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This ground tofu stir fry is one of my favorite ways to use tofu right now – and I mean that. Shredded tofu gets cooked until golden and crispy, then tossed in a deeply savory sauce with colorful veggies and served over rice. It’s filling, flavorful, and honestly hard to believe there’s no meat in it.
Maybe one of my FAVORITE tofu recipes ever!
I have a LOT of tofu recipes on my blog but this one might just be in my top 5! It’s super simple to throw together but also PACKED with so much flavor. PLUS, it actually reheats well which cannot be said for most tofu recipes.
If you’re new to tofu, I’m super confident that you will love this recipe!
Why You’ll Love This:
- Uses shredded tofu that cooks up golden and crispy – no pressing required
- The sauce is rich, savory, and slightly sweet with a hint of ginger
- Ready in about 30 minutes, start to finish
- Great for meal prep – reheats really well
Ingredients needed
The ingredients for this recipe are listed fully down in the recipe card but let’s briefly go over the pantry staples needed including a few substitutions you can make as desired!
- Extra firm tofu – the base of this recipe; shredded on a box grater so it cooks up like ground meat. Super firm tofu also works great and doesn’t need pressing.
- Vegetarian beef bouillon – this is the secret to that deep, savory flavor; I use Better Than Bouillon (vegetarian beef or generic veggie both work). A bouillon cube or swap the water for broth works too.
- Soy sauce – adds saltiness and umami; tamari works for a gluten-free version.
- Maple syrup – just a touch of sweetness to balance the salty, savory flavors.
- Fresh ginger – adds warmth and brightness; dried ginger works in a pinch (use half the amount).
- Tomato paste – gives the sauce body and a subtle richness.
- Toasted sesame oil – adds a nutty, slightly smoky flavor that makes the veggies shine.
- Bell pepper – I prefer red, yellow, or orange here because they’re sweeter than green; thinly sliced.
- Onion – thinly sliced so it softens quickly.
- Green beans – adds texture and color; trimmed and left whole or halved.
- Garlic – freshly minced for the best flavor; don’t skip it.
How to Make It
Just a reminder that you can find the FULL written recipe down in the recipe card, but I want to quickly go over how to make them with visuals for you :)
- Shred the tofu. Using the large side of a box grater, grate the block of tofu.
- Make the sauce. Whisk together the sauce ingredients in a small bowl or measuring cup.
- Saute the veggies. Saute the veggies in a large skillet with a little oil. Once they’re crispy tender, set aside and gently wipe the skillet clean.
- Crisp the tofu. Add a little more oil and the tofu. Cook for about 10 minutes or until the tofu is browned and starts to dry out.
- Add the sauce. Mix in the sauce and cook for 2 additional minutes.
- Mix in the veggies and finish. Add the veggies back to the skillet and toss to coat in the sauce. Cook for another minute and enjoy!
Recipe Tips
- Grate the tofu, don’t crumble it. Using the large side of a box grater gives you fluffy, shred-like pieces that cook more evenly and get crispier than hand-crumbled tofu. Some bigger chunks will fall off – just gently push them through.
- Cook the moisture out first. Let the tofu sit in the hot skillet without constantly stirring – you want most of the moisture to evaporate and the tofu to turn golden before adding the sauce. Rushing this step is the #1 reason tofu ends up soggy.
- Cook the veggies first. Setting them aside keeps them from overcooking while the tofu does its thing. The slight char from the first cook actually makes them taste better.
- Taste the sauce before adding it. The bouillon and soy sauce together can vary in saltiness depending on the brand, so give it a quick taste and adjust.
- Keep the heat medium, not high. High heat can burn the tofu before the moisture has a chance to cook out. Medium is the sweet spot for golden and crispy.
Ground Tofu Stir Fry
This Ground Tofu Stir Fry uses shredded extra firm tofu cooked until golden and crispy, then tossed in a savory, umami-rich sauce with bell pepper, green beans, and onion. It's a satisfying 30-minute meatless dinner that comes together in one skillet and is great for meal prep.
Video
Ingredients
For the veggies
- 1 teaspoon of toasted sesame oil
- 1 bell pepper, I prefer red, yellow, or orange as they’re sweeter than green, thinly sliced
- 1 small onion, thinly sliced
- 8 oz green beans, trimmed
- 2 cloves of garlic, minced
For the tofu “meat”
- 15 oz extra firm tofu, Super firm tofu also works great!
- 1 tablespoon olive oil, divided
- 1 teaspoon vegetarian beef bouillon*
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- ⅓ cup water, start with a couple tbs and see how much it needs
- ½ tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated (or ½ teaspoon of fried ginger)
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add in the bell pepper, onion, and green beans. Cook, stirring every couple of minutes, for 8 minutes.
- Place the veggies in a bowl and gently wipe the skillet clean with a paper towel (it doesn’t need to be completely clean).
- Using the large side of a box grater, shred the block of tofu. Some large chunks will fall off, so I take those and very gently push them through the grater.
- In the same skillet you cooked the veggies, heat ½ tablespoon of olive oil. Once hot, add in the shredded tofu and cook, stirring every couple of minutes, for about 10 minutes or until the tofu turns a golden brown color and most of the moisture has cooked out.
- Meanwhile, make the sauce by whisking together ½ tablespoon of olive oil, bouillon, soy sauce, water, maple syrup, ginger, and tomato paste. Once the tofu has turned golden, add the sauce, stir, and cook for 2 more minutes.
- Add the veggies back to the pan and stir to combine. Cook for an additional minute to bring everything together and warm the veggies back up.
Notes
Storage + Reheating: – Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat in a skillet over medium heat for the best texture, or microwave until warmed through – it reheats really well either way. Store the rice separately if possible.
- Bouillon – I highly recommend keeping Better Than Bouillon on hand at all times. This recipe calls for the vegetarian beef flavor, but the generic vegetarian bouillon works just as well. You can also use a bouillon cube, or swap the water in this recipe for broth entirely.
- Tofu – No need to press it first. Grating releases most of the moisture naturally, and the rest cooks off in the skillet.
- Make it gluten-free – Use tamari instead of soy sauce and check your bouillon label.
Nutrition
Calories: 163kcal, Carbohydrates: 15g, Protein: 12g, Fat: 7g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 3g, Sodium: 1157mg, Potassium: 512mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 8g, Vitamin A: 1445IU, Vitamin C: 49mg, Calcium: 74mg, Iron: 3mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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