After finally figuring out how to cook tofu and actually have it taste good (see my Sesame Tofu with Broccoli), I couldn’t wait to make more. I used the same easy pan fry method, but this time combined the crispy tofu cubes with tangy sweet chili sauce, sweet bell peppers, creamy avocado, green onion, and cilantro, and the result was amazing. These Sweet Chili Tofu Bowls are THE BOMB (flavor bomb, that is).
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What is Sweet Chili Sauce?
Sweet chili sauce is a sweet and tangy sauce that is usually not very spicy (at least most brands sold in U.S. supermarkets aren’t). It’s one of those all-purpose sauces that is good on just about anything, or great for dipping anything in. It should be really easy to find at Asian markets, in most larger grocery stores (check the international foods aisle), and specialty stores like Trader Joe’s or Whole Foods.
If you can’t find it at any of your local stores, you can also try making it from scratch, although homemade tends to be a tad bit more spicy than the commercial bottle versions. Here is my recipe for Easy Homemade Sweet Chili Sauce, a traditional recipe for Thai Sweet Chili Sauce using fresh peppers from She Simmers, or a recipe without refined sugar for Clean Eating Thai Sweet Chili Sauce from ifoodreal.com.
Can I Substitute the Red Bell Pepper?
Red bell pepper can be on the expensive side, so if you want you can substitute regular green bell pepper. Pineapple would also be awesome in this stir fry bowl, so feel free to add that if you have it!
Sweet Chili Stir Fried Tofu Bowls
Servings 4Ingredients
- 14 oz. extra firm tofu ($1.99)
- 1 pinch salt ($0.02)
- 2 Tbsp cornstarch ($0.08)
- 2 Tbsp cooking oil* ($0.04)
- 1 avocado ($0.97)
- 1 bell pepper (any color) ($0.99)
- 2-3 green onions ($0.17)
- 1 handful fresh cilantro (optional) ($0.25)
- 1/2 cup sweet chili sauce ($1.66)
- 2 tsp sesame seeds (optional) ($0.10)
- 4 cups cooked rice ($0.88)
Instructions
- Remove the tofu from the liquid in the package, wrap it in a clean, lint-free dishcloth or a few paper towels, and press it between two plates with a weight on top for 30 minutes (see detailed step by step photos and instructions here). Once the excess moisture has been pressed out, cut the tofu into 3/4 to 1-inch cubes.
- Season the tofu cubes with a pinch of salt. Sprinkle a tablespoon of cornstarch over top and then toss to coat. Repeat with the second tablespoon of cornstarch.
- Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium flame. Once the skillet and oil are hot, add the tofu cubes and fry until golden brown and crispy on all sides. Place the fried tofu in a large bowl.
- Dice the red bell pepper and thinly slice the green onions. Pull the cilantro leaves from the stems and give them a rough chop. Slice the avocado.
- Add the diced bell pepper to the bowl with the fried tofu. Pour 1/3 to 1/2 cup sweet chili sauce over top, then stir until the bell pepper and tofu are coated in the sauce.
- To build the bowls, start with one cup cooked rice, then add 1/4 of the tofu and bell pepper mixture. Add a few slices of avocado to the side of the bowl, then sprinkle the sliced green onion, chopped cilantro, and sesame seeds over top. Enjoy!
See how we calculate recipe costs here.
Equipment
- Glass Mixing Bowls
- Color Cutting Boards
- Non Stick Cookware
Notes
Nutrition
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How to Make Sweet Chili Stir Fried Tofu – Step by Step Photos
Start with a 14oz. block of tofu. They’re usually packed in water, so you’ll want to remove the tofu from the water and press the tofu for about 30 minutes to remove the excess moisture. For detailed step by step photos on how to press the tofu, click over to this Sesame Tofu recipe.
A few of you told me about freezing tofu and how it changes the texture slightly, making it almost sponge-like so you can just squeeze it with your hands instead of pressing it. I tried that method this time. I could indeed squeeze the block with my hands to express the liquid, although it did begin to crack a bit (not bad for my first try with this technique). Squeezing it by hand also made the block a little misshapen, so I had to press it back into shape with my hands. This is the block sliced in half after squeezing.
Cut the pressed tofu into 3/4 to 1-inch cubes, then season with a pinch of salt. Sprinkle 1 Tbsp cornstarch over the cubes, then toss to coat. Repeat that with a second tablespoon of cornstarch, or until all sides have a good coating on them.
