Sweet and Sour Broccoli (with Tofu)

Enjoy a simple and delicious dish of sweet and sour broccoli with tofu, ginger, and garlic. It’s a fast and easy recipe you can whip up in about 30 minutes. 

This quick and easy sweet and sour broccoli recipe combines crisp broccoli florets with tender tofu, all coated in a lusciously sweet and sour sauce infused with the zing of fresh ginger and aromatic garlic.

It's a quick and easy process. Chop, prepare, stir-fry, and you'll be serving it up in just 30 minutes from the moment you start chopping the ingredients! And don’t forget to cook some rice or noodles as well.

If you like sweet and sour flavors, check out more recipes: Baked Chicken Thighs in Sweet and Sour Sauce, Copycat McDonald Sweet and Sour Sauce, Sweet and Sour Pickled Zucchini, or Sweet and Sour Fish Rhubarb Curry.

Recipe ingredients

Stir-fry ingredients

• Broccoli: About 2 cups florets (350 g). I tend to use the florets to make this broccoli stir fry and keep the stem for making a creamy broccoli soup, for instance. But nicely chopped broccoli stems are also perfectly delicious; they will just not look as lovely as broccoli florets.
  • You can use either fresh or frozen broccoli. Fresh broccoli brings a crisp texture, while frozen broccoli is convenient and cooks quickly.
• Tofu adds a protein-rich element to the stir-fry. It's a versatile ingredient that absorbs the flavors of the sauce.
• For the flavor: Fresh ginger and garlic, green onions, and sesame seeds.

Sweet and sour sauce ingredients

• Tomato Paste: Concentrated tomato paste, not tomato sauce. It provides a rich and concentrated tomato flavor to the sauce, adding a sweet and tangy base.
• Ketchup: Add sweetness, enhancing the sauce's tomato flavor and providing a smooth consistency.
• Light Soy Sauce: Adds a salty element and balances the sweetness.
• Hoisin Sauce: Hoisin sauce brings a touch of sweetness.
• Rice Vinegar: Rice vinegar provides a mild acidity that balances the sauce’s sweetness, giving it a tangy kick. You can replace it with the same amount of white wine or apple cider vinegar + ½ teaspoon sugar.
• Dried chili or red chili flakes to taste.
• Chili Sauce: For a bit of heat. I use Sriracha or Sambal oelek, but I am not very particular about it. Whatever I happen to have in the fridge.
• Sesame Oil: Sesame oil imparts a nutty aroma and flavor, enhancing the overall taste profile of the sauce.
• Granulated Sugar: Granulated sugar sweetens the sauce. Adjust the amount to suit your preference.

See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.

How to make sweet and sour broccoli?

• Broccoli: Blanch the broccoli florets for 2 minutes. Drain, rinse, and pat dry with paper towels to remove the excess water (1).
• Tofu: Press it to remove moisture and cut it into 1-inch/ 2.5 cm. Set aside (2).

• Sweet and sour sauce: Whisk all the sauce ingredients and set the sauce aside (3).
• Prepare other ingredients: Mince chili, garlic cloves, and ginger. Slice the green onions into thin rings, separating the white and green parts. Set aside (4).

• Cook tofu in a wok or large pan for about 5 minutes, until it's golden brown all over. Transfer it to a plate (5).
• Stir-fry the chili, garlic, ginger, and the white parts of the scallions for 30 seconds (6).

• Add the sauce and stir until it thickens, approximately 1 minute (7).
• Add broccoli and tofu to the pan and stir carefully but thoroughly to ensure everything is coated with the sweet and sour sauce (8).
• Sprinkle sesame seeds and the green parts of the scallions over the sweet and sour broccoli.

Try more Chinese-style recipes: Chinese Walnut Cookies, Salt and Pepper Chicken Wings, or Mushroom Noodle Soup.

Expert tips for making stir fry

• Moisture: Try to remove as much water from the blanched broccoli and the tofu using paper towels. Too much moisture would dilute the sauce.
• Make sure that all the ingredients are prepared before you start cooking. Making a stir fry is all about quickly frying a list of ingredients, and you don't want to overcook one component because you are not finished with chopping the next one.
• Chop uniformly: Cut your ingredients into uniform sizes, especially broccoli and tofu. This ensures even cooking and a visually appealing final dish.
• High heat for stir-frying: Use a high heat setting on your stove, and don't overcrowd the pan. Work in batches if necessary to maintain high heat and avoid steaming the ingredients.
• Balanced sauce: Taste the sweet and sour sauce as you mix it. Adjust the sugar, vinegar, or chili sauce to your liking. You can add more sugar for sweetness, vinegar for tanginess, or chili sauce for heat.
• Sauce thickness: Ensure the sweet and sour sauce thickens to a glossy consistency before adding the tofu and broccoli. This helps the sauce adhere to the ingredients and creates a more appealing presentation.
• Serve promptly: Sweet and sour broccoli is best served immediately to enjoy the crispness of the broccoli and the tofu. Over time, they may lose their texture if left to sit.

