Stir-Fried Cabbage, Tofu and Red Pepper Recipe (2024)

By Martha Rose Shulman

Stir-Fried Cabbage, Tofu and Red Pepper Recipe (1)

Total Time
About 15 minutes
Rating
4(1,221)
Notes
Read community notes

Start cooking the rice or quinoa that you will serve this with, prep your vegetables and make the stir-fry. The prep is the most time-consuming but there aren’t too many ingredients. You can be sitting down about 35 minutes after you begin.

Featured in: Quick One-Dish Meals, Some Cooking Required

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Ingredients

Yield:Serves 4

  • 12ounces firm tofu
  • ½cup chicken stock or vegetable stock
  • 2tablespoons soy sauce
  • ½teaspoon sugar
  • 1tablespoon rice wine vinegar or dry sherry
  • 2teaspoons sesame oil
  • 1teaspoon cornstarch
  • 2tablespoons peanut oil, rice bran oil or grape seed oil
  • 1tablespoon minced ginger
  • 2large garlic cloves, minced
  • ½medium cabbage, chopped (about ½ pound, 5 cups chopped)
  • 1red pepper, cut in 2-inch long julienne
  • Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
  • ¼cup broken walnuts
  • Cooked rice or quinoa for serving

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

354 calories; 22 grams fat; 3 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 7 grams monounsaturated fat; 11 grams polyunsaturated fat; 25 grams carbohydrates; 4 grams dietary fiber; 3 grams sugars; 18 grams protein; 539 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Stir-Fried Cabbage, Tofu and Red Pepper Recipe (2)

Preparation

  1. Step

    1

    Cut the tofu into dominoes and drain between paper towels. In a small bowl or measuring cup combine the stock, 1 tablespoon of the soy sauce, the sugar, rice wine or sherry, and the sesame oil. Remove 1 tablespoon to a small bowl and stir in the cornstarch. Stir until it has dissolved. Have all the ingredients within arm’s length of your pan.

  2. Heat a 14-inch flat-bottomed wok or 12-inch steel skillet over high heat until a drop of water evaporates within a second or two when added to the pan. Swirl in 1 tablespoon of the oil by adding it to the sides of the pan and swirling the pan, then add the tofu and stir-fry until golden, about 3 minutes. Add 1 tablespoon soy sauce (or to taste), toss together for a few seconds, and transfer to a plate.

  3. Step

    3

    Swirl in the remaining oil, add the garlic and ginger to the wok and stir-fry for no more than 10 seconds. Add the red pepper and stir-fry for 1 minute, or until it begins to soften, and add the cabbage and walnuts. Stir-fry for 1 minute, add salt and pepper to taste, and stir-fry for another 1 to 2 minutes, until crisp-tender. Return the tofu to the wok, stir in the walnuts and the stock/soy sauce mixture and stir-fry for another minute, until it has just about evaporated. Stir in the cornstarch mixture and stir-fry until the ingredients are lightly glazed. Remove from the heat and serve with quinoa or rice.

Tips

  • If you want to reduce the fat, omit the sesame oil.
  • Advance preparation: This is last minute, though your ingredients can be prepped hours ahead of time and the cooked rice or quinoa you will be serving this with will keep for three days in the refrigerator and freeze well.

Ratings

4

out of 5

1,221

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Private Notes

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Cooking Notes

H.L.

Excellent balance of flavors + visual appeal. After preparing it a couple of times I have found a few minor changes improve taste and texture. 1. Lightly coat the tofu in flour before frying. 2. Decrease stock to avoid too much steam/keep veggies crisp. 3. Grate (rather than mince) ginger so that it will be more evenly distributed throughout the dish. 4. A few red chili flakes and some cayenne add zing.

CMT

Serves 4? Maybe 4 very tiny people. I just ate this whole thing for dinner.

ZR

You might try baking your tofu. Preheat oven to 4251 pkg firm tofu. Patted dry. Cut however you want, 1” squares to little loafs work great. Make a slurry ⬇️1 tbs canola oil1 tbs corn starch1 tbs soy sauceDip tofu and place on PARCHMENT PAPER and bake for 20 mins till desired crispness.

Beirne

Good recipe. After I made it my wife added some sriracha and peanuts, which made it even better.

Daniel

I switched tofu for chicken breasts, cubed, and it still tasted good with some tips from other notes. Every of us has our own preferences so every meal is unique.

Lisa4bikes

Add a little more ginger. Or perhaps add one of the hot peppers from the yard. Jalapeño or Serrano, saute c the garlic to mellow the peppers.

Suzyz

I doubled the peanut oil and fried the tofu for much longer then 3 minutes, until it was truly golden brown. By then all the oil was gone. End result was delicious! Even my 14 year old son loved it!

