Honey Garlic Tofu Stir Fry

At a glance

What stands out: This honey garlic tofu stir fry features a sticky restaurant-style sauce with just the right balance of sweet and savory. A combination of crispy tofu, colorful veggies, and fluffy rice makes it a complete meal.

How long it takes: 1 hour, 5 minutes
Equipment you’ll need: large skillet, kitchen towel, bowls
Servings: 4

The Dinner we Make When we Didn’t Plan Dinner

This is one of those dinners that we make when we open the fridge and just start pulling things out.

A random bell pepper, half a bag of broccoli, something that probably needs to be used yesterday. And then tofu, because we almost always have that.

From there it’s pretty automatic. Press it, crisp it up, throw together a speedy sauce, and dinner is on the table.

What makes it special:

• Restaurant-style sauce at home: Soy sauce, honey, garlic and rice vinegar create a balanced sauce that clings to the veggies and tofu. We love that making it at home means we know exactly what’s in it (and it’s straightforward to mix with pantry ingredients!).
• Perfectly crispy tofu: Pressing the tofu and coating it in cornstarch gives you golden nuggets that stay crispy even when tossed in the sauce. (This all purpose baked tofu is nice and crispy, too!)
• Customizable: Change up the veggies based on what you have on hand, add a little spicy heat to the sauce, or serve the stir fry over something other than rice.
• Weeknight perfection: Once the tofu is pressed, everything (except the rice) cooks quickly in one pan for minimal cleanup. Straightforward peasy!

Debra Said:

“This recipe was simple and memorable. We don’t like tofu so we made a side of chicken to be safe. We ended up mixing the tofu and chicken in together. Couldn’t tell the difference between the chicken and tofu. Great recipe!”

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What goes in

There are a few different components of this honey garlic tofu stir fry recipe; let’s break them down!

• Tofu: You’ll need extra-firm tofu, which stands up well to frying and has a satisfying chewy texture. Soy sauce makes it tasty and cornstarch makes it crispy. You’ll also need a tablespoon of oil to fry it in.
• Honey garlic sauce: Soy sauce also creates an umami base for the straightforward sauce (we always use “less sodium” soy sauce). To this, we add honey, water, rice vinegar, minced garlic, and cornstarch. Be sure to look for plain unseasoned rice vinegar which doesn’t contain added salt and sugar.
• Stir fry: We like to use a medley of broccoli florets, red bell pepper, and carrots but use whatever looks best to you, or what you happen to have in the refrigerator. The veggies are stir fried separately from the tofu in another tablespoon of oil.
• For serving: Serve honey garlic tofu stir fry with steamed rice, sliced green onions, and toasted sesame seeds.

Tofu Press

If you prepare tofu often (and you’ll definitely want to after trying this honey garlic tofu!), we'd advise buying a tofu press. We have this one; it’s straightforward to use and we're happy with it.

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How it comes together

Press the tofu. Wrap the tofu in a clean lint-free kitchen towel (or paper towels) and set a heavy skillet on top. (You can also use a tofu press if you have one.) Let this sit for 30 minutes to press the excess moisture out of the tofu.

Season the tofu. Once it’s pressed, cut the tofu into cubes, then toss them in a bowl with the soy sauce. Once the sauce is absorbed by the tofu, add the cornstarch, season with salt and pepper, and toss again. The cubes will look sticky, not powdery.

Prep the remaining ingredients. While the tofu is being pressed, start the rice, cut the veggies, and whisk together the sauce ingredients.

Cook the tofu. Add the oil to a large skillet (we usually use a nonstick skillet) set over medium-high heat. Once it’s shimmering, add the tofu in a single layer. Let it sit undisturbed for about 4 minutes, or until golden and crispy on the bottom. Flip and continue to cook for 3 to 4 minutes more, stirring, or until the tofu is evenly crisp and golden on all sides. Transfer to a plate.

Cook the veggies. Add the remaining oil to the pan to heat, then add the broccoli, bell pepper, and carrot. Season with salt and cook until crisp-tender, about 4 minutes.

Make it saucy. Stir the sauce mixture again, then pour it into the pan over the vegetables. The sauce will come to a simmer quickly. Stir in the tofu and cook for about a minute more to re-warm the tofu. The sauce should look clear and be slightly thickened.

Serve. Divide the rice into bowls and add the stir fry. Garnish with green onions and sesame seeds, if you’re using them.

