Five-Spice Tofu

5 from 1 vote

My five-spice tofu stir-fry features crispy tofu, crunchy veggies, and a sweet-savory sauce. It's a scrumptious vegan dinner that's easy enough for a busy weeknight, but tastes like it came from your favorite restaurant!

Prep Time15

Cook Time15

Total Time30

Course: Entree, Main

Cuisine: American, Chinese

Servings:

Calories: 284kcal

Author: Alissa Saenz

Ingredients

1 (16 ounce/454 gram) package super-firm tofu

For the Sauce

2 tablespoons cold water
2 teaspoons cornstarch
¼ cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
2 tablespoons organic brown sugar
1 teaspoon rice vinegar
¾ teaspoon Chinese five spice
½ teaspoon sambal oelek, optional, or to taste
½ teaspoon black pepper

For the Stir-Fry

2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
1 ½ cups sugar snap peas
2 medium carrots, julienne cut
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
2 scallions, chopped

For Serving

Cooked rice

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Cut the tofu into triangles. Do this by cutting the block in half, lengthwise, then cut each half into into quarter to half inch slices. Cut the slices in half on a diagonal to create triangles (Note 1).
To make the sauce, first stir the cold water and cornstarch together in a small bowl or container. Keep stirring until the cornstarch is completely dissolved, then stir in the remaining ingredients.
Coat the bottom of a large wok with 1 tablespoon of the oil and place it over medium heat. Give the oil a minute to heat up, then add the tofu triangles in a single layer (Note 2). Cook the tofu for about five minutes on each side, until golden brown and crispy. Transfer the pieces to a plate when they're done.
Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the wok and turn the heat up to medium-high. Add the sugar snap peas and carrots. Stir-fry the vegetables for 2 to 3 minutes, until they brighten in color a bit and become tender-crisp.
Push the vegetables to the side to create a space in the middle of the wok, then add your garlic and ginger. Sauté the aromatics for about 30 seconds, until they become very fragrant, stirring constantly to prevent burning.
Stir the garlic and ginger in with the vegetables. Return the tofu to the wok. Give the sauce a quick stir to redistribute any cornstarch that has settled to the bottom, then carefully pour the sauce over the tofu. Stir everything up and continue to stir-fry the mixture for 1 to 2 minutes, until the sauce thickens and coats the tofu and veggies.
Remove the wok from heat. Stir in the scallions.
Serve immediately over rice.

Notes

You can cut your tofu into cubes or strips if you prefer.
Cook the tofu in batches if it won't all fit in a single layer.
Nutrition information does not include rice.

Nutrition