Enjoy a crunchy and flavorful bowl of veggie tofu stir fry as an easy midweek meal!
The pungent Thai flavors in this one-pan dish, together with the assortment of veggies and crispy tofu fried in a thick sauce, are mouth-watering!
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Tofu Stir Fry Ingredients
- Tofu - Use Extra-Firm tofu to achieve a firm and crispy exterior with a 'meaty' texture inside. Silken or firm tofu holds too much moisture for the crispy exterior desired for this recipe.
- Stir fry vegetables - Snow peas, shimeji mushrooms, broccoli, onion, bell peppers, garlic, and spices. Garnish with scallions, sesame seeds, and lime wedges.
- Sauce - I love making sauce from scratch, but you could use a store-bought stir-fry sauce for convenience instead! Reserve some extra sesame oil to drizzle over each serving to enhance the flavor!
Can I add noodles? Yes, I love adding cooked ramen noodles to the stir fry. You may need to double the sauce for this.
📋 You can find the full ingredient list in the Recipe Card below the article.
Do You Have To Press Tofu?
You don't have to press tofu, but it makes it better. Pressing removes water, so tofu gets firmer and tastier.
It's beneficial for frying or baking tofu.
How To Press Tofu
- Place the tofu block on a plate or cutting board.
- Put another plate or cutting board on top of the tofu.
- Place a heavy object on the top board, like a can or skillet.
- Let it sit for about 20-30 minutes to drain excess water.
- Once pressed, pat the tofu dry with paper towels before using it in your recipe.
How To Make Tofu Stir Fry
- Make my tofu recipe with or without sauce or simply pan fry tofu in the skillet following these instructions:
Here's how to cook tofu:
- Press the tofu to remove excess water.
- Cut it into cubes, slices, or any desired shape.
- Heat oil in a pan over medium-high heat.
- Add the tofu to the pan and cook until golden brown on all sides, flipping occasionally.
- Combine all the stir-fry sauce ingredients in a medium bowl.
- Once the oil is hot, saute the onion for 1-2 minutes.
- Add the garlic and shimeji mushrooms, and saute for 3 minutes.
- Add the rest of the veggies, with a pinch of salt and black pepper for 3-4 minutes until just slightly softened but still crisp.
- Mix in cooked tofu along with the stir-fry sauce. Saute until the sauce has thickened.
- Drizzle freshly squeezed lime juice for serving.
- Top with scallions and sesame seeds and serve with rice (white or brown rice) or noodles right away.
This easy recipe is vegetarian, vegan-friendly, and gluten-free!
Expert Tips For The Best Tofu Stir Fry
- Cook the vegetables in wok style for a crisp, fresh stir-fry. Add your favorite veggies or swap shimeji mushrooms for alternatives as desired.
- Pressing tofu thoroughly ensures crispiness. Layer paper towels or a clean kitchen towel on a plate, place the tofu on top, and wrap it. Add another plate with weight (canned food works) on top. Let it sit for 5-10 minutes while prepping the recipe.
- If you cook tofu often, I highly recommend getting this tofu press. It will make your preparation so much easier!
- Adding small amounts of the sauce into the pan while the ingredients cook is a great way to build flavor.
- Save a little sesame oil for drizzling over each serving of stir fry at the end. This helps to preserve its flavor.
- We love to serve this with julienned pickled daikon radishes.
The Difference Between Different Types of Tofu
Different types of tofu vary in texture and use:
- Silken Tofu: Soft and smooth, great for soups, smoothies, and desserts.
- Soft Tofu: Slightly firmer than silken, good for soups and dips.
- Firm Tofu: Holds its shape, ideal for stir-fries and grilling.
- Extra-Firm Tofu: Very sturdy, best for frying and baking.
Each type absorbs flavors differently and works best in specific dishes.
Storing Leftovers
- Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 2-3 days. I use these glass meal prep containers to store leftovers - they keep everything fresh for days.
- Once the tofu absorbs the sauce, it loses its crispiness upon reheating, but the flavor remains enjoyable, to be honest!
Recommended Tools to Make Tofu Stir Fry
- Wok pan - You don't need a special wok for tofu stir fry-a large, deep nonstick pan works fine. However, if you cook stir fry often, investing in a wok can be helpful. I've used mine for about 10 years and still love it. Here's a similar, more affordable option without a lid.
- Spatula - A wide, heatproof spatula is perfect for stirring and flipping tofu cubes.
