This site uses affiliate links and I may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Sweet and Spicy Tofu is the addictingly delicious tofu recipe you need. Golden and crunchy on the outside, slathered with homemade sweet and spicy glaze, then tossed with fresh bok choy! A quick and easy budget-friendly dish perfect for a satisfying lunch or dinner!
Want to save this recipe?
Enter your email & get this sent to your inbox! Plus you’ll get great new recipes from us every week!
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love this Homemade Sweet and Spicy Tofu Recipe
Take your tofu from bland to mind-blowing with this simple but delectable sweet and spicy tofu. Perfectly browned tofu is coated with a deliciously sweet, savory, and mildly spicy glaze. Served with lightly sauteed greens, this has all the makings for a light but satisfying healthful meal!
The best part? It is a fuss-free and customizable recipe perfect for weekdays. You can add in whatever veggies you have sitting in your fridge. Also, taste and tweak the sweetness or spiciness level to your liking!
Looking for more tofu recipes to rotate in your meal plan? Try Lemongrass Tofu, Tofu Bolognese, General Tso’s Tofu, or Sticky Sesame Tofu.
Ingredients for Spicy and Sweet Tofu
- Extra Firm Tofu: Make sure to press and drain the fillets before using them to achieve that golden crispiness. Check out my Guide to Tofu Pressing for some helpful tips!
- Garlic: You will be using this both for the glaze and with the bok choy prep. What is a great dish without garlic, right?
- Ginger: Will provide that sharp peppery, and spicy taste.
- Tamari: This gluten-free sauce will provide tons of umami goodness to the glaze. Use soy sauce as an alternative if you do not have this.
- Brown Sugar: It not only adds sweetness but also aids in making the sauce thicker and glossier. You can use light brown sugar, agave nectar, or maple syrup as an alternative.
- Sesame Oil: Add a nutty and flair of Asian flavor!
- Bok Choy: This veggie goes really well with the tofu and glaze. However, feel free to sub with other leafy greens like kale, collard greens, spinach, arugula, and cabbage. If you’re a big fan of Bok Choy, you’ll love this Baby Bok Choy with Soy Sauce and Garlic.
- Canola or Vegetable oil: Any neutral-flavored oil will work fine.
How to Make Sweet and Spicy Tofu
Preparations:
- Press and drain the tofu, then slice into fillets.
- Wash bok choy thoroughly, especially near the stems. Slice in halves or quarters.
Steps:
Step 1: Make the glaze. First, add half of the minced garlic, ginger, tamari, brown sugar, and the sesame oil in a bowl and mix it together.
Step 2: Next, cook the bok choy. Boil them in water and the rest of the minced garlic until the leaves become a bit wilted.
Step 3: Then, brown the tofu. Fry the tofu for about 3 minutes on each side. After browned, add the glaze. Pour the sauce mixture and coat the tofu with it. Then, cook until the sauce thickens.
Step 4: Next, add the bok choy and toss everything together. Make sure the tofu and veggies are coated very well. Finally, cook for about 2 more minutes before serving.
Toni’s Tips for Making Sweet and Spicy Tofu
- Don’t disturb the cooking tofu: When frying the tofu, let them sizzle undisturbed for a few minutes before flipping them. If you move them around too much, there is a possibility that they will break into pieces.
- Don’t overcook the greens: Do not boil the bok choy too much, just enough for the leaves to soften a bit. This dish is much more enjoyable with some crunch from the stems.
- Add some spice: The fresh garlic gives the dish a zesty taste. If you want it to be spicier, you can add chili powder, red pepper flakes, hot sauce, or sriracha.
- Add more (or less) veggies: You can make this recipe without the greens; it will still be delicious. But if you are a veggie-lover, you can even add more like broccoli, baby corn, edamame, and snap peas.
- Garnish!: You can sprinkle sesame seeds or finely chopped green onions for garnishing to make it more presentable too.
FAQs for Spicy and Sweet Tofu
This recipe calls for extra firm tofu, which has less water content, making it great for pan-fry recipes. If you cannot find one, at least use regular or firm tofu.
Tofu contains a lot of water. Therefore, it’s essential to squeeze and drain it. By pressing out all of the water, you can get rid of any excess moisture. When tofu is too wet, it will break up while cooking, which is not what you want.