Heat 1-2 Tbsp of a neutral cooking oil (canola, vegetable, peanut, light sesame) in a large skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add the tofu and fry until golden brown and crispy on all sides. I used my stainless steel skillet last time, so I decided to experiment with a non-stick skillet. The non-stick obviously didn’t stick as much, but I think my last batch was a tad crispier (that could also be due to the freezing and pressing methods used this time).
While the tofu is frying (or after frying, if you don’t like to multi-task), dice a red bell pepper and slice 2-3 green onions. Pull a handful of cilantro leaves from the stems and give them a rough chop. Slice one avocado.
Place the fried tofu and diced bell peppers in a large bowl.
This is the sweet chili sauce that I used. I just noticed that this brand is gluten-free, which I’m sure a lot of you will appreciate! :D
Add 1/3 to 1/2 cup sweet chili sauce to the tofu and bell peppers, or enough to fully coat everything in sauce. Stir well.
Once the tofu and bell peppers are coated in sauce, it’s time to assemble the bowls. Start with 1 cup cooked rice, then add 1/4 of the tofu/bell pepper mixture. Add a few slices of avocado, then sprinkle green onion, cilantro, and a few sesame seeds over top. All done!
These Sweet Chili Tofu Bowls really do come together quickly and have quite a bit of flavor. My boyfriend, who had been joking about not wanting to eat tofu all week, remarked, “Mmm, a lot of different flavors in here!” #win
Just finished this. Hubby isn’t home yet and I am dying to eat his portion, too! I’ve never had the chili sauce before. I made my own with the Life Tastes Like Food recipe you linked. So yummy! I will definitely make this again!
WOW!tHIS RECIPE IS SIMPLE AND AMAZING.THANKS FOR THE POST.
Loved it, will make this again! The cilantro and avocado really made the dish.
All of your bowl recipes have seriously changed my life — teriyaki meatball bowls, banh mi bowls, pineapple sriracha breakfast bowls… SO GOOD. ALL OF THEM.
I never felt compelled to cook with tofu before, but thanks to this recipe that’s all changed. Had this for dinner tonight :)
Delicious – will definitely make this again!
Not only has your tofu-frying method saved me from mediocre tofu, this recipe is amazing! It has very quickly become a staple meal in our kitchen.
Thanks !
This dish was AMAZING! Thank you for teaching me the proper way to cook tofu. Total gamechanger. I actually can’t wait to make another Asian dish with tofu, But, honestly, so flavorful and delish–even the meateaters in the family ate it up!
This recipe was my first attempt at cooking tofu as well. I loved it! I will be using tofu more often. Thanks for the great recipe.
Another winner! This was sooo good! I used sweet chili sauce from Trader Joe’s, and it was REALLY spicy. But still delicious! Next I want to try this same method of cooking the tofu, but with sweet and sour sauce. And then maybe a peanut/pad thai sauce. The options are endless!
Beth, I’m so glad to see you trying tofu. It is cheap and a great source of protein. Here is a wonderful recipe just as an idea. http://ohmyveggies.com/recipe-peanutty-quinoa-bowls-two-make-baked-tofu/ . The think I like about it is that it is good cold. And the baked tofu is amazing. I’d love to see more tofu on budgetbytes!
I’ll have to try that baking method! I experimented with baking some last week and didn’t like it nearly as much as the pan fried version, but I used a much different technique that the one you linked to. Thanks for sharing it! :)
Really wanted to make this, but the chill sauce seemed to have an awful lot of sugar. Made the tofu using your pan-seared method though, stir-fried some veg, and put your sweet and sour sauce over all. Yum! I never much cared for tofu until trying this method – thank you!
Sweet Tofu balls..really this is looking awesome. I dnt know what is tofu. I will search about it. I will surely try it. Thanks for sharing…
Do you think black beans would be a good substitute for the avocado? If so what should I season them with? Thanks :)
Black beans would taste pretty good in this, but the creaminess of the avocado might be missed. I don’t think you’d have to season them with anything. The sweet chili sauce adds enough flavor to cover everything.
I ended up not using the black beans and I didn’t have any avocados so I just stuck with the tofu mixture, it was still tasty but your right I missed that creamy component from the avocado, I’ll have to grab a few next shopping trip :)
Can’t wait to try these tonight, I made your artichoke chicken skillet a while back and they were delicious! Thanks for the wonderful recipes.
I love sweet chili tofu. Such an easy but filling comfort food option. My version includes shiitake mushrooms, a handful of Thai basil, and some fresh ginger for an Asian kick. Thanks for sharing!