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This Vegan Black Pepper Tofu Stir Fry is saucy, spicy, and delicious! Skip the restaurant takeout and make this cozy asian-inspired dish at home.
This recipe is sponsored by Nasoya.
We’ve been craving Chinese takeout over here. . . but haven’t really felt like leaving the house. So I’ve been busy as a bee in the kitchen, whipping up some tasty remakes of our asian-inspired favorites! Today we’re making Black Pepper Tofu. This Chinese-inspired recipe is saucy, surprisingly packed with veggies, and delightfully addicting.
I’m excited to say that I’m partnering with Nasoya for this recipe! Nasoya makes my favorite organic tofu in a wide variety of textures. I believe it’s important to buy the best-tasting, high-quality tofu you can get, which is why I always stick with Nasoya.
INGREDIENTS FOR BLACK PEPPER TOFU
Crispy, golden tofu and stir fried vegetables get enveloped in a spicy black pepper sauce to complete this cozy and satisfying dish. You can break the ingredients down into three main categories:
- Crispy Tofu: we’ll coat our tofu in soy sauce and cornstarch, then bake it in the oven to get it nice and crispy before tossing with our vegetables. I chose to use Nasoya’s Extra Firm Tofu for this recipe, as it has as great texture and bakes beautifully in the oven. If you don’t want to press your tofu ahead of time, you can use their Super Firm Tofu as well!
- Stir Fry: I chose to use some white onion, celery, shiitake mushrooms, and green bell pepper for my stir-fry! The shiitake mushrooms are not traditional, but they add extra depth of flavor and help to replace the fish sauce that is normally in this recipe. That being said, feel free to use your favorite stir fry vegetables in this recipe instead.
- Black Pepper Sauce: a.k.a. the key flavor component to this recipe. We’ll make our black pepper sauce by combining coarsely ground black peppercorns with some soy sauce, rice vinegar, ginger, garlic, vegetable broth, and a touch of coconut sugar. Cornstarch also helps to thicken the sauce and give it a nice glossy finish.
It’s important to note that you must use freshly ground black pepper here. Pre-ground black pepper does not taste the same and will burn in the oil without adding much flavor. See the recipe notes of this post for two easy ways to do this without a pepper grinder!
HOW TO MAKE BLACK PEPPER TOFU STIR FRY
This recipe comes together in no time at all, thanks to simple steps and some multitasking:
- Coat your tofu in tamari and cornstarch, then bake it in the oven to crisp up
- Fry some coarsely ground black peppercorns in a touch of oil, until they bloom
- Sauté the pepper-infused oil with garlic, ginger, and your favorite veggies
- Pour in your sauce and (now crispy) tofu, then simmer and serve!
Cooking the black peppercorns in oil before adding the remainder of the ingredients allows them to infuse the oil and get that tingly, pepper-y goodness into every bite of this stir fry. I’ve included an oil-free option in the recipe notes, but know that the pepper will not permeate the dish as thoroughly.
If you time this recipe right, you can pop your tofu straight out of the oven and into your stir fry, then simmer for a few minutes and you’re done! I prefer to serve by Black Pepper Tofu over a bowl of fluffy white rice, but feel free to serve as you please.
All in all, this Black Pepper Tofu Stir Fry is so dang good, and I really hope you try it out! It totally satisfies my takeout cravings, all while saving me money and preventing me from having to leave my house 😉 If you’re looking for more asian-inspired recipes, you’ll also love this Vegan Sesame “Chicken“ and these Saucy Stovetop Peanut Tempeh Bowls.
Finally, if you make this recipe and decide to share it on Facebook or Instagram, don’t forget to tag me @FromMyBowl, @Nasoya, and #FromMyBowl + #AmericasFavoriteTofu! I love seeing your delicious recreations 🙂
PrintBlack Pepper Tofu Stir Fry
This Vegan Black Pepper Tofu Stir Fry is saucy, spicy, and delicious! Skip the restaurant takeout and make this cozy asian-inspired dish at home.