Karen M

Once everything is chopped up, the cooking goes super fast so do have everything within reach, as noted in the recipe. I think the sesame oil is an important flavor note for the dish. It's lovely over quinoa.

Marian V.

This is very good. I marinated the tofu in the spicy marinade from the recipe on this site and used it in the recipe instead of the sauce listed.

Emily

Pressed tofu for 15 minutes first, used purple cabbage and tri-color frozen peppers. Added sriacha to the sauce for a little kick and think that helped. Omitted walnuts because I didn't have any. Served with peanuts and cilantro over rice. Easy and quick, but not life changing. I'll make again.

Suellen

Ok. Next time, use half the stock and add some heat (chili peppers?) Substitute peanuts for walnuts: more flavor, and add them just before serving. I served it with snow peas: maybe just add the snow peas to the dish for color? Finally dredge the tofu in cornstarch so it will brown without sticking to the pan

Nancy

This is one of my three ingredient go to dishes. I use live oil in a large fry pan or wok, heat add shredded cabbage, grated potatoes, and flaked fish, such as cod. Lots of pepper and salt. Serve at once.

Lynne

Loved this. Made it last night. I took someone's advice to press the tofu for 15 minutes and then dredge the tofu pieces in cornmeal and they cooked beautifully though took quite a bit longer, but worth it. I also used purple cabbage and yellow pepper.

Meta

This was good but, as noted below, a bit dull. Agree that it needs a bit of hot pepper flakes. I found that it served 3 generously.

Robyn

Add chili oil to tofu marinade, jalapenos to the stir fry, grate the ginger. Press and flour the tofu before frying, add chopped cilantro.

PegR in IL.

Surprisingly not as hot or spicy as I was looking for and I was generous with garlic, ginger, etc. prep instructions a little confusing on order of oils versus sauce versus “paste” but got there in the end. Tasty enough but tofu and cabbage had tendency to mute the sauce, oil combos.

OC

I skipped the cornstarch part, and used water instead of stock. I also used white wine vinegar instead of the rice vinegar. Still delicious. I might add a bit more walnuts next time- their crunch was a perfect complement to the veggies.

John

I leave out the walnuts. I also skip the step of separating 1 Tbsp of the broth to mix in the corn starch, I just mix the starch right in to the bowl.

Nela

Pretty good recipe, but 15 minutes is a huge underestimation of how long it will take if you include prep time.

Stina

It seemed surprisingly bland. I might double the ginger and garlic. Someone else mentioned adding peanuts. That sounds worth a try.

LA mom

This is just OK. Easy to make but nothing special.

Lilybeth

Riffed on this one but it came out great - roasted veggies with sesame oil in the oven, made baked tofu by tossing it with oil, tamari, and cornstarch, added one minced clove of garlic to the veggies for the last 5 min. Meanwhile made a version of the sauce with sesame oil, tamari, rice vinegar, more garlic, and ginger, and tossed everything with that. Made two large servings (using 8 oz tofu), perfect!

Carolyn

This was a great weeknight dinner. I did take the shortcut of using a bag of coleslaw mix, and it really helped with the prep

Nancy

the oven method for tofu is excellent1 T corn starch 1T soy sauce1 T sesame oilmake slurry and dip tofu put on parchment400 C 20 min

Kat

Boring. Move on

Kat

Oops - thought that earlier note was going to be private! I'll rephrase that more politely - This recipe is easy and quick, but lacks depth. There are better alternatives with these ingredients.

Jeanne

Fast, nourishing, and good. Added sugar snap peas--good. Definitely a weeknight keeper.

Jeanne

Nice, fast, unexceptional. Added sugar snap peas.

Matt

Might need a little fish sauce to increase the flavor.

Gina

I toss the drained, dried, cubed or sliced tofu in a paper bag with cornstarch and powdered ginger and garlic, then shake off the excess and fry or bake the tofu. Gives it a nice crunch and flavor. For EXTRA crunch, dip in beaten egg first; that gives the tofu a battered, crispy exterior. (I do the same thing with different (Italian) seasonings for “tofu cacciatore,” keeping the garlic but omitting the ginger, of course.)

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Stir-Fried Cabbage, Tofu and Red Pepper Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What type of tofu is best for stir-fry? ›

Extra-Firm Tofu has the least amount of liquid. It's what I always recommend for stir fries, especially if it will be cubed like in this General Tso's Tofu Stir Fry. It still has enough liquid to where you will need to squeeze some of the liquid out.

How to stir fry tofu without it falling apart? ›

Use tender tofu and be gentle.

You add the tofu to the pan and gently shake or stir it. You don't vigorously move it around the wok with a spatula, lest it fall apart. There's a fair amount of liquid and seasoning too so the tofu takes on the other ingredients. This is delicate stir-frying with some simmering involved.

