This sweet chilli tofu is a quick vegetarian stir fry made with crispy tofu, capsicum, zucchini and onion coated in a sticky sweet chilli soy sauce. Served with rice, it makes three serves in around 30 minutes making it perfect for an easy weeknight dinner or meal prep.
I am constantly testing tofu recipes in the hope of finding more versions that Zak, a huuuuge tofu sceptic, will willingly eat. I have been developing the flavours around the things he already likes: he thinks black pepper is a food group, which led to my black pepper tofu stir fry, and he loves a bit of chilli.
After he really enjoyed my sweet chilli chicken, adapting the sauce for tofu seemed like the logical next experiment. The result has plenty of sweet, tangy and savoury flavour, while frying the tofu first gives it a firmer texture that stands up to the sauce rather than disappearing into it.
TL;DR
- Servings: 3
- Prep time: 15 minutes Cook time: 20 minutes
- Meal prep: The tofu, vegetables and rice divide easily into three portions. Frying the tofu before adding the sauce helps it retain a firmer exterior after storage.
- Fridge storage: Store in airtight glass containers for up to 4-5 days (keep tofu and rice on opposite sides to prevent rice going soggy from the sauce)
- Freezer storage: Freeze for up to 3 months. (For the best texture, freeze the sweet chilli tofu and rice separately or layer with rice on top)
- Reheating: Microwave with a small drizzle of water in 1-minute intervals for approximately 2-3 minutes
- Customise: Change the vegetables, adjust the chilli flakes or replace the tofu with chicken. You can also serve the stir fry with noodles, quinoa or cauliflower rice.
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Why you'll love this recipe
30-minute dish. Once the tofu has been pressed and the ingredients are prepared, the stir fry cooks in around 15 minutes.
Naturally vegetarian. This sweet chilli tofu is vegetarian as written, with no protein substitutions or recipe adjustments required.
Sweet chilli. The sauce has enough chilli to add warmth and flavour without making four days of meal prep unreasonably spicy.
Ingredients
Extra firm tofu. Extra firm tofu contains less water and holds its shape when pressed, coated and stir-fried, making it the best choice for golden cubes with a firmer bite. Silken or soft tofu will break apart in the pan and is not suitable for this cooking method.
Cornflour. Cornflour absorbs remaining surface moisture and creates a thin coating that helps the tofu become golden. It also assists the sauce in clinging to the cubes, so use a light, even coating rather than leaving thick patches.
Paprika. Paprika gives the tofu a little extra colour and savoury flavour without making it noticeably spicier.
Sweet chilli sauce. Use a sweet chilli sauce you already like, ideally one that is reasonably thick and contains a higher percentage of chilli for more flavour. Thin, watery sauces take longer to reduce and may soften the tofu before the sauce has time to become sticky.
Sweet chilli sauce usually contains plenty of sugar already, so I do not add extra sweetener as standard. Taste the mixed sauce before cooking and add a little sugar or honey only if your chosen brand needs it.
White wine vinegar. White wine vinegar balances the sweetness of the sauce with some acidity, preventing the finished dish from tasting overly sugary. It is the vinegar I usually have in my fridge, but rice wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar will also work.
Garlic and ginger. Fresh garlic and ginger give the sauce the strongest flavour, but jarred versions are a practical substitute when you want to reduce the preparation time.
Chilli flakes. Adjust the chilli flakes to suit your spice tolerance. The suggested amount adds gentle warmth without taking over the sweet chilli flavour, but you can reduce, omit or increase them as needed.
Please check the recipe card for full list of ingredients and quantity. See below for substitutions and variations.
Substitutions and variations
Chicken. Replace the tofu with chicken breast to make my sweet chilli chicken rice bowl. Chicken requires a different cooking method and must reach an internal temperature of 74°C, so follow the instructions in that recipe rather than using the tofu timings.
Tempeh. Tempeh provides a firmer and nuttier alternative to tofu. Cut it into small pieces, steam it for approximately 10 minutes to reduce bitterness, then coat and fry it using the same general method.
Vegetables. Broccoli, green beans, snow peas, carrots, mushrooms, baby corn and bok choy can replace or supplement the zucchini and capsicum. Add firm vegetables first and quick-cooking greens closer to the end.
Spicier tofu. Increase the chilli flakes, add fresh sliced chilli or finish each bowl with chilli oil. Adding extra heat to individual portions works well when the same batch is shared between different spice tolerances.
How to make sweet chilli tofu
Step 1: Drain the extra firm tofu and wrap it in several sheets of paper towel or a clean tea towel. Place it between two cutting boards or plates, then set something heavy on top, such as a large frying pan, tins from the pantry or a stack of books.
