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Thai Peanut Tofu Stir-Fry

Golden seared tofu and crisp-tender broccoli and red bell pepper tossed in a creamy peanut, ginger, garlic, and lime sauce, served over brown rice with fresh scallions.

By Camille McLaughlin, RDN, LD, registered dietitian nutritionist

Built forVeganDinner
Also fits Celiac Balanced Gut-Health High-Protein Vegetarian Anti-Inflammatory High-Fiber GLP-1
Peanut butter thinned with lime and soy turns into a sauce that clings to everything, glossy and salty sweet and thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Seared tofu keeps its crisp corners, broccoli and red bell pepper stay tender-crisp, and brown rice soaks up the rest.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe

A plant-forward plate that still eats like a full meal. It leans on pantry staples and a handful of fresh vegetables, so it comes together on a busy weeknight without much planning, and it is generous enough to satisfy a hungry table while staying entirely free of animal products. It portions well into containers besides, which is how one skillet turns into three lunches that reheat without going soft.

Dry the tofu, sear the tofu, and only then start the rest. Blotting away surface moisture lets the cubes brown and firm up rather than steam, which gives them a crisp exterior and a chewy, meaty texture that stands up to the sauce. Whisking the peanut butter with soy sauce, lime, ginger, and garlic builds a sauce that is at once creamy, salty, tangy, and bright, and adding it at the very end keeps it glossy instead of scorched.

Firm tofu carries all the staying power on this plate, the broccoli and the bell peppers bring the crunch and the color, and the nutty brown rice underneath rounds the whole thing out. The peanut sauce ties it together with richness, while the lime and scallions keep each bite fresh. It is filling, high in protein, and rich in fiber, so it holds you well past dinner.

Glossy peanut-glazed tofu cubes over brown rice, scattered with scallions and crushed peanuts. Save
Prep: 15 minsCook: 20 minsTotal: 35 minsMakes: 4 servingsServing: 1 bowl, about 2½ cups

Ingredients

Serves4Amounts change with the number. The nutrition panel is per serving, so it stays the same.
  • 22 oz firm tofu, cubed
  • 4 cups broccoli florets
  • 2 red bell peppers, sliced
  • 5 tbsp natural peanut butter
  • 3 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp grated ginger
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tbsp lime juice
  • 2 tbsp avocado oil
  • 4 cups cooked brown rice
  • 4 scallions, sliced
  • 1/2 tsp salt
Gluten-free swap: use certified gluten-free tamari in place of the soy sauce. Soy sauce is brewed with wheat, so it is the only thing in this recipe that carries gluten. Tamari that is labeled certified gluten-free is not, and it behaves the same way in the pan.

Instructions

  1. Have the brown rice ready: This builds on brown rice that is already cooked, so warm it through if it is coming out of the refrigerator, since a cold bed of rice pulls the heat straight out of everything you spoon over it. Starting from dry instead, rinse the rice until the water runs clear and simmer it until the grains are tender and the water is gone, about 40 to 45 minutes, which is longer than the rest of this recipe takes end to end.
  2. Prep the tofu and vegetables: Cut the firm tofu into even cubes and press them between paper towels or a clean kitchen towel to blot away the surface moisture, since wet tofu steams in a hot pan instead of browning. Cut the broccoli into bite-sized florets, slice the red bell peppers into thin strips, mince the garlic, grate the ginger, and thinly slice the scallions. Keep the garlic and ginger together and set the scallions aside for garnish.
  3. Sear the tofu: Heat the avocado oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add the tofu in a single layer, sprinkle it with the salt, and sear undisturbed until golden underneath, then turn to brown all sides, about 8 minutes in total. Leave it alone between turns, because pushing tofu around the pan tears the crust off before it has had a chance to set. Transfer the cubes to a plate.
  4. Stir-fry the vegetables: Add the broccoli and bell peppers to the same hot skillet and stir-fry until they are bright and crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Stop while the broccoli still has a slight bite, since it goes on softening in the residual heat once the sauce arrives.
  5. Make the peanut sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together the natural peanut butter, soy sauce, grated ginger, minced garlic, and lime juice, adding a splash of water at a time until the sauce is smooth and pourable. Mix it off the heat, because peanut butter stirred straight into a hot pan seizes into clumps you cannot whisk back out.
  6. Combine and serve: Return the tofu to the skillet, pour in the peanut sauce, and toss gently over medium heat until everything is evenly coated and glossy, about 2 minutes. Keep the heat moderate, since a peanut sauce held too hot will split and go grainy. Spoon it over the warm brown rice and finish with the sliced scallions.
Nutrition Facts
4 servings per recipe
Serving size1 bowl, about 2½ cups
Calories724
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 33g43%
Saturated Fat 5g27%
Trans Fat 0g
Cholesterol 0mg0%
Sodium 777mg34%
Total Carbohydrate 75g27%
Dietary Fiber 12g45%
Total Sugars 8g
Includes 0g Added Sugars 0%
Protein 40g
Vitamin D 0.0mcg0%
Calcium 646mg50%
Iron 7.1mg39%
Potassium 1206mg26%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Values are computed from USDA FoodData Central and are estimates. Per serving (1 bowl, about 2½ cups).

