Garlic And Pepper Tofu

This garlic and pepper tofu delivers big flavor in just a few easy steps. Start by frying firm tofu until golden on all sides. Mix tamari, mushroom stir-fry sauce, brown sugar, and black pepper to create a quick, savory-sweet sauce. Fry a generous amount of minced garlic until crisp, then toss it all together.

This high-protein recipe brings Thai street food vibes to your kitchen. Serve it hot over steamed jasmine rice for a fast and filling lunch. You can swap tofu for tempeh or soy curls – just make sure they’re nice and crispy before adding them to the sauce. The garlic adds rich depth, while the sauce clings to every bite.

Spoon everything over rice and top with crunchy garlic for extra texture. The flavors hit all the right notes – sweet, salty, peppery, and garlicky. This plant-based recipe comes from Vegan Thai Kitchen: 75 Easy and Delicious Plant-Based Recipes with Flavors by Sarah Jansala and Renoo Jansala.

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A protein-packed vegan stir fry

This quick and easy vegan Thai stir fry is a must-try. This recipe uses tofu, but you can use any vegan protein you like!

5 from 1 vote

Servings4

Ingredients

• 1 ½ tbsp (23 ml) tamari
• 1 ½ tbsp (23 ml) mushroom stir-fry sauce
• 1 ½ tbsp (21 g) brown sugar
• ½ tsp ground black pepper
• ½ cup plus 2 tbsp (150 ml) vegetable oil divided
• 16 oz (456 g) firm tofu cut into 1" (2.5-cm) squares
• 8 tbsp (64 g) minced garlic
• Steamed jasmine rice for serving

Instructions

• To make the sauce, combine the tamari, mushroom stir-fry sauce, brown sugar and pepper in a small bowl and mix until well combined and the sugar has dissolved.
• Heat ½ cup (120 ml) of the oil in a deep pan over medium heat, add the tofu and fry for 3 minutes on each side until all the sides are lightly browned. Remove from the pan and drain well. Use the same oil to fry the minced garlic until crispy and golden brown, about 1 to 2 minutes, then remove from the pan and drain well.
• Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of oil in the pan over low heat, add the sauce mixture and stir well. Toss in the fried tofu and cook until all the sides are covered by the sauce, 1 to 2 minutes. Top with the crispy fried garlic to serve.
• Serve with steamed jasmine rice.

TIP: After completely draining out the oil, spread the fried garlic on a paper towel to dry and cool the garlic. This process will make the garlic nice and crunchy.

This recipe is reprinted with permission from Vegan Thai Kitchen by Sarah Jansala and Renoo Jansala, Page Street Publishing Co. 2019. Photo credit: Toni Zernik.

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