Vegan Black Pepper Tofu Stir-Fry
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Imagine this: Crispy tofu and vibrant, crunchy broccoli, tossed in a spicy, gingery, black peppery, sweet, and salty sauce. Served with fluffy rice. And topped with fresh green onions and red chilis.
Oh my goodness, yes. I’m talking about my recipe for stir-fried black pepper tofu.
This crispy tofu with black pepper sauce is one of my favorite things to make at the moment, whether for a delicious weeknight dinner or (especially) as part of an Asian-inspired feast with friends.
And I have a feeling it’s going to become one of your go-to faves too.
If you’re looking for an epic, restaurant-quality vegan dish to delight and impress your friends (and yourself!) with, well, this is it.
This black pepper tofu ticks all of the boxes. It’s:
- Flavor-packed
- Spicy, savory, and sweet
- Crispy, crunchy, chewy, and caramelized
- Restaurant-quality
- Addicting
- Absolutely delicious
- Vegan
If you have 45 minutes to spare, then the Asian-inspired dinner of your dreams is well within reach!
The Ingredients
To make this flavorful vegan stir-fry, you’ll need a few ingredients. Most of which you probably already have, plus a few you might not (like light and dark soy sauce), that are definitely worth adding to your pantry!
For the stir-fry, you’ll need:
- Firm tofu. You need tofu that’s sturdy enough to crisp up in the wok without falling apart, so firm tofu is perfect.
- Organic cornstarch. This is used to dust the tofu and make it crispy!
- Broccoli. Opt for fresh broccoli that’s been cut into even-sized florets.
- Aromatics. Grab those shallots, garlic, and fresh ginger to infuse the stir-fry with layers of flavor.
- Red chilis. We love small Thai red chilis in this recipe, but any hot red chili pepper may be used.
- Vegan butter. Regular butter may be substituted if you don’t need to keep this recipe vegan.
- Oil. Choose a flavorless oil with a high smoke point, like sunflower oil or grapeseed oil.
For the sauce, you’ll need:
- Light soy sauce. Note that this is not the same as low-sodium soy sauce.
- Dark soy sauce. This is not the same as regular soy sauce.
- Black peppercorns. The black peppercorns in your pepper grinder are perfect for this recipe. No special peppercorns needed!
- Brown sugar. Helps balance out the salty soy sauce and spicy chili and peppercorns.
Like where this is heading? I promise you’re going to love this black pepper sauce tofu!
What’s the Difference Between Light vs. Dark Soy Sauce?
Wondering what the difference is between light and dark soy sauce? And why you need both to make this recipe (and so many other Asian dishes)? Here are the details.
- Light soy sauce is salty, reddish-brown in color, thin in viscosity, and has a lighter flavor. It’s absolutely essential in Chinese cooking and in other Asian cuisines.
- Dark soy sauce is almost black. It has been reduced, and is, therefore, thicker, darker, a little sweeter, and slightly less salty than light soy sauce. It’s aged longer and has a more full-bodied flavor. This sauce is also essential in many Asian cuisines.
Why use both? Combined, they create a rich, balanced, full-bodied sauce that will help caramelize whatever you’re cooking. The pair also make a beautiful, deep color.
How to Make Black Pepper Tofu
Now that we have our ingredients sorted, let’s stir-fry up some crispy tofu in black pepper sauce!
- Prep the tofu. Slice the firm tofu into one-inch cubes and toss them in a bowl with some cornstarch to lightly dust them. This helps us get a beautiful, crispy crust on the tofu.
- Preheat the wok. Heat up your seasoned wok and add in enough of a flavorless frying oil (like sunflower oil or grapeseed oil) to fill the wok up about two centimeters high.
- Fry the tofu. Use tongs to turn the tofu every few minutes, until each side is golden brown and crisped up. Place the fried tofu cubes on a clean kitchen towel or paper towels to absorb the excess oil.
- Make the black pepper sauce. In the meantime, mix the sauce ingredients together in a small bowl and set it aside.
- Sautรฉ the aromatics. Melt the vegan butter in the wok and throw in the shallots, garlic, ginger, and chilis. Cook them low and slow to bring out all of the delicious flavors.
- Add the broccoli. Stir-fry it until it’s just cooked through โ so it’s still vibrant and crunchy!
- Bring it all together. The tofu goes back in, plus the sauce, and the black pepper. Stir-fry everything for a few minutes more, so that the tofu can reheat, the sauce can thicken, and all of the bold flavors can marry.
- Garnish and serve. Top it all off with fresh green onion slivers and slices of red chili, then serve it atop some fluffy rice. Enjoy!
Tips for Making This Recipe
- For the crispiest tofu, use firm tofu. It contains less moisture than medium or soft tofu, which makes it crisp up beautifully in the oil. Go ahead and toss the tofu in a little cornstarch, too, for next-level crispiness.
- For the most nuanced flavor, use both light and dark soy sauce. Using just regular soy sauce will not deliver the same rich flavor.
- Have leftovers? Reheat the tofu in a lightly oiled skillet over medium-high heat. Avoid reheating tofu in the microwave as you’ll lose all that crispy texture you worked so hard to achieve!
If you want to know the general comment I receive every time I make this recipe for a friend, it goes something like this: “Wow, Maddy. This is so delicious. It’s, like, restaurant-quality. You have to give me the recipe!”
So from one friend to another, trust me! This is the tofu stir-fry recipe you didn’t know you needed, but won’t be able to live without.
Into Vegan Asian-Inspired Recipes? Check These Out!
