This Vietnamese tofu in tomato sauce is bold, vibrant, and packed with flavors! An easy recipe that calls for simple ingredients and is ready in 40 minutes. Serve it over rice or noodles to make it a meal.

If you are looking for a new way to cook tofu, give this recipe a go! Feature crispy tofu cubes cooked in a rich tomato sauce, it will leave you craving more!
I love serving it over rice or noodles and a simple side of stir-fried vegetables like my cabbage carrot stir-fry.
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💚Why you will love this recipe
- Comforting, saucy, and satisfying to have
- A good source of plant-based protein
- Versatile and pairs well with any Asian mains or sides
- A quick and easy recipe that is simple to prepare
🍅What you will need
📃Ingredient notes and substitutions
- Tofu - Use extra-firm or firm tofu that has been drained and pressed beforehand. You can press tofu using a tofu press or by stacking something heavy on top.
- Chopped tomatoes - Opt for canned tomato puree or finely diced tomatoes if you prefer a smoother sauce.
- Coconut sugar - Can be substituted with other sweeteners like brown sugar, cane sugar, or maple syrup.
- Soy sauce - Tamari or shoyu can be used in place. Use a certified gluten-free brand if needed.
🔪How to make
Coat the tofu - Place tofu cubes, cornstarch, and salt in a container. Place the lid on and shake until tofu cubes are well coated. (You can also toss the tofu in a bowl, but use a silicon or wooden spoon to prevent tofu from breaking.)
Cooking tofu - Heat some oil in a non-stick pan over medium-high. Place tofu in one layer. Cook for 2-3 minutes on each side until most sides are golden. Set aside.
Making the sauce - Heat another ½ tablespoon of oil in the same/different pan. Add onion, and saute until translucent. Stir in garlic and fry for a minute.
Add tomato slices, diced tomatoes, and broth. Bring the mixture to a simmer, and let it cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Putting everything together - Add pan-fried tofu to the pan along with soy sauce and sugar. Stir until everything is well combined. Give it a taste, adding salt if needed.
Lastly, remove from heat and stir in green onions. Serve and enjoy your tomato sauce tofu while warm.
✅Helpful tips
- Other ways to cook tofu
- In the oven: Spray on some cooking oil, then bake them at 200C/400F for 25-30 minutes. Flip them over halfway through baking.
- Air fryer: Cook it in the air fryer for 10-15 minutes at 180C/350F. Spray on some cooking oil before cooking, and toss the tofu cubes halfway through.
- Use a good non-stick pan - Although a well-seasoned cast-iron skillet will also work, you might need to use more oil while pan-frying tofu. This is to prevent them from sticking to the pan.
- Thickening the sauce - If you like your sauce to be thicker, make a cornstarch slurry by combining 1 teaspoon of cornstarch and 1 tablespoon of water. Gradually pour it in until desired thickness is achieved.
- Storing - Leftover tofu in tomato sauce can be refrigerated for up to 5 days.
🍚How to serve
Here are some of my favorite ways to serve this tomato sauce tofu -
Rice - Jasmine rice, brown rice, cauliflower rice, and other grains like cooked quinoa
Noodles - Soba, udon, ramen, rice noodles, stir-fry vermicelli
Toppings - more chopped green onion, chili slices, lime wedges, chili flakes
Appetizers - air-fryer oyster mushrooms, tofu dumplings, vegan rice paper rolls
❔Commonly asked questions
I highly recommend pressing your tofu before pan-frying or baking to yield crispy tofu. Pressing tofu also gets rid of excess moisture; hence your tofu can better absorb flavors from the seasonings.
Technically, it is possible to pan-fry tofu cubes without oil, as long as a good non-stick pan is used. However, this might cause the non-stick coating of your pan to deteriorate faster. Adding a small amount of oil makes cooking and cleaning much easier.
You might be using the wrong pan. Tofu tends to stick to the pan easily. Use a good non-stick pan to prevent them from sticking to the bottom.
Or, the non-stick coating of your non-stick pan might be damaged. Add more oil to cook your tofu in a pinch, but it is time to change to a new pan.
🍽More vegan tofu recipes
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📖 Recipe
Vietnamese Tofu in Tomato Sauce
Equipment
Ingredients
For tofu
- 1 block tofu drained, pressed, and cubed (around 14oz/400g)
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon salt
Rest of the ingredients
- 1 medium red onion sliced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 2 medium tomatoes cut into eighths lengthwise
- 1 14oz can diced tomatoes
- 1 cup vegetable broth
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1-2 teaspoons sugar
- salt to taste
- 1 stalk green onion chopped (to garnish)
Instructions
- Place tofu cubes, cornstarch, and salt in a container. Place the lid on and shake until tofu cubes are well coated.1 block tofu, 1 tablespoon cornstarch, 1 teaspoon salt
- Heat ½ tablespoon of oil in a non-stick pan over medium-high heat. Once heated, place tofu in one layer. Cook for 2-3 minutes on each side or until most sides are golden. Set aside.
- Heat another ½ tablespoon of oil in the pan. Add onion, and saute until translucent, about 3-4 minutes.1 medium red onion
- Add garlic next and fry for a minute until fragrant.3 cloves garlic
- Add tomato slices, diced tomatoes, and broth. Bring the mixture to a simmer, and let it cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.2 medium tomatoes, 1 cup vegetable broth, 1 14oz can diced tomatoes
- Add pan-fried tofu to the pan along with soy sauce and sugar. Stir until everything is well combined. Give it a taste, adding salt if needed.1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1-2 teaspoons sugar
- Remove from heat and stir in green onions. Serve your tofu over rice.
Notes
- Other ways to cook tofu
- In the oven: Spray on some cooking oil, then bake them at 200C/400F for 25-30 minutes. Flip them over halfway through baking.
- Air fryer: Cook it in the air fryer for 10-15 minutes at 180C/350F. Spray on some cooking oil before cooking, and toss the tofu cubes halfway through.
- Use a good non-stick pan - Although a well-seasoned cast-iron skillet will also work, you might need to use more oil while pan-frying tofu. This is to prevent them from sticking to the pan.
- Thickening the sauce - If you like your sauce to be thicker, make a cornstarch slurry by combining 1 teaspoon of cornstarch and 1 tablespoon of water. Gradually pour it in until desired thickness is achieved.
- Storing - Leftover tofu in tomato sauce can be refrigerated for up to 5 days.
Nutrition
Nutrition info calculated is just a rough estimate and is provided as a courtesy. Bear in mind that value will vary based on variables like specific brand or type of product used. To obtain the most accurate representation, it is highly recommended that you calculate it on your own with the actual amount and type of ingredient used.
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