With a sweet and spicy homemade coconut milk peanut sauce, this rich and satisfying tofu stir fry with broccoli and bell peppers is a quick weeknight dinner.
Having a variety of vegetarian dishes in my back pocket is something that I’ve been working on for the last couple of years. So you’ll likely have noticed a few tofu recipes propping up here and there. (Convincing my boyfriend that tofu is delicious is also something else I’ve been working on).
I believe in balance, I eat everything. Of the last ten dinner recipes I’ve shared, six have been either vegetarian or vegan. I’d say that sounds pretty balanced, don’t you think?
If you’re looking for those recipes, you can find them in my vegetarian recipe archives.
The key for using tofu in a dish like this is about texture. I use extra firm tofu that I coat in curry powder and sear on each side. This process takes some time.
I’m talking about 12-15 minutes to get a golden crust on practically every surface of the tofu. This gives is it crunch and flavour.
How can you make tofu taste delicious
If you’re new to cooking with tofu the most important lesson I can teach you is to treat it like you would any other kind of protein. It absorbs flavour incredibly well.
Marinate the tofu for flavour before you cook it. Sear it the same way you would beef or chicken for a stew.
What else can I use this coconut milk peanut sauce for?
I love the sauce that this dish makes. I think that it would be equally delicious stirred into noodles. Kind of like a vegetable-packed peanut noodle recipe.
I typically serve this over rice; I like the nuttiness of brown rice paired with this rich sauce.
If you think that all vegan and vegetarian dishes are light, you’re wrong. This is one of those stick-to-your-ribs, extra comforting dishes. Absolutely perfect for the winter, if you ask me.
Tofu Stir Fry with Peanut Sauce
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp canola oil, divided
- 1 420g block firm tofu
- 1 tsp curry powder
- 3/4 tsp salt, divided
- 1 400mL can coconut milk
- 1/2 cup peanut butter
- 1 lime, juice only
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tsp soy sauce
- 2 tsp sriracha
- 1 head broccoli, chopped into florets
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped
- 1 tbsp minced cilantro
Instructions
- Drain tofu and wrap in paper towel. Place something heavy on top (I use a cast iron skillet), and let sit for about 15 minutes. Once pressed, cut into 1" cubes.
- Heat 1 tbsp of canola oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Toss tofu in curry powder and 1/4 tsp of salt. Add to pan in a single later. Cook until golden brown on each side. About 2-3 minutes per side, 12-15 minutes total. Turn down the heat if the tofu is browning too quickly. Remove from pan and set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk coconut milk with peanut butter, lime juice, garlic, soy sauce, and sriracha.
- Add remaining canola oil, followed by broccoli, red pepper and remaining 1/2 tsp of salt. Cook for 2-3 minutes. Add coconut milk mixture, and cook another 2-3 minutes until vegetables are tender and sauce has thickened. Return tofu to pan. Serve over rice with cilantro.
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