Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Press the tofu: wrap the block in paper towels, place on a flat surface, and set something heavy on top (a cast iron pan or stack of heavy books works well). Press for at least 30 minutes, changing paper towels at 15 minutes if saturated. When done, the tofu should feel noticeably firmer. Cut into uniform 1-inch cubes.
- Make the sauce: whisk together ketchup, rice vinegar, brown sugar (or monk fruit sweetener), and soy sauce in a small bowl until the sugar is fully dissolved. Set aside.
- Coat the tofu: place cornstarch in a large bowl or zip-lock bag. Working in small batches, toss the tofu cubes until each piece is thinly and evenly coated. Shake off any excess. Spread coated cubes on a wire rack and let rest 5 minutes — this helps the cornstarch adhere and improves crispiness.
- Fry the tofu: heat vegetable oil in a large wok or deep frying pan to 350°F (175°C) — a small piece of tofu dropped in should sizzle immediately. Working in two batches to avoid crowding, fry tofu cubes for 2–3 minutes per side until golden brown and crispy on all sides. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.
- Stir-fry the vegetables: carefully drain most of the frying oil from the wok, leaving about 1 tablespoon. Over medium-high heat, add garlic and ginger and stir-fry for 30 seconds. Add bell peppers and onion and stir-fry for 2–3 minutes until slightly softened but still with some crunch.
- Finish and serve: pour the sweet and sour sauce over the vegetables and add the pineapple chunks. Simmer for 2 minutes until the sauce thickens and turns glossy. Add the fried tofu and toss gently to coat everything evenly. Serve immediately — the coating begins softening within minutes of contact with the sauce.
Nutrition
Notes
Diabetic-friendly adaptation: Substitute monk fruit sweetener or erythritol for the brown sugar (1:1 ratio) and use sugar-free ketchup. These two swaps reduce sugar from approximately 20g per serving to 3–4g (naturally occurring from pineapple and peppers only). Net carbs drop from 32g to approximately 14–16g. All other steps remain identical.
Baked tofu option: Toss cornstarch-coated cubes in 1 tablespoon oil, spread on a lined baking sheet, bake at 425°F for 25–30 minutes flipping once. Less crispy than fried but healthier. Prepare sauce separately in a wok, add baked tofu, toss and serve.
Gluten-free: Use tamari instead of soy sauce. Confirm ketchup brand is gluten-free.
Pineapple options: Fresh or canned in juice both work. Drain canned well. Add pineapple with the sauce, not earlier, to prevent over-tenderizing the vegetables.
Sauce fix: Too thick — add water 1 tablespoon at a time. Too thin — simmer an extra 30 seconds.
Storage: Refrigerate up to 2 days. For best texture when meal prepping, store fried tofu separately from sauce and combine when reheating. Not recommended for freezing.
