Hawaiian Sweet & Sour Macadamia Tofu 🌺 baked in a caramelized sweet & sour sauce topped with a toasty macadamia nut crust. Experience a bright & tasty fusion of flavors and textures with this easy & delicious vegan recipe. No added oil.
You'll feel like you're on a vacation getaway when you bite into this delightfully delish Polynesian-inspired dish! Macadamia crusted tofu baked with a gorgeous glazed sauce prepared with sweet apricots and a blend of simple ingredients - doesn't that sound good!?
Tofu is a staple at our house. It's such a versatile ingredient for cooking, providing plenty plant-based protein. It's perfect for making everything from savories to desserts, pot pies to key lime parfaits. We love using tofu in sandwiches, scrambles, eggless salad, vegan chicken fillets, and our favorite vegan Tom Yum soup.
Recently, I was looking through my ancient recipe binder when I ran across an old-school recipe a friend shared with me for "Hawaiian Chicken". It consisted of a sauce made with apricot preserves mixed with bottled Russian dressing and a packet of dried onion soup mix. The sauce was poured over chicken sprinkled with chopped macadamia nuts and baked. Funny thing was, the nuts were the only Hawaiian part of the dish, however - that sauce was amazing. I decided to give the recipe a fresh new spin using all vegan ingredients, including tofu. So I present to you, Hawaiian Sweet and Sour Macadamia Tofu.
Table of Contents
🌺 Why we love this recipe
- It looks, smells and tastes delicious!
- Perfect for dinner parties - you'll wow your guests
- Very easy to prepare
- Requires just a few basic ingredients
- No added oil
- Kids love it!
Ingredients
🥕See the printable recipe below for quantities & complete details
- Firm tofu
- Macadamia nuts (I use roasted & salted)
- Apricot preserves
- Ketchup
- Maple syrup
- Vinegar - white or apple cider vinegar
- Lemon juice
- Dry mustard
- Paprika
- Minced dried onion
- Salt
- Pepper
Variations
You can also add other ingredients to bump up the spice or intensity of the flavors, such as:
- Ginger - freshly grated
- Pineapple - juice or crushed pineapple
- Orange zest
- Red chili flakes
- Soy sauce
- Minced garlic
- Sriracha or other hot sauce
- Rice vinegar
Instructions
It all starts with the sauce. The first thing I did was create a recipe from scratch that was similar in flavor and appearance to the dressing in the original recipe - a cross between a Russian and French salad dressing and a classic mid-century Catalina dressing. We'll use this tasty & tangy Catalina dressing combined with apricot preserves to make the sweet & sour sauce for this recipe.
- Prepare the Catalina dressing: In a medium bowl or measuring cup, whisk together: ketchup, maple syrup, vinegar, lemon juice, dried onion, mustard, paprika, salt, pepper.
2. Make the sweet & sour sauce: In another bowl whisk together ½ cup apricot preserves with ¼ cup of the Catalina Dressing. This is the sweet & sour sauce to pour on the tofu for baking. You will have extra Catalina dressing leftover.
3. Drain the tofu: Tofu is packaged in water. Before you use it, you will need to drain off all of the water and press any excess liquid out of the tofu. This will make the tofu absorb marinades and seasonings much better. See the FAQ's below for tips on pressing tofu.
4. Once drained, slice block of tofu into approx. ¾" slabs, then cut into cubes or triangles. Set aside.
5. Chop the nuts: Finely chop macadamia nuts either by pulsing in a food processor or blender.
6. You can also use a chef's knife on a cutting board. Try to keep the pieces small and fairly even in size.
7. Assemble the dish: Pour a small amount of sweet & sour sauce in the baking dish, enough to cover the bottom of the dish or pan.
8. Arrange tofu in one layer in bottom of pan, allowing a small amount of space between pieces. Pour remaining sweet & sour sauce over tofu, working it between the individual pieces. Cover with foil and bake at 375° for 20 minutes.
9. Remove from oven, take off foil.
10. Cover tofu with chopped macadamias. Lightly press nuts onto tofu, using a flat knife, spoon or spatula.
11. Place back in oven, uncovered, and continue baking at 375 ° for an additional 15 minutes or until sauce is bubbling and looking caramelized and macadamias appear lightly browned on top.
12. Remove from oven and enjoy while hot!
🌺 Serving Suggestions
This Hawaiian sweet and sour macadamia tofu is a delish main dish to pair with a side of rice, noodles, stir-fried veggies, or fresh tropical fruit like pineapple and mango.
The dressing is an updated oil-free version of a classic Catalina dressing. It's the perfect partner as a dipping sauce with vegan wontons, egg rolls, spring rolls or most Thai, Polynesian, Chinese or Asian-fusion cuisine. It's also ideal on summer salads, fresh greens or iceberg wedges.
🌺 Equipment
Here are the kitchen tools I use to prepare this recipe:
- Food processor or blender (or chef's knife to chop macadamia nuts)
- Tofu press or two cutting boards and heavy cans for weight
- Square or medium size oven-proof baking dish
- Medium mixing bowls (2)
- Measuring cup
- Measuring spoons
- Whisk
🌺 FAQ's
What is the difference between Catalina, Russian and French Dressing?
