Musings on stir fried tofu

The easiest thing about tofu stir fries is that all you have to do is switch up the veggies and it feels like a totally new dish!

Take it one step further and add nuts or a different sauce and then it’s really something unique.

This combo had peas and mushrooms with quinoa and peanuts.

I’ve (finally) discovered the trick to sautéing tofu to get a golden char on it, and that is (a) using a non stick skillet, (b) using oil, (c) using high heat and (d) not stirring it too much.

In the past I have tried to use cast iron and stainless steel pans and the tofu always got stuck to the bottom of the pan and came apart. It didn’t matter what I did, I was never able to get tofu off the pan in one piece.

The oil is necessary not just for the browning, but also for the crispy edges. The more oil the better in my book. I’m a-okay with fried tofu.

High heat and not stirring it go hand in hand. It’s what allows the maillard reaction to occur. You need to let the tofu have it’s moment in the hot a$$ pan so that it can do it’s thing.

The result is a delightfully bronzed, crispy yet chewy, bite of tofu.

Despite what this pan shows, it’s important not to overcrowd the tofu while you’re cooking it.

I did the tofu first and once it was done, I added in the mushrooms. The mushrooms cooked until they were softened, after which I added the (frozen) peas.

And to be perfectly honest, if we had a bigger pan I would have used that! From time to time, I have done the veggies separately from the tofu because things will steam rather than saute when they are crammed together.

It doesn’t always matter too too much (just leave the lid off) but it does depend on the veggies you choose. For example, peas don’t really need room to cook. Carrots, however, would definitely need to have enough space to have contact with the pan. You catch my drift?

Like I said back in this post, pre-marinating the tofu helps hugely in flavor.

My typical combo is: olive oil, sesame oil, tamari, and chili peppers (I have a ton that I dried, preserved, and crushed to store in the freezer).

Sometimes I will go Thai and add rice vinegar and fish sauce to that combo.

Sometimes I will go Korean adding in ginger, garlic, and gochujang.

Cashews, almonds, and peanuts typically go best with stir fries, but sesame seeds and sunflower seeds are excellent allergy free options.

What are your favorite stir fry veggie combos??