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If you've been spiraling into a tokwa't baboy craving vortex but the baboy part just isn't your jam, you're about to level up. This Filipino fried tofu with soy curls is a full-on flex: lightning fast, affordable to meal prep, harmless to piggies, kinda absurdly-loaded with flavor, and packed to the gosh darned roof with plant-based protein.
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Solo mission? Feast mode. Got guests? Folks are going to freak out (in a good way). Plus, leftovers don't just reheat, they get better. It's like a more meaty version of my tofu sisig, and can make a killer summertime meal with a side of smoky ensaladang talong-just like you'd get from the corner lugawan with sauce bottles on the table.
Tofu cubes get crispy and nicely chewy. Soy curls? Flavor-soaked and ready to party. The glaze is punchy with vinegar, sweet heat, and garlic thunder. It hugs every bite like it missed you. Let's cook.
Stop scrolling, start cooking! This is the future of comfort food and your taste buds will thank you later!! Soooo good and brings back some amazing memories of eating my best friends mom's cooking as a child!
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🥰Why you'll adore this Filipino fried tofu recipe
✊ Vegan AF: Like all of my vegan Filipino recipes, this one's totally free of pork, fish sauce, dairy, eggs, or any meaty mystery bits. Basically, it skips the barnyard but still brings all the flavor to the yard.
🍳 One-Pan Wonder: Just one skillet, a couple of tosses, and you're ready to serve. Minimal mess, maximal taste.
⏱️ Dinner in a Snap: From pressing tofu to the plate in under 30 minutes.
✅ Tested and Approved Worldwide: Like all of my vegan recipes, this one's been cooked, devoured, and raved about by hundreds of recipe testers from all over the world.
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What is tokwa't baboy?
The original, non-vegan tokwat baboy is the ultimate crispy-chewy snack situation: golden-fried tofu cubes tossed with tender chunks of simmered pork belly or ears (yikes…), then drowned in a punchy soy-vinegar sauce with garlic, onions, and chilies. It normally gets served as a sidekick to steaming bowls of lugaw or arroz caldo, but it's just as happy holding court as a bar snack while you work on an ice-cold beer.
Every region has its own take. Pampanga likes it extra rich with pork ears or snout for more bounce. Bulacan cranks the vinegar to 11. Ilocos sometimes skips the boiling altogether and goes full-send with bagnet (deep-fried pork belly), and Cebu doesn't shy away from tossing in a ton of extra chilies in their version.
Cousins of the dish play with the formula-like tokwa't isda (which uses fried fish instead of pork)-but the vinegar sauce stays the star. That's why this completely vegan version of the classic works soooo well!
🍞Tokwat baboy ingredients
Soy Curls
These chewy little strips are made from whole soybeans that have been extruded into meaty little shreds. Once rehydrated, soy curls become juicy and tender, ready to absorb every bit of seasoning you throw at them. If you can't find soy curls, shredded king oyster mushrooms, or seitan strips (made with my vegan chicken recipe) are great stand-ins.
Mushroom Powder
Mushroom powder delivers a major umami boost to the soy curls. Made from dried shiitakes or porcini, it gives your stir-fry a savory, earthy depth. Liquid aminos or a crushed bouillon cube can pinch-hit if needed. I have a jar that one of my readers sent me that he made from mushrooms he grew (thanks, Harold!). I use it to deepen the base in both my vegan picadillo and vegan corned beef recipes; it's part of how we fake that long-simmered flavor.
Vegan Worcestershire Sauce
Vegan Worcestershire sauce layers in complexity-sweet, tangy, and just a touch funky. Make sure it's free of anchovies. I also use this same punchy blend in my tofu katsu recipe, where it hits like a sharper, funked-up tonkatsu sauce.
You can DIY a version with tamarind paste, molasses, and tamari if your local store doesn't stock it. Or swap in nuoc cham if you want spice and pungency.
