before you cube it. The tofu will fry up much better this way. I wrap the tofu in kitchen towels and put something heavy on top of it. Let it sit for about 30 minutes.
Use the firmest tofu you can buy. I use sprouted tofu from Trader Joe's because it holds up so well.
I've made this vegetarian, but add a meat protein with this sauce and it's amazing too!

WANT MORE? If you like this recipe, you’re going to love my Chinese Eggplant with Garlic Sauce. Beautifully charred Chinese eggplant is topped with a flavorful garlic sauce with minced turkey sausage and a bit of heat!