This Chinese-inspired Takeout-Style Tofu and Broccoli is so flavorful and so easy to make thanks to the Instant Pot! It features sticky tofu and broccoli packed with the sweet, sour and spicy flavors you love from Chinese restaurants!
Watch: How to Make Take-Out Style Tofu and Broccoli
TAKEOUT-STYLE TOFU AND BROCCOLI | vegan Instant Pot recipe
And I made a cute little video showing you exactly how to make this recipe! And if you want more than 90 incredible vegan Instant Pot recipes, be sure to order my cookbook, The Vegan Instant Pot Cookbook!
If you’re new to the Instant Pot, the book contains a comprehensive primer to the machine and all its functions, so you can become an instant pot ninja!
Tips for making this recipe
And just a few notes to help you nail this takeout-style tofu and broccoli recipe.
As with many tofu recipes, it helps to press the tofu. Since we are essentially searing tofu in hot oil, you want to make sure you’ve thoroughly pressed all of the water out of the tofu. I explain how to do this in the instructions. It takes a little time to press the tofu, but you can prep the rest of the ingredients in the mean time.
And please don’t try to skip the oil! The oil is necessary to sauté the tofu. Without oil, the tofu will just stick to the bottom of the inner pot and not only will you ruin the dish, you’ll also have a very difficult time scrubbing your pot.
And finally, if you are sensitive to spicy food, go easy on the amount of Sriracha called for in the recipe! This dish is quite spicy!
More East-Asian Inspired Recipes
- Baked Peanut Tofu
- 15-Minute Vegan Noodles with Chili Garlic Sauce
- Restaurant-Style Tofu Stir Fry
- Marinated Tofu
- Chinese Braised Tofu
Chinese Takeout-Style Tofu and Broccoli (recipe from The Vegan Instant Pot Cookbook)
Ingredients
MARINATED TOFU
- 1 (14-ounce) block extra-firm tofu
- 3 tablespoons reduced-sodium tamari or soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons Sriracha or similar chili-garlic sauce
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- 2 teaspoons rice vinegar (also known as rice wine vinegar)
GINGER-CHILI SAUCE
- 1/4 cup reduced-sodium tamari or soy sauce
- 1⁄4 cup agave nectar or coconut nectar (or maple syrup, but that will have a more robust, less neutral flavor)
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1 1⁄2 tablespoons Sriracha or similar chili-garlic sauce
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 1⁄2-inch piece fresh ginger, grated or finely minced
FOR FINISHING
- 1 1⁄2 tablespoons grapeseed oil or other neutral, high-heat cooking oil
- 2 medium heads broccoli, cut into florets (about 4 cups)
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- White rice or brown rice (for serving)
Instructions
- Marinate the tofu: Drain the tofu and cut into 4 slabs. Place the tofu on a cutting board lined with paper towels. Place more paper towels on top of the tofu and weight them down with a few heavy cookbooks or a heavy skillet filled with a few cans of beans. Let sit for at least 30 minutes or ideally 1 hour, changing the paper towels in between to drain all of the moisture. Cut the tofu into 3⁄4-inch cubes.
- Place the tofu in a gallon-size zip-top bag and add the tamari, Sriracha, sesame oil, and vinegar. Toss to combine and let the tofu rest in the marinade for 5 minutes, massaging occasionally.
- Meanwhile, make the ginger-chili sauce: In a medium bowl, whisk together the tamari, agave nectar, water, the Sriracha, sesame oil, vinegar, and ginger until well combined.
- Finish the dish: Select the Sauté setting on the Instant Pot and let the pot heat up for a few minutes before adding the grapeseed oil. Once the display reads “HOT,” use a slotted spoon or fork to carefully transfer the marinated tofu to the pot. Cook the tofu for 1 1⁄2 minutes undisturbed. Use a spatula to flip and cook the tofu until it starts to brown on all sides, 3 to 4 minutes total. Add the ginger-chili sauce and stir to combine. Select the Cancel setting.
- Secure the lid and set the Pressure Release to Sealing. Select the Pressure Cook setting at high pressure and set the cook time to 3 minutes.
- Once the 3-minute timer has completed and beeps, perform a quick pressure release by carefully switching the Pressure Release knob from Sealing to Venting.
- Open the pot. Add the broccoli florets to the tofu and stir with the sauce to combine. Secure the lid and set the Pressure Release to Sealing. Select the Pressure Cook setting to LOW PRESSURE and set the cook time to 1 minute. Once the 1-minute timer has completed and beeps, carefully perform another quick pressure release.
- In a small bowl, stir together the cornstarch with 1⁄4 cup water, whisking until combined without any lumps. Select the Sauté setting and press the Sauté button again until you reach Less heat. Add the cornstarch slurry to the Instant Pot and gently stir to combine. Cook, stirring gently, until the sauce thickens, 2 to 3 minutes. Serve the tofu and broccoli over rice.
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great flavor, easy, and pantry friendly! . I agree that the IP method gets the flavor deeper into the tofu than just marinating alone. Also agree with another commenter that my firm tofu (was pressed for hours, stored uncovered in the fridge and felt really dry/firm before cooking) did not crisp up at all. But I don’t mind.. that isn’t that important to me. Not sure I would use the IP for cook the broccoli in the IP b/c it ended up too soft for me.
Hi there, we are glad you enjoyed the recipe! And we appreciate the feedback.
The tofu is so flavourful – the sauce soaks all the way through. Will be using this instant pot method for other recipes!
Hello! I love this recipe but was wondering if it would work similarly with plant based chicken or steak strips (I have the refrigerated kind). Thanks!
Hi Jennifer, depending on the texture and ingredients of the plant based chicken / steak strips, they may not absorb the marinade in the same way tofu does but it would probably still be tasty!
Are all the above recipes in the cookbook?
Hi Lisa, only the chinese-style tofu and broccoli recipe can be found in Nisha’s IP cookbook.
I have made this six times since buying your cookbook. It is my favorite! So glad you made this recipe!
We’re delighted to hear you truly love the recipe, Jennifer! Next time, would you mind leaving a rating alongside your review? Star ratings are big help to readers who are thinking of making the recipe. Thanks!
How much regular tamari soy sauce would you suggest I use, since I don’t have the reduced sodium one?
The flavors were really good. I’m not sure if I did something wrong but the tofu really wasn’t browning. It finally started browning after a little while but it took more like 12 minutes to even get close to being browned. I lost patience after a little while and just went on with making the dish so it was kind of just browned on one side and a bit mushy and extremely difficult to flip without breaking. It was also kind of uneven in terms of the browning. Any advice?
Hi Jennifer, we’re sorry to hear the tofu didn’t brown as evenly as you’d hoped for! The longer you press tofu, the more water it will draw out, making it less water-logged (also changing the towels in between helps). Another alternative is to use super firm tofu, which has very little water left and is easier to saute and flip (though it doesn’t seem to absorb as much flavor as extra firm tofu).
Allow the IP to preheat entirely dry by itself. Once it’s preheated, you can add the oil and allow it to heat by itself for a minute. Then, ensure the oil is evenly distributed or it can cause the tofu to stick and/or brown unevenly. If it’s still difficult to flip without breaking, that means it needs more time. Once tofu is browned on the bottom, you should be able to stick a small metal spatula underneath the edge of the tofu and lift it with little to no resistance. We hope you try this again with better results!
That ginger chili sauce is out of this world delicious!
Hi Elizabeth, so jazzed to hear you loved the recipe 🎷 This is a favorite in my house too!
I just made this. I didn’t have agave so used honey. So tasty!
Thanks for sharing, Kim! :)
When doing this on the stove, how long should I cook the tofu?
Hi Mar, just a couple minutes on 2-3 sides of the tofu should work well!
Nisha, definitely liked this recipe. I think the sauteeing first and then pressure cooking really helped to pull in the flavors in the tofu, because otherwise I’ve always felt the flavors JUST DON’T get into the tofu. I also found it a bit too sweet for us, so perhaps next time we’ll go easy on that agave.
Good to hear you enjoyed it! Sorry you found it too sweet, hopefully next time you prepare the tofu and broccoli you can make it to fit your preferences :)