Dau Hu Sot Ca Chua
This vietnamese tofu in tomato sauce recipe is dau hu sot ca chua: firm tofu fried golden, then braised in a fresh tomato sauce with shallot and garlic until the sauce thickens and the tofu soaks it up. It is the kind of simple, everyday dish Vietnamese families cook on a weeknight — cheap, quick and eaten with a big bowl of steamed rice. One serving is about 250 g.
Dau hu sot ca chua — tofu in tomato sauce — is one of the most cooked dishes in Vietnamese home kitchens, a weeknight staple that turns two cheap ingredients into a full dinner. Tofu came to Vietnam centuries ago with Chinese cooking and became a central food in Buddhist vegetarian meals, while tomatoes arrived later and found their way into the everyday sauce. The dish is usually served family-style with steamed rice and a clear soup, and every household seasons it slightly differently — some with fish sauce, some with soy sauce, some with a little chilli.
Pairs well with: Steamed jasmine rice, clear vegetable soup and cucumber salad
Provenance
Vietnam
Vietnamese Home Cooking
East & South Asia
Time Dedication
30m
10m prep • 20m cook
Batch Yield
4 Servings
268 kcal per serving
1 serving ≈ 250 g
Technical Skill
Easy
Easy (One Pan)
Meal Timing & Digestive Fit
Breakfast
Not Advised
Lunch
Hearty Midday Main
Dinner
Ideal Hearty Main
Snack & Tea
Inappropriate
Vietnamese Home Cooking
Photo: Mickey Đại Phát, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
The Heritage Formulary
Estimated cost: Low — about $1–2 per serving at home (USD)
Made with firm tofu, fresh tomatoes, shallot, garlic and spring onion; nutrition is estimated from USDA values.
Execution Methodology & Culinary Technique
Prep Stage: Tofu Dry, Vegetables Chopped
10 Mins • Drying & Chopping
Drain the tofu and pat it very dry with kitchen paper — wet tofu spits in hot oil and never crisps. Cut it into cubes about 3 cm across. Chop the tomatoes, shallots and garlic, and slice the spring onions.
Maestro Tip: Dry tofu is the whole secret: if the surface is damp, the cubes steam instead of frying golden.
6 Mins Frying oil about 175°C (350°F)
Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat until it shimmers, about 175°C (350°F). Add the tofu cubes in a single layer and fry for about 4 minutes, turning once or twice, until golden on all sides. Lift out with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper.
Do not crowd the pan — cubes that touch steam instead of frying. Cook in two batches if the pan is small.
Done when: The cubes are crisp and golden all over, not pale or soft.
7 Mins Medium heat — about 160°C (320°F)
Pour off all but 1 tablespoon of oil from the pan. Add the shallots and garlic and fry over medium heat for about 2 minutes until soft and fragrant, then add the chopped tomatoes, sugar, soy sauce, salt and pepper. Stir and cook for about 5 minutes until the tomatoes soften and start to break down.
Press the tomatoes against the pan with the spoon — ripe tomatoes break down fast and make their own sauce.
Done when: The tomatoes have collapsed into a thick, pulpy sauce.
6 Mins Low heat — a gentle simmer, about 95°C (200°F)
Pour in the water, slide the fried tofu back into the pan, and turn the cubes gently so they are coated in sauce. Cover and simmer over low heat for about 6 minutes, until the sauce has thickened and the tofu has soaked up the flavour.
Turn the tofu once, gently — stirring hard breaks the cubes and clouds the sauce.
Done when: The sauce is thick enough to coat a spoon and clings to the tofu.
1 Min No heat — serve hot, about 70°C (160°F)
Taste and adjust: a little more soy sauce if it needs salt, a pinch more sugar if the tomatoes are sharp. Scatter the spring onions over the top and serve at once with steamed rice.
The spring onions go in last and off the heat, so they stay bright green and crisp.
Done when: The sauce tastes balanced — sweet, salty and tomato-bright — and the spring onions are still green.
Finishing Touches & Plating
Scatter the spring onion over the top, spoon the tofu and sauce onto plates, and serve at once with steamed jasmine rice — the sauce is meant to be spooned over the rice.
Nutritional Physiology & Benefits
Energy
268
kcal / serving
Protein
23g
Complete AA
Carbs
13g
Complex
Fats
16g
Healthy
| Energy | 268 kcal |
| Protein | 23 g |
| Carbohydrates | 13 g |
| Fat | 16 g |
| Fibre | 4.7 g |
| Sugar | 6.8 g |
| Sodium | 369 mg |
| Energy | 107 kcal |
| Protein | 9.3 g |
| Carbohydrates | 5.3 g |
| Fat | 6.5 g |
| Fibre | 1.9 g |
| Sugar | 2.7 g |
| Sodium | 147 mg |
Nutrition values are estimated — calculated from USDA FoodData Central values for the listed ingredients.
Vitamins & minerals: Provides vitamin C from the tomatoes and spring onion, calcium and iron from the tofu, and B vitamins from the tofu. Nutrition is estimated.
High Protein, Low Calories
About 268 kcal a serving with 23.3 g of protein and 4.7 g of fibre — filling, light and genuinely nourishing.
Calcium, Iron and Vitamin C
Firm tofu is rich in calcium and iron, and the fresh tomatoes add vitamin C and lycopene to the plate.
Vegetarian by Nature
Tofu, tomatoes and spring onion — no meat, no gelatine, nothing hidden. A classic Vietnamese vegetarian home dish.
Food Pairings
To optimize nutrient absorption and elevate the sensory depth, pair with these authentic accompaniments:
Sides
Steamed Jasmine Rice
Plain steamed rice soaks up the tomato sauce and turns the light tofu into a filling meal.
Soups
Clear Vegetable Soup
A light clear soup alongside gives the meal a second, brothy course and balances the rich tomato sauce.
Vegetables
Cucumber Salad
Cool cucumber slices with a little vinegar cut the warmth of the sauce and add crunch to the plate.
Drinks
Iced Tea
Unsweetened iced tea or plain water keeps the meal light and cleanses the palate.
Complete menu
Serve the vietnamese tofu in tomato sauce with steamed jasmine rice, a bowl of clear vegetable soup and a plate of cucumber salad.
Digestive Guardrails
To prevent digestive distress, sluggishness, or palate clash, avoid pairing the dish with these elements:
Watch the Salt in the Sauce
About 369 mg of sodium per serving from the soy sauce and salt, so keep the sauce modest and skip extra salty sides. This is general food information, not medical advice.
Do Not Leave Tofu Out
Cooked tofu spoils quickly at room temperature, so chill leftovers within 2 hours and reheat until steaming hot, at least 74°C (165°F). This is general food information, not medical advice.
General information only, not medical advice — consult a doctor for personal dietary decisions.
Who Should Eat It
Health Conditions — Adjust or Avoid
If you have a medical condition, consult your doctor before changing your diet.
Storage & Use
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Cultural Discovery
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