- Prep Time: 10 Minutes
- Cook Time: 30 Minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: Serves 2-4 1x
- Category: Main
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Asian
- Diet: Vegan
Ingredients
For the Crispy Tofu:
- 1 14-ounce (400 g) package Nasoya Extra Firm Tofu, pressed*
- 1 tablespoon low sodium soy sauce or tamari*
- 1–2 tablespoons cornstarch (or sub nutritional yeast for more flavor)
For the Black Pepper Sauce:
- 1 tablespoons neutral-flavored oil, such as peanut or avocado
- 2 teaspoons coarsely ground black pepper*
- 2–3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, finely grated
- ½ cup (120 ml) vegan chicken-flavored broth (or sub vegetable)
- ¼ cup (60 ml) low-sodium tamari or soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar (other source 1 tbsp)
- 2 teaspoons coconut sugar*
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch or arrowroot powder
For the Stir Fry:
- 1/2 yellow onion, sliced
- 2 celery stalks, cut into thin slices on a bias
- 3 ounces (85 g) shiitake mushrooms, thinly sliced
- 1 green bell pepper, cut into thin wedges
- Cooked rice, for serving (Optional)
Instructions
- Bake the Tofu: Preheat the oven to 450F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat. While the oven is preheating, slice and prep your produce and tofu. Cut the block of tofu in half, then cut each half into 16 equal cubes. Place the tofu into a medium bowl, then drizzle the soy sauce over the tofu. Use a spatula to gently mix the tofu until all of the liquid is absorbed; sprinkle with cornstarch, then gently fold again until the tofu is coated. Transfer the tofu to the lined baking sheet, then bake in the top rack of the oven for 20-25 minutes, until golden.
- Make the Stir Fry: Once you get the tofu in the oven, prep your produce and prepare all the sauce ingredients. Bring a large wok or sauté pan to medium heat, then add in the oil. Once the oil is warm, add the coarsely ground black pepper; fry for 30 seconds, until the pepper is fragrant. Add the ginger and garlic to the oil and cook for an additional 60 seconds, until golden and fragrant.
- Add the Veggies: Toss the onion and celery into the pan and sauté for 1-2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Then, add the shiitake mushrooms to the pan and cook until wilted, about 1-2 minutes. Add the green bell pepper to the pan and sauté for 1 minute. At this point, the tofu should be cooked; carefully remove it from the baking tray and transfer to the pan.
- Get Saucy: whisk the broth, soy sauce vinegar, sugar, and cornstarch together in a small bowl, until the cornstarch and sugar are dissolved. Pour the sauce over the cooking vegetables and tofu, stirring it into the vegetables until everything is evenly coated. The sauce will thicken as it warms up; cook until everything is warm, or until the vegetables are softened to your liking.
- Serve over cooked white rice, or as desired; leftovers will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days, though the tofu will soften once refrigerated.
Notes
- Tofu: if you do not own a tofu press or would prefer to not press your tofu, swap the extra firm tofu for Nasoya Super Firm Tofu instead.
- Soy Sauce: use a gluten-free soy sauce or tamari, if you have a gluten intolerance.
- Black Pepper: you must use freshly ground black pepper here. Pre-ground black pepper does not taste the same and will burn in the oil without adding much flavor. If you do not have a pepper grinder that allows you to grind the pepper coarsely, place the peppercorns in a resealable plastic bag, and cover in a towel. Place on top of a cutting board, then use a hammer to smash the peppercorns until coarsely ground. Alternatively, you can also use a mortar and pestle.
- Sweetener: as long as the sweetener is dissolved into the marinade before adding to the vegetables, it really doesn’t matter what you use here. Maple syrup or brown sugar would also be great substitutes!
Keywords: black pepper tofu, vegan black pepper chicken, black pepper stir fry, vegan asian recipes, asian stir fry vegan
This recipe is amazing! Best meal I’ve had in a long time and the best way to start off 2021.This is also the first time I’ve ever cooked something that looks like the picture lol. Can’t wait to make this again!
★★★★★
Thank you! So happy you enjoyed it!
Love this recipe and it is in my monthly rotation. I had never had a black pepper sauce before this and it is a fun, unique taste. I usually double the sauce and add more veggies, like broccoli. I admit that sometimes I get lazy and just bake the tofu without the soy sauce and corn starch. Still great. Thank you for expanding my recipe repertoire!!
★★★★★
Thanks so much for trying it! Glad you’ve enjoyed it and made it your own!
