With crispy tofu and an irresistible peanut sauce, this peanut ginger tofu stir fry will unite tofu lovers and haters alike. Easy enough for a weeknight dinner!
When it comes to cooking tofu, I have this little strategy I call ‘smother it with a delicious sauce’ that has yet to fail me. From tofu tacos to spicy tofu noodle bowls, it works like a charm!
Even if you are on the fence about tofu, you are going to love this recipe, because it’s all about the deliciously tangy, slightly sweet and gingery peanut sauce! You seriously can’t go wrong here.
Reasons you’re going to ♡ this peanut ginger tofu stir fry
- if you get the tofu pressed earlier in the day, it’s a SUPER fast weeknight dinner
- the sauce coats and flavors the tofu so well
- even kids enjoyed it!
Don’t forget to pin this post to save it for later!
Preparing the tofu
If you’ve never cooked with tofu before, there are a few simple things you need to know about prepping it. After you’ve done it once, you’ll be a total pro!
Select extra firm tofu
Tofu is made from compressed soybean curds, and comes in many different varieties including including silken, regular, smoked and extra firm (among many other varieties!). We want our tofu to hold its shape while cooking, which is why you’ll need extra firm tofu for this recipe.
Pressing the tofu
Pressing the tofu is important for a few different reasons: 1) it helps remove extra moisture from within the tofu, and this helps the tofu get nice and crispy; 2) it improves the flavor by pressing out the flavor-less liquid.
To press the tofu, place tofu between paper towels and plates, then stack a heavy can on top (pictured above). Press for 30 minutes. You can also purchase a tofu press, which may be a good investment if you eat tofu often.
Cut into small cubes
Once pressed, discard the paper towels and cut your tofu: I cut the block into three horizontal slabs, then cut each slab into cubes of around 1/2 inch in size.
You can press and chop the tofu 2-3 days ahead to save on time!
Cooking the stir fry
Before you start cooking, I recommend having your tofu ready, the peanut sauce shaken up and the vegetables chopped as this makes cooking go nice and smoothly.
Peanut ginger sauce
To make the sauce, combine the peanut butter *, soy sauce, water, maple syrup, sesame oil, red pepper flakes and ground ginger in a jar or a bowl. Stir together or shake it up, and add more water as needed to thin it out.
*For this recipe, you’ll want all natural peanut butter- the only ingredients should be peanuts (and possibly salt). Do not use processed nut butters, which contain added sugars and oils, as this will alter the consistency and flavor of the sauce.
Vegetables
I’ve used broccoli florets and green beans for the photos, but like all stir fries, this recipe is great for cleaning out the fridge! Some other veggies that would work great:
- cauliflower
- bok choy
- carrots
- snap or snow peas
- cole slaw mix
- bell peppers
- onions
Cut them into equal-size pieces so they cook through in a similar amount of time.
Start by cooking the veggies in 1 tablespoon of olive oil for 5-7 minutes, or until they are cooked and softened to your liking. Remove them from the pan and transfer to a clean plate.
Cooking the tofu
Add 1 tablespoon of oil to the pan and swirl. Add the tofu cubes, spacing out, and cook for 15 minutes, turning occasionally so that they get golden on each side. This can be tedious, and I actually prefer to cook my tofu in the air fryer as it’s much more hands off.
Once tofu is golden on all sides, add the sauce and stir to coat. Remove from the heat and transfer to plates quickly as the sauce can get dry if it over-reduces in the pan.
Heat the veggies back up, and serve!
Serving suggestions
Serve this tofu stir fry with one or more of the following:
- perfect, fluffy rice
- brown rice
- quinoa
- cauliflower rice
- roasted peanuts
- green onions
- sesame seeds
Storage + meal prep
This recipe is not actually the best for meal prep as the sauce can dry out a bit in the fridge. Instead, you can prep meal components ahead, making cook day extra easy:
- press tofu- 3-4 days ahead, store in a meal prep container in the fridge
- stir fry sauce- shake it up ahead and store in the fridge for up to 14 days
- chop veggies- broccoli + green beans store particularly well for up to 1 week in the fridge
More tofu recipes
- Easy Baked Tofu Recipe
- Tofu Scramble Recipe
- How to Cook Tofu
- Pineapple BBQ Tofu Bowls
- Vegan Spring Roll Bowls
- Vegan Slow Cooker Tikka Masala
Peanut Ginger Tofu Stir Fry
Ingredients
- 1 block extra firm tofu 350 g/ 12.5 oz
- 2 tablespoons olive oil (divided)
- 2 cups green beans see note 1
- 2 cups broccoli florets
Peanut Ginger Sauce
- 1/4 cup natural peanut butter
- 2 tablespoons reduced sodium soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons water
- 5 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
Instructions
Prepare the tofu
- Remove the tofu from its package, drain all water, and sandwich between two paper towels and two plates. Place a heavy item like a can on the top plate. Press for at least 30 minutes.
- Cut the pressed tofu horizontally into three slabs, then cut into 1/2 inch cubes.
Cooking the stir fry
- Shake together all peanut ginger sauce ingredients, and set aside.
- Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a nonstick pan or wok over medium heat. Add the vegetables and cook for 5-7 minutes, until slightly tender. Remove from pan and set aside.
- Heat another 1 tablespoon oil in the pan. Add the tofu cubes and cook, turning occasionally, until golden on all sides. This takes around 15 minutes.
- Pour peanut ginger sauce over the tofu. Remove from heat and toss to coat. Add the vegetables back to the pan to warm up.
- Serve over rice with peanuts and green onions (if desired).
Notes
- press tofu- 3-4 days ahead, store in a meal prep container in the fridge
- stir fry sauce- shake it up ahead and store in the fridge for up to 14 days
- chop veggies- broccoli + green beans store particularly well for up to 1 week in the fridge
