This tofu broccoli stir fry comes to the dinnertime rescue! Broccoli florets and tofu cubes are tossed in a tangy, savory sauce for a vegetarian and vegan dinner everyone will love. Even better, it’s ready in just 30 minutes.
Craving a healthy weeknight meal that’s bursting with flavor? Look no further than this tofu broccoli stir-fry! This type of fast and easy meal has become exactly what we crave (don’t you want to just dive right into that bowl?). The tender tofu cubes and crisp broccoli florets get tossed in a savory sauce that’s both sweet and umami, making it a vegetarian and vegan dinner everyone will love. Plus, it’s ready in 30 minutes, so you can get dinner on the table fast. Our kids both adore tofu, so this one is a big winner in our house!
Ingredients in this tofu broccoli stir fry
Everyone in our house is a major fan of this plant-based protein, especially when we make baked tofu or crispy tofu. This broccoli tofu stir fry is even more of a hit, since it mixes in our other favorite green vegetable. The stir fry sauce is simple and requires only one special ingredient, fresh ginger (required, in our opinion). Otherwise you might have just about everything else in your pantry! Here are the ingredients you’ll need for this tofu broccoli stir fry:
- Pantry ingredients: Soy sauce, sugar (or honey or maple syrup), rice vinegar, toasted sesame oil, cornstarch, garlic powder, olive oil, salt
- Fresh ingredients: Firm or extra firm tofu, fresh ginger, broccoli
A quick way to peel ginger
The fresh ginger is essential to this stir fry sauce, as it brings an irresistible sweet, peppery flavor that can’t be replicated with the dried form. Grab a fresh ginger root in the produce section of your grocery.
Here’s a quick tip on how to peel ginger for this tofu broccoli stir fry. Instead of using a vegetable peeler, use a spoon! Ginger root is notoriously hard to peel with a vegetable peeler: it’s knobby and the skin is tough and stringy. But peeling it with a spoon works like a charm. It sounds unbelievable until you try it: but it’s the perfect tool for the uneven surface of ginger root.
Tips for cooking broccoli tofu stir fry
This tofu broccoli stir fry comes together in about 30 minutes, making it an all star in our fast and easy dinner recipes! Here are a few tips for getting this dinner together quickly:
- If serving with rice, start that first. It takes about 12 minutes to cook a pot of rice and 10 minutes for it to steam afterwards. Start this first so it’s ready to go.
- Cornstarch is the key to crispy tofu. This is what makes a nice crispy edge to the protein: it’s essential so don’t leave it out! It also adds body to the simple stir fry sauce.
- Use a non-stick pan. A non-stick surface is required for cooking the tofu, otherwise it becomes a sticky mess! If you don’t have one, you can make baked tofu instead, then add it to the stir fry at the end.
Notes on the sweetener
The stir fry sauce in this recipe uses sugar: this is required to balance the intense salty flavor from the soy sauce and tangy flavor from the rice vinegar. If desired, you can remove the sweetener: we’d recommend adding in 2 more tablespoons water to mellow out the sharp flavors.
If you prefer a natural sweetener, honey or maple syrup are perfect here! We often make this stir fry sauce with both of them and they add an additional nuance in flavor.
What to serve with tofu broccoli stir fry
To make a filling healthy dinner, this tofu and broccoli stir fry needs a side dish. Keep in mind that it makes about 3 servings, or 4 modest servings. Here are a few ideas for making it a meal:
- Rice: White rice is quick to make and the flavor melds perfectly. You can also make brown rice, but since the nutritional difference isn’t major we tend to stick with white rice.
- Noodles: Soba noodles are perfect with a stir fry, or try udon, ramen, or rice noodles.
- Edamame: Add another green vegetable by serving a side of salted edamame or spicy edamame.
Leftover storage
Broccoli tofu stir fry saves well, if you don’t finish it all in one sitting! Store leftovers refrigerated for 3 to 5 days. Reheat them gently on the stovetop and if they are very dry, add a splash of olive oil or soy sauce.
This broccoli tofu stir fry recipe is…
Vegetarian, vegan, plant-based, dairy-free and gluten-free (with gluten-free soy sauce or tamari).
Tofu Broccoli Stir Fry Recipe
Ingredients
1x
For the sauce
- ¼ cup soy sauce or tamari or coconut aminos
- 6 tablespoons water
- 2 tablespoons sugar or honey or maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch or arrowroot powder
- ½ tablespoon fresh grated ginger
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
For the stir fry
- 14- ounces firm or extra firm tofu
- ¼ tsp kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch or arrowroot powder
- 3 tablespoons olive oil divided
- 1 1/2 pounds fresh broccoli stem on (about 3 large heads or 6 heaping cups florets)*
- White rice for serving
2x
For the sauce
- ½ cup soy sauce or tamari or coconut aminos
- 12 tablespoon water
- 4 tablespoon sugar or honey or maple syrup
- 2 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- 4 teaspoon cornstarch or arrowroot powder
- 1 tablespoon fresh grated ginger
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
For the stir fry
- 28- ounces firm or extra firm tofu
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- 4 tablespoon cornstarch or arrowroot powder
- 6 tablespoon olive oil divided
- 3 pounds fresh broccoli stem on (about 6 large heads or 12 heaping cups florets)*
- White rice for serving
3x
For the sauce
- ¾ cup soy sauce or tamari or coconut aminos
- 18 tablespoon water
- 6 tablespoon sugar or honey or maple syrup
- 3 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 3 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- 6 teaspoon cornstarch or arrowroot powder
- 1 ½ tablespoon fresh grated ginger
- ¾ teaspoon garlic powder
For the stir fry
- 42- ounces firm or extra firm tofu
- ¾ tsp kosher salt
- 6 tablespoon cornstarch or arrowroot powder
- 9 tablespoon olive oil divided
- 4 1/2 pounds fresh broccoli stem on (about 9 large heads or 18 heaping cups florets)*
- White rice for serving
Instructions
- If serving with rice, start the rice.
- Whisk together the soy sauce, water, sugar, rice vinegar, toasted sesame oil, cornstarch, grated ginger, and garlic powder until a smooth sauce forms. Store in a covered container until using, or use immediately.
- Cut the tofu into 1-inch cubes and pat it dry with a clean towel. Add the tofu cubes to a bowl and sprinkle with 2 pinches (⅛ teaspoon) kosher salt. Sprinkle with the cornstarch, turning the cubes with a spatula, until evenly coated.
- Add the 2 tablespoons olive oil to a large, cold non-stick skillet* (this is important; it only works with non-stick surface!). Add the tofu cubes in a single layer. Turn on the heat to medium-high. Cook 5 to 6 minutes until lightly browned on the bottom.
- Briefly remove the pan from the heat to reduce spitting. Flip the tofu with a spatula. Return the heat to medium-high and cook additional 5 to 6 minutes until browned. Remove to a plate.
- Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to the same large skillet and heat it on medium high heat. Add the broccoli and 2 pinches (⅛ teaspoon) kosher salt. Cook 2 to 3 minutes until starting to brown, stirring occasionally.
- Reduce the heat to very low. Add the tofu back to the skillet and pour the sauce over the broccoli and tofu. Cook 1 to 2 minutes, until sauce thickens. Serve immediately. Leftovers store refrigerated for 3 to 5 days.