Peanut Buttery Stir-Fry
Submitted by cruella
Vegetarian peanut butter stir-fry with crispy tofu, crunchy vegetables, and a ginger-garlic peanut sauce served over brown rice. Vegan-friendly with soy milk.
YIELD
1 servingPREP
60 minCOOK
10 minREADY
70 minThis single-serving stir-fry builds a proper peanut butter sauce from scratch in a separate pan, which is the move that makes it work. Garlic and fresh ginger cook in oil first, then the peanut butter and water get stirred in until smooth before the lemon juice, soy sauce, and soy milk loosen it into a glossy, pourable sauce.
The tofu gets browned on its own before the vegetables hit the wok. That step gives it a firm, golden crust that holds up when everything gets tossed together at the end. If you skip the separate sear, the tofu steams instead of browning and turns soft.
Matchstick carrots, chopped green beans, and thinly sliced onion get the wok first for 2-3 minutes, then cabbage and bean sprouts go in last since they only need a quick toss to stay crisp. The vegetables should still have bite when the sauce goes in.
Chef Tips
- Press the tofu before dicing. Wrap it in a clean towel and set something heavy on top for 15 minutes. Less moisture means better browning.
- Grate the ginger on a microplane for a paste-like texture that melts into the sauce. Chunks of ginger won’t distribute evenly.
- Make the peanut sauce before you start stir-frying. Once the wok is hot, everything moves fast and you won’t have time to build the sauce.
- Use natural peanut butter for the best flavor. The sweetened, stabilized kind makes the sauce taste more like candy than dinner.
Variations
- Add a teaspoon of sriracha or sambal oelek to the peanut sauce for heat.
- Swap brown rice for rice noodles to turn this into a peanut noodle bowl.
- Toss in edamame or snap peas for extra green crunch and protein.
Ingredients
Directions
Cook the rice until tender.
Dice the tofu.
Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a wok or frying pan (skillet) and stir-fry the tofu until lightly browned.
Remove from wok.
Slice the onion thinly.
Slice the carrot into matchsticks.
Chop the beans finely.
Heat 2 teaspoons oil in the wok and stir-fry these ingredients 2 -3 minutes.
Chop the cabbage leaves and add them to the wok along with the beansprouts.
Continue stir-frying until just tender.
Crush the garlic.
Grate the ginger finely. Heat the remaining teaspoon oil in a small saucepan and add the garlic and ginger. Cook for a minute or two, then stir in the peanut butter and then the water. Stir until smooth. (This much can be done before the vegetables start cooking; the rest should wait until they are nearly ready.) Add the lemon juice, soy sauce and milk, and stir well. Return the tofu to the wok, and stir in the peanut butter sauce. Mix well and serve on top of the rice.
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