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    Home » Recipes » Crispy Tofu Stir-Fry (Vegan + Gluten-Free)

    Crispy Tofu Stir-Fry (Vegan + Gluten-Free)

    Jan 14, 2020 by The Pesky Vegan | 18 Comments

    381 shares
    Jump to Recipe >

    If you're one of those people who thinks tofu is completely devoid of flavour or texture, you'd be absolutely correct. But this crispy tofu stir-fry changes things.

    Crispy Tofu Stir-Fry

    Instead of sinking your teeth through a blobby cube of gelatinous sponge, you'll have bite, crunch, and taste in abundance. Better yet, you can get all those things without having to deep-fry the stuff to within an inch of its life.

    In the mood for crispy tofu stir-fry? C'mon then, let's go for a wok.

    I create new content every single week. Subscribe to keep in touch and get a free download of The Vegan Kitchen – My Top 10 Tips.

    Crispy Tofu Stir-Fry

    What is tofu?

    Tofu is a bean curd made from soy milk. High in protein, low in fat, and available in varying degrees of firmness, it has been a staple of Asian cuisine for centuries.

    You'll also find tofu in my recipes for vegan fish pie, smoked tofu risotto, and tofu jalfrezi curry, to name a few.

    Tofu Block

    How to make tofu crispy

    To make this crispy tofu, you need to drain it, coat it, and cook it in the oven at a decent temperature. You could also fry the tofu in copious amounts of oil, but baking is much healthier.

    Crispy Tofu

    How to drain tofu

    Depending on the type of tofu you're using, it may need to be drained and pressed to remove the extra water. In this recipe I've used the Cauldron brand.

    In some other recipes, I'll recommend freezing and defrosting as a method to get the water out of the tofu. But in this case, it's fine to just drain it and then press it between two plates.

    1. Place the block of tofu between a larger plate and a smaller plate.
    2. Over a sink, press the plates together to squeeze out the water. Do this for a minute or two.
    3. The idea is to not break it apart when pressing, but don't worry if the odd bit falls off.
    4. Once there's no more water coming out, pat dry with kitchen roll and then it's ready to chop up.

    Making a stir-fry at home

    Tofu Stir-Fry Ingredients

    In this recipe, I've provided instructions on how to make a basic stir-fry sauce. If you don't have time to make it yourself, feel free to just use a store-bought sauce and mix it through towards the end.

    Stir-Fry Sauce

    If you are making the sauce, it's a simple case of whisking all the ingredients together and adding to the pan for the last couple of minutes of cooking time.

    The veg

    Stir-Fried Veg

    The key to a good stir-fry is cooking everything quickly on a high heat, and so you'll want to cut all the veg to roughly the same size. Here I've used mushrooms, red peppers, and green beans, but you could use any veg you like.

    Hey you – let me know what you think

    If you made this recipe and enjoyed it – or did anything differently – I'd love to hear from you down below in the comments 👇

    You can also find me and let me know on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook @thepeskyvegan 🌿

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    More vegan recipe ideas

    If you liked this recipe, you may also enjoy:

    • Teriyaki Tempeh Stir-Fry
    • 5-Minute Peanut Noodles
    • Singapore Noodles with Tofu
    • Grilled Teriyaki Tofu Steaks
    • Asian-Inspired Cucumber Salad
    • King Oyster Mushroom Steaks
    • Eggy Scrambled Tofu
    • Cucumber Stir-Fry

    You can also check out my full list of vegan mains.

    Crispy Tofu Stir-Fry

    Crispy Tofu Stir-Fry (Vegan + Gluten-Free)

    The Pesky Vegan
    If you're one of those people who thinks tofu is completely devoid of flavour or texture, you'd be absolutely correct. But this crispy tofu stir-fry changes things.
    5 from 7 votes
    Rate this Recipe Print Recipe
    Prep Time 10 mins
    Cook Time 30 mins
    Total Time 40 mins
    Course Main Course
    Cuisine Gluten-free, Vegan
    Servings 2
    Calories 473 kcal

    Ingredients
     

    For the crispy tofu

    • 200-300 g firm tofu, drained and pressed
    • 1 tablespoon tamari or soy sauce (see recipe notes)
    • 1 tablespoon vegetable or olive oil
    • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
    • 4 tablespoons cornflour (or arrowroot)