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Recipe Card
Quick Tofu Stir Fry With Vegetables
Ingredients
Method
- Make my Tofu recipe with or without sauce.1 recipe crispy pan fried tofu
- Combine all the stir fry sauce ingredients in a medium bowl.3 tablespoon room temp water, 3 tablespoon low sodium gluten free soy sauce, 1 tablespoon maple syrup, 2 teaspoon sesame oil, 1 tablespoon cornstarch, 2 teaspoon white rice vinegar
- In a medium cast iron skillet or wok over medium-high heat add olive oil. Once the oil is hot saute the veggies with a pinch of salt and black pepper for 3-4 minutes until just lightly softened.½ cup snow peas, ½ cup broccoli florets, 2-3 tablespoon olive oil, ½ of a medium brown onion, 2 medium to large garlic cloves, ½ of a bell pepper, 1 pinch of salt, Black pepper to taste, 8 oz Shimeji mushrooms
- Mix in cooked tofu along with the stir fry sauce. Saute until sauce has thickened.
- Drizzle freshly squeezed lime juice for serving.Lime wedges for serving
- Top with scallions and sesame seeds and serve with rice (white or brown rice) or noodles right away.Scallions for serving, Sesame seeds for serving
Nutrition
Notes
- Store leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 2-3 days.
- Once the tofu absorbs the sauce, it loses its crispiness upon reheating, but the flavor remains enjoyable, to be honest!
Tried this recipe?
Let us know how it was!Note: Nutrition information is estimated and varies based on the products used.
Full Nutrition Disclaimer can be found here.
Tofu Stir Fry: FAQs
Tofu typically takes 2-4 minutes to fry in an oiled pan over medium-high heat. If in doubt, fry the tofu until it turns a crunchy golden brown on the edges.
The size of your tofu cubes will also determine the frying time. Small cubes will take about 2 minutes to fry, while larger cubes will take about 4 minutes.
It's good to rinse tofu after removing it from its packaging. Place it under running water before blotting it dry and pressing.
Firm or extra-firm tofu is best for stir-fry. It holds its shape well and absorbs flavors better without falling apart during cooking.
If you don't drain tofu before cooking, it will be watery and won't absorb flavors well. It can also turn out mushy instead of crispy.
Marinating tofu before frying will make it tastier. It soaks up flavors and gets a better texture.
Yes, you can eat tofu raw. Just make sure it's fresh and has been stored properly. It's often added to salads, smoothies, or eaten with a dipping sauce.
The secret to a good stir-fry is high heat and not overcrowding the pan. Cut everything small and even, and add a tasty sauce.
You'll Also Love
Judy
First time cooking with tofu!
Thank you for this recipe. It turned out amazing. Only thing I changed was I used broccoli, shredded carrots, red bell pepper, onion and mushrooms and doubled the delicious sauce.
Will be trying more of your recipes
Julia
thank you Judy, glad you liked this dinner!
Alex J.
Julia, regarding the tofu stir fry, do you have any nutritional info on that? Especially interested in the protein content per serving. Thanks for sharing. Appreciate any insights!
Maggie S.
Loved your quick tofu stir fry with veggies recipe, Julia! I'm always on the lookout for tasty and nutritious plant-based meals, and this hit the spot. The stir fry sauce was a real winner. Can’t wait to try out more recipes from you. 🙂
dana
We love this stir fry. It's one of our Meatless Monday go-tos and we just don't get tired of it! So much flavor.
Julia | The Yummy Bowl
thank you Dana, glad you liked it!
TAYLER ROSS
I've been trying to eat less meat, so I'm excited to try this tofu stir fry! It looks like it's packed with flavor!
Julia | The Yummy Bowl
glad you liked it Tayler!
Sky
The tofu in this dish is fantastic! My whole family really enjoyed this dish! I will definitely be making it again!
Julia | The Yummy Bowl
thank you Sky!
Melissa
I love how simple this stir fry recipe is to make. We are definitely making these part of our dinner rotation!
Julia | The Yummy Bowl
thank you Melissa!
Gianne
It was delicious! The tofu had a perfect texture and absorbed the flavors of the sauce well. The mix of vegetables added a nice crunch, and the sauce had the right amount of savory and sweet. A great healthy option for dinner.
Julia | The Yummy Bowl
thank you, amazing dish right!
TAYLER ROSS
We've been trying to cut back on meat, so I made this stir fry last night. It was delicious and we definitely didn't miss the meat!
Julia | The Yummy Bowl
glad you enjoyed! thank you!
Ned
This happened on meatless Monday and my family loved it. They had no idea it was Tofu. Thank you!
Julia | The Yummy Bowl
amazing! thank you Ned!
Lauren
Made this tofu stir fry for meatless Monday this week. It came out great - even the kids loved it!
Julia | The Yummy Bowl
amazing! glad you liked the recipe, it's so good!
Dina and Bruce
Love snow peas and broccoli. This was so good!
Julia | The Yummy Bowl
thank you, glad you liked it!
Lima Ekram
Loved the thick, velvety sauce - what a delicious dish!
Julia | The Yummy Bowl
thank you Lima!
Julia | The Yummy Bowl
The most delicious way to enjoy tofu in a meal!