Ways to change it

• Change up the vegetables. Snap peas, mushrooms, zucchini, red onion, or baby corn all work well. Feel free to use what you have on hand or what’s in season!
• Tweak the flavor. One of the advantages to cooking at home is that you can make your stir fry exactly how you like it. This sauce lends itself well to a little bit of heat. Add red pepper flakes, sriracha, or chili garlic sauce if you’d like a kick in your stir fry. Add more garlic if you’re a fan (or less, if you’re not), or whisk a tablespoon of toasted sesame oil into the sauce.
• Add crunch. We’re nut-free in our house, but for a little extra texture, you can add cashews or peanuts instead of sesame seeds.
• Make it vegan. Use maple syrup or agave instead of honey.

Serving Ideas

Rice/grains: Serve the stir fry over steamed rice. Try our Instant Pot jasmine rice, coconut rice, or Instant Pot brown rice. Other grains, like Instant Pot quinoa, can add extra protein to your meal.

Add a side: Make your meal more of a restaurant experience by serving air fryer crab rangoon or this cabbage salad which has an Asian vibe. Spicy Korean pickles are a straightforward refrigerator pickle that can be made ahead. We love blistered shishito peppers, too!

Keeping leftovers

Refrigerate: Store leftover honey garlic tofu stir-fry in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. We don’t recommend freezing this recipe, as the texture of the tofu and veggies will change.

Reheat: Warm gently in a skillet or microwave until heated through. The tofu will soften slightly during storage but the flavors will still be stellar.

• Yield: 4
• Prep: 25 minutes
• Cook: 15 minutes
• Total: 1 hour 10 minutes

Ingredients

For Tofu

• 1 block (14 to 16 ounces) extra firm tofu
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce (we use less sodium soy sauce)
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ¼ teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon olive oil (or any neutral oil for cooking)

For Sauce

• ¼ cup less sodium soy sauce
• 3 tablespoons honey
• 2 tablespoons water
• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar (unseasoned)
• 4 large cloves garlic (minced)
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch

For Stir Fry

• 1 tablespoon oil
• 2 cups small broccoli florets ( 1 small crown)
• 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced (about 1 cup)
• 1 carrot, peeled and julienned (or 1 cup match-stick carrots)
• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt

To Serve

• 2 cups cooked rice (white, brown, or jasmine)
• 3 green onions (thinly sliced)
• toasted sesame seeds (optional)

Method

1. Wrap tofu in a clean lint-free towel and set a heavy skillet or plate on top (or use a tofu press). Let it press for 30 minutes.
2. While tofu is being pressed, start cooking the rice. Cut the broccoli into small florets, thinly slice the red pepper into bite-sized pieces, peel and julienne the carrots. Set aside until ready to stir fry.
3. In a small bowl, stir together the sauce ingredients: soy sauce, honey, water, rice vinegar, garlic, and cornstarch. Set aside until ready to use.
4. Cut the pressed tofu into even bite-sized cubes, about ½ inch. In a medium bowl, toss the tofu with 1 tablespoon soy sauce, then with 2 tablespoons cornstarch, salt, and pepper until evenly coated. (It will look sticky.)
5. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick or well-seasoned cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add tofu in a single layer and cook undisturbed for about 4 minutes to build a golden crust. Flip the tofu, and continue cooking, stirring frequently, until golden and crispy on all sides, another 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a clean plate and set aside.
6. In the same pan, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high heat. Add broccoli, red pepper, and carrot. Season with salt and stir fry for about 4 minutes, or until crisp-tender.
7. Stir the sauce to make sure the cornstarch hasn’t settled to the bottom. Pour the sauce into the pan with the stir fry, and quickly bring to a simmer.
8. Add tofu back to the pan and toss to coat in the sauce. Simmer for 1 minute to re-warm the tofu.
9. Serve over rice, topped with green onions and sesame seeds, if desired.

Notes

Vegetables: Use any combination of vegetables you prefer, such as snap peas, red onions, mushrooms, or zucchini.

Possible flavor boosters: Add a tablespoon of toasted sesame oil to sauce. Make it more spicy by adding red pepper flakes or sriracha. If you’re a fan of garlic, use 5 to 6 cloves. Instead of sesame seeds, you could top the stir fry with peanuts or cashews.

Make it vegan: Use maple syrup instead of honey.

Different protein: If you’re not a fan of tofu, stir fry shrimp or chicken instead. You could also make this recipe a simple vegetable stir fry to serve as a side dish, or to add to a bowl.