Sticky Ginger Sesame Tofu and Veggie stir fry with vermicelli or maifun noodles. Easy 1 Pot weekday 30 Minute Dinner. No Refined Sugar! Maple syrup adds sweetness. Vegan Gluten-free nut-free Recipe. Use chickpeas or more veggies to make Tofu-free.
This bowl of amazing food can be ready to serve within 30 minutes. Sticky, gingery, sesame tofu stir fry. Serve over rice/grains or vermicelli noodles!
The sauce is simple and uses maple to sweeten. Crisp up the tofu, roast the veggies, add sauce ingredients, thicken and done. I served this over brown rice maifun. You can also use my general tso’s sauce to make this stir fry. Use whichever veggies you have. Use more veggies or chickpeas instead of tofu to make tofu-free. Add some crunch with bean sprouts or cucumbers. Serve hot for winters and warm cool in the summer. Easy, quick and Delicious. Also without any added refined sugar. This saue uses maple syrup for the sweet profile. What are you cooking up this weekend?
More quick meals
- 1 pot Peanut Butter Noodles and Veggies GF
- Sweet And Sour Chickpeas and Broccoli GF
- Kung Pao Lentils GF
- Lentils & Veggies in Thai Peanut Sauce GF Soy-free
- Tofu, Veggies, Brown Rice Noodles with from scratch hoisin sauce . GF
If you make this easy stir fry, do tag me on Instagram #veganricha and leave me a comment on this post. Feedback helps me make better, clearer recipes and I (and others who want to make it) also learn all the substitutions that work!
Steps: Brown the Tofu.
Remove from the skillet. Add veggies and cook to golden.
Add ginger and garlic and cook fora few minutes.
Add sauce and tofu and bring to a boil.
Add cornstarch slurry to thicken
Cook to thicken. Taste and adjust salt and heat.
Garnish with toasted sesame seeds and cilantro
Sticky Ginger Sesame Tofu and Veggies 1 Pot
Ingredients
Noodles:
- 6 oz (170.1 g) brown rice vermicelli or maifun or rice noodles
- 1 tsp lime juice or lemon
- 1/2 tsp (0.5 tsp) toasted sesame oil
- 1/4 tsp (0.25 tsp) red pepper flakes optional
Sticky Sesame Tofu:
- 1 tsp oil
- 12 to 14 oz (340.2 g) firm tofu
- 2 tsp sesame oil
- 1/2 (0.5 ) large red bell pepper thinly sliced
- 1/2 (0.5 ) or 1 large green bell pepper thinly sliced
- 1 hot chile green (Serrano) or red(birds eye)
- 1/2 cup (64 g) sliced carrots
- 1/2 to 1 cup (91 g) other veggies of choice
- 5 cloves of garlic finely chopped
- 1 tbsp minced ginger peel ginger and mince
- 1/3 cup (77.33 ml) soy sauce or tamari
- 1/4 cup (80.5 g) maple syrup
- 2 to 3 tbsp rice vinegar
- 2 to 3 tsp sriracha
- 1 tbsp orange juice optional
- a generous dash of black pepper
- 1/4 tsp (0.25 tsp) salt
- 1 tbsp cornstarch or use arrowroot starch
- 1/4 to 1/2 cup (62.5 ml) water
- cilantro for garnish 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds for garnish, epper flakes as needed
Instructions
- Prepare the vermicelli/rice noodles according to instructions on the package. Rinse in Cold water and transfer to a bowl. Add a dash of lemon or lime juice, pepper flakes and 1/2 tsp sesame oil(optional) and toss. Divide into 2 or 3 serving bowls.
- Wrap the tofu in paper towel and then a kitchen towel. Place a heavy book on it for 5 minutes. unwrap and cube into small cubes. (or press using tofu press and cube)
- Heat 1 tsp oil in a skillet over medium heat. When hot, add the cubed tofu and cook for 5 to 7 minutes until golden on some sides. Transfer to a bowl.
- Add sesame oil, peppers, chile pepper and other veggies if using. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes.
- Add garlic and ginger and cook for 3 minutes. Stir occasionally
- Add the sauce ingredients till salt and mix. Add the crisped tofu and bring the mixture to a good rolling boil. 3 to 4 minutes
- Mix cornstarch with water in a bowl to make a slurry. Add cornstarch slurry and continue to cook until the sauce thickens. Taste adjust heat and sweet. Add some coconut sugar/sweetener or cayenne if needed.
- Divide into the serving bowls.. Garnish with toasted sesame seeds,pepper flakes and cilantro. Add crunchy sides as sliced cucumber, sprouts or carrots.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Ranjana says
March 17, 2017 at 5:25 pmHi Richa! This looks amazing!! I would love to try this but I don’t have/use sriracha (my kids don’t like spicy) – can I substitute or make without it?
Richa says
March 17, 2017 at 6:14 pmSure omit it. You can add some cayenne/chili powder to your serving if you wish.
