Crispy Tofu Stir-Fry
Pressed, pan-crisped tofu tossed with broccoli, baby bok choy and red pepper in a garlicky tamari-ginger glaze — a plant-based stir-fry with real crunch.
Nutrition per serving
about 1½ cups- Net carbs
- 7g
- Calories
- 450kcal
- Protein
- 39g
- Fat
- 31g
- Total carbs
- 17 g
- Fiber
- 7.6 g
Calculated from USDA FoodData Central values for each ingredient (optional ingredients excluded). Brands vary — check your labels if you track closely.
Ingredients
Peanut sauce: Creamy peanut butter and lime turn the glaze into a satay-style peanut sauce that clings to every cube.
- Whisk the peanut butter, lime juice and extra water into the sauce until smooth and skip the xanthan gum — the peanut butter thickens it. Add a splash more water if it gets too thick in the pan.
Eggplant in garlic sauce: Silky stir-fried eggplant replaces the broccoli, like the Sichuan-style eggplant in garlic sauce on takeout menus.
- Before the other vegetables, stir-fry the eggplant in the extra oil over medium-high heat for 6–7 minutes, until golden and creamy inside, then continue with the bell pepper and bok choy. Eggplant soaks up the sauce, so toss gently.
- Crispy tofu
- Sauce
- Vegetables & garnish
- Nice to have (optional)
- Crispy tofu
- Sauce
-
¼ tsp xanthan gumleave out - Vegetables & garnish
- Also add
- Nice to have (optional)
- Crispy tofu
- Sauce
- Vegetables & garnish
- Also add
- Nice to have (optional)
Estimated cost $11.52 for 4 servings ($2.88 each) · how we estimate
Instructions
-
Press the tofu: wrap each block in a clean kitchen towel, set a heavy pan on top and leave for 20 minutes. Cut into ¾-inch (2 cm) cubes and toss gently with 1 tablespoon tamari.
-
Whisk the remaining tamari, rice vinegar, sesame oil, sweetener, garlic, ginger, pepper flakes and water. Sprinkle the xanthan gum over the surface and whisk vigorously until smooth.
-
Heat 2 tablespoons avocado oil in a large nonstick or well-seasoned skillet over medium-high heat. Add the tofu in a single layer and leave it alone for 3–4 minutes, until golden and crisp underneath. Turn and brown the other sides, 8–10 minutes in total, then transfer to a plate.
-
Add the remaining oil to the pan. Stir-fry the broccoli and bell pepper for 3 minutes, then add the bok choy and green onion whites and cook 2 minutes more, until everything is crisp-tender.
-
Pour in the sauce and toss until it bubbles and thickens, about 1 minute. Return the tofu and fold it in gently so the crust stays intact.
-
Top with the green onion greens and sesame seeds and serve right away, while the tofu is still crisp. Spoon it over cauliflower rice if you want a base (about 3 g more net carbs per cup).
Tips for success
-
Pressing is what makes tofu crisp: less water in each cube means a faster, deeper sear. A tofu press or 20 minutes under a cast-iron pan both work. - For hands-off crisping, bake the tamari-tossed cubes on parchment at 425°F (220°C) for 25–30 minutes, flipping once, or air-fry at 400°F (200°C) for 12–15 minutes.
- Try freezing the tofu in its package and thawing it before pressing. Ice crystals open up the texture, so the cubes turn chewier and soak up more sauce.
Nice to have, not needed
- A tofu press makes pressing tidy — a towel-wrapped block under a heavy pan works just as well.
Storage & meal prepMeal-prep friendly
- Keeps 3 days in the fridge
- Doesn’t freeze well
Reheat: Re-crisp in a hot skillet 3–4 minutes; the microwave works but softens the tofu.
Prep tip: For lunches, store the crispy tofu apart from the sauced vegetables and toss them together as you reheat.
Refrigerate up to 3 days. Re-crisp in a hot skillet — the microwave softens the tofu.
Variations
2 variations, each with its own ingredients and macrosPeanut sauce
FlavorCreamy peanut butter and lime turn the glaze into a satay-style peanut sauce that clings to every cube.
- + 3 tbsp natural peanut butter
- + 1 tbsp lime juice
- + 2 tbsp extra water
- no xanthan gum
9.4 g net · 522 kcal · 42 g protein · 37 g fat · ≈$2.98 per serving (+2.4 g net carbs vs the original)
Eggplant in garlic sauce
VeggiesSilky stir-fried eggplant replaces the broccoli, like the Sichuan-style eggplant in garlic sauce on takeout menus.
- broccoli florets → eggplant
- + 1 tbsp avocado oil
7.4 g net · 484 kcal · 38 g protein · 34 g fat · ≈$2.87 per serving (+0.4 g net carbs vs the original)
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