Today I want to share with you another recipe which features tofu as king! In case you missed my Asian-Inspired Tofu Sliders, hope you check it out also!
One of my favorite Chinese dishes is sweet and sour pork. However, I haven’t been to a Chinese restaurant in a very very long time..I can’t even remember the last time, and I have a pretty decent memory (or so I like to tell myself). The reason being my food preferences have changed a lot over the years – salty, greasy, heavy? No, thank you! (I guess I’m referring more to mall and buffet-style Chinese food). I don’t want to look like a jiggly puff at the end of the day.
However, I do LOVE the sweet and sour flavor combination. Solution? I’ll make my own version that’s lighter, healthier, and tastier! I replaced pork with tofu and added lots of fresh fruits and vegetables. The end result? It was worthy enough to submit to the “How To Tofu” challenge sponsored by The Soyfoods Council.
Sweet and Sour Tofu
Ingredients:
- 1 block firm tofu
- salt and pepper, season to taste
- 1 Tbs EVOO + more for coating tofu
- 8 oz cremini mushrooms
- 1 bunch of broccoli florets
- 1 med apple
- 1 med carrot *
- 1 red bell pepper
- 1 med red onion
- 1/2 cucumber
- 2 kiwi
* Carrots I had on hand were very skimpy in size so I used 3 of them.
Sauce
- 2 Tbs soy sauce
- 2 Tbs ketchup
- 1 Tbs brown sugar
- 2 Tbs distilled vinegar
- 4 Tbs orange juice
- 1 1/2 cup water
Thickener: 3 Tbs tapioca starch (or arrowroot, cornstarch) + 3 Tbs water
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 375 F. Slice tofu into 1/2 in thick sheets. Coat each side with EVOO and season with salt and pepper. Lay flat on baking sheet and bake for approx 30-35 min, until golden brown and firm. Then slice into bite-sized squares.
- Wash, rinse, and roughly chop all the veggies into bite-sized pieces. Prepare the sauce and the thickener and set aside.
- Under med-high heat, add 1 Tbs EVOO to a large pan. Throw in all the produce and cook, approx 5 min.
- Pour in the sauce, bring to boil. Then simmer low until the fruits and veggies get slightly softened. *
- Pour in the thickener. Stir well to incorporate.
- Pour generous amount of sauce on top of the baked tofu.
* Be sure to not overcook! You don’t want them to get mushy.
Squeeze out all the water! As much as you can!
Golden deliciousness!
The verdict? Ok, I cannot RAVE enough about the sauce…is this quite vain of me since I made it? Oh wells, you’ll just have to forgive me and let me have my moment here 
. Although my husband was missing the meat (no surprise there), he really liked the tofu being used in this way…very different from the usual. You see, contrary to what some may believe, tofu is NOT boring at all! Yes, it has a very light and mild flavor, but that’s just the beauty of it – it’s like a blank canvas. There are endless applications. Whether you grill, bake, steam, or fry it, you can add any number of sauces to make the experience that much more special. Tofu will just soak it up!
If you’re trying to introduce your child to tofu, make this recipe! The sauce is on the sweeter side so he or she may be more willing to give it a try and like it! Tofu may become one of their new favorites.
How awesome are leftovers?! This sauce is so versatile! I’ve added it to my chicken, salmon, quinoa, salad…you get the picture
So have I inspired you to try more tofu or soy recipes? You need more, you say? Well, today’s your lucky day because I have an awesome cookbook giveaway for you, thanks to The Soyfoods Council!
In this cookbook, you’ll find 88 recipes which use soy products like you’ve never seen or imagined before! Lemon soy pudding cake, edamame dip, grilled chicken with three bean salad, anyone? And this book is not just for the vegetarians. There are also recipes which incorporate soyfoods with meat, poultry, and seafood.
So are you ready to try some of these recipes yourself? I’m super excited to give this cookbook to one of my lucky readers .
To enter:
-Please leave me a comment answering one of these questions: What’s your favorite soyfood? How do you like to prepare it?
For 2 extra entries:
-Follow me on Twitter @savortherainbow and tweet something like ”win a copy of Simply Soy Coobook from @savortherainbow http://wp.me/p2tSfW-Gh.” Leave a separate comment telling me you did this.
-Like me on Facebook.
Giveaway will be open through midnight EST Monday, October 22. The winner will be announced Tuesday.
“By posting this recipe I am entering a recipe contest sponsored by The Soyfoods Council and am eligible to win prizes associated with the contest. I was not compensated for my time.”
Disclosure: The Soyfoods Council compensated The Recipe ReDux (co-owned by ReganMillerJones, Inc. and Teaspoon Communications), to sponsor this recipe contest. We are therefore not eligible to win prizes associated with the contest. Opinions expressed are our own.
Hi, I'm Min and welcome! I'm currently working on my Masters in Nutrition. My life is crazy, but my love for Jesus Christ, food, healthy living, family, friends, and random adventures ground me. Join me as I try to find balance in life while having fun doing it (most of the time anyway)!
Feel free to email me at savortherainbow@gmail.com. I'd love to hear from ya!
You’re so right… tofu IS like a blank canvas! This sounds super yum
Thank you, Regan!
