I love peanut sauce, which you probably know by now if you’re a regular reader of this site. I toss it with noodles, serve it with summer rolls, and dip homemade vegan satay in it. But this is, I think, the first time I’ve worked it into a stir-fry. Boy have I been missing out!
Homemade Peanut Sauce
You can, if you’d like, save some time and use bottled peanut sauce for this recipe. But, I highly encourage you to make your own because, (1) it’ll turn out way better than the bottled stuff, and (2) it’s ridiculously easy. All you need to do is whisk a few ingredients together:
Peanut butter. This is the main ingredient in our peanut sauce. I recommend using a natural peanut butter of the creamy (not chunky) variety. I personally love Trader Joe’s brand. Hoisin sauce. This adds some savory undertones along with some sweet and salty flavors. Look for it near the soy sauce and stir-fry sauces at your supermarket. Soy sauce. For more savory and salty flavor. Maple syrup. You’ll need a bit of sweetness to balance out the flavors. Maple syrup is my go-to for this, though you could also use agave or even brown sugar if that’s what you’ve got on hand. Rice vinegar. For a bit of tartness. Lime juice makes a great substitute if that’s what’s available to you. Sriracha. Totally optional, but great for adding a little heat. Garlic and ginger. I like adding these aromatics right to the sauce, as it keeps the flavors nice and intense. Water. Use as much as you need to thin the sauce.
Taste-test your sauce and adjust any of the ingredients to get the flavor to your liking. Tip: this sauce works great as a salad dressing or as a dipping sauce for finger foods like dumplings.
How to Stir-Fry
You’ll want to have your sauce ready before you start cooking. Also chop your veggies, press and cut your tofu. Ready to go? Okay! The tofu gets cooked first, all by itself. Oil up a large skillet and arrange your tofu cube in an even layer. Let them cook for a few minutes, until they start to get brown and crispy on the bottoms. Now flip them and cook them for a few minutes more on the opposite sides. Take the tofu out of the skillet and transfer it to a plate. You can add some more oil to the skillet at this point if it seems dry. Turn the heat up to high. Add some chopped up scallions, but just the white parts — the greens will go in at the end. Stir-fry them for just a minute. Now all of the veggies go in! Flip and stir them continuously white they cook. After a few minutes they should start to become tender and brighten in color. Return the tofu to the skillet and add the sauce. Flip everything a few times to coat the tofu and veggies with sauce. Let the mixture cook for barely a minute, just to heat and thicken up the sauce a bit. Take your stir-fry off of the burner and top it with the green parts of your scallions and some chopped peanuts. Serve it with rice and enjoy!
Can this stir-fry be made gluten-free? Yup! Just use a gluten-free hoisin sauce and substitute gluten-free tamari for the soy sauce. Leftovers will keep in a sealed container in the fridge for about 3 days. Peanut-free version: this stir-fry should be equally delicious if you substitute almond butter for the peanut butter and chopped almonds for peanuts. Can different veggies be used? Absolutely! Broccoli, baby corn, celery, and bok choy would all be excellent choices! Just keep in mind that softer veggies (like bok choy) take less time to cook, so they should be added a bit later than the others. Need more guidance on how to pan-fry perfect tofu? Check out this post.
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