This tasty tofu stir-fry recipe is our #1 choice for healthy plant-based dinners! It has the best wok sauce and you can use any veggies.
Did you know that tofu is delicious? For years, Alex and I steered clear of tofu because we weren’t sure what to do with it. Of course, straight from the can, tofu is a colorless, tasteless paste. But cook it well and it’s one of the tastiest plant-based dinners you can have. This healthy vegan protein is great for adding to your meal prep repertoire. Do you want to fall in love with it? Come and try this tofu stir fry. It has the most delicious stir-fry sauce that works with any veg, and the tofu is crispy on the outside and perfectly seasoned.
First things first: is tofu healthy?
We get this question a lot because of the tofu rumors circulating in the rumor mill. Here are our two cents: Tofu is part of a healthy diet. According to the Harvard TH Chan School of Nutrition, soy is a nutrient-dense source of protein that is safe to eat several times a week. It likely has health benefits, especially when consumed as an alternative to red meat and processed meats. Learn more about tofu here: Straight Talk About Soy and Is Tofu Good for You?
How to fry tofu: the basic steps
Even better than healthy: Tofu can be really tasty if you prepare it properly! Here’s what you should know about the ingredients for this easy tofu skillet:
- Make the sautéed sauce. This sauce is SO good! You’ll love the flavor and thick body of the sauce.
- Chop the veggies. This is where a lot of the prep time comes into play. We used few veggies so you don’t have to spend hours chopping them up.
- Cook the tofu. The main idea is to cut it into small squares and then pan fry it for 5 minutes on each side.
- Sweat the vegetables. Add the vegetables after 6 minutes. Then add the tofu and the sauce and turn off the heating! The residual heat warms up the sauce and thickens. If the heat is too high, the sauce will evaporate.
Guess what: you don’t have to press the tofu!
Did you notice that something is missing? Squeeze the tofu! If you’ve made other tofu recipes, you may need to wrap the tofu in a towel and place a heavy object over it for 30 minutes. The theory goes that this extracts more water, making the tofu crispier. But really, who has time for that?
This tofu skillet is great for weeknight dinners because you don’t have to spend time pressing it before cooking. Just pat it dry with a towel and you’re ready to cook.
What’s in this delicious wok sauce?
Have we talked enough about this sautéed sauce? Let’s just spend a little more time there. You can use this sauce for any stir-fries intended for 4 servings. You can also easily make the sauce ahead of time! Whisk together and store in a covered jar or container until ready to cook. This saves a few minutes, which can be crucial on weekdays. Here’s what’s in this sauce:
- soy pasture
- rice vinegar
- Sugar
- miso Dough
- cornstarch
- garlic powder
Different vegetables for a tofu pan
You can use many other veggies in this tofu skillet! We chose broccoli, red and orange peppers, and shiitake mushrooms because they have great colors, lots of nutrients, and similar cooking times. Here’s a cheat sheet for other veggies you might want to add to show the timing for each:
Vegetables that take 6-7 minutes to roast:
Vegetables that need 3-5 minutes to roast:
- cabbagechopped
- snow peas or snow peas
- bok choychopped
- zucchini or summer squash
- Edamamefrozen and peeled
Vegetables that take 1 minute to roast:
- Garlicchopped
- Gingerchopped
- Green Onionthinly sliced (or use as a garnish)
What to serve with this tofu pan
Finally, let’s talk about how to serve this tofu casserole! This is a fantastic idea for a healthy vegan dinner or an easy vegetarian meal. They should serve with some sort of whole grain to make it heartier. Here are some options:
- Rice: The easiest and most traditional option for a stir-fry. Go to How to cook rice or instant rice. Or try the coconut rice!
- Andean millet: If you want to mix things up, quinoa is a fun grain to serve with a stir-fry. Go to How to Make Quinoa or Instant Pot Quinoa.
- Cauliflower Rice: Don’t want to eat whole grains? Try the cauliflower rice! Take 1 head of cauliflower and cut into large florets. Place half of the florets in the bowl of a food processor and process until completely broken up and the cauliflower looks like rice grains. Place the “rice” in a bowl and process the remaining cauliflower.
Another great wok? Try the baby pak choi stir fry.
This tofu skillet recipe is…
Vegetarian, vegan, plant-based, dairy-free and gluten-free.
The description
This tasty tofu stir-fry recipe is our #1 choice for healthy plant-based dinners! It has the best wok sauce and you can use any veggies.
For the sautéed sauce
- ¼ cup soy pasture
- 6 tablespoons the water
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoons Sugar
- 1 tbsp yellow or white miso paste
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
For the tofu pan
- 1 1/2 Kilos of fresh broccoli, stalks on top (approx. 3 big heads 6 pile bouquets)*
- 1 red peppers (or half red and half orange)
- 4 oz Shiitake mushrooms (optional)
- 2 Green Onions
- 1 tbsp grated fresh ginger
- 14– ounces of firm or extra firm tofu
- 3 tablespoons sesame oil, divided
- Kosher salt
- Sesame seeds
- Prepare rice: If you’re serving with rice, start with the rice.
- Prepare sauce: Whisk together the ingredients for the sauté sauce in a medium bowl, or make the sauce ahead of time and refrigerate until ready.
- Cut vegetables: Cut the broccoli into florets. Cut the peppers into thin slices. Remove the shiitake stems and thinly slice if using. Finely chop the spring onion. Peel and grate ginger.
- Cook Tofu: Cut the tofu into bite-sized pieces (1 inch squares, 3/8 inch thick) and pat dry with a towel. In a large nonstick skillet, add 2 tablespoons sesame oil and add the diced tofu and a few pinches of kosher salt. Turn the heat down to medium-high and cook 5-6 minutes, until bottom is lightly browned.
- Turn the tofu: Take the pan off the heat to reduce splattering. Flip the tofu with chopsticks (the easiest way!) or tongs. Turn the heat back to medium-high and cook until golden, 5 to 6 minutes. Place the tofu in a bowl and set aside.
- Fry the vegetables: Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the pan. Add the broccoli, peppers, shiitake mushrooms, and two pinches of salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until just beginning to brown on the edges, 6 to 7 minutes. At the last moment, add 1 tablespoon of water and steam the vegetables.
- Reduce the heat to low. Add the spring onion and ginger and cook for 1 minute. turn off the fire Add the tofu and sauce and stir until the sauce thickens. Garnish with sesame seeds if you like. Serve immediately. Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Category: jumped up
- Method: Cook
- Kitchen: vegan
- Diet: vegan
Easier vegan dinner ideas
Do you like to eat plant-based food? Here are a few more vegan dinner ideas to add to your repertoire:
