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–+ servings
Tofu and pepper stir fry on a bed of white rice in a black bowl.
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Tofu Stir Fry

Prep Time25 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Total Time40 minutes
Servings: 4 with rice
Calories: 334kcal
Author: Nisha Vora

Ingredients

  • 3 to 4 tablespoons neutral-flavored high-heat oil such as avocado oil, divided (Note 1)

Tofu

  • 1 (14-ounce/400g) block extra-firm tofu (ideally, previously frozen and defrosted) (Note 2)
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon white pepper
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • Heaping 1/4 teaspoon Chinese five spice powder (optional but amazing!)
  • 3 tablespoons cornstarch or arrowroot powder

Stir Fry Sauce

  • 1 ½ tablespoons soy sauce (tamari for GF)
  • 1 ½ tablespoons rice vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
  • 2 tablespoons Shaoxing wine (Chinese cooking wine) (see Note 3 for substitutes)
  • 1 tablespoon organic brown sugar (see Note 3)
  • 1 to 2 tablespoons chili-garlic sauce (or sambal oelek) (2 for spicy!)
  • 3 tablespoons veggie broth or water

Aromatics & Vegetables

  • 2- inch piece ginger finely chopped (not grated or minced)
  • 4 garlic cloves, chopped (not minced)
  • 14 to 16 oz vegetables of choice (Note 4)

Finishing

  • 1 teaspoon cornstarch (or arrowroot powder) + 1 tablespoon cold water, stirred together
  • 2 teaspoons black sesame seeds or toasted white sesame seeds
  • 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
  • ¾ cup (12g) cilantro leaves and tender stems, roughly chopped
  • 3 to 4 cups cooked white or brown rice, for serving

Instructions

  • Drain tofu and wrap in a thin dish towel. Weight down with a heavy cookbook or skillet. Press for 10-15 min, changing the towel halfway through. Meanwhile, stir together the Sauce ingredients in a bowl or measuring cup, and prep your veggies and aromatics.
  • Cut the tofu. Slice the tofu into four equal squares. Flip each square on its side and then slice into squares, ⅓” wide (~1 cm). Transfer to a large bowl or shallow baking pan.
  • Coat the tofu. In a small bowl, combine the salt, white pepper, garlic powder, five spice powder (if using) and cornstarch. Sprinkle half over the tofu, flip the tofu over, and sprinkle with the rest, tossing gently to coat with your hands.
  • Fry the tofu. Line a cutting board or large plate with paper towels. Open some windows, as it will get smoky if you’re using a wok.
    Heat a flat-bottomed wok over medium-high heat until you start to see light wisps of smoke. Only then add 3 TBSP of the oil (this prevents sticking). Swirl the pan to get oil up the sides (See Note 1 if you don't have a wok).
    Carefully add tofu. Cook 3 to 5 minutes, shaking the pan every minute for even cooking, until golden brown on the bottom. Flip and toss the tofu and repeat for 2 to 4 min, until golden brown but not charred on the bottom (reduce the heat if it starts to char). Transfer tofu to the paper towel-lined surface to absorb excess oil. Wipe out the pan.
    NOTE: Depending on your wok size and tofu weight, it may not all fit in a wok. You'll get the best results frying in 2 batches.
  • Finish the stir fry. Return the wok to the stove. Heat over high until smoking, then add the remaining 1 TBSP oil. Add garlic and ginger, and stir fry for 20 to 30 seconds, tossing frequently so they don’t stick.
    Add prepped veggies, and stir fry for 1 to 1.5 minutes (add sturdy veg like carrots or broccoli for 1-2 minutes, then add softer veg like bell peppers for 1 to 1.5 min). Add the Sauce and stir fry for 2 ½ minutes, then add any tender vegetables (e.g., bok choy leaves) and stir fry for 30 seconds until wilted.
  • Mix the cornstarch and water in a small bowl until well-dissolved. Add to the pan and stir until thickened and glossy (it won’t take long). Off the heat, add the tofu, cilantro, sesame seeds and sesame oil. Toss well to coat the tofu. Serve over rice.

Video

Notes

1. If using a wok, use the greater end of oil (3 tbsp oil for tofu, 1 tbsp for veggies; otherwise, the tofu will char and stick a bit). If you don't have a wok, use a 12-inch nonstick frying pan: in step 6, heat it over medium-high for 2 minutes, then add oil and heat 2 more min. Cook the tofu on one side for 4 to 5 min, then toss and cook for 6 to 7 min, shaking the pan or rotating it every minute.  Follow the instructions in step 7 but use medium-high heat. 
2. If your tofu wasn’t previously frozen, after slicing the pressed tofu into rectangles, gently press down on each rectangle to pat dry to remove some excess water.
3: You can sub Shaoxing wine with mirin, which is sold at many grocery stores. Or even with dry sherry. 
4: This is 3.5 to 4 cups of sliced/chopped vegetables, or 400 to 450g. For reference, in the photos, I used 1 medium red bell pepper and 2 baby bok choy heads; in the second set of photos, I used 1 1/2 cups very thinly sliced carrots and 2 cups broccoli florets. For veggie options and instructions, see the “How to customize the vegetables” section.