Variations

  • Turn up the heat: Whisk a spoonful of chili-garlic sauce, sriracha, or a pinch of red pepper flakes into the peanut sauce for a spicy version that plays off the lime.
  • Swap the base: Serve the tofu and vegetables over cooked rice noodles or cauliflower rice instead of brown rice for a different texture underneath.
  • Change the vegetables: Trade the broccoli and bell peppers for snap peas, shredded carrots, green beans, or baby bok choy, using whatever is crisp and in season.
  • Almond sauce: Use natural almond butter in place of the peanut butter for a milder, slightly sweeter sauce; this keeps it nut-based but shifts the flavor.
  • Extra bright finish: Top each bowl with chopped fresh cilantro, a few lime wedges, and toasted sesame seeds for more herbaceous, citrusy contrast.

Storage & Leftovers

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days. Keeping the rice and the saucy tofu-and-vegetable mixture in separate containers helps the vegetables hold their texture, though they store fine together if that is easier.

Reheat gently in a skillet over medium heat with a splash of water to loosen the peanut sauce, which thickens as it chills. Stir until warmed through. The microwave also works; heat in short bursts, stirring between them, so the tofu heats evenly and the sauce does not split.

To get ahead, cook the brown rice and whisk the peanut sauce up to three days in advance and refrigerate both. You can also cube and press the tofu and cut the vegetables the night before, so dinner is just a matter of searing and tossing.

Notes & Tips

A few practical notes from my kitchen to help this stir-fry come out crisp, saucy, and well seasoned every time.
  • Buy the right tofu: Reach for firm or extra-firm tofu, not silken or soft, which will fall apart in the pan. Extra-firm holds the crispiest edge if you can find it.
  • Press for crispness: The drier the tofu, the better it browns. If you have ten extra minutes, set the cubes under a weighted plate to press out more water before searing.
  • Use natural peanut butter: Choose a natural peanut butter with just peanuts and maybe salt; the sweetened, stabilized kind makes the sauce cloying and too thick to coat evenly.
  • Adjust the sauce to taste: Peanut butters vary in thickness and salt. Taste the sauce and loosen it with more water, brighten it with more lime, or deepen it with a little more soy sauce before it hits the pan.
  • Keep the broccoli crisp: Pull the vegetables off the heat while the broccoli is still bright green with a slight bite; carryover heat and the sauce toss will finish softening them.
  • Double it for lunches: This holds up well in the fridge, so make a larger batch and portion it over rice for grab-and-go lunches through the week.

Nutrition & Mindful Eating

Peanut sauce is the whole personality of this stir-fry, thick and savory and a little sweet, clinging to browned tofu and to broccoli that still has snap left in it.
  • Tofu, brown rice and peanut butter carry this dish between them. The tofu browns and firms, the rice underneath soaks up whatever sauce runs off, and the peanut butter gives everything the richness that makes a bowl of vegetables feel like dinner.
  • Tofu pressed and seared goes gold and slightly chewy at the corners while staying soft in the middle, and it brings a complete plant protein that holds the whole meal up.
  • Peanut butter is what turns soy sauce, lime and garlic into a sauce. It thickens as it warms and coats every piece, and the fat and plant protein in it are part of why a couple of spoonfuls go so far.
  • Broccoli goes into a hot pan and comes out tender at the stem with charred flecks on the florets, and the bell pepper stays crisp and sweet, both keeping their fiber and vitamin C in a form you actually want to chew.
  • Fresh ginger and garlic hit the oil first and perfume the whole pan, lime goes in at the end to cut the peanut richness, and raw scallions on top keep the last bite from tasting like the first.
  • As you eat, watch how the sauce coats the rice and feel the broccoli still giving under your teeth, and let a slower pace tell you when the bowl has done its job.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does my tofu stick to the pan or fall apart?

Usually the tofu was still wet or was moved too soon. Blot the cubes well, make sure the oil is hot before they go in, and let them sear undisturbed until a golden crust forms; they will release from the pan on their own once browned.

My peanut sauce turned out too thick. How do I fix it?

Peanut butter thickens quickly, especially once it warms. Whisk in a splash of water at a time until it is pourable and coats a spoon, and do the same when reheating leftovers, since the sauce firms up in the fridge.

Can I make this without soy?

Yes. Substitute coconut aminos or a soy-free tamari for the soy sauce. Coconut aminos are a little sweeter and less salty, so taste and add a small pinch of salt if the sauce needs it.

How do I keep the whole dish warm while I finish the rice?

Cook the rice first and keep it covered off the heat; it holds its warmth well. Sear the tofu and stir-fry the vegetables last so they go straight from the skillet onto the rice at their crispiest.