Recipe FAQ

How to store?

Store leftover sweet and sour broccoli in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 days. Reheat gently in a microwave or stovetop, adding a splash of water or broth if needed to prevent drying out.

How to serve?

• Serve the sweet and sour broccoli with tofu immediately.
• Jasmine rice, basmati rice, or long-grain white rice work well with sweet and sour tofu and broccoli. You can also use brown rice as a healthier option.
• Chinese noodles or any noodles you like also make a great side dish.

Recipe

Broccoli and Tofu Sweet Sour

Make a simple, delightful sweet and sour broccoli stir-fry with tofu, ginger, and garlic. This easy recipe pairs crisp broccoli and tender tofu in a tasty sweet and sour sauce.

5 from 8 votes

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Course: Vegan Recipes

Cuisine: Chinese

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes minutes

Servings: 4 servings

Calories: 212kcal

Author: Adina

Equipment

• ▢
  Wok or large pan

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Ingredients 

Stir-fry:

• ▢ 2 cups broccoli florets 350 g/ 12 oz. Note 1
• ▢ 1 lb extra-firm tofu 450 g
• ▢ 1 small dried chili or dried chili flakes. to taste
• ▢ 2 garlic cloves minced
• ▢ 1 teaspoon fresh ginger minced
• ▢ 2 green onions
• ▢ 1 teaspoon sesame seeds
• ▢ 2 tablespoons vegetable oil divided

Sweet and sour sauce:

• ▢ 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• ▢ 1 tablespoon ketchup
• ▢ 2 tablespoons light soy sauce
• ▢ 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
• ▢ 2 teaspoons hoisin sauce
• ▢ 2 teaspoons chili sauce Note 2
• ▢ 2 teaspoons sesame oil
• ▢ 2 tablespoons granulated sugar

Instructions

• Broccoli: Bring a pot of water to a boil and blanch the broccoli florets for 2 minutes. Drain them in a colander and rinse with cold water. Allow them to drain thoroughly. Pat the broccoli dry with paper towels to prevent the sauce from thinning due to excess moisture.

  2 cups/ 350 g broccoli
• Tofu: Place the tofu between layers of paper towels and press to remove moisture. Repeat this process with fresh paper towels a few times. Cut the tofu into 2.5 cm/1 inch cubes and set aside.

  1 lb/ 450 g tofu
• Sweet and sour sauce: Whisk together the tomato paste, ketchup, soy sauce, rice vinegar, hoisin sauce, chili sauce, sesame oil, and sugar to make the sauce. Set aside.

  2 tablespoon tomato paste + 1 tablespoon ketchup + 2 tablespoon light soy sauce + 2 tablespoon rice vinegar + 2 teaspoon hoisin sauce + 2 teaspoon chili sauce + 2 teaspoon sesame oil + 2 tablespoon granulated sugar
• Prepare other ingredients: Finely mince the dried chilies, garlic cloves, and ginger. Slice the green onions into thin rings, separating the white and green parts. Set aside.

  1 small dried chili or chili flakes to taste + 2 garlic cloves + 1 teaspoon ginger + 2 green onions
• Cook tofu: Heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil. Add tofu and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring until it's golden brown all over. Transfer it to a plate.

  1 tablespoon oil
• Stir-fry: Heat the remaining oil in the wok. Add the chilies, garlic, ginger, and the white parts of the scallions, and stir-fry for 30 seconds.

  1 tablespoon oil
• Add the sauce and stir until it thickens approximately 1 minute.
• Finish: Return the tofu to the wok and stir to coat. Add the broccoli and mix carefully but thoroughly to ensure everything is covered with the sweet and sour sauce.
• Sprinkle sesame seeds and the green parts of the onions over the dish. Serve immediately.

  1 teaspoon sesame seeds

Notes

1. Broccoli: I tend to use the florets to make this broccoli stir fry and keep the stem for making soup. But nicely chopped broccoli stems are also perfectly delicious; they will just not look as nice as broccoli florets. You can use either fresh or frozen broccoli.
2. Chili sauce: I use Sriracha or Sambal oelek.

Nutrition

Serving: 1/4 of the dish | Calories: 212kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.05g | Cholesterol: 0.1mg | Sodium: 764mg | Potassium: 472mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 508IU | Vitamin C: 45mg | Calcium: 76mg | Iron: 2mg

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