Crispy Tofu Stir Fry with Thai Peanut Sauce
By: Sammi Haber Brondo | NYC Dietitian
I strongly believe every meal needs a good sauce to elevate it. And not only does this Thai Peanut Sauce go with pretty much anything, it’s also so good you could drink it.
I was close to sharing just the recipe for this peanut sauce - it’s that good. But, I felt like it was worth sharing the whole meal too. Because the whole meal is pretty good too.
I’m a big fan of any type of stir fry. They really just entail mixing some kind of grain, like rice or noodles, adding some veggies and throwing some protein on top. And the sauce! We, of course, can’t forget the sauce.
I usually make stir fries with brown rice and teriyaki sauce, but I love the idea of a more Thai-style stir fry with peanut sauce. This one uses brown rice noodles as the grain and bok choy and snap peas as the veggies. Bok choy is SUCH an underrated veggie, IMO!
There are so many other uses for this peanut sauce too. You can mix it with noodles, spaghetti squash and peanuts to make a “pad Thai” type dish. I also love it with a coleslaw mix and something crunchy - like slivered almonds, crispy ramen noodles or peanuts - for a spin on an Asian crunch salad. Or, just add some roasted veggies, brown rice, and your protein of choice to a bowl and drizzle this sauce on top to make a little harvest bowl. The options are endless!
TOP TIPS
Tofu: Make sure to use extra firm tofu. The key to tofu is draining as much water from it as possible before cooking so that it’s able to get crispy. If you have the time, you can leave it in the oven for up to an hour to make it even crispier.
Vegetables: If you can’t find, or don’t like, snap peas or bok choy, a lot of other veggies would work well here. I recommend trying yellow onion, sliced bell peppers, chopped mushrooms or even spaghetti squash.
Brown rice noodles: If you can’t find brown rice noodles, simply sub with another grain. I like the way the noodles pair with this dish and that brown rice noodles add some fiber, but other grains would work well too. Try any other noodle or pasta or even brown rice.
Peanut sauce: Honey can be swapped 1:1 for maple syrup. The apple cider vinegar can also be swapped for another vinegar, like white vinegar or even balsamic vinegar. If you have or make extra sauce, store it in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
Storage: Because brown rice noodles don’t always store well, this meal is best served immediately. With leftovers, store in an airtight container in the fridge for about 2 days. Or, you can store the tofu, veggies and sauce and re-make brown rice noodles (which should only take about 10 minutes!) when you’re ready to eat leftovers.
Did you try this recipe? Mention @Veggiesandchocolate or tag #Veggiesandchocolate I’d love to see your creations!
Crispy Tofu Stir Fry with Thai Peanut Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 block extra firm tofu
- 2 tablespoons + 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 lb snap peas
- 2 bunches baby bok choy
- 1 lb brown rice noodles
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 3 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons water
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 F. Line tofu with paper towel or a kitchen towel and place on a plate. Place something heavy on top to drain water out of the tofu. Let sit for at least 10 minutes, or until the oven is heated.
- Chop tofu into 1-inch cubes. Toss tofu with olive oil, salt and pepper and spread evenly on a baking sheet. Bake in the preheated oven for about 45 minutes, until crispy.
- While tofu is in the oven, prepare vegetables. Roughly chop snap peas and bok choy. Add remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil to a large pan. Add vegetables and sauté for about 5-10 minutes, until soft and lightly charred. Set aside.
- Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add brown rice noodles. Cook, stirring frequently, for about 5-6 minutes, until soft. Drain and set aside.
- In a food processor or blender, combine soy sauce, peanut butter, maple syrup, water, apple cider vinegar and minced garlic. Blend until smooth.
- Assemble stir fry: add brown rice noodles, crispy tofu and sautéed veggies to a bowl. Add peanut sauce and mix well to combine. Serve immediately.
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NYC dietitian: Sammi Haber Brondo | Veggies and Chocolate