This vegan broccoli tofu stir fry recipe uses just one pan. Flavorful takeout style recipe made with homemade stir fry sauce, green onions, and fresh garlic and ginger.
This broccoli tofu stir fry is made in just one big pan and tastes like takeout. If you have ever wondered how to cook tofu that tastes delicious, this is it!
I took one bite of the broccoli and realized it tasted just like the broccoli with garlic sauce that I order from a local Chinese restaurant.
Stir fry recipes are one of our favorite dinners, and we are often making recipes like teriyaki vegetables, egg roll in a bowl, cabbage stir fry, teriyaki mushrooms, and tofu stir fry noodles.
Ingredients needed to make broccoli tofu stir fry
cubed tofu
cornstarch
3 ingredient stir fry sauce
white rice
fresh ginger
garlic
green onions
broccoli florets
oil
How To Make Broccoli tofu stir fry
First, you will drain the tofu, and pat it dry. I love buying pre packaged diced tofu, like I use in this recipe. It is so convenient!
If you cannot find pre packaged tofu, just drain a block of tofu and press it well before cutting into cubes.
Once you drain your tofu and pat it dry, place the cubes in a bowl.
Toss with cornstarch and shake to coat.
The cornstarch is going to help the tofu get those crispier edges.
How to pan fry the tofu
Heat a large skillet with oil until hot.
Add in your tofu and start to pan fry it. Cook the tofu for 10 – 15 minutes, stirring often, until all sides are cooked and crispy.
Adding the rest of the stir fry ingredients
Next, add in your fresh garlic, ginger, green onion, broccoli and one batch of homemade stir fry sauce (recipe linked in the instructions below).
These fresh ingredients give the dish so much flavor, so do not leave them out!
Keep stirring and cooking until broccoli is to your desired texture and stir fry sauce is thick and sticking to the broccoli and tofu.
I love my broccoli with a bit of crunch, so I cook it for just a few minutes while still leaving a bit of a bite to it.
The texture really adds so much to this stir fry, so be sure you do not overcook your broccoli into mush.
The secret to the flavorful sauce is in the fresh garlic and ginger, so do not skip these. Once you pair them with my 3 ingredient stir fry sauce, magic happens.
I have had people leave out the fresh garlic and ginger and did not like the recipe and that is why! The recipe, as written, yields the very best stir fry flavor.
Fresh garlic and ginger are total game changers and you absolutely need them in your stir fry! Please promise me you won’t skimp on this!
I promise it is worth the time chopping it up and it only takes a few minutes.
The flavor is so rich and deep with minimal ingredients, thanks to the fresh ingredients! This recipe is made with just 9 ingredients and is bursting with flavor.
It is also naturally vegan and gluten free.We served it over white rice and three adults finished off the whole recipe.
I would say for more normal sized portions it would easily serve four adults (we were very hungry!) Serve over your choice of grain, or just by itself!
This would be delicious on it’s own, or served over white rice, brown rice, quinoa, etc. For a twist you could even serve it with brown rice stir fry noodles or ramen noodles.Even over cauliflower rice would be a great way to serve it!
I made this last night and my family loved it. I never made any thing with tofu before….. I was scared but not as hard as I thought it would be. Thank you for this recipe. I will be cooking with Tofu again. – Jackie
I’ve been craving this ever since I made it.
My family used to eat Chinese every Sunday growing up, and it was a tradition I loved.
If you have never made stir fry at home, this recipe will make it so easy for you!
More stir fry recipes
Stir Fry Vegetables
Mushroom Ramen Noodles
Ramen Noodle Stir Fry
Broccoli with Garlic Sauce
What are the best vegetables to put in stir fry?
How Do You Thicken Stir Fry Sauce?
Broccoli Tofu Stir Fry
Joy Shull
Broccoli tofu stir fry recipe made in just one pan. A healthy alternative to takeout in a rich garlicky stir fry sauce with fresh broccoli florets.
4.57 from 72 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 45 minutesmins
Cook Time 30 minutesmins
Total Time 1 hourhr15 minutesmins
Course Main Dish
Cuisine Chinese
Servings 4servings
Calories 496kcal
Ingredients
8ozpackage of cubed tofudrained and patted dry
3tablespoonscorn starch
10clovesof garlicminced
¼cupfresh gingerminced
9cupsbroccoli florets
1cupgreen onionschopped
4cupscooked unsalted white ricefor serving
For the stir fry sauce
⅓cup+ 2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespooncorn starch
¼ cuptoasted sesame oil
Instructions
Drain the cubed tofu and pat dry
Place the tofu cubes in a bowl
Add 3 tablespoons of cornstarch and toss gently to coat
Heat a large skillet on medium high heat with 3 tablespoons of olive oil
Pan fry the tofu for 10-15 minutes, until crispy on all sides
Make one batch of the3 ingredient stir fry saucerecipe linked in the recipe ingredients and shake to combine
Add the broccoli, ginger, garlic, green onions and the homemade stir fry sauce to the skillet and sauté for 10-15 minutes, or until broccoli is desired texture
Serve alone or over unsalted rice or stir fry noodles
What to not serve with tofu? According to studies, a high volume consumption of tofu and spinach together can increase your risk of kidney stones. Tofu and spinach contain calcium and oxalic acid respectively and the combined can form kidney stones.