Press for 15-20 minutes to remove excess moisture. This will help the tofu brown more effectively and help prevent the sauce from becoming watery.
Step 2: While the tofu is being pressed, combine the sweet chilli sauce, white wine vinegar, soy, garlic, ginger and chilli flakes in a small bowl. Taste the sauce and adjust the chilli, acidity or sweetness if needed.
Step 3: Cut and press the tofu into evenly sized cubes and add to a bowl with soy sauce, paprika and cornflour. Toss to coat but avoid leaving thick patches of cornflour, as these can become gummy once the sauce is added.
Step 4: Heat a thin layer of cooking oil in a large wok or frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook for 2-3 minutes until it begins to soften and develop a little colour, then remove it from the pan.
Step 5: Add the tofu to the hot pan in a single layer, leaving space between the cubes. Cook for approximately 6-8 minutes, turning every few minutes, until several sides are golden and the coating feels firm.
Cook the tofu in two batches if it cannot fit comfortably in one layer. Overcrowding traps moisture and causes the tofu to steam rather than brown.
Step 6: Return the onion to the pan and add the zucchini and capsicum. Stir fry for 1-2 minutes when preparing the recipe for meal prep, or approximately 3 minutes when serving it immediately.
Step 7: Pour the prepared sweet chilli sauce into the pan and gently toss until the tofu and vegetables are evenly coated.
Step 8: Allow the sauce to come to a gentle bubble, then reduce the heat to low. Cook for another 1-3 minutes until the sauce looks glossy and clings to the tofu without pooling in the bottom of the pan.
Serve with rice
Meal prep note - Remove the pan from the heat while the sauce is still slightly looser than your preferred consistency when meal prepping. It will thicken as it cools and again once refrigerated.
Lauren's Top Tips
Press the tofu properly. Even extra firm tofu contains excess moisture that can prevent browning and dilute the sauce.
Turn it less often. Let each side become golden before moving the tofu so the coating does not stick to the pan or tear away.
Keep the coating light. Thick patches of cornflour can become gummy once the sauce is added, so shake off any obvious excess.
Recommended Equipment
A tofu press is useful but not essential. Paper towel, two cutting boards and a heavy pan or stack of books will remove enough moisture for this recipe.
Use a large wok or wide frying pan so the tofu can brown in a single layer. A smaller pan will still work, but the tofu needs to be cooked in two batches.
For storing the finished meal, I recommend glass meal-prep containers rather than plastic. The red sweet chilli sauce can stain plastic, while glass is easier to clean and does not retain the colour.
Meal prepping sweet chilli tofu
This sweet chilli tofu is a useful vegetarian meal prep because it combines tofu, rice and vegetables in one portion without requiring a separate protein substitution. The sauce adds enough moisture for reheating, while cooking the tofu until golden before adding it helps the cubes retain more structure during storage.
Storing
Place the rice and tofu mixture on opposite sides of the container so the rice does not absorb the sauce throughout storage.
Allow the rice and tofu mixture to stop steaming before closing the containers, but refrigerate everything within two hours of cooking. Trapping steam inside the container can soften the tofu coating and create condensation around the vegetables.
Store the sweet chilli tofu in airtight glass meal-prep containers in the fridge for up to 4-5 days. The sauce will thicken as it chills and the tofu will soften slightly.
Lauren's Meal Prep Tip
Tip.
Tip.
Reheating
Add a small drizzle of water to both the rice and the sweet chilli tofu before reheating. This creates steam for the rice and loosens the sauce without requiring additional oil.
Microwave in 1-minute intervals for approximately 2-3 minutes, gently stirring the tofu between each interval, until steaming hot. Avoid vigorous stirring because the cubes become more delicate once they have been stored in sauce.
If you want to retain the crispy texture of the tofu, add them to a frying pan over medium heat for approx 4-5 minutes. Note this will reduce the sauce further so you may need to add a little more.
Freezing
Sweet chilli tofu can be frozen for up to 3 months, although freezing changes the tofu's internal texture. It becomes more porous and slightly chewier, which some people prefer because it absorbs more sauce.
For the best control over the rice texture, freeze the tofu and vegetables separately from the rice. I would portion the stir fry into 1-cup Souper Cubes, freeze until solid, then transfer the blocks to a labelled freezer bag or airtight container.
For complete freezer meals, use 2-cup Souper Cubes with the tofu mixture on the bottom and rice on top. When reheating, reverse the block so the rice sits underneath and the sauce gradually moves down through it.