Mia Faletti says
March 17, 2017 at 11:56 pmLooks great Richa!
Richa says
March 18, 2017 at 7:50 pmThanks Mia!
Sara says
March 18, 2017 at 5:32 pmJust wrapping up this recipe as I type, and I can already tell it’s going to be a real winner! My kitchen smells like an amazing asian restaurant :}
I subbed arrowroot for cornstarch due to an allergy and the sauce still looks just like your pictures! I also cooked up the cubed tofu in the oven after tossing them in a tablespoon of oil, tamari, and arrowroot starch. After 30 minutes at 400 degrees, they’re perfectly crispy!
Thanks for another wonderful recipe, Richa. They really come in handy for a vegan couple living in a small town with zero options for eating out!
Richa says
March 18, 2017 at 7:50 pmAwesome!
Julie says
March 29, 2017 at 2:22 pmWe LOVED this recipe. My husband said it deserved 6 stars! The only change was baking the tofu in the oven while I prepped everything else. Definitely will make again.
Sneha says
March 29, 2017 at 2:40 pmMade this for dinner last night and it was perfect! Even threw in some left over mushrooms and basil, and it was like a better version of Chinese take-out. Thanks for this!
Shan says
June 7, 2020 at 9:16 pmIt was good. Not too sweet with a nice amount of heat. I think I may add more salt next time. Thanks for another recipe.
Karen says
April 4, 2017 at 5:14 amI loved this recipe. It was best the second and third day. I used what I had on hand which was no bell peppers but yes to lots of tricolored carrots and red chard that I put in when the garlic and ginger were added. It made it come out brightly colored. Topped over plain long grain brown rice as that was also what was on hand. Thank you!
Cassie Autumn Tran says
May 11, 2017 at 11:37 amAnything with a deliciously spicy Asian flair wins in my book! This looks delicious–could you use any vegetables of your liking?
Eliane says
July 1, 2017 at 5:19 pmLove it!
Denise Grey says
August 28, 2017 at 9:01 pmTried this recipe tonight and it was delicious. It was nice and spicy, but glad I only used 1/2 a serrano pepper. My husband and I are new vegan’s and he loved it too..
Can’t wait to try more of your recipes.
Richa says
August 28, 2017 at 10:49 pmAwesome! yes serranos can be tricky with the heat. sometimes very mild and sometimes too hot!
Isabelle says
October 10, 2017 at 12:01 pmHi, Thank you so much… cooked it tonight and it was so delicious, I Kept the Little leftover for my lunchbox tomorrow.
I added more Veggies ( pakchoi, zucchini, mushrooms, bellpeper) than Tofu (200g) but really enjoyed the crispy Tofu so that i will make more Next Time. I found the Maple syrup in the sauce à really Nice idea ( use it often in Vinaigrette) and used sweet Chili Sauce intead of sriracha.
And i would say it Took me more than 10min préparation Time (at least 20min) but Maybe becaused I chopped more veggies.
This will become a regular Dish… thanks again!
Greetings from Berlin!
Ameeta says
October 12, 2017 at 12:42 amHas anyone tried this without the garlic ?
Sara Kirk says
December 18, 2017 at 9:09 pmYes, I have and it was still fabulous! I am allergic to garlic so I omit from any recipe that calls for it (which is almost every savory recipe it seems) and I almost never find the food lacking :} Also, if you’re a ginger fan, I tend to add more ginger when omitting garlic and that ensures lots of yummy flavor!
Hope this helps!
Laina says
November 3, 2017 at 5:35 pmHi Richa,
If I substitute rice, how much dry would I cook?
Thanks so much!
Richa says
November 3, 2017 at 8:21 pm1 cup should make enough
Tahnea says
April 30, 2018 at 2:20 amAnother winner! Again air fried the tofu while cooking the rest. Added bean sprouts on the side.
Richa says
April 30, 2018 at 10:38 amawesome!
Kriti says
June 2, 2018 at 3:36 amLove this ! Can you which tofu do I buy for this ? Last time bought the silken one but I Guess it was too soft and crumbled :-(. Thanks
Richa says
June 2, 2018 at 11:01 amits firm or extra firm tofu. Silken is used for soft recipes like mousse or dessert etc
Katerina says
September 17, 2018 at 4:12 amGreat, tasty, moreish! We used capsicum, broccoli, carrot and celery. Tastes just like take away but healthier!
Richa says
September 17, 2018 at 10:26 amawesome!
Ellie says
October 5, 2018 at 2:36 amWe made this and it was heavenly
Richa says
October 5, 2018 at 10:25 amawesome!
Nancy says
January 1, 2019 at 8:14 pmI want to give this more than 5 stars! I doubled the sauce, threw in a lot of veggies (green and red peppers, carrots and broccoli), baked the tofu. Outstanding sauce!! My husband couldn’t get enough of it. Served with angel hair pasta. Can’t wait to make it again.