Kecap Manis
A thick, sweet soy sauce from Indonesia that brings caramelized depth and molassesy sweetness. If you can't find it at your local Asian grocery store, you can check out my kecap manis recipe to make your own. Otherwise, you can substitute it with hoisin sauce or vegetarian oyster sauce.
Sriracha
Sriracha builds just a little heat and dimension without overwhelming. Not all brands of sriracha are vegan, so read the label or use my sriracha recipe to make your own. scratch. If you want more fire and texture, sambal oelek brings a chunkier, spicier upgrade that'll have you chasing every bite with rice.
Tamari
Tamari is naturally gluten-free, which is key here, since I wrote this recipe to work for everyone. If that doesn't matter, regular soy sauce or shoyu are both cool to use.
*See the recipe card at the bottom of the page for exact quantities, nutritional info, and detailed cooking directions.
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🤯Variations
Air-Fried Tokwa't Baboy
Crisp your tofu and soy curls in an air fryer at 375°F (190°C) for 15 minutes with just a couple of teaspoons of oil instead of pan-frying.
Tokwa't Baboy with Langka
Swap soy curls for shredded young jackfruit or banana blossoms. Jackfruit isn't just for sweets like turon. When it's still young and green, it becomes a savory powerhouse used in Filipino staples like ginataang langka or even vegan carnitas.
📖 How to make vegan tokwa't baboy
If you're short on time, smash that scroll button to jump to the printable recipe card or keep reading below for the full step-by-step.
Step One
Soy George:
Place soy curls in a heatproof bowl. Add boiling stock or water, mushroom powder, Worcestershire sauce, and kecap manis. Stir to coat evenly and let sit for 10 minutes.
Step Two
Drainspotting:
Transfer soy curls to a colander. Squeeze out excess liquid.
Step Three
Tofu Live Crew:
Press tofu to remove moisture. Cut into bite-sized cubes.
Step Four
Tofu Legit to Quit:
Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add tofu and soy curls. Cook 7-8 minutes, turning occasionally, until golden.
Step Five
A More Perfect Onion:
Add onions, scallions, and sliced pepper. Stir and cook 3 minutes until soft.
Step Six
We Whisk You A Merry Christmas:
Combine garlic, sugar, vinegar, tamarind concentrate, sriracha, and tamari in a bowl. Whisk together the cornstarch and water until smooth, and add it to the sauce.
Step Seven
Baboy Meets World:
Pour sauce into skillet. Stir 2-3 minutes until thick and most of the liquid has absorbed.
Step Eight
Transfer to a serving dish. Top with bird's eye chilies, scallions or chives, and minced red onion.
💡Serving Ideas
Serve this tokwa't baboy over sinangag for that garlic rice meets vinegar-laced tofu moment, or rock it over coconut Jasmine rice, or nasi uduk.
Need more veggies in your life? Go ladle up some laing, ginataang kalabasa, or ginisang munggo to go with your vegan baboy.
Want some crunch-fresh balance? Ensaladang pipino and achara tag-team. And for dessert? Karioka, suman malagkit, or buko pandan salad brings that chewy-sweet realness after all that savory heat.
👉Top tips
- Press Tofu Thoroughly: Water is the enemy of crispy tofu. Don't just pat it, press it like your dinner depends on it. Give it 15 solid minutes under something heavy and let that moisture peace out.
- Don't Use Soy Curl Dust: Soy curls vary in size a lot, and a bag of them usually has some tiny particles. Those will end up wasted in this recipe when you drain the rehydrated curls, so go with the bigger pieces for this.
- Use a Nonstick or Well-Seasoned Skillet: No one's got time to be prying tofu off the pan like it owes you rent. Let it sear, flip with confidence, and thank your skillet for making cleanup a breeze. Or use a Dutch oven or high-sided pan, and prevent a little stovetop splatter.
🤷♀️ Recipe FAQs
Tempeh, jackfruit, or TVP chunks work great. I have made this with the vegan chicken pieces from Daring too, and that was kinda awesome.
