Easy Tofu Fried Rice with Sweet & Sour Sauce

An easy recipe for tofu fried rice with vegetables in a fresh sweet & sour sauce. Made with microwave rice for a quick lunch or dinner.

On my days off work, I like to make something a bit more special for my husband's lunch. I fear he lives on toast most lunchtimes, when I'm at work.

My latest tasty, but easy lunch idea is this vegan tofu fried rice.

I wanted to make quick fried rice with vegetables but liked the idea of adding tofu for protein and a bit of extra texture.

It makes two generous portions or three smaller portions.

Delicious!

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👩🏻‍🍳 Save your favourite recipes
🍚 Fast rice
💭 Microwave rice tip
🥕 Vegetables that work well in fried rice
🍛 What you need to make tofu fried rice
🍍 Substitutions
💭 Which type of tofu?
👩🏻‍🍳 Making tofu crispy
🥢 Frying pan or wok?
🥣 Fresh sweet & sour sauce
👩🏻‍🍳 Serving suggestions
🍚 FAQ Storing rice safely
👩🏻‍🍳 Related recipes
👩🏻‍🍳 How to make tofu fried rice
📖 Recipe
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👩🏻‍🍳 Save your favourite recipes

Before we get into the recipe and tips I wanted to remind you, you can save this and other favourite recipes in one place by hitting the heart (floating on the right-hand side as you scroll down).

Bookmark Grow to access all your favourite recipes or just hit the heart on any of my recipes here or over at Tinned Tomatoes.

🍚 Fast rice

To save time on this tasty rice dish, I use microwave basmati rice.

There's actually no need to microwave it first.

You can just add it to the pan and heat it through.

It's such a speedy options

💭 Microwave rice tip

Microwave rice is a handy store cupboard standby but it can be clumpy.

So what I do is give the pack a good massage to help separate any clumps, before I open the package.

Try it! It really works.

You probably do this already, but just in case ...

Next, check out Easy Vegan Rice Recipes for Lunch or Dinner.

🥕 Vegetables that work well in fried rice

Here are a few vegetables that work well with fried rice and how to prepare them.

Red onions - thinly sliced
Spring onions - sliced and added before serving
Carrots - grated
Bell Peppers - finely sliced
Courgette (zucchini) - grated
Mushrooms - diced or finely sliced
Bok Choy - finely sliced
Spring Greens - finely sliced
Mangetout - finely sliced
Sugar Snap Peas (Snow peas) - finely sliced

Other vegetables could be added (use up what you have left over), but these all work particularly well.

🍛 What you need to make tofu fried rice

Here are the simple ingredients you need to make this easy vegetable fried rice.

Microwave basmati rice
Tofu
Olive Oil
Onion
Garlic
Carrot
Red Pepper
Corn - frozen or canned
Cornflour - cornstarch
Pineapple Juice
Soy Sauce
Maple Syrup
Lemon Juice
Spring Onions - scallions
Sesame Seeds - optional
Salt & Pepper

🍍 Substitutions

Here are a few tweaks you can make to this tofu fried rice recipe.

Vegetable oil - instead of olive oil
Red onion - instead of white or brown onion
Canned pineapple chunks - use the juice for the sauce and add the chunks of pineapple to the rice for extra flavour
White wine vinegar - or cider vinegar instead of lemon juice

This fried rice dish is naturally gluten-free except from the soy sauce, but you can buy gluten-free soy sauce.

💭 Which type of tofu?

There are a few types of tofu you can use for this rice and tofu dish, just make sure you don't buy silken tofu as it's creamy and used for sauces and desserts.

A block of firm tofu on a pattered plate

You could use firm tofu, extra firm tofu or tofu that is already cubed and marinated.

I love extra firm tofu, as it is pre-pressed and just needs a wee pat with kitchen paper, to make sure the tofu is dry.

Love tofu? Try this crispy Gochujang tofu or Gochujang Shredded Tofu Wraps

👩🏻‍🍳 Making tofu crispy

It's super easy to make crispy tofu.

Just cut it into cubes and toss it in seasoned cornflour, then fry in a hot pan with a little oil.

I just seasoned the cornflour with salt and pepper but you can add spices too.

Hands up! I admit to nibbling on the crispy tofu, while I stir-fried the vegetables and rice.

It's just so moreish! These crispy tofu cubes are perfect for a protein-packed snack.

Love tofu? Try this delicious tofu grinder salad sandwich, add these easy teriyaki tofu crumbles to burritos, tacos and wraps or use silken tofu to make this summery raspberry mousse.

Love crispy tofu? Try these crunchy balti tofu nuggets.

🥢 Frying pan or wok?

Fried rice and other stir fries are usually cooked in a wok and if you have one, then you can use that.

However, you can also use a large frying pan.

It works just as well.

🥣 Fresh sweet & sour sauce

This rice and tofu dish is finished with a simple homemade sweet & sour sauce.

My husband said this sauce gives all the flavour of a sweet and sour sauce but it's much lighter and fresher.

I totally agree and it's super simple to make with no fancy ingredients.

Love this rice dish? Try my vegan meatball rice bake for an easy one-pot dinner.

👩🏻‍🍳 Serving suggestions

Here are a few toppings you can add when serving your sweet and sour tofu rice.

I served this vegan tofu fried rice topped with sliced spring onions and sesame seeds.

Spring onions (scallions) - sliced
Sesame seeds
Salted peanuts
Cashews - plain or salted
Fresh coriander - also known as cilantro
Sriracha (hot sauce) - just a drizzle

🍚 FAQ Storing rice safely

How do you store leftover rice safely?

The key thing to remember when storing leftover rice (takeaway or cooked at home) is to cool it quickly then store it in the fridge. The longer cooked rice is left sitting at room temperature the more likely bacteria will grow, which can lead to food poisoning.

How do you cool leftover rice quickly?

The best way to cool rice is to remove it from the pan or container it is cooked in, which will still be hot. Spoon it into the dish you will be chilling it in, leave it to cool for a few minutes, then add the lid and pop it in the fridge,

How long can leftover rice be kept?

Leftover rice can be kept in an airtight container in the fridge for one day. When reheating, make sure it is piping hot before serving.

Looking for more hearty lunch ideas? Try these:

👩🏻‍🍳 How to make tofu fried rice

Step-by-step photos. Keep scrolling for the full printable recipe (with full ingredient list, calories and nutritional info).

Step 1

Pat your pressed tofu dry (I use extra firm tofu which is pre-pressed, if using firm tofu, press it first).
Cut it into small cubes.
Toss in seasoned cornflour (cornstarch)

Step 2

Fry the coated tofu in a wok or large frying pan with a little oil until crisp and golden.
Spoon the tofu into a bowl and set aside.
Use the same pan to saute onion and garlic.

Step 3

Add the rest of the vegetables and cook for a few minutes until softened.

Step 4

Now prepare your sweet and sour sauce.
Add all the ingredients to a bowl and whisk until smooth (full ingredients and method in recipe card below).

Step 5

Now add the rice.
Give the packet a good massage to help separate any clumps of rice.
Next, add the tofu and mix well.
Cook for a couple of minutes to warm through.

Step 6

Finally, add the sauce and mix through.
Top with spring onions and sesame seeds, then serve.
Enjoy your tofu fried rice!

📖 Recipe