Cashew Tofu Stir Fry

4.92 from 12 votes

A one-pot, 30-minute cashew tofu stir fry recipe with lots of veggies! Sweet-spicy-tangy vegan cashew delight is easy to make and so versatile! (gluten-free)

Prep Time10

Cook Time20

Total Time30

Course: Main

Cuisine: Thai

Keyword: cashew delight, cashew tofu sitr fry

Servings: servings

Author: Vegan Richa

Ingredients

For the Tofu

10 ounces firm or extra firm tofu pressed and cubed or torn into bite-sized pieces
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon cornstarch

For the Stir fry

2 teaspoons oil
1/3 cup cashews raw or roasted unsalted
4-5 dried red chilies stems removed and optionally broken into halves
4-5 cloves garlic finely chopped
1/2 inch ginger finely chopped
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 to 3/4 cup green bell pepper chopped or 3/4 cup broccoli or other vegetable thinly sliced or chopped
1/4 teaspoon black or white pepper or a generous dash of both

For the Sauce

2 tablespoons soy sauce or use 1 tablespoon soy sauce and 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
3 tablespoons vegan hoisin sauce or more, to taste. Or use 2 tablespoons or more hoisin sauce and 1 tablespoon vegan oyster sauce
2 teaspoons rice wine vinegar
1/4 teaspoon sugar or other sweetener of choice
1/4 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon cornstarch mixed in 1/2 cup veggie broth or water

For Garnish

green onion
pepper flakes

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Crisp the tofu.

Press and tear tofu into bite size pieces and add to a bowl. Add the black pepper and cornstarch, and toss well to coat. Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add the tofu and cook 2 minutes then flip and cook for another 2. Repeat until most edges are golden, about 6 minutes. Remove the tofu from the pan, and set it aside.

Make the stir fry.

Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the cashews and chilies and cook until the cashews are golden on most sides. (If using raw cashews, toast those for a minute before adding chilies.) Stir frequently. Remove from skillet, but let the oil remain the skillet.
Add garlic and ginger to the skillet. Reduce heat to low. Mix and cook for 2 minutes or until translucent. Add onions and veggies and a generous pinch of salt. Increase heat to medium high. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Stir frequently.
Add all of the sauce ingredients to the skillet. Mix and cook for a minute. Taste and add salt, tang, (and heat) if needed. Simmer for a few minutes until the sauce thickens slightly. Add in the crisped tofu, toasted cashews and chilies and toss well to coat with the sauce. Switch off heat after a minute, and serve over cooked white/brown rice or grains of choice, like quinoa. Garnish with chopped green onion and pepper flakes.

Notes

Tearing the tofu instead of cubing gives it more surface area to absorb the flavors of the sauce. It also yields a more chicken-like texture.

Cashew tofu stir fry is naturally gluten-free.

If you don't want to use tofu, you can use chickpea tofu, chickpeas, seitan, soaked and drained soy curls, or vegan chicken substitute in place of the tofu. No need to crisp up the chickpeas, if using.

Nutrition