    For the sauce

    • 1 large clove garlic, finely chopped
    • 1 inch piece of ginger, finely chopped or grated
    • 1 red chilli, finely sliced (I include the seeds, but remove if you don't like any heat)
    • Zest and juice of 1 lime
    • 2 tablespoons tamari or soy sauce (plus more if necessary – see recipe notes)
    • 1 tablespoon sesame oil
    • 1-2 tablespoons water
    • 2 tablespoons cornflour (or arrowroot)

    For the stir-fry

    • 1 tablespoon cooking oil (coconut oil is great if you have it)
    • 1 red pepper, finely sliced
    • 200 g green beans, trimmed
    • 200 g mushrooms, finely sliced
    • Rice or rice noodles, cooked to package instructions
    • Sliced spring onions and sesame seeds to serve
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions
     

    Crispy tofu

    • Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F).
    • To drain the tofu, place it between a larger plate and a smaller plate and press over a sink for 1-2 minutes. Once the water has stopped coming out, pat dry with kitchen roll and transfer to a chopping board.
    • Slice the tofu lengthways so you have two slabs, then cut each slab into 4x4 cubes. This will give you a total of 32 cubes.
    • In a large mixing bowl, combine the tamari/soy sauce (1 tablespoon), oil (1 tablespoon), and garlic powder. Add the tofu and gently coat it in the mix.
    • Next, add the cornflour (4 tablespoons) a little at a time and turn the tofu pieces so that they're evenly coated.
    • Add a little oil to an oven dish and spread the tofu pieces out across it. Bake for 30 minutes, turning half-way through. If the tofu sticks, add a little more oil and turn down the heat slightly.

    Sauce

    • Add all of the sauce ingredients to a measuring jug or bowl. Whisk and set aside.

    Stir-fry

    • If you're cooking rice, remember to get that going at some point depending on its cooking time.
    • Heat a pan or wok on a high heat and add the oil. Once hot, add in the veg and stir/toss frequently for 6-7 minutes.
    • After 6-7 minutes, add in the stir-fry sauce and mix well. If necessary, adjust the seasoning by adding a little more tamari or soy sauce.
    • Once the stir-fry is done, turn off heat. Remove the tofu from the oven. Stir through half of the tofu and save the other half for serving on top.
    • Serve with rice, sliced spring onions, sesame seeds, and a drizzle of tamari/soy sauce.
    Rate this recipe 👇

    Notes

    Use pastes: The garlic, ginger, and chilli in the sauce can all be substituted with pureed equivalents, which are widely available in supermarkets these days.
    Soy sauce: The saltiness of the final dish will depend on the type of soy sauce you use and whether you mix the stir-fry through boiled rice (therefore balancing out the flavours). To be on the safe side, be sure to use a reduced-sodium soy sauce and start small with the amounts in the sauce – you can always add more during cooking or when serving.
    Gluten-free: Tamari is a variant of soy sauce that’s usually gluten-free. If this recipe needs to be 100% gluten-free, make sure you use a GF soy sauce or tamari. 
    If you liked this recipe, you might also enjoy:
    • Teriyaki Tempeh Stir-Fry
    • Chickpea Stir-Fry
    • 5-Minute Peanut Noodles
    • Singapore Noodles with Tofu
    • Grilled Teriyaki Tofu Steaks
    • Vietnamese-Style Rice Paper Rolls
    • King Oyster Mushroom Steaks
    • Smoked Tofu Risotto with Lemon & Basil
    * The nutrition info below is for one serving of the crispy tofu, veg, and stir-fry sauce. 

    Nutrition

    Calories: 473kcalCarbohydrates: 44gProtein: 19gFat: 21gSaturated Fat: 7gSodium: 2035mgPotassium: 842mgFiber: 7gSugar: 10gVitamin A: 2767IUVitamin C: 123mgCalcium: 167mgIron: 4mg
    Nutrition Facts
    Crispy Tofu Stir-Fry (Vegan + Gluten-Free)
    Amount Per Serving
    Calories 473 Calories from Fat 189
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 21g32%
    Saturated Fat 7g44%
    Sodium 2035mg88%
    Potassium 842mg24%
    Carbohydrates 44g15%
    Fiber 7g29%
    Sugar 10g11%
    Protein 19g38%
    Vitamin A 2767IU55%
    Vitamin C 123mg149%
    Calcium 167mg17%
    Iron 4mg22%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
    Keyword crispy tofu, vegan dinner, vegan stir fry
    Did you make this recipe?Leave a comment down below or tag me on Instagram @thepeskyvegan along with the hashtag #thepeskyvegan

