Delicious Szechuan Style Tofu Recipe for a Quick, Healthy Meal

Szechuan sauce is a sweet, spicy, tangy sauce from the Szechuan region of China made with peppercorns, ginger, garlic, soy sauce, and rice wine vinegar. Combining this sauce with tofu and vegetables makes it the perfect weeknight stir-fry dinner. I like to add bell peppers, mushrooms, carrots, and asparagus, but go ahead and experiment with other vegetables when you make this Szechuan style tofu recipe yourself!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Loaded with bright colored vegetables with tender cubes of tofu and a spicy sauce, this is a wonderful vegetable and tofu stir fry recipe. With a complexly flavored sauce that is sweet, spicy, garlicky, gingery, and fragrant with Chinese five spice, this Szechuan tofu recipe is excellent if you are on the fence about tofu. It can be bland tasting if prepared incorrectly but this dish ensures that each cube is coated in the sauce mixture that touches on so many notes. For other yummy tofu recipes, you may appreciate my Chinese Take-Out Style Black Pepper Tofu Recipe, my Tofu with Green Vegetables, or my Crispy Sweet Sour Tofu. Here are all the reasons why you will love this spicy tofu recipe in particular:

• Packed with Plant-based Protein: Tofu is a perfect ingredient to include in a vegan or vegetarian diet as a way to get more quality protein. In fact, a single 3 ounce serving of tofu contains around 9 grams of protein. 
• Saucy and Packed with Flavor: The Szechuan sauce is a key element of this veggie tofu stir fry recipe as it coats everything while also soaking into the tofu cubes slightly. The combination of spicy Szechuan peppercorns, salty soy sauce, tangy rice wine vinegar, and more takes the sauce over the top, and will likely make your mouth water with every bite.
• Comes Together in Moments: While you will need at least 15 minutes to chop all of your vegetables and to mix your sauce ingredients, this dish only needs 10 minutes of cooking time in a pan on the stove. This makes it a perfect meal to make anytime when you need something healthy and fast. For similarly quick and easy recipes, try my Korean Stir Fry or my Veggie Fried Rice, which is perfect for using up leftover rice.

Key Ingredients in This Recipe

If you are looking for a stir fry recipe that can rival the best takeout, then this recipe with tofu and vegetables will fit the bill perfectly. It contains an array of vegetables including carrots, red bell peppers, and cabbage. Here is everything you will need to make this dish:

Stir Fry

• tofu
• olive oil
• salt and pepper
• onion
• mushrooms
• cabbage
• carrots
• red bell pepper
• asparagus, snow peas, or green beans

Szechuan Sauce

• Szechuan peppercorns
• soy sauce or gluten-free soy sauce
• coconut sugar
• sesame oil
• rice wine vinegar
• mirin
• garlic cloves
• fresh ginger
• garlic chili paste
• Chinese five spice
• cornstarch

Step-by-Step Instructions

This is one of the best tofu recipes for beginners as it can be made quickly and is full of so much flavor that even picky eaters will likely enjoy it. Here is how to prepare this spicy tofu stir fry recipe:

1. In a skillet, heat oil and season generously with salt and pepper.  
2. Swirl seasoned oil around until it spreads out uniformly.  
3. Add tofu and sear on at least two sides until crispy and golden. Set aside.
4. In the same pan, add a little more oil if needed, then onion and mushrooms, and sauté over medium-high heat, stirring constantly until tender (about 3 minutes).
5. Add remaining veggies and sauté, tossing and stirring until just tender or al dente (about 3-5 minutes).
6. In a bowl, combine all Szechuan sauce ingredients (peppercorns, soy sauce, coconut sugar, sesame oil, rice wine vinegar, mirin, garlic, ginger, garlic chili paste, Chinese five spice, and cornstarch).
7. Add sauce to the pan, starting with ¼ cup and adding more to taste.
8. Cook until sauce it gets thick (about 2 minutes), tossing to warm up.
9. Serve with steamed jasmine rice.