It's an easy yes if you use tamari and a GF Worcestershire. Double-check labels so you're not surprised by stealth gluten.
Shockingly, yes. This is seriously fantastic for picnics, meal prep, or straight from the fridge on a hot summer evening.
❄️ Refrigerating: Store in an airtight container up to 5 days.
🧊 Freezing: Freeze tofu and soy curls in sauce for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight in the fridge.
🔥 Stovetop Reheat: Sauté with an extra splash of water or oil over medium until warmed through.
⚡️ Microwave Reheating: Cover and zap in 45-second bursts until hot.
🇵🇭You'll love these vegetarian Filipino recipes too:
Learn to make absurdly good vegan food from the Philippines in a super-fun recorded cooking class with Chef Adam Sobel!
Vegan Tokwa't Baboy Recipe
Ingredients
For the Soy Curl Pork and Tofu:
- 1 ½ cup vegetable stock or water, boiled
- 2 teaspoons mushroom powder
- 1 tablespoon vegan Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon kecap manis
- 1 cup soy curls
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 14 oz. Extra-firm tofu pressed dry
- 1 cup onion thinly sliced
- 2 scallions chopped
- 1 long hot pepper or banana pepper, sliced
For the Stir-Fry Sauce:
- 1 teaspoon garlic minced
- 3 tablespoons coconut sugar brown sugar, or palm sugar
- ¼ cup white vinegar
- 2 tablespoons tamarind concentrate
- 2 tablespoons sriracha
- 3 tablespoons tamari or other soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- ⅓ cup water
To Garnish:
- Bird's eye chilies thinly sliced
- Scallions or chives, thinly sliced
- Red onion minced
Instructions
- Place the soy curls in a heatproof bowl. Add the boiling water, mushroom powder, Worcestershire sauce, and kecap manis. Stir to coat the soy curls evenly, then set aside for 10 minutes.
- Drain the soy curls in a colander and squeeze out some of the excess liquid.
- Press the tofu dry and cut it into bite-sized cubes.
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. After 90 seconds, when the oil is hot, add the tofu and drained soy curls. Sauté for 7-8 minutes, turning occasionally, until golden on all sides.
- Add the onion, scallions, and sliced pepper. Cook for 3 minutes, stirring frequently, until the vegetables become tender and fragrant.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the garlic, sugar, vinegar, tamarind, sriracha, and tamari. In a separate bowl, mix together the cornstarch and water until smooth and pour it into the sauce, stirring to combine.
- Pour the sauce into the skillet and stir constantly for 2-3 minutes, until the sauce thickens and coats the tofu and soy curls.
- Transfer to a serving dish and garnish with sliced bird's eye chilies, scallions or chives, and minced red onion.
Notes
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h says
I made this with Adam's vegan chicken seitan and some tempeh (instead of the soy curls and tofu, respectively) as that is what I had on hand, and it turned out wonderfully. Served this alongside ginataang langka, also on this site, with some plain rice -- and my dessert was a second bowl an hour later. Will definitely make again!
Stephanie says
I can't wait to try this with the Garlic Fried Rice recipe (not even going to try and type it out) but can't find tamarind paste, is there a good substitute? Will come back to review once made, I'm sure it will be amazing!
Adam Sobel says
Tart cherry juice is a good subsitute. But I do provide links in the recipe card so that you can order stuff like that delivered right to your home, providing you live somewhere where Amazon is a thing. Lemme know how it comes out for ya! ❤️
Marna says
The hardest thing about this recipe is pronouncing it! I made the marinaded soy curls and the stir fry sauce ahead of time, so this was ready in minutes! Served it with Sinangag Recipe (Filipino Garlic Fried Rice)....and oh my, my....make this!!! Seriously!
Tee Hansen says
Stop scrolling, start cooking! This is the future of comfort food and your taste buds will thank you later!! Soooo good and brings back some amazing memories of eating my best friends mom's cooking as a child!