Crispy Tofu Stir Fry

This crispy tofu stir fry is made with golden, crunchy tofu tossed in a savory garlic soy sauce with onions, bell peppers, mushrooms and green onions. It’s best served over a bowl of steamed jasmine rice for a filling and flavorful meatless meal.

Many people think tofu is bland. If you’re one of them you should definitely give this recipe a try. It just might change your mind on tofu. In this recipe, the tofu is coated in cornstarch and fried until golden and crispy. After that it gets tossed in an incredible sauce that’s slightly sweet and savory! Vegetables are also added to the stir fry which add even more flavor and a nice crisp texture.

Why You’ll Love This Crispy Tofu Stir Fry

One of the great things about tofu is how well it takes on the flavors of the sauce or the seasonings you cook it with. This recipe features a super flavorful garlic soy sauce that’s also slightly sweet but not too sweet. This crispy tofu stir fry is an awesome meal to make when meat feels too expensive but you still want something filling and hearty!

You’ll love this recipe because:

• The tofu gets crispy and golden on the outside.
• The garlic soy sauce is savory with just a little sweetness.
• It’s loaded with onions, bell peppers and mushrooms.
• It’s delicious served over simple white rice.
• It makes a great meatless lunch or dinner.

Ingredients

Here are the ingredients you’ll need to make this crispy tofu stir fry:

Extra-firm tofu: Extra-firm tofu works best because it holds its shape during frying. Make sure to press it before cutting it into cubes to remove as much excess water as possible.

Cornstarch: Cornstarch is what gives the outside of the tofu that crispy coating. You’ll also use a small amount to help thicken the sauce.

White onion and green bell pepper: These add texture and flavor to the stir fry. I like to roughly chop them so the pieces don’t get too soft while cooking.

Garlic: I use plenty of fresh garlic in this recipe. Eight cloves may sound like a lot, but it works really well with the soy-based sauce.

Mushrooms: I cook the mushrooms separately using the dry-sauté method before adding them to the finished stir fry.

Green onions: These are added toward the end so they stay fresh and add a mild onion flavor.

Soy sauce: This makes up the savory base of the sauce.

Oyster sauce: Oyster sauce gives the sauce a richer, slightly sweet and savory flavor.

Brown sugar: A little brown sugar balances out the salty ingredients in the sauce.

Rice vinegar: The vinegar adds just enough acidity to balance the sweetness and saltiness.

Sesame oil: Add this at the end for the best flavor.

Toasted sesame seeds: These make a great finishing touch and add a little extra texture.

Press the Tofu First

Pressing the tofu is essential to getting cripy tofu. Do not skip this step!

There’s no need to buy a tofu press, I’ve made tofu dozens of times and I’ve never used a press. What I do is I put the block of tofu on top of a few layers of clean paper towels. Then I put a few more layers of clean paper towels on top of the tofu then I place a heavy skillet on top and let it sit for about 20 minutes. The paper towels will absorb all the excess water.

Once pressed, cut the tofu into bite-sized cubes.

How to Make Crispy Tofu Stir Fry

Add the tofu cubes to a large ziploc bag along with the cornstarch. Close the bag and gently shake it until all of the tofu is evenly coated.

Next, prepare the sauce.

Add 2 teaspoons of cornstarch to a bowl. Slowly stir in a few tablespoons of water until the cornstarch is completely dissolved. Then add the soy sauce, oyster sauce, brown sugar and rice vinegar. Stir everything together, then add the remaining water.

Then cook the mushrooms.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the mushrooms and cook for about 8 minutes. Stir, then continue cooking for another 5 minutes, or until all of the liquid has cooked off and the mushrooms are darker and reduced in size. Transfer the mushrooms to a plate and set aside.

Add enough avocado oil for shallow frying.

Cook the tofu in batches so you don’t overcrowd the skillet. Fry the cubes on all sides until they are crispy and golden. This should take around 8 minutes per batch.

Transfer the cooked tofu to a paper towel-lined plate.

Once all of the tofu has been fried, leave about 2 tablespoons of oil in the skillet.

Add the chopped onion and green bell pepper and cook for a few minutes. You want them to soften slightly while still keeping some texture.

Add the minced garlic and cook for another minute.

Pour the prepared sauce into the skillet and stir. Let it cook for a few minutes until it starts to thicken.

Return the crispy tofu to the skillet and gently toss everything together until the tofu is evenly coated in the sauce.

Add the cooked mushrooms, green onions, toasted sesame seeds and sesame oil.

Give everything one final toss and your tofu stir fry is ready to serve.

Tips for Crispy Tofu

For the best crispy tofu, make sure you press it well before cooking. The less moisture in the tofu, the easier it will be to get a crispy exterior.

Also, make sure your skillet and oil are hot before adding the tofu.

Avoid adding too much tofu to the skillet at once. Frying it in batches gives the pieces enough room to brown rather than steam.

Try not to move the tofu constantly while it cooks. Give each side some time to develop a golden crust before turning it.

What to Serve With Tofu Stir Fry

My favorite way to serve this tofu stir fry is over plain white rice. The rice is perfect for soaking up the extra garlic soy sauce.

You could also serve it with:

• Brown rice
• Jasmine rice
• Fried rice
• Noodles
• Steamed broccoli
• Cucumber salad

How to Store Leftovers

Store leftover tofu stir fry in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 to 4 days.

Keep in mind that the tofu will lose some of its crispiness after sitting in the sauce and being refrigerated, but it will still taste delicious.

Can I Make Crispy Tofu Ahead of Time?

You can press and cut the tofu ahead of time, but I recommend frying it as close to serving time as possible for the crispiest texture.

You can also mix together the stir-fry sauce ahead of time and keep it covered in the refrigerator until you’re ready to cook.

Give the sauce a good stir before adding it to the skillet because the cornstarch may settle at the bottom.

Crispy Tofu Stir Fry

If you’re looking for a flavorful way to enjoy tofu, give this crispy tofu stir fry a try. Between the crunchy tofu, vegetables and garlic soy sauce, there’s plenty of flavor in every bite.

Serve it over hot white rice and don’t forget the toasted sesame seeds and green onions on top.