All three are slightly sweet vinaigrette style dressings made with a tomato or ketchup base. Some Russian and French dressings (neither of which originated in the countries they're named after, oddly) have mayonnaise added to make them creamy. Russian dressing tends to be spicier and usually includes horseradish and pickle relish, whereas French dressing is sweeter and less spicy. Catalina dressing is thinner, without mayo and has a sweet, more tomato-y flavor.
Why do I need to press the tofu?
Most tofu is packaged in water, and unless the water is removed, it may add excess, unwanted liquid to your recipes. Depending on the firmness and brand you use, the tofu may or may not have absorbed some of the water. Some types of tofu, you can simply pour off the excess water, others may need to have the water squeezed out.
The simplest and fastest way is by using a tofu press, but you can also sandwich the tofu between two cutting boards (I suggest first slicing the block of tofu into 1″- 2″ thick slabs) and then press down firmly, or, place heavy cans or books on top and let it sit for 10-15 minutes (on a slight slant so the liquid drains into a bowl or sink). If this is your first time cooking with tofu, be sure to see my recipe for Simple Savory Herbed Tofu. I've included everything you need to know about tofu and how to cook with it.
How to store Hawaiian sweet and sour macadamia tofu?
Store leftovers refrigerated in an airtight food safe container up to 3 days. I don't recommend freezing this dish as it could change the textures and consistency.
If you love this recipe ★★★★★ please be sure to rate it below! Sharing your experience lets me know that you enjoyed it and will help other readers decide if they should give the recipe a try too. Thanks a bunch!🥕
Recipe
Hawaiian Sweet and Sour Macadamia Tofu
Equipment
- Food processor or blender (or chef's knife to chop macadamia nuts)
- Square or medium size oven-proof baking dish
- 2 medium mixing bowls
- whisk
Ingredients
- 16 oz Firm tofu
- ¼ cup Macadamia nuts Roasted & salted - chopped
- ½ cup Apricot preserves
- ⅓ cup Ketchup
- ¼ cup Maple syrup
- ⅓ cup Vinegar white or apple cider
- 2 tablespoon Lemon juice fresh
- 1 tablespoon Dried onion minced
- ½ teaspoon Dry mustard
- ¼ teaspoon Paprika
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- ¼ teaspoon Black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°
Catalina Dressing
- In a medium bowl, whisk together: Ketchup, maple syrup, vinegar, lemon juice, dried onion, mustard, paprika, salt, pepper.
Sweet & Sour Sauce
- In another bowl whisk together ½ cup apricot preserves with ¼ cup of the Catalina Dressing. This is the sweet & sour sauce to pour on the tofu for baking. Set remaining Catalina dressing aside.
Tofu
- Open tofu package. Pour off water and place tofu in a press or between cutting boards weighted with cans on top. Allow tofu to drain for a few minutes.
- Once drained, slice block of tofu into approx. ¾" slabs, then cut into cubes or triangles. Set aside.
Macadamia Topping
- Finely chop macadamia nuts either by pulsing in a food processor or blender or with a chef's knife on a cutting board. Try to keep the pieces small and fairly even in size.
Assemble for baking
- Pour a small amount of sweet & sour sauce in the baking dish, enough to cover the bottom of the dish or pan.
- Arrange tofu in one layer in bottom of pan, allowing a small amount of space between pieces.
- Pour remaining sweet & sour sauce over tofu, working it between the individual pieces.
- Cover with foil and bake at 375° for 20 minutes.
- Remove from oven, take off foil and cover tofu with chopped macadamias. Lightly press nuts onto tofu, using a flat knife, spoon or spatula.
- Place back in oven, uncovered, and continue baking at 375 ° for an additional 15 minutes or until sauce is bubbling and looking caramelized and macadamias appear lightly browned on top.
- Remove from oven and serve with steamed or fried rice of your choice. Use additional Catalina dressing if desired.
Notes
- Ginger - freshly grated
- Pineapple - juice or crushed
- Orange zest
- Red chili flakes
- Soy sauce
- Minced garlic
- Sriracha or other hot sauce
- Rice vinegar
Nutrition
These are estimated values generated from a nutritional database using unbranded products. Please do your own research with the products you're using if you have a serious health issue or are following a specific diet.
Food Safety
- Cook to a minimum temperature of 165 °F (74 °C)
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
- Never leave cooking food unattended
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove
Connie Edwards McGaughy says
My family loved this!
Lacey says
I made this for Valentine’s Day and it was a treat! Love macadamia encrusted food and this was no exception. Will definitely be adding this to my recipes! My husband also really liked this. It’s not difficult to make but it does come out as an elevated and fancy dish which is fantastic.
Connie Edwards McGaughy says
Hi Lacey! I loved seeing the photo of your gorgeous meal on Instagram. The sweet & sour macadamia tofu looked great! So glad you enjoyed the recipe & thanks a bunch for sharing your experience!💚🥕
Connie Edwards McGaughy says
If you enjoy the flavors of sweet & sour, you're going to LOVE this easy & delish recipe for preparing the tastiest sweet & sour tofu. The addition of a toasty macadamia nut crust makes this Polynesian inspired dish like a tropical vacation on your plate!