Tofu Stir-Fry Recipe: How to Cook a Tofu Stir-Fry Step by Step
Written by MasterClass
Last updated: Mar 27, 2023 • 3 min read
A tofu stir-fry recipe features fairly firm tofu—cubed and pan-fried—alongside savory vegetables.
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What Is a Tofu Stir-Fry?
A tofu stir-fry contains veggies, like green beans, edamame, zucchini, red bell peppers, and snap peas or snow peas in addition to tofu—a food product of pressed coagulated soy milk curds with varying degrees of water left in the blocks, which result in different types of firmness.
Tofu originated in China. Although used in many Chinese dishes, Japanese cuisine also incorporates the ingredient, particularly silken tofu. Other Asian dishes that feature tofu include miso soup and pad Thai.
The six typical levels of firmness are silken, soft, medium, firm, extra-firm, and super-firm. Firmer tofu absorbs flavor less easily than softer varieties, but stronger flavors can still penetrate the curds. Soy sauce is a common ingredient to marinate tofu or tempeh (a tofu-like ingredient) for a stir-fry.
3 Ways to Serve a Tofu Stir-Fry
One advantage to a tofu veggie stir-fry is that you can prepare a large amount to save and serve with various accompaniments for different weeknight main courses. Here are a few popular ways to serve a tofu stir-fry:
- Over brown rice: Complex carbohydrates such as brown rice pair well with a tofu stir-fry because they fill you up and leave you satisfied. Additionally, brown rice has a mild flavor, so it won’t compete with any ingredients in the stir-fry itself.
- Over cauliflower rice: Add small cauliflower pieces to a food processor to make cauliflower rice, which you can serve alongside your stir-fry just as you would regular rice. Cauliflower is gluten-free and low-carb and has a softer texture than brown rice.
- Over rice noodles: Rice noodles are a good base for a tofu-stir fry because they are thick and chewy, adding heft to your meal. Rice noodles can hold up well to a more viscous stir-fry sauce and are a good choice for stir-fry recipes that incorporate bulkier veggies and nuts.
Tofu Stir-Fry Recipe
makes
prep time
15 mintotal time
1 hr 10 mincook time
55 minIngredients
- 1
Press the tofu in a tofu press, or press it between paper towels with a heavy skillet placed on top for 15 minutes.
- 2
Make a sauce by combining the soy sauce (or tamari), green onions, ginger, garlic, sriracha (or red pepper flakes), black pepper, honey, water (or broth), 2 tablespoons of the sesame oil, and the rice vinegar in a medium bowl.
- 3
Cut the pressed tofu into 1-inch cubes.
- 4
Remove enough sauce to coat the tofu cubes, about ¼ cup, and marinate the tofu for 15 minutes in a bowl.
- 5
Heat a wok or a large skillet, preferably a nonstick skillet, over medium-high heat and add the canola oil.
- 6
While the pan is heating, remove the tofu cubes from the marinade, blot them dry with paper towels, and toss them in the cornstarch.
- 7
Pan-fry the tofu in canola oil until it becomes crispy and golden brown. Remove the fried tofu from the pan and place it on paper towels to absorb excess oil.
- 8
In the same pan, sauté the yellow onion, red bell pepper, bok choy, and broccoli florets in the remaining sesame oil. Sauté for about 4 minutes.
- 9
Add the crispy tofu and stir to combine all the ingredients.
- 10
Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of cornstarch to the tofu marinade and stir until the cornstarch dissolves.
- 11
Pour the sauce over the tofu and veggies and continue stir-frying until the mixture is thick, about 5 minutes.
- 12
Serve the stir-fry over rice or noodles and top each serving with the chopped cashews and sesame seeds as a garnish.
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