A simple and delicious recipe for vegetable stir fry with tofu and homemade stir fry sauce. This Asian vegetarian stir fry dish is so easy to make and is loaded with flavor. The vegetables and tofu are cooked in a wok and sauteed with a lightly sweet and savory sauce. This vegetable stir fry is the perfect addition to your meatless Monday! It can be ready in less than 15 minutes!
Vegetable Stir Fry
Learn how to make this easy vegetable stir fry with fresh ingredients with a homemade 3-ingredient stir fry sauce, and a meatless protein of tofu. This complete meal is loaded with nutrients and flavors. It's very quick and inexpensive to make. This stir fry tastes better than Chinese take-out and is much healthier as that’s often loaded with MSG and other ingredients you should be staying away from. This vegetable stir fry with tofu is suitable for vegetarians and vegans.
I am a big fan of stir fry because it's one of the fastest, easiest, and tastiest ways to make last-minute dinner meal. This vegetable stir fry is one of the best ways to add greens into your diet. Even your kids will like it!
Stir Fry Vegetables List
Now, let's talk about all the vegetables used to make this stir fry recipe. To make this delicious Chinese-style stir fry it is best to use a combination of vegetables, such as carrots, red bell peppers, baby bok choy, and snow peas. Each of these vegetables is not only tasty but also highly nutritious. In addition, these vegetables also add beautiful color to the dish. They will brighten up your plate which helps wow your family or those you’re serving it for (even if just yourself!) and can help you stay on track with your health goals.
Tofu as a Stir Fry Protein
To make this stir fry a complete dish, you will need a good protein. In this recipe, I used a plant-based protein, tofu. I purchased the extra firm from Trader Joe's. I've tried many tofu brands and I think this Trader's Joe Organic High Protein Tofu. This extra-firm tofu is the best for stir fry because It is as firm as a semi-soft cheese like Cheddar, so it’s firm enough that you can slice off a piece. Also, It will hold its shape and without losing half of it in the process after cooking. The tofu texture is very firm so there is no need to bake or stir fry prior to adding it to the recipe.
CHECK OUT MORE ASIAN RECIPES:
- BEST PORK TENDERLOIN STIR FRY
- ASIAN GROUND BEEF STIR FRY
- THAI SALAD DRESSING
- MINCED PORK NOODLES WITH HOISIN SAUCE
- CHINESE EGGPLANT WITH MINCED PORK
- SHRIMP AND GREEN PEAS STIR FRY
- SESAME NOODLES (MA JIANG MIAN)
Tofu has become a huge hit in our household. It has a light taste and feels light in the belly so we don’t get tired of it quickly like some other protein options. Some of my friends prefer tempeh which works well in this recipe, as does chicken, beef or pork. That’s one nice thing about a good Asian dish is that they’re most often very interchangeable (hence many menus at Asian restaurants list the protein options on the top).
Homemade Stir Fry Sauce
This dish isn't complete without a good Asian stir fry sauce! I cooked the vegetables and tofu in a sweet and savory sauce. It's a homemade sauce, made of simple Asian condiments and seasoning: hoisin sauce, soy sauce, brown sugar, and Shaoxing wine (which can also be replaced with rice wine vinegar).
Sauces and dressings can make all of the difference in a meal. Usually, they just take a few minutes to put together, and the homemade ones are oftentimes twice as healthy as those you’d find in restaurants. I initially had to fork over some money to buy bottles of a few things but noticed that many of my sauces and dressings oftentimes used the same ingredients so it was quite economical in the long run.
How to Stir Fry Vegetables
The cooking process of this stir fry is so simple and quick. Any level chef can cook this as there is no cooking skill required, so beginners in the kitchen read on! Here are some of the most important steps to cook this recipe:
· Marinate the tofu with some soy sauce and a small amount of sugar. Set aside while you are preparing the other ingredients.
· Make the homemade stir fry sauce.
· Cook the vegetables in order. Start with garlic and ginger, followed with carrots, red bell pepper, baby bok choy, and snow peas.
· Lastly, cook the tofu with the other vegetables and add your homemade stir fry sauce.
Vegetable Stir Fry
Ingredients
Tofu and Marinade:
- 1 pound extra firm tofu
- 1 tablespoon regular soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon light brown sugar
Asian Stir Fry Sauce:
- 1 tablespoon regular soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
- ½ teaspoon light brown sugar
Vegetables:
- 1 large red bell pepper, (cut into strips)
- ⅓ cup shredded carrots
- 4 baby bok choy , (slice off the bottom 1⁄2 to 1 inch (1.3 to 2.5 cm) just above where the base of the leaves connect an quartered lengthwise)
- 1 cup fresh snow peas
Other Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon vegetable or canola oil
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 tsp freshly grated ginger
- 1 tablespoon Shao Xing Wine, (or use dry sherry)
- salt and pepper, (to taste)
Instructions
Preparation:
- Drain the Tofu: Place the tofu block on the paper towels and put another layer on top of the tofu. Place a Weight (such as a cutting board or heavy pan) on the Tofu. Let the tofu sit for at least 30 minutes.
- Marinate the Tofu:Cut tofu lengthwise into 4 equal pieces; cut each piece crosswise into ¾-inch squares. Transfer to a large mixing bowl, add soy sauce, light brown sugar and toss to coat. Set aside.
- Make the Asian Stir Fry Sauce:Combine soy sauce, hoisin sauce, and light brown sugar in a small mixing bowl. Set aside.
Stir Fry:
- Preheat the wok over high heat (do not let it overheat), turn down the heat to medium-high heat and add 1 tablespoon of oil. Carefully swirl it to coat the bottom and sides.
- Add the aromatic ingredients of garlic and ginger. Give it a quick stir for about 10 seconds. Do not let them burn.
- Add carrots and red bell pepper and cook further. Keep stirring for about 2 minutes.
- Add bok choy, snow peas and cook for about 1 additional minute. Sprinkle in a small amount of salt and pepper.
- Add tofu continue to cook while stirring for about 2 minutes.
- Add homemade stir fry and Shaoxing wine to the wok and cook for 2 more minutes, or until the vegetables are tender and tofu pieces are fully coated with the sauce. Season with salt and pepper if needed.
- Remove from the heat, serve with rice and enjoy!
Notes
- If the sauce is too thin, feel free to add a corn starch mixture (½ tablespoon of corn starch + ½ tablespoon of water) to the dish and stir fry until the sauce is thicken.
- Recommended: Trader Joe's Organic High Protein Tofu. You’ll find it in refrigerated case, around $2.49 per package (16 oz).
Tiffany La Forge-Grau
This looks like such a delicious dinner idea. Tofu is really great and goes so well in a stir fry.
Monica Y
We started adding tofu to our diet last year, and this recipe would be perfect to make one of the nights are home
Jenn @ EngineerMommy
I love a good stir fry and tofu is one of my favorite additions for protein. This recipe sounds so delicious and I would love to make this over the weekend.
Beth
This looks delicious! We started cooking with tofu a while back, and really love the taste and texture. I'm excited to try this recipe.
Rosey
Tofu is a big deal. It's such a great way to get protein if you don't want to eat meat.
Erin
I've saved this recipe to make next week. I need to eat more vegetables to aid in weight loss, but my guy wants to increase his protein intake, so this hits both of our goals. And it looks delicious.