Sweet And Sour Vegetables

Published: Jan 5, 2021 · Modified: Jun 11, 2024 by Sandhya Ramakrishnan · This post may contain affiliate links

A most delicious and easy to make vegan stir fry with loads of vegetables and tofu makes this Sweet and sour vegetables one of my favorite. Serve it with some brown rice or jasmine rice and you will never need the take-out again.

mixed vegetables and tofu in a bowl with rice

My husband is a big fan of Sweet and Sour Vegetables. This is one thing he always orders when we do take-out from a Chinese restaurant. Many restaurants do not have the vegetarian version or the flavors are not up to what he likes in most places.

The only way out of this is making the sweet and sour vegetable curry at home.

Why make this recipe

First and foremost, you won't have to go in search of a take-out.
It is so easy to make and literally takes less than 30 minutes.
Add as many vegetables as you like and I see it as a great way to use up all the leftover bits and pieces of vegetables that are in the refrigerator.
The sauce is so flavorful and can be easily modified to more sweeter or more spicier version.
Last but not the least, it is healthy.

sweet and sour vegetables and tofu with rice in a bowl held in hand

How to serve the sweet and sour vegetables?

I usually pair it with rice. My two favorite kinds are the brown rice and jasmine rice. If you want to take it up one level higher, try serving it with this delicious and easy garlic fried rice.

We can also serve it over noodles. My pick would be this vegetable hakka noodles or Vegetable Lo mein.

Ingredients

To make the curry -

Check the recipe card at the bottom of the page for exact measurements and printable detailed recipes.

ingredients laid out and labeled for curry

Tofu - I use extra firm or firm tofu.
Pineapples - fresh or canned
Ginger
Garlic
Mixed vegetables - I used onion, cabbage, bell pepper, carrots and zucchini.
Oil

To make the sauce -

ingredients laid out and labeled for making sauce

Pineapple juice
Rice vinegar
Cornstarch
Brown sugar
Soy sauce
Hot sauce

Step by step process

Make the sauce - Mix all the ingredients needed (1).

Process the tofu - Drain, dry, cube and shallow fry (2 & 3). We could also air fry the tofu. Lately I have been using my air fryer to fry the tofu.

Make the sweet and sour vegetable - Saute the vegetables (4 & 5), add the sauce (6) and add the pineapple and tofu (7).

process shot to make sweet and sour vegetables

Frequently asked question

What kind of vegetables to add?

We can add any vegetables that we would for a stir fry. I usually add onion, cabbage, carrot, bell pepper, broccoli and zucchini. We could also add mushrooms.

Do we have to add the pineapples?

Pineapple is what gives the sweet component of the sweet and sour. I would not skip it.

What kind of pineapple to use - canned or fresh?

It is a personal preference and we can add any that we have in hand. I like to make this curry anytime I buy a fresh pineapple. But I also always have couple of canned pineapples at home for the ease.

What kind of tofu to use?

I always go with extra firm or firm tofu. make sure to drain it and squeeze all the extra moisture before proceeding.

How to meal prep to make this sweet and sour vegetables?

Chop all the vegetables and keep it ready. The tofu can be left to drain inside the refrigerator. Also make the sauce and refrigerate. All we have to do is cook and serve.

What is the substitution for pineapple juice?

we could use orange juice or broth or even plain water.

sweet and sour vegetables with tofu and served with rice

If you made this recipe and liked it, give a star rating on the recipe card or let me know in the comments below. You could also share it with me on Instagram using #MyCookingJourney and tagging me @sandhya.ramakrishnan. You could follow me and my recipes on Facebook |Instagram | Pinterest | twitter

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