How to make tofu taste good? ›

Press tofu and cube it. Coat it in garlic, black pepper, salt (plus more of your favourite seasonings), liquid aminos and some olive oil. Then mix it into some cornstarch and toss it all together, then bake for about 20 minutes. Cornstarch also helps to draw out excess moisture so it really gets the tofu crispy.

How to dry tofu for stir-fry? ›

No matter which method you choose—pressing the tofu between towels or pouring salted boiling water on top and then blotting—your tofu should be dry to the touch before you cook it.

Do you need to press tofu before stir-frying? ›

Press the Tofu Before Stir-Frying

Young also advises pressing the tofu, even extra-firm tofu, between a few layers of paper towels and with something heavy to weigh it down. It's a few extra minutes of work, but there's a big payoff in the texture of the finished tofu.

Why boil tofu before frying? ›

Many cooking experts champion a quick soak as a way to give the protein more texture and flavor. “Simmering cubed tofu in salted water for 60 seconds pulls out excess moisture and tightens the proteins on its surface,” Lukas Volger told Bon Appétit in 2021.

What not to mix with tofu? ›

What to not serve with tofu? According to studies, a high volume consumption of tofu and spinach together can increase your risk of kidney stones. Tofu and spinach contain calcium and oxalic acid respectively and the combined can form kidney stones.

What happens if you don't drain tofu before cooking? ›

Here's the thing: even though tofu might be labeled firm or extra-firm, it contains a lot of water. This excess water can cause the tofu to crumble when you cook it, and it will also have a hard time crisping up. But when you press tofu, you remove the excess moisture.

What pairs well with tofu? ›

Best Vegan Side Dishes for Grilled Tofu at a Barbecue or Cookout
  • Vegan Dill Potato Salad with Fiddleheads (No Mayo) ...
  • Herb Grilled Vegetables. ...
  • Vegan Spinach Salad Recipe with Maple Balsamic Dressing. ...
  • Fresh Tomato Lime Salad Dressing with Cilantro. ...
  • Salad with Beans, Quinoa, Rice, and Pecans and Lemon Herb Dressing.
Jul 12, 2021

What is the secret to cooking tofu? ›

Tofu contains a large amount of water when it comes out of the package. In order to bake, fry, or scramble tofu, it's best to press out as much water as possible before cooking. The longer you press your tofu, the firmer the texture will be and the easier it will be to achieve a nice crispy texture.

Why is my tofu so tasteless? ›

If you're new to a plant-based diet you may think you don't like tofu, but chances are it's just been prepared wrong. In reality, plain tofu is not very flavorful at all (but that's the great thing about it!). Tofu, like chicken and these other mild-flavored meats, is a great vehicle for flavor.

How long does tofu last in the fridge? ›

If it darkens in color, begins to smell, or feels slimy, it should be thrown away. Bottom line: Open packages of tofu are good in the fridge for up to five days, provided you change the water daily.

Why is my fried tofu not crispy? ›

You're not pressing out excess moisture.

Before frying, tofu should be pressed to eliminate any excess water. Sometimes, in a hurry to get dinner done, I skip this step. But I always regret it. The still-sort-of-wet tofu never gets as golden brown or as crisp.

How long to press tofu for stir fry? ›

Whichever make you have, simply put the tofu between two plates, tighten the press, and place it somewhere that will catch the liquid drained (inside a clean sink or a rimmed baking sheet). Press the tofu for 15 to 20 minutes.

How do you keep fried tofu crispy? ›

Cornstarch – This is the secret to the most perfect fried tofu. Cornstarch forms a protective layer around each cube of tofu, which crisps up when added to heat. If you don't have cornstarch, arrowroot powder and tapioca starch also work. Garlic powder – This is optional but adds a delightful savory, garlicky flavor.

What kind of tofu do Chinese restaurants use? ›

White in colour and tender to touch, soft tofu (yun dou fu) contains the highest water content of all tofu types and is widely used in Cantonese and other southern Chinese cuisines. It's similar to Japanese silken tofu, but while very soft it has a bit more “body” to it, making it slightly easier to handle and cut.

Is firm or soft tofu better for frying? ›

Super firm tofu is less often found in typical grocery store, which tend to only cary soft, firm, and extra firm. It has the lowest water content and takes well to frying. Although it can dry out too quickly because of this.

What kind of tofu is good for cooking? ›

Make sure you select the right texture.

In grocery stores, it ranges from silken to extra-firm. Soft silken tofu would be my choice for blending into desserts or slicing into miso soup, but if you're serving it as a main dish or topping it onto bowls, extra-firm is what you'll need.

Which type of tofu to use? ›

In general, I find that firm and extra-firm tofu are the most useful because they're versatile. They hit the tofu texture sweet spot—soft enough to absorb flavor but hardy enough to be cooked without risk of falling apart. Do note that some firm tofu, like House Foods', skews soft, more like medium-firm.

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