I don’t really know that much soyfood.. XD Besides tofu, I know yoghurt and milk and that kind of things.. But I like tofu
It’s so versatile! And it comes in different ‘shapes’, you can make dips out of the smooth versions or bake the ‘hard’ versions.. I like to put tofu in my miso-soup 
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You’re absolutely right! Ooh I love miso soup!
I like you on facebook
I use soy milk does that count? hahaha I haven’t really used tofu becaues this one time i got the soft kind… and well i’m sure you can figure that didn’t really work out haha.
Yup! Drinking soy milk counts. But there’s a whole world of soyfoods out there that you’re missing out on
. Give tofu a try! I think you’ll fall in love hehe
Wow – another recipe in my “must pile” – I adore that you added kiwi to this, too! And the sauce does sound divine, perfect for the tofu to sop up
Exactly! Who needs bread? Well, I do but tofu is another awesome alternative
I like using silken tofu to make chocolate mousse pie. Yummo!
OH yum! That does sound divine!! Do you have the recipe? I’d love to try making it for myself!
The recipe looks great, Min!! I’ve never used tapioca starch as a thickener (my family always used cornstarch), but I would love to give it a try soon – I’ve been reading about the problems with eating too much corn, and this would be one easy way to reduce my intake of it.
My favorite soyfood is probably tofu, though if miso counts too, it’s a close call! Miso raises the flavor profile of even the most ordinary stir-fry, and it’s so convenient too!
Does soymilk count as a soy food? I have that almost every day!!
I HAVE to try your sauce! You know how much I love a giant bowl of veggies and I’m always looking for a new sauce to pair with it
Thanks for sharing the recipe, Min!!
Awesome giveaway! I love silken tofu for use in desserts, but I’m also a big fan of pretty much every other soy product. =) Fingers crossed!
I am obsessed with tofu and James is obsessed with sweet and sour, so this is making an appearance in our house! Ps, I nominated you for the sunshine award
Ooh, perfect! You guys sure do compliment each other in many ways
! Thank you so much for the nomination!!
oooh, sweet sour sauce with kiwi, I would have never thought! Your pictures are wonderful, too.
Aww thank you! And yes! the addition of kiwi was quite lovely!
i loooooove tofu, count me in for this giveaway pls!
my fave is extra firm tofu, pan fried and then i make a simple peanut butter dip! i also love tofu dessert, in the philippines it’s called “taho” and it’s very nostalgic for me because you have vendors calling out “TAHOOOOOO” in the early morning in your neighbourhood, then people would run out from their homes with their mugs ready. Anyway, babbling now.. but yes, i love tofu! 
Oh my goodness! reading this just made me very nostalgic! I know exactly what you’re talking about!! I had the same experience growing up in Korea except they’d yell out “DOOBOOO sa sae you” which means buy some tofu
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I love the idea of dipping tofu in peanut butter! How clever! I’m def going to try it today! Thanks!
Just liked you on Facebook and followed you on Twitter. We are teenagers who blog about what Asian teen girls like and different kinds of food. We love tofu. Favorite dish is Japanese style agedashi tofu.
Thank you for the follow
. Ooh! Neat! I’m curious as to what teenagers love to eat! My diet was not so great back when…
I like bibimbap with lots of soy sauce…I love chinese food so, i have a crush with soy xD
Ooh! bibimbap!!! One of my favorites for sure!
ma po tofu
I personally love tofu too! Probably because we grew up eating it! And I think it’s the TASTIEST in soondooboo, fermented bean tofu stew, and in chinese dishes! Your sauce sounds so alluring and tasty. I really would love to drink some right now, heh!
Soondooboo!! haha I never thought about drinking the sauce, but I’m sure that’ll work too
I love that you put kiwi in there! So creative and pretty
Do you think apple juice would be an okay substitute for the orange juice? That’s all I have on hand, but I want to try this recipe soon! My favorite way to cook with tofu is in curries and stir fries, but I’ll eat it raw or fried or baked 
Hi, Maura! Hmm I’ve never tried it with apple juice so I can’t say for sure. However, I do feel like it’d be better with orange juice bc I personally think it has more of an intense flavor than apple juice. But then again, who knows? It might work wonderfully
. You sound like a true tofu lover hehe
I love it
Tofu! I love baking it so it’s nice and crispy then dipping it into a sauce!
tweeted!
My favorite is tempeh, for sure! I use it in almost everything these days. Though I do love a good tofu recipe. I’ve also become quite the tofurkey fiend.
I tweeted! https://twitter.com/Fight4Wellness/status/258196594434904064
Gosh Min, that recipie looks really, really, delicious. I need to win this cookbook. I really don’t use tofu because I just don’t know what to do with it. You and some of your commentors have given me some food for thought. Next grocery trip – tofu and this recipie. Thanks for posting it and hoping you win with this entry.
I love baked tofu or steamed edamame!
This is definitely my sort of tofu! Lovely
This looks just fabulous!! Tofu is one of my fav soy foods! It is just so versatile.
This dish is right up my alley.
I “liked” you on FB
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A very creative variation of the sweet and sour dish
The key to a a great sweet and sour dish is the sauce. I agree with you about the food served in food courts and malls…very greasy and unauthentic. Thanks for visiting The Pearl Kitchen btw 