To make a batch of amazingly crispy tofu slices, pan-frying is the simplest and least time-consuming method. But if you have the time, go ahead and bake it! Preheat the oven to 200°C and bake the tofu for 15 minutes or golden brown.
Serving Suggestions
- Rice: Serve over white or brown rice (how to cook brown rice), coconut rice, garlic rice, cauliflower rice, or veggie-packed vegan fried rice.
- Noodles: Serve with a side noodles like chili oil noodles with crispy tofu, garlic sesame soba noodles, or vegan chow mein.
- Salad: Serve over or alongside spicy cucumber salad, easy edamame salad, soba noodle salad, etc.
- Simple Appetizers or Sides: Like vegan spring rolls, tofu vegetable crispy wontons, lettuce wraps, etc.
- Roasted/steamed vegetables: Add more tasty veggies, like broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, mushrooms, bell pepper, easy stir-fry vegetables, etc.
Storage Instructions
Fridge: This Spicy and Sweet Tofu is best enjoyed hot from the pan or stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2-3 days.
Reheat: Leftovers can be eaten cold or reheated in a skillet or microwave as needed. If the tofu appears to be drying out, add a splash of water while reheating.
More Healthy Tofu Recipes For You!
Vegan Dinners
Shiitake Asparagus Tofu Stir Fry
Vegan Dinners
Crispy Tofu with Peanut Sauce
Vegan Dinners
Pineapple Glazed Tofu Ham
Vegan Dinners
Stir Fried Veggies With Tofu
If you tried this sweet and spicy tofu recipe or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks!
Photos by Alfonso Revilla
If you’re loving my recipes and would like a more comprehensive resource, check out my cookbooks!
Sweet and Spicy Tofu
Want to save this recipe?
Enter your email & get this sent to your inbox! Plus you’ll get great new recipes from us every week!
Ingredients
- 4 cloves garlic minced, divided
- 1 inch ginger peeled and grated
- ¼ cup of tamari
- 1 tablespoon of brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons of sesame oil
- Splash of water
- 2 bunches of bok choy or other greens, halved or quartered
- 1 tablespoon of canola or vegetable oil
- 1 block of extra firm tofu 16-ounce, sliced into filets
Instructions
- Put 2 cloves of minced garlic, ginger, tamari, brown sugar, and the sesame oil in a bowl and mix it together.
- In a pan, add a splash of water, the bok choy, and 2 cloves of minced garlic. Cook until the leaves begin to wilt, about 4 minutes.
- In a separate pan, heat the canola oil and brown the tofu, about 3 minutes on each side.
- Pour the glaze mixture on top, coating the tofu, and cook until it thickens, about 4 minutes.
- Add the bok choy and gently mix it together. Cook for about 2 minutes.
Notes
- Don’t disturb the cooking tofu: When frying the tofu, let them sizzle undisturbed for a few minutes before flipping them. If you move them around too much, there is a possibility that they will break into pieces.
- Don’t overcook the greens: Do not boil the bok choy too much, just enough for the leaves to soften a bit. This dish is much more enjoyable with some crunch from the stems.
- Add some spice: The fresh garlic gives the dish a zesty taste. If you want it to be spicier, you can add chili powder, red pepper flakes, hot sauce, or sriracha.
- Add more (or less) veggies: You can make this recipe without the greens; it will still be delicious. But if you are a veggie-lover, you can even add more like broccoli, baby corn, edamame, and snap peas.
- Garnish!: You can sprinkle sesame seeds or finely chopped green onions for garnishing to make it more presentable too.
This looks delicious!! I don’t cook with oil, though. Would it work without the addition of oil?
Yes, you can omit or substitute the oil in this recipe.
Not fan of a tofu, buy this spicy and sweet combo sounds very interesting. I will try it deffinetely!
This sweet and spicy glaze looks incredible!
I love a good glaze and this one is incredible!!
Yummy this looks so good! I have been impressed with all the tofu recipes from the blog!
Perfect dinner for meatless Monday! The crispy tofu and your glaze together are just divine!.
Yay! So glad you enjoyed it!