If you want more meal prep information, check out my Meal Prep for Beginners post and my Meal Prep Basics E-Book.
FAQs
The pan may not be hot enough, there may be too little oil or the tofu may have been moved before its coating formed a crust. Give the first side a few uninterrupted minutes and loosen it gently with a thin spatula.
Too much cornflour or an overly watery sauce can produce a gummy coating. Apply only a thin layer and allow the sauce to bubble so excess moisture can evaporate before removing the pan from the heat.
You can, but the tofu is less likely to brown and may release water into the sauce. When time is limited, pat extra firm tofu thoroughly with paper towel and cook it for slightly longer before adding the vegetables.
Other vegetarian recipes you'll like
Or, you can have a browse through my vegetarian recipes for more delicious eats.
Recipe
Sweet Chilli Tofu and Rice
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Equipment
- Tofu press, optional
- wok, or large pan
- Rice Cooker, optional
Ingredients
Sweet chilli tofu
- 450 g (1 lb) extra firm tofu, see note 1
- 2 tablespoon cornflour
- 2 teaspoon paprika
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 onion
- 1 zucchini
- 2 capsicum
- 1 cup rice, yields approx.3 cups cooked
Sweet chilli sauce
- ⅓ cup sweet chilli, see note 2
- 3 tablespoon white wine vinegar, subs note 3
- 2 tablespoon soy sauce
- 2 cloves garlic, fresh recommended
- 1 teaspoon ginger, fresh recommended
- 1 teaspoon chilli flakes, adjust to preferences
Instructions
Preparing
- Drain the 450 g (1 lb) extra firm tofu and wrap it in several sheets of paper towel or a clean tea towel. Place it between two cutting boards or plates and set something heavy on top, such as a large pan or stack of books.
- Press the tofu for 15-20 minutes to remove excess moisture. Replace the paper towel if it becomes saturated.
- While waiting for the tofu to press, thinly slice or dice into even pieces 1 onion, 1 zucchini, 2 capsicum.
- Finely dice or grate the 2 cloves garlic and 1 tsp ginger then combine with the ⅓ cup sweet chilli, 3 tbsp white wine vinegar, 2 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tsp chilli flakes. Mix well and set aside.
- Cut the pressed tofu into evenly sized cubes. Add it to a large bowl with 2 tbsp cornflour, 2 tsp paprika, 1 tbsp soy sauce tossing gently until evenly seasoned. Avoid leaving thick patches of cornflour, as these can become gummy once the sauce is added.
- Rinse and cook the 1 cup rice according to the packet instructions or using your preferred method or follow my tips and tricks
Cooking
- Heat a thin layer of cooking oil in a large wok or frying pan over medium-high heat.
- Add the onion and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring regularly, until it begins to soften and develop a little colour. Remove it from the pan and set aside.
- Add the tofu in a single layer, leaving space between the cubes. Cook for 6-8 minutes, turning every few minutes, until several sides are golden and the cornflour coating feels firm.Note - If you can't fit the tofu in one uncrowded layer, cook in two batches as overcrowding traps steam and prevents the cubes from browning.
- Return the onion to the pan and add the zucchini and capsicum. Stir fry for 1-2 minutes when meal prepping, or approximately 3 minutes when serving immediately, until brightly coloured and just tender.
- Pour the prepared sweet chilli sauce into the pan. Gently toss until the tofu and vegetables are evenly coated.
- Allow the sauce to come to a gentle bubble, then reduce the heat to low. Cook for another 1-3 minutes until the sauce becomes glossy and clings to the tofu.
- Remove the pan from the heat while the sauce is still slightly loose when preparing the recipe for meal prep. It will thicken further as it cools and during refrigeration.
- Divide the cooked rice between four bowls or meal-prep containers and add the sweet chilli tofu.
Notes
Extra firm tofu holds its shape during pressing and stir-frying; soft or silken tofu contains too much water and will break apart. Note 2 – Sweet chilli
Choose a thicker sweet chilli sauce with a higher chilli percentage for more flavour and a sauce that clings to the tofu. Note 3 – White wine vinegar
White wine vinegar balances the sweetness, but rice wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar can be substituted. Storage
Store the sweet chilli tofu and rice on opposite sides of an airtight glass container in the fridge for up to 4-5 days. Reheating
Add a small drizzle of water and microwave in 1-minute intervals for approximately 2–3 minutes, gently stirring between intervals until steaming hot. Freezing
Freeze the tofu and vegetables separately from the rice for up to 3 months, noting that defrosted tofu will have a slightly chewier and more porous texture.
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