This Tofu and Pepper Stir-fry with Cashews meets all my requirements for an awesome weeknight dinner. It’s quick, easy, veggie-packed and super kid-friendly, while at the same time being something adults can look forward to chowing down on as well! Check, check and check!

veggie stir fry in a wok

This recipe is from friend and cookbook author, Aimee Wimbush-Bourque, who wrote The Simple Bites Kitchen Nourishing Whole Food Recipes for Every Day and owns the Simple Bites blog.

Why We Love This Recipe For Tofu Veggie Stir-Fry with Cashews

The star of this tofu cashew stir fry is by far the savory, sweet and tangy sauce. It has that umami-thing going on in spades with lime juice, tamari, honey and one of my all-time favorite ingredients, sesame oil. I love the fact that it comes together in under 30 minutes and is veggie packed with snow peas and bell peppers. The cashews also add a nice meaty texture, along with the tofu which gets thinly sliced and nicely browned.

Recipe Highlights

  • The whole recipe only takes 30 minutes!
  • This cashew tofu stir fry will please all vegetarians and non-vegetarians equally.
  • It can be easily adapted depending on what veggies you have in stock.
  • Each serving has 16 grams of protein and lots of veggies to help keep you full.

Key Ingredients to Make Tofu Pepper Stir Fry

veggie stir fry with tofu and cashews in a wok
  • Firm Tofu: I prefer to use firm tofu, which is also what the recipe calls for specifically. You could also use extra-firm.
  • For the stir fry: Snow peas, red bell pepper, yellow bell pepper, garlic and canola oil.
  • For the Sauce: Tamari or soy sauce, sesame oil, honey (or maple syrup to make it vegan), cornstarch and lime.
  • Raw Cashews: Cashews are best here but if you are not a fan you could use peanuts instead (or no nuts if an allergy is present.)

Step-by-Step Instructions to Make Tofu Veggie Stir-Fry Recipe

Step 1: Prepare tofu

This veggie stir-fry with tofu and cashews is insanely easy to make. You first need to slice the tofu into strips that are about ½ inch (1 cm) thick and 1 inch (2.5 cm) wide. Then lay tofu on a paper towel and pat dry. Press the tofu with another paper towel to remove excess moisture.

Step 2: Marinate tofu

Once that’s done, in a medium bowl, mix together a marinade of the juice of ½ lime, 1 tablespoon (15 mL) tamari, 1 tablespoon (15 mL) sesame oil and cornstarch. Add the tofu and toss gently to coat. Marinate for 15 minutes while you prepare the vegetables.

Step 3: Prepare vegetables

To prep the veggies, you simply have to trim the stem from the snow peas and de-seed and slice the bell peppers into ½-inch (1 cm) strips.

Step 4: Make tamari sauce mixture

Whisk together a sauce with the juice from the remaining ½ lime, the remaining 2 tablespoons (30 mL) tamari, 1 tablespoon (15 mL) sesame oil and honey. Stir in minced garlic and set aside.

Step 5: Cook tofu

Then you’re ready to drain the tofu from the marinade and pat it dry. Cook it in a well-oiled skillet until it’s golden brown (in batches, if necessary). The tofu will need a few minutes on either side to brown properly, so don’t try to rush this part of the recipe! You want the tofu slightly crispy on the outside for this veggie stir-fry. Once golden, transfer the tofu to a plate.

Step 6: Stir-fry vegetables

Once the tofu’s a nice golden brown color, remove it from the pan and toss in the veggies. The veggies need only a few minutes in the pan to soften slightly. You’ll know when it’s time to add the tofu back into the pan when the veggies are fragrant and turn brighter in color. 

Step 7: Finish cashew tofu stir fry

After you’ve added back in the browned tofu, toss in the cashews and remaining marinade as well. Continue cooking the stir-fry until the sauce has thickened slightly. Remove from the heat and serve immediately. If you have any leftovers from this veggie stir-fry recipe, I recommend reheating them in a skillet with a little water or marinade (this will prevent the stir-fry from drying out and the tofu from turning rubbery). 

veggie stir fry in a bowl with chopsticks

FAQs and Expert Tips

Storing instructions:

This tofu pepper stir fry can last for up to 3 days in an airtight container in the fridge.

Make-ahead instructions:

Prep the vegetables and tofu. Prep your marinade and sauce ingredients (steps 2 and 4) and cover. Store prepped ingredients in the refrigerator until you’re ready to stir fry.

