Better than take out Chinese cashew tofu stir fry! With crispy tofu, roasted cashews and red pepper it’s the perfect combination of flavour and texture!
This stir fry is tossed in a savoury, salty, sweet and sticky sauce. It’s so so good and can be on your plate quicker than ordering take out!
And of course it taste better and is healthier! It’s a no brainer really 😉
Chunks of tofu gets tossed in cornflour and fried until crispy and chewy. This step is essential in getting crispy edges and a chewy texture.
My top tip for getting extra crispy edges is tearing the tofu rather than cutting it. You’ll get more rugged edges which are perfect for extra crunch!
What you’ll need for cashew tofu:
- Tofu (firm or extra firm)
- Red pepper
- Cashews
- Soy sauce
- Hoisin sauce
- Shaoxing wine
- Vegan fish sauce
- Toasted sesame oil
- Maple syrup
- Cornflour
You want to buy firm or extra firm tofu for this recipe. If you’re in the UK I recommend the Tofoo Co extra firm tofu, which I use. Otherwise, you’ll want to squeeze out as much excess water as possible.
Shoaxing wine is chinese wine made from fermented rice. It’s salty and sweet and a key ingredient in Chinese cooking. You’ll be able to find it in an asian supermarket or a larger supermarket (I got it in Waitrose).
Usually, the sauce for cashew chicken is made with oyster sauce. To make this vegan we are subbing for hoisin sauce with a bit of vegan fish sauce.
You can leave it out but it adds an extra depth of flavour. I use Thai Taste vegetarian fish sauce, you can get it from Waitrose or Amazon!
How to make cashew tofu stir fry:
Start by preparing the tofu. Cut into 4 or 5 slices and then score each slice into 2 or 3 long strips. Use your hands to break into 1 inch chunks.
Place in a bowl with cornflour, salt and pepper. Toss until the tofu is completely coated.
In a wok, heat 2 tbsp of oil on medium heat. Add the tofu and fry for 4-5 minutes until crispy on all edges. Keep tossing so they don’t burn. They should look crispy and dry on the outside.
Whilst the tofu is frying, make the sauce. Mix all the ingredients together in a small bowl. Now add minced garlic, spring onion and chopped red pepper.
Fry for a couple of minutes on medium high heat until the pepper is starting to char.
Add the sauce and when it starts to bubble add the cornstarch slurry (cornstarch and water mixed). This will thicken the sauce.
Stir through for 30 seconds and then you’re ready to serve! Top with extra spring onion.
Serve with rice or noodles! I love coconut rice, cauliflower rice or any type of noodle!
For more Chinese recipes you may enjoy these:
As always if you make this vegan cashew tofu be sure to leave me a comment, rate this recipe and tag me on Instagram. I love seeing all your photos of my recipe recreations!
Don’t forget to follow along on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram – I’d love to see you all there!
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Cashew Tofu Stir Fry
Better than take out vegan cashew tofu stir fry. With crispy chewy tofu, roasted cashews and red pepper - it's savoury, sweet and salty!
Ingredients
- 1 cup / 150g cashew nuts
- 1 lb / 450g extra firm tofu
- 4 tbsp cornflour
- 3 garlic cloves
- 3 spring onions/scallions
- 1 red bell pepper
Sauce
- 3 tbsp soy sauce
- 2.5 tbsp hoisin sauce
- 1 tbsp shaoxing wine
- 1 tsp vegan fish sauce
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1.5 tsp maple syrup
- 1 tbsp cornflour
- 1 tbsp water
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 200C/400F. Place cashews on a baking tray and place in the oven for 3-4 minutes, until golden brown. Toss half way, making sure they don't burn. Remove from the oven and set aside. OR toast in a dry pan on medium heat for a few minutes until lightly golden.
- Slice the block of tofu in half and then into six strips. Now you can use your hands to break each strip into about four or five chunks, about 1 inch in size. If you find that too tricky you can score a line with the knife first before breaking up, or just cut into cubes. Breaking the tofu is going to result in a crispier exterior.
- Place the tofu chunks into a bowl with the cornflour and some salt and pepper. Toss well so all the edges of the tofu is fully coated in the flour. If you need to add a little more cornflour then do so.
- Heat 2 tbsp oil in a wok or frying pan on medium-high heat. Add the tofu and fry for around 6-7 minutes, flipping occasionally, until golden brown and crispy. If your pan isn't big enough you can do it in two rounds, careful not to overcrowd the pan. It should be crispy and dry looking on the outside.
- Add a bit more oil to the wok and add minced garlic, thinly sliced spring onion and red pepper. Cut the red pepper into roughly 1 inch pieces. Add the roasted cashews.
- Fry for a couple of minutes and make the sauce. Mix all the ingredients (minus the cornflour and water) in a small bowl.
- Add to the wok and let it sizzle whilst you mix the cornflour and water to make a slurry. Add and stir, cook for about 20-30 seconds and then serve.
- Top with some extra spring onion and sesame seeds and serve with rice or your favourite sides!
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 3 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 497Total Fat: 33gSaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 25gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 1582mgCarbohydrates: 32gFiber: 5gSugar: 12gProtein: 25g
Nutrition information is a rough estimate
Bec
Thursday 29th of February 2024
Absolute favourite tofu stir fry recipe, I have made this so many times!
EstC
Wednesday 14th of June 2023
This recipe is amazing! I can't remember how many times I've made it now... its on a loop in our house with everyone (even two teenagers) loving it every single time, thank you! Xx
Tamsin
Tuesday 20th of June 2023
Hi, thanks for your comment! So pleased you all enjoy it so much :) Tamsin xo
Rachel
Saturday 25th of February 2023
This recipe should come with a warning, it’s very addictive. Made it tonight for at least the 4th time this month.
I never knew tofu could be so crispy, even leftover it holds up well. I also add broccoli and bok choy to get some greens in.
Tamsin
Monday 27th of February 2023
Hi Rachel, haha aw that's so kind, so glad you have enjoyed it so much! We have it monthly but I could eat it weekly! That veg sounds so good too :) Tamsin xo
Kez
Monday 22nd of February 2021
My most favourite dish of yours yet. So easy to make and better than any take away!!