Simple Stir-Fried Crispy Tofu and Vegetables

5 from 1 vote

Nuggets of tender but chewy tofu and a slew of vegetables become a perfect vegetarian stir-fry.

Prep Time20

Cook Time20

tofu pressing time45

Total Time1 25

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Asian

Diet: Vegan, Vegetarian

Servings: People

Get Recipe Ingredients

Place the block of tofu on a large flat plate, place a second plate on top, with the bottom against the tofu (use plates flat enough to lie cleanly against the top and bottom of the tofu). Place a heavy book or a big can of beans or tomatoes or such on top of the top plate and let drain for about 45 minutes.
Drain off the liquid that has escaped out onto the bottom plate, and cut up the tofu according to the recipe. You can leave the tofu for longer, but not much more liquid will be released. Cut the tofu into 1-inch cubes.
Heat a wok or a large skillet with a lid over high heat. Add 2 tablespoons of the vegetable oil. When hot, add the tofu and sauté, stirring every two minutes or until the tofu is lightly browned, about 8 minutes. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
Heat the remaining two tablespoons of the oil in the same wok or skillet over high heat. Add the mushrooms and sauté for 3 minutes until they start to turn tender and golden. Add the broccoli, bell pepper, zucchini and stir-fry for 5 minutes until they start to soften. Add the scallions, ginger and garlic and stir-fry for 2 more minutes until everything is almost tender, then add ¼ cup water, and cover the pan. Allow to steam for another 2 minutes until the vegetables are crisp tender
Remove the lid, add the hoisin sauce and soy sauce and stir to combine everything well. Serve hot

Pressing the tofu to drain out excess moisture will allow it to brown and crisp up more, yielding less crumbly, firmer texture(even extra-firm tofu is pretty soft).
Don't have hoisin sauce on hand? You can swap in oyster sauce or a store-bought teriyaki sauce.
Any variety of vegetables will work well with this dish. Other veggies I'd recommend here are baby corn, sugar snap peas, and bok choy.
For a spicy kick, add in red pepper flakes when cooking your ginger and garlic. Or add a squirt or two of your favorite hot sauce when you finish the sauce. My favorite for this stir fry is sriracha.
You can keep leftovers for up to 4 days covered in the fridge. Heat in a pan on the stove over low heat until hot throughout, or microwave until your desired temperature is reached.