Variations to try:

The best thing about stir fry is that they’re so versatile! You can play around with the veggies and protein, and also sauce. Try adding broccoli and carrots, or swap the tofu out for chicken strips. You could also garnish it with sesame seeds and sliced scallions!

Make it extra saucy:

Double the sauce recipe if you want so that you can have extra stir-fry sauce to drizzle on the veggies, noodles and/or rice!

What should I serve with this tofu veggie stir fry recipe?

Serve it with this Easy Gluten-free Baked Brown Rice to make it a complete meal. Or how about this homemade cauliflower rice? These sesame noodles would also be great!

veggie stir fry in a wok next to a cookbook

More Easy Vegetarian Dinner Recipes

Thanks so much for reading! If you are new here, you may want to sign up for my email newsletter to get a free weekly menu plan and the latest recipes right to your inbox. If you make this recipe, please come back and leave a star rating and review. I would love to hear what you thought!

Happy Cooking! ~Katie

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This Tofu Vegetable Stir-fry with Cashews meets all my requirements for an awesome weeknight dinner. It’s quick, easy, veggie-packed and super kid-friendly. | Healthy Seasonal Recipes | Katie Webster

Tofu Veggie Stir-Fry with Cashews


5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

5 from 18 reviews

  • Author: Katie Webster
  • Total Time: 30 minutes
  • Yield: 4 servings 1x

Description

This Tofu Veggie Stir-fry with Cashews meets all my requirements for an awesome weeknight dinner. It’s quick, easy, veggie-packed and kid-friendly!


Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 1 pound (450 g) firm organic tofu
  • 1 lime, halved
  • 3 tablespoons (45 mL) tamari soy sauce, divided
  • 3 tablespoons (45 mL) sesame oil, divided
  • 1/2 teaspoon (2 mL) cornstarch
  • 1/2 pound (225 g) snow peas
  • 1 small red bell pepper
  • 1 small yellow bell pepper
  • 1 tablespoon (15 mL) liquid honey *or maple syrup to make it vegan
  • 1 large clove garlic, minced Pinch of sea salt
  • 2 teaspoons (10 mL) organic canola oil, divided
  • 1/2 cup (125 mL) raw cashews

Instructions

  1. Slice the tofu into strips about ½ inch (1 cm) thick and 1 inch (2.5 cm) wide. Lay tofu on a paper towel and pat dry. Press the tofu with another paper towel to remove excess moisture.
  2. In a medium bowl, mix together a marinade of the juice of ½ lime, 1 tablespoon (15 mL) tamari, 1 tablespoon (15 mL) sesame oil and cornstarch. Add the tofu and toss gently to coat. Marinate for 15 minutes while you prepare the vegetables.
  3. Trim the stem from the snow peas and pull off the string that runs down the side of the pod. Cut bell peppers in half and discard the seeds. Slice peppers into ½-inch (1 cm) strips.
  4. Whisk together a sauce of the juice of the remaining ½ lime, remaining 2 tablespoons (30 mL) tamari, 1 tablespoon (15 mL) sesame oil and honey. Stir in minced garlic and set aside.
  5. Drain the tofu from the marinade and pat dry again; season lightly with salt. Heat 1 teaspoon (5 mL) of the canola oil in a large, well-seasoned wok or nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. When oil is very hot, add half of the tofu and cook for 2 to 3 minutes on one side, until lightly golden. Turn the pieces of tofu and brown them on the other side. Transfer to a plate. Heat the remaining 1 teaspoon (5 mL) canola oil and repeat with the remaining tofu.
  6. Increase heat to high, add the remaining 1 tablespoon (15 mL) sesame oil to the wok and tumble in the prepared vegetables. Stir-fry for 4 to 5 minutes, until the colours are bright and the bell peppers start to soften.
  7. Return the browned tofu to the pan and pour over the reserved tamari sauce mixture. Tumble in the cashews. Stir-fry, stirring constantly, until the sauce has thickened and coated everything, about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat and serve at once.

Notes

Cooking Tip: This tofu pepper stir fry can last for up to 5 to 7 days if stored in an airtight container in the fridge.

  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 15 minutes
  • Category: Main Course
  • Method: Stovetop
  • Cuisine: Asian

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 1/2 cups
  • Calories: 356
  • Sugar: 7 g
  • Sodium: 848 mg
  • Fat: 25 g
  • Saturated Fat: 3 g
  • Trans Fat: 0 g
  • Carbohydrates: 21 g
  • Fiber: 4 g
  • Protein: 16 g
  • Cholesterol: 0 mg