Richa says
January 1, 2019 at 10:48 pmthats awesome!
Michelle says
March 30, 2019 at 2:58 amI am a new to veganism convert. I love this recipe! Thanks for sharing.
Vanessa Yanchula says
June 6, 2019 at 6:42 pmSuper easy and delicious!
Sam says
June 13, 2019 at 9:39 pmThis is a staple in our house now! Fantastic recipe!!
Richa says
June 13, 2019 at 10:48 pmawesome!
La Toya says
June 17, 2019 at 7:50 pmThis was very, very good and easy to make. I served it with brown rice that I cooked in the rice cooker as a prepped the veggies and made this dish.
Richa says
June 17, 2019 at 10:43 pmawesome!
Danni says
July 5, 2019 at 7:53 pmHi Richa, am looking to make this dish but don’t have the toasted sesame oil only the normal one, can I use that one instead or should I use something else for the noodle part of it.
Much appreciated
Danni
Richa says
July 5, 2019 at 9:03 pmYes you an use normal sesame oil, serve it over rice
Danni says
July 5, 2019 at 11:39 pmOh Ok, so does that mean though that I can’t make it with the noodles without the toasted sesame oil then and have to use rice instead? I was hoping to still serve it with noodles, sorry to be a pain 🙂
Thank you
Richa says
July 6, 2019 at 12:10 amoops i misread your earlier comment. I thought you didnt have noodles. just use regular sesame oil for everything.
Theo says
July 15, 2019 at 3:52 amThank you for this recipe, I’ve been looking for something like this for a while. Served with soba noodle. I can’t wait to make it again 🙂
Kimberly says
November 15, 2019 at 4:09 pmThis is the second meal I made of yours this week, and I am as thrilled as the first one! This was definitely the best sauce I have ever made for stir fry! We don’t do super spicy, so left out the chile and only did 1 tsp of the sriracha. I used the veggies that I had on hand – bok choy, Brussel sprouts, carrots, onion, and zucchini. I used pad Thai noodles and mixed them up with the sauce & veggies before serving. I can’t even explain how perfect the taste was. Thank you so much for sharing these recipes!!
Richa says
November 15, 2019 at 5:32 pmaweesome!
Rebecca says
November 17, 2019 at 7:25 pmJust made this and it is delicious!! I subbed Cholula for Sriracha and used a can of chickpeas instead of the tofu and since I didn’t have carrots I used broccoli and it was still amazing!
Sarah says
February 29, 2020 at 3:10 amI’m just at the beginning of my vegan journey. This recipe is delicious and easy to make, thanks for sharing
😀 🌱
Andrea Litton says
April 24, 2020 at 11:40 amThis is so good! I even had some for breakfast the next day!
I confess though, I did not use the hot chili pepper…it would have been WAY to hot for me if I had. I used a poblano pepper instead. With the sriracha and pepper flakes on the noodles, it was plenty hot. I added green beans for the optional vegetable. It was fantastic. A keeper recipe. So glad I have both your books.
Vegan Richa Support says
April 24, 2020 at 11:47 ampoblano is a great option! Thank you for your support!
Anne Eicher says
May 8, 2020 at 1:28 amTHIS IS SO DELICIOUS! Thanks for the great recipe.
Vegan Richa Support says
May 8, 2020 at 11:18 amFabulous! thank YOU
Loke says
May 20, 2020 at 5:34 pmCan I sue light agave nectar instead of maple syrup?
Vegan Richa Support says
May 21, 2020 at 11:36 amYes.
Usha says
June 21, 2020 at 2:03 pmMade this for dinner today. So delicious. Awesome recipe. Thank you.
Noel says
June 30, 2020 at 4:07 pmReally good. 30 minutes? Ha! Not sure why everyone feels the need to give unrealistic times for preparing meals. This one I found to be particularly unrealistic for time. That said, it was full of flavor and was a nice spice level for people who don’t want things crazy hot but like a little. Pretty easy meal to put together too.
Gaylene says
July 30, 2020 at 10:45 amI don’t have rice vinegar. Can I substitute white vinegar?
Vegan Richa Support says
July 30, 2020 at 11:50 amYou can use white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar and just add 1/4 tsp of sugar per 1Tbsp – so for this recipe add 1/2 to 3/4 tsp of sugar to 2-3Tbsp of vinegar. 🙂
Marisa says
August 7, 2020 at 3:06 pmThis turned out great! I can never get the sauce to coat the mixture very well and adding the slurry definitely helped. I didn’t add as much maple syrup just as personal preference. I’ll definitely make this again 🙂
Vegan Richa Support says
August 8, 2020 at 2:31 pmyay! I’m so glad that it turned out – thank you for stopping by
Aurélie says
October 3, 2020 at 10:32 pmI’m having it for dinner now with Japanese green tea noodles. So good! Thanks.
Linnea Priest says
January 11, 2021 at 6:58 pmWe loved it!!! No leftovers! Next time I will make more noodles.