This was sooo good! I made it for my family and they loved it. I’m highly allergic to mushrooms so I used Chinese eggplant instead and it was amazing! I even messed up on step 2 and it was still good. Great recipe!
★★★★★
I also used coconut aminos instead of soy sauce
Definitely a perfect substitute!
What a great substitute! Thanks so much for trying it out!
My parents and I absolutely love this recipe! I’ve made it three times in the past two weeks, it’s that good! The only sub I do is coconut aminos for tamari. For veggies I’ve used bok choy or broccoli.
★★★★★
Those are good substitutions! Happy to hear you’ve been enjoying it with your parents too!
This was amazing! Very flavorful sauce. I’ve never baked the tofu before stir frying it, and that was a revelation because the tofu’s texture balanced the rest of the stir fry instead of becoming mush.
★★★★★
Glad you tried it out! Tofu is very versatile! We use tofu for vegan mayo, silken tofu for desserts, and of course plenty of uses for dinners.
Have already made this a couple of times, the family loves it, although we used a little less black pepper the second time because it was a tad hot…..
★★★★★
Glad you’re getting some good use from it!
This was soo tasty! Black pepper sauce doesn’t seems to be as prevalent on the east coast for chinese food (my parents had never heard of it) but I lived in California for 6 years so I knew of it well. Needless to say, we all liked it! I’d definitely double the sauce recipe if you want to have sauce to serve over the rice, as this just makes enough to coat everything in the stir fry. I also added some broccoli and carrots, and definitely recommend using nutritional yeast on the tofu along with the cornstarch, as it added a lot of flavor. Thanks again for a yummy and easy recipe!
★★★★★
Thank you so much! Glad everyone enjoyed it!
This was soooo delicious! Thank you for sharing!
★★★★★
Thank you! And thanks for making it!
I made this! It turned out a darker color than yours, so it wasn’t as photogenic, but it was really good! I’ve never thought to bake my fofu beforehand, its a game changer for sure. Thanks for the great recipe Caitlin.
As long as it came out tasting good! Sometimes making things photogenic takes a couple tries haha.
Just made it and loved it! Even my meat eating husband loved it. Thank you!!!
★★★★★
Awesome! Love when non-vegans like a recipe!
This was amazing thank you so much for this. Only question I have is do you have nutritional information anywhere for your recipes?
★★★★★
Yay! Thank you! Out of personal philosophy we don’t calculate calories or nutritional info but Cronometer is a good way to find out that info on any recipe.
This is so ridiculously tasty! Definitely a keeper.
★★★★★
Thank you!
I really like this recipe a lot. This will definitely be one we will make again. The only changes I would make would be, not use as much pepper or rice vinegar. I would use half the pepper and very little vinegar.
Glad you liked it!
I’m vegan and not a fan of tofu, but this recipe just made me change my mind! It was delicious!!! I’ll be making this regularly. Thank you!
★★★★★
Yes! So happy that you liked the recipe (even if you’re not a fan of tofu)!
This is excellent with a unique peppery flavor my whole family loved. I doubled the recipe and added sliced water chestnuts and carrot shreds. I had to make a substitution because I only had 1 T of rice wine vinegar left so I finished with Mirin and skipped the sweetener.
★★★★★
Mirin is a great idea! Love that your family loved it – thank you so much!
This is glorious! Soo spicy and tasty … and I’m only cooking my tofu this way from now on! Can’t wait to try this with lots of different types of veg 🙂 Thanks Caitlin!
★★★★★
There’s definitely lots you can throw in with it! Thanks for the kind words!
Delicious! I am not a cracked pepper fan, so we just used regular black pepper and it was fantastic with just enough of a kick. This is our new favorite stir-fry recipe…our last go-to stir fry had more oil and wasn’t as tasty. We used broccoli, shredded cabbage, green beans, and celery for veggies. Next time I think I’ll add edemame.
★★★★★
That sounds awesome! Glad you have a new go to stir-fry (especially since it’s ours!).
Just made this for dinner and it is incredible. Super balanced and easy to make.
★★★★★
Appreciate the kind words!
The best recipe on the blog ???? I could eat this every night lol
★★★★★
Yay! Glad you like it so much!
Hi! Can tempeh be used instead of tofu?
Yes, I think you could modify it to work well with tempeh. Of course tempeh is a little more dense and doesn’t absorb quite as well but it could still work!