Black Pepper Tofu with Broccoli
This vegan stir-fry of black pepper tofu with broccoli is flavor-packed and full of interesting textures. Equal parts spicy, savory, and sweet, crispy, crunchy, and caramelized, this recipe is perfect for a delicious weeknight dinner or as part of an Asian-inspired feast with friends.
- Prep Time: 5
- Cook Time: 40
- Total Time: 45
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Stir-Fry
- Cuisine: Asian-Inspired
- Diet: Vegan
Ingredients
- 2 bricks firm tofu, cubed (800 g or 28 oz, in total)
- 3 tbsp cornstarch/cornflourย
- 1/4 cup sunflower oil or grapeseed oil
- 3 tbsp butter (regular or vegan butter)
- 6–8 medium shallots, thinly sliced (1.5 cups or 150 g)
- 5–7 garlic cloves, crushed and minced
- 4–6 hot red chilis (like small Thai chilis), thinly sliced
- 3 tbsp ginger, freshly grated
- 1 large head broccoli, cut into florets (3–4 cups or 350 g)
- 3 tbsp brown sugar, packed
- 4 tbsp dark soy sauce (see notes)
- 3 tbsp light soy sauce (see notes)
- 2 tbsp black peppercorns, freshly cracked
- 2 green/spring onions, white parts only, cut finely on an extreme slant
Instructions
- In a large bowl, toss the tofu and cornstarch together until the cornstarch evenly coats the tofu. This will help us get a beautiful, crispy crust on the tofu.
- In a wok over medium-high heat, heat up the oil. Fry the tofu in 3-4 batches to avoid overcrowding the wok. Use some tongs to turn the tofu pieces every few minutes, until each side is golden brown and crisped up. Place the fried tofu cubes on a clean kitchen towel or paper towels to absorb the excess oil. Once complete, carefully remove any excess oil from the pan.ย
- In the wok over low-medium heat, melt the butter. Add in the shallots, garlic, ginger, and chilis. Sautรฉ them for 15 minutes, stirring frequently, until everything is cooked through and soft.
- In the meantime, in a small bowl, mix together the dark soy sauce, light soy sauce, brown sugar, and black pepper. Set aside.ย
- Turn the heat up to medium-high, add in the broccoli florets, and stir-fry for about 5 minutes, until the broccoli is bright green and cooked through, but still crunchy. Add another tablespoon of butter during this step, if necessary.ย
- Turn the wok back down to low-medium heat. Re-stir the sauce mixture in the bowl, then add it into the wok. Add in the tofu. Stir everything together. Allow the tofu to heat through, for about 2 minutes. Stir in the green onions, and more slices of fresh red chili (if desired).ย
- Enjoy immediately with some rice, like basmati or jasmine. You could even try it with rice noodles!
Notes
- Light soy sauceย is not the same as low-sodium soy sauce and dark soy sauce is not the same as regular soy sauce! You need both to make this recipe. Light soy sauce is salty, reddish-brown in color, thin in viscosity, and has a lighter flavor. Dark soy sauce is almost black; it’s thicker, a little sweeter, and slightly less salty than light soy sauce. It’s aged longer and has a more full-bodied flavor. Combining light soy sauce and dark soy sauce creates a rich, balanced, full-bodied sauce that will help caramelize whatever you’re cooking. The pair also make a beautiful, deep color.
- If you don’t already have a traditional Chinese wok, I recommend getting this one. It will make all of your future Asian-inspired cooking adventures easier and far more enjoyable!
Did you make this recipe for Black Pepper Tofu and Broccoli? Let us know how it went in the comments + feel free to leave any questions! Tag us in your photos on social media with @maddysavenue!
Very good! Although a little more time consuming than I expected. I only used 1 package of tofu and 2T of cornstarch because we usually make 1 block do for 4 people. Otherwise I used the stated recipe proportions. The only substitution was jalapeรฑos as I did not have small red peppers.
Thanks for leaving a review, Margaret. Glad you enjoyed :)
I made this for my husband about a year ago, and I’m just now coming back to comment. He absolutely raved about it… and he is a meat eater. We have had this recipe in our rotation ever since. Thank you for the recipe and inspiration Maddy!
This recipe is great. There are a few steps involved, to be sure. But once the tofu is fried, it goes quickly. I have made it 3 or 4 times now and the effort is always worth it because it it always receives rave reviews! You may not think that black pepper is hot but when you use this much of it, it is. So beware! This recipe is spicy. I recommend paring it back if you canโt handle the heat. But I love it just as it is!
Just fabulous!
Thanks, Brooke!
Spicy, crispy, very flavorful, perfection!
Yay :) Thanks for your review!
A show stopper of a dish! The perfect thing to make for a party or bring to a potluck because everyone RAVES about this tofu. Iโd happily give it 10 stars!
Yay! Thanks for leaving a review :)
Obsessed with this tofu! A little more time consuming than what I usually make but worth all the effort. Its perfectly spicy and salty. Love how tossing the tofu in the corn starch makes the tofu crispy too…. such a good tip.
So crispy. And totally worthy of an obsession. Thanks, Isabelle!
I never knew I LOVED tofu. This is the best recipe!!! My meat-eater husband loved this and wants me to put it in the monthly rotation.
Thank you, Sandy! So glad you love this one. :)
I didn’t know that tofu can taste this good! Very tasty compared to other tofu dishes I have created. Punchy flavors. Awesome!
Wendy, thanks for the review! So glad you loved this recipe :)
I made this for dinner last night. What a wonderful dish. My wife does not care for tofu but last night was different. Under the desert sky filled with stars and a glass of chard.. Outstanding. Looking forward to the next batch.