Sweet & Sour BBQ Tofu

You might be reading the title of this recipe thinking to yourself, “So is it sweet and sour or is it barbecue? Can it, and should it, be both? Aren’t they essentially the same thing anyway?” To be honest, I asked myself those questions and decided that it doesn’t really matter what to call this because it’s flipping delicious, and that’s all that matters.

As with just about everything I make, this recipe is also really simple! If you already have your tofu-cooking skills down, then it’s even more simple. The only trick here is finding a good vegan Worcestershire sauce. I would suggest using Annie’s brand if you can find it online or in most health food stores.

I’m also working on a slightly more simplistic sweet and sour sauce that leans more towards the sweet and sour as opposed to the barbecue end of the spectrum, so as soon as I have that one down, I will definitely share it. As always, if you try out this recipe, do let me know in the comments below.

Ingredients:

• 1 block extra firm tofu, drained and cubed
• 2 heaping tbsp Dijon mustard
• 2 tbsp vegan Worcestershire sauce
• 2-3 tbsp maple syrup (or molasses, coconut sugar, brown sugar)
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 tbsp Tamari (or soy sauce)°
• 1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
• 2 minced garlic cloves
• 1/3 cup of water

Method:

1. Add cubed tofu to a non-stick skillet over medium heat and cook until browned on all sides. (You can also bake your tofu if you prefer. I like to bake mine on parchment at 400°F for 30 minutes, turning once, after tossing the tofu in corn starch to get it crispy).
2. While the tofu is cooking, combine the rest of the ingredients together in a bowl and whisk together.
3. Once the tofu is cooked, add the sauce into the pan over medium heat. The sauce will begin to thicken soon after hitting the pan, so be sure to stir the tofu frequently to coat it well. If the sauce is bubbling up too much, reduce heat to low.
4. Once the sauce is thick and gooey, remove the pan from the heat.
5. You will likely have extra sauce, so I suggest serving your tofu in a bowl filled with your choice of grains and veggies, with extra sauce drizzled on top.
6. Enjoy!