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Grace

      September 14, 2021 at 2:13 am

      I’m not sure what I did wrong, but this came out extremely salty! I used reduced sodium soy sauce and only used as much as the recipe called for. All of my measurements were exactly like the recipe called for, but I just couldn’t finish eating because of how salty it was. I’m thinking next time I’ll try adding honey or sugar to the sauce to cut the saltiness of the sauce and the tofu. Regardless, the tofu came out perfectly crispy and the veggies were cooked to perfection!

      Reply
      • The Pesky Vegan

        September 14, 2021 at 6:48 am

        Hi Grace, thanks for your comment and I'm sorry to hear that this was a little salty! Especially if you used reduced-sodium soy sauce - it will depend largely on the soy sauce you use and factors such as how much rice the stir-fry is served with (i.e. the sauce should taste a lot more balanced once mixed through boiled rice). I've added a new recipe note based on your feedback, thanks again!

        Reply
    2. Simon

      June 09, 2021 at 5:56 am

      5 stars
      Thanks for sharing this recipe its really nice

      Reply
      • The Pesky Vegan

        June 09, 2021 at 8:00 am

        Thanks for the review, glad you enjoyed!

        Reply
    3. Lisa

      May 15, 2021 at 4:33 pm

      5 stars
      "a blobby cube of gelatinous sponge" HA You are hilarious! This was delicious! Thanks for sharing it.

      Reply
      • The Pesky Vegan

        May 16, 2021 at 5:48 pm

        Glad you enjoyed the humour/tofu combo - thanks for the review!

        Reply
    4. Louise

      November 17, 2020 at 1:04 pm

      5 stars
      This was such a gorgeous recipe! Would highly recommend. I added a little bit more water to the sauce but was lovely. Thanks so much.

      Reply
      • The Pesky Vegan

        November 17, 2020 at 7:20 pm

        Hi Louise, glad you enjoyed and thanks very much for taking the time to leave a review!

        Reply
    5. Kasia

      November 11, 2020 at 4:53 pm

      Hi 🙂 I'm going to try this recipe, and I have a question regarding the cornflour. Is it a cornflour or corn starch? I'm planning to replace it with potato starch, as this is what I have on hand.
      I'm new to vegan cooking and your recipes are really inspiring. I've made a vegan haggis and it was delicious. Thank you 🙂

      Reply
      • The Pesky Vegan

        November 11, 2020 at 5:31 pm

        Hi there! Apologies for the confusion - it's corn starch (i.e. the powdery white stuff that you would use as a thickener). It seems to have different names depending on where you are in the world. I haven't tried it with potato starch but hope it goes well!

        Reply
    6. Vicky

      October 04, 2020 at 2:14 pm

      5 stars
      This is really yummy - thanks

      Reply
      • The Pesky Vegan

        October 05, 2020 at 11:33 am

        Good stuff, thanks for the review!

        Reply
    7. Y the Wait

      July 27, 2020 at 7:29 am

      5 stars
      It looks delicious I loved it Thanks for sharing

      Reply
      • The Pesky Vegan

        July 27, 2020 at 5:19 pm

        Glad you enjoyed, thanks for leaving a review!

        Reply
    8. Ann

      June 29, 2020 at 7:45 pm

      5 stars
      Thanks for this. We really enjoyed it. It’s so lovely to find a site where I want to try all the recipes and already have most of the ingredients. I found your site searching for vegan haggis. I’m planning on trying that soon.

      Reply
      • The Pesky Vegan

        June 29, 2020 at 8:53 pm

        Hi Ann, thanks so much for the kind words! Feedback like this is so nice to hear and I'm glad you find the site useful. Can definitely recommend the vegan haggis!

        Reply
    9. Liz Wright

      February 05, 2020 at 1:49 pm

      5 stars
      Loved this recipe...so tasty and I actually got crispy tofu without frying!

      Reply
      • The Pesky Vegan

        February 05, 2020 at 5:24 pm

        Glad you enjoyed - thanks very much for leaving a comment!

        Reply

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