Tips for the Best Results

Although this Szechuan style tofu recipe is very quick and easy to make, there are some things to consider to ensure the best results. Here are some things to keep in mind when you make this fiery tofu recipe:

• Pat the Tofu Dry: Since tofu is sold in brine, you will want to thoroughly drain it and pat it dry to remove any excess moisture before you cook it. This will ensure that the tofu browns sufficiently when it hits the pan while also improving its texture.
• Don’t Overcook the Vegetables: The vegetables should have an al dente texture to them so that they contrast with the softer tofu and retain their color. They should only need a few minutes to cook to reach a tender-crisp texture.
• Start with Only ¼ Cup of the Sauce: You can always add more sauce if you like but you can’t take it out if you add too much. For that reason, it is best to start by adding only a ¼ cup of the sauce and then scaling up as needed to meet your tastes.

Storage & Reheating

If you have some of this Szechuan style tofu recipe left over, you can store it in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 3 to 4 days, however, the vegetables and tofu will likely soften during the storage time. To reheat the stir fry, you can heat it in a microwave-safe bowl in the microwave or warm it up in a pan on the stove until it is warmed through.

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Delicious Szechuan Style Tofu Recipe for a Quick, Healthy Meal

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Szechuan sauce is a sweet, spicy, tangy sauce from the Szechuan region of China made with peppercorns, ginger, garlic, soy sauce, and rice wine vinegar. Combining this sauce with tofu and vegetables makes it the perfect weeknight stir-fry dinner. I like to add bell peppers, mushrooms, carrots, and asparagus, but go ahead and experiment with other vegetables when you make this Szechuan style tofu recipe yourself!

Servings: 4 people

Prep Time: 15 minutes mins

Cook Time: 10 minutes mins

Ingredients 

Stir Fry

• 14 ounces tofu, (patted dry, cubed)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 pinch salt and pepper, (generous)
• 1/2 cup onion, (thinly sliced)
• 4 ounces mushrooms, (sliced)
• 2 cups cabbage, (shredded)
• 1 cup carrots, (matchstick)
• 1/2 red bell pepper, (thinly sliced)
• 1 cup asparagus, snow peas, or green beans

Szechuan Sauce

• 1/2-1 teaspoon Szechuan peppercorns, (dry roasted, ground)
• 1/4 cup soy sauce or gluten-free soy sauce
• 3 tablespoons coconut sugar
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon mirin
• 3 cloves garlic, (finely minced)
• 2 teaspoons fresh ginger, (finely minced)
• 1 teaspoon garlic chili paste
• 1/2 teaspoon Chinese five spice
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch

Instructions 

• In a skillet, heat oil and season generously with salt and pepper.  
• Swirl seasoned oil around until it spreads out uniformly.  
• Add tofu and sear on at least two sides until crispy and golden. Set aside.
• In the same pan, add a little more oil if needed, then onion and mushrooms, and sauté over medium-high heat, stirring constantly until tender (about 3 minutes).
• Add remaining veggies and sauté, tossing and stirring until just tender or al dente (about 3-5 minutes).
• In a bowl, combine all Szechuan sauce ingredients (peppercorns, soy sauce, coconut sugar, sesame oil, rice wine vinegar, mirin, garlic, ginger, garlic chili paste, Chinese five spice, and cornstarch).
• Add sauce to the pan, starting with ¼ cup and adding more to taste.
• Cook until sauce it gets thick (about 2 minutes), tossing to warm up.
• Serve with steamed jasmine rice.

BON APPÉTIT!

Equipment

• 1 large skillet, or wok

Notes

• Pat the tofu dry to ensure that it browns well in the pan and has the best possible texture.
• Don't overcook the vegetables as you don't want them to be soft or soggy. They should only need a few minutes to become a nice al dente texture.
• Use only a 1/4 cup of the sauce to start and add more as needed.

Nutrition

Calories: 281kcalCarbohydrates: 26gProtein: 13gFat: 15gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 5gMonounsaturated Fat: 8gSodium: 908mgPotassium: 444mgFiber: 5gSugar: 13gVitamin A: 6107IUVitamin C: 39mgCalcium: 177mgIron: 3mg

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