For tofu stir-fries, buy extra-firm tofu (or if you can't find that, buy firm tofu). Grace Young, wok guru and author of Stir-Frying to the Sky's Edge, says that for the best texture, “You want to remove as much liquid as possible before you stir-fry, so start with extra-firm.
You add the tofu to the pan and gently shake or stir it. You don't vigorously move it around the wok with a spatula, lest it fall apart. There's a fair amount of liquid and seasoning too so the tofu takes on the other ingredients. This is delicate stir-frying with some simmering involved.
Press tofu and cube it. Coat it in garlic, black pepper, salt (plus more of your favourite seasonings), liquid aminos and some olive oil. Then mix it into some cornstarch and toss it all together, then bake for about 20 minutes. Cornstarch also helps to draw out excess moisture so it really gets the tofu crispy.
- It is said that tofu cannot be eaten together with spinach at the same time. As tofu and spinach contain calcium and oxalic acid respectively, the combination of the two will form kidney stones. But in fact, only prolonged and volumionous consumption of tofu and spinach at the same time will pose this risk.
The significant disadvantages of Tofu may cause allergies in some people. The symptoms of soy allergies include skin rash, inflammation, itching, fainting, breathing difficulty, abdominal pain and throat swelling. In rare scenarios, Tofu may cause osteoporosis and estrogen-related cancer.
White in colour and tender to touch, soft tofu (yun dou fu) contains the highest water content of all tofu types and is widely used in Cantonese and other southern Chinese cuisines. It's similar to Japanese silken tofu, but while very soft it has a bit more “body” to it, making it slightly easier to handle and cut.
You should aim to marinate tofu for at least 2 hours in the fridge. To infuse more flavour, you can leave it to marinade for up to 2 days before cooking up.
Whichever make you have, simply put the tofu between two plates, tighten the press, and place it somewhere that will catch the liquid drained (inside a clean sink or a rimmed baking sheet). Press the tofu for 15 to 20 minutes.
Here's the thing: even though tofu might be labeled firm or extra-firm, it contains a lot of water. This excess water can cause the tofu to crumble when you cook it, and it will also have a hard time crisping up. But when you press tofu, you remove the excess moisture.
And if tofu is vacuumed packed or firm already, you definitely don't need to press it. Here's why: moisture in tofu is a good thing. Tofu is over 80% water, and that moisture is what makes it such a succulent, juicy source of protein. Pressing it can make the tofu unnecessarily dry and strip it of its intended texture.
For the best texture, press the tofu using a tofu press or cast-iron skillet for 20 to 30 minutes. If you're short on time, just drain the tofu and gently press it in a kitchen towel or paper towels over the sink. The tofu won't be as firm this way, but it will still be delicious!
In a mixing bowl or measuring cup with a spout, whisk together the marinade: soy sauce, maple syrup, rice vinegar, olive oil, sesame oil, garlic powder, smoked paprika, ginger, and Sriracha. Drizzle over the tofu. If any pieces look bare, turn them over in the marinade a few times so all of the sides are coated.
So, the answer to what tofu tastes like is simple: tofu tastes like what the person cooking it adds to the dish. Draining the water from the package and pressing the tofu will help it absorb the flavor from whatever liquid you choose to marinade it with, per the Tasting Table.
While people with inflammation should generally avoid dairy, soy protein products like tofu and tempeh have been found to reduce pain in joints according to a study from Oklahoma State University. An easy way to add soy to your diet is using soy protein powder. Spices.
Yes, you can eat eggs and soya chunks together. Both eggs and soya chunks are good sources of protein, and consuming them together can help meet your daily protein requirements. You can add boiled or scrambled eggs to your soya chunk curry or stir-fry for a balanced meal.
Here are some ideas: Ramen noodles with frozen Asian vegetables and light soy, tamari, Thai peanut, or vegan tikka masala sauce. Buckwheat (soba) or rice noodles with fresh napa cabbage, broccoli, green onions, and/or mushrooms and rice vinegar, hoisin sauce, or sesame teriyaki sauce. Steamed rice.
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