I’m thrilled to see how tofu has become popular in British kitchens. Back in the day, I had to make it from scratch, but now you can easily find it in supermarkets. Tofu is a firm favourite of mine, and there are so many delightful dishes I want to share with you. Today, it’s all about Vietnamese Stuffed Tofu in Tomato Sauce – a comforting, flavourful dish that warms your heart and fills your tummy.
This recipe comes straight from my Mum’s kitchen. It’s simple to make, relies on common ingredients, but delivers a dish that feels wonderfully sophisticated. You get the tender tofu, filled with a perfectly seasoned pork mixture, all bathed in a tangy tomato sauce. Serve it warm with jasmine rice, and you’ve got the perfect meal for a chilly evening.
What you’ll need
Firm tofu
Any supermarket brand works. Just avoid silken tofu as it’s too delicate for this recipe. (Save it for a future dish – I’ll share a recipe soon!) I used Vemondo tofu, which comes in packs of 200g blocks. Each block was cut into four pieces, making 16 tofu pockets – ideal for a family of four.
Pork filling
Pork mince mixed with:
- Chopped spring onions
- Ground pepper
- Fish sauce
- A dash of olive oil
Tomato sauce
- Fresh tomatoes or canned chopped tomatoes (both work brilliantly – I used both today)
- Fish sauce or salt for seasoning.
Step-by-step instructions to make Vietnamese Stuffed Tofu in Tomato Sauce
1. Prepare the pork filling
In a bowl, combine pork mince, ground pepper, fish sauce, and chopped spring onions. Mix thoroughly to create a well-seasoned filling.
2. Prep the tofu
Cut each block of firm tofu into thick, square pieces. For a 200g block, cut it into four pieces. Aim for pieces about 4cm on each side, it doesn’t need to be exact.
Scoop out a small square from the centre of each tofu piece – don’t go all the way to the bottom. This creates a hollow space for the pork filling.
Reserve the scooped-out tofu squares, they’ll be fried later.
3. Stuff the tofu
Fill each hollowed tofu piece with the pork mixture, pressing it in gently to ensure it’s secure.
4. Fry the stuffed tofu
Heat 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil in a flat pan over medium heat. Place the tofu in the pan, pork side down first and fry for about 2 minutes or until the pork turns golden.
Flip the tofu and fry for another 2 minutes. Fry the reserved tofu squares alongside too, these make delicious little bites.
Once both sides are golden, remove tofu from the pan and set aside.
5. Make the tomato sauce
If you use fresh tomatoes, chop them into small chunks. In the same pan (with a little oil left from frying), sauté the chopped white part of the spring onions over medium heat until fragrant and slightly golden.
Add the chopped fresh tomatoes (and a can of tomatoes). Season with fish sauce or a pinch of salt.
Simmer for about 5 minutes until the tomatoes soften and create a rich juicy sauce.
6. Combine and simmer
Return the fried tofu and reserved tofu squares to the pan and ensure they’re well coated in tomato sauce.
Simmer for 10 minutes to let the tofu soak up all the tangy, savoury goodness.
Turn off the heat and garnish with chopped spring onion.
Serving suggestions
This dish is best served warm with steamed jasmine rice. The combination of tender tofu, savoury pork filling, and tangy tomato sauce is pure comfort food. Perfect for a cosy dinner with loved ones!
Let me know if you give this Vietnamese Stuffed Tofu in Tomato Sauce recipe a try – I’d love to hear your thoughts.
More recipes to have with rice here.
Vietnamese Stuffed Tofu in Tomato Sauce Recipe
Description
Vietnamese Stuffed Tofu in Tomato Sauce is a comforting dish of tender tofu filled with savoury pork, simmering in a tangy tomato sauce. Perfect with steamed jasmine rice, it's a simple yet flavourful Vietnamese classic.
Vietnamese Stuffed Tofu in Tomato Sauce
Tofu and Filling
Tomato Sauce
Instructions
-
Prepare the Filling
- In a bowl, mix pork mince, ground pepper, fish sauce, and chopped spring onions.Â
-
Prepare the Tofu
- Cut each tofu blocks into 4 square pieces.Â
- Scoop out a small centre square from each piece (reserve these) to create a hollow for stuffing.Â
-
Stuff the Tofu
- Fill each tofu piece with the pork mixture, pressing it in gently to secure.Â
-
Fry the Tofu
- Heat olive oil in a flat pan over medium heat.Â
- Place tofu in the pan, pork side down, and fry for 2 minutes until golden.Â
- Flip and fry the other side for another 2 minutes.Â
- Fry the reserved tofu squares too.Â
- Set aside.
-
Make the Tomato Sauce
- In the same pan, sauté the white parts of the spring onion until fragrant.Â
- Add fresh and/or canned tomatoes and simmer for 5 minutes.Â
- Season with fish sauce or salt.Â
-
Combine and Simmer
- Add the fried tofu and reserved squares to the sauce.Â
- Simmer for 10 minutes, ensuring the tofu absorbs the sauce.Â
- Garnish with spring onion greens.Â
-
Serve
- Serve with steamed jasmine rice.Â
Nutrition Facts
Servings 4
- Amount Per Serving
- Calories 589.37kcal
- % Daily Value *
- Total Fat 42.05g65%
- Saturated Fat 9.62g49%
- Cholesterol 54mg18%
- Sodium 784.55mg33%
- Potassium 1040.33mg30%
- Total Carbohydrate 11.66g4%
- Dietary Fiber 6.43g26%
- Sugars 3.8g
- Protein 49.04g99%
- Vitamin A 158.42 IU
- Vitamin C 19.77 mg
- Calcium 1401.86 mg
- Iron 6.61 mg
- Vitamin E 1.94 IU
- Vitamin K 36.95 mcg
- Thiamin 0.91 mg
- Riboflavin 0.41 mg
- Niacin 5.01 mg
- Vitamin B6 0.61 mg
- Folate 91.51 mcg
- Vitamin B12 0.56 mcg
- Phosphorus 545.82 mg
- Magnesium 162.23 mg
- Zinc 5.06 mg
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
Note
- Avoid silken tofu as it's too delicate for this recipe.
- Both fresh and canned tomatoes work well - use what you have on hand!
