This is an easy and delicious stir-fry recipe with tofu, asparagus, and plenty of garlicky, savory sauce with a hint of sweetness. The tofu is crispy and pleasantly chewy, while the asparagus is perfectly cooked to retain its flavor and tender-crisp texture.
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Why you’ll love this recipe
- Stir-frying is a quick and easy way of bringing hot, delicious food to the table.
- It's a great way to use asparagus when they are abundant or simply substitute with another vegetable or a combination.
- Tofu is an inexpensive, high-protein alternative to meat that is amazing when cooked right.
What you’ll need
Ingredient notes and substitutions
- Tofu: There are many options out there, but for this recipe, you will need a "firm" or "extra-firm" block of tofu sold in plastic tubs. Read the label carefully and skip the silken variety you use for taho (Tofu with Sago and Syrup) and other recipes.
- Soy sauce: Use an all-purpose soy sauce or one that is labeled as "light soy sauce," but not dark soy sauce.
- Chili Garlic Sauce: It is made from ground red chilies with a thick chunky consistency used as a condiment or a cooking ingredient in Asian cuisine. I use it in sauces like Asian Chili Garlic Shrimp or stir-fries; it adds heat without changing the dish's flavor. You can also use Sambal Oelek or Sriracha in place of it. If you don't like the heat, skip it.
- Shaoxing Wine: An amber-colored Chinese rice wine essential in Chinese and Chinese-influenced Filipino cooking. There's usually a minimal amount added to the dish but it does make a difference. I like it for stir-fries like Beef stir fry with onions and peppers, braises/stews, and sauces. It adds depth, enhancing the flavors in the dish. To substitute in this recipe, you can use any other Chinese cooking wine, Mirin, dry sherry, or Japanese rice wine (sake).
- Oil: Use a neutral-tasting oil that can withstand high heat, like canola or vegetable oil.
- Sesame oil: Use the dark-colored variety made from toasted sesame seeds — not to be confused with the neutral-flavored light sesame oil made from raw sesame seeds. The dark variety has a strong flavor and aroma used for seasoning (not as regular oil) and is added in the last minutes of cooking. It can be overpowering in excess; a little goes a long way.
How to make this recipe
Drain the tofu. (1)Split it in half and (2)cut them up into bite-size pieces. (3)Place them on paper towels and pat dry to drain more water out — the crispier it'll get when fried or baked.
Fry the tofu - 3 ways:
OPTION A: Air Fryer – (4a)Grease your air fryer basket with cooking spray. (4b)Place the tofu pieces in a single layer making sure not to overcrowd them. Depending on the size of your air fryer, you may have to do it in separate batches.
(4c)Cook at 400° Fahrenheit (200° Celsius) for 10-12 minutes. (4d)They are ready when browned and crispy. Be sure to shake the pan halfway through to ensure even cooking.
OPTION B: Oven – (4a)Generously grease your baking sheet. (4b)Spread out the tofu pieces. Bake at 400° Fahrenheit (200° Celsius) for 20 minutes. (4c)They are ready when crispy and nicely browned. Be sure to flip them halfway through to crisp the other side.
OPTION C: Wok or Pan – Set your wok, skillet, or sauté pan to medium-high heat and add oil to cover the bottom. (4a)When the oil is hot and ready, add the tofu in a single layer. Do not overcrowd so they don't steam. Let them brown and crisp for about 2 minutes before flipping, or they will stick to the pan. (4b)Brown the other side for the same amount of time. Drain on paper towels.
Prepare the aromatics and vegetables: Wash the asparagus, line them up on a cutting board, and (5)slice off the woody ends where the green starts to fade into white. (6)Cut them diagonally into 2-inch sections. (7)Cut the scallions the same way.
(8)Smash the garlic. (9)Mince them up (or grate!) with a knife.
(10)Using a hand grater (or a microplane or a box grater), grate the ginger. (11)Make sure to gather everything on the back of the grater.
Make the stir-fry sauce: (12)In a small bowl or cup, combine the cornstarch, Chili Garlic Sauce, sugar, Shaoxing wine, soy sauce, and ⅔ cup water. Stir them together.
Stir fry: Set your wok or pan to medium-high heat and add about a tablespoon of oil. (13)Sauté the ginger and garlic for about 30 seconds. Careful not to brown them, or they'll be burnt when the whole thing is done. (14)Add the scallions.
(15)Add the asparagus and stir, cook for 2 minutes (1 minute for thin asparagus). Keep them moving in the pan, so they don't burn. (16)Add the tofu.
When you add the sauce, it will immediately bring the temperature down so turn up the heat a notch. (17)Pour the sauce over and toss them together. (18)Let the sauce cook and thicken for about a minute. Add the sesame oil and some ground pepper. Give it a taste and adjust accordingly. Turn off the heat.
Serve: It's best served with rice or noodles and enjoyed while it's hot!
Frequently asked questions and tips
Straight out of the package, tofu tastes quite bland, making it perfect for soaking up flavors in the dish. Depending on the variety, it can be creamy, firm, or spongy.
Asparagus has its own distinct, strong flavor. Raw asparagus tastes grassy and slightly bitter; however, proper cooking brings out the sweetness of the asparagus.
You can forget about the name of this dish and try other vegetables like green beans, Chinese broccoli, broccoli, cauliflower, snow peas, or bok choy.
If you have one, use it. A wok has its advantages and is ideal for stir-fries and fried rice like crabmeat fried rice, where you can toss the food around or push it to its sides while the oil can drain. You can use a skillet or sauté pan that's large enough where the ingredients get lots of contact with the hot pan. They say you won't achieve wok hei this way, that unique smoky flavor and aroma you get from cooking in a wok, but it will work just fine.
The key takeaway
Stir-fries come together fast, so all the ingredients must be prepped and ready before starting.
Watch how I make it here
More vegetable recipes you may like
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📖 Recipe
Tofu and Asparagus Stir Fry
Equipment
- A wok or skillet or sauté pan
- Air Fryer or Oven (optional)
Ingredients
- 1 block (14 or 16 ounces) "firm" or "extra-firm" tofu (397 or 454 grams)
- 1 pound (454 grams) asparagus cut diagonally into 2-inch sections
- 2 stalks scallions cut into 2-inch sections
- 6 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon finely grated or minced ginger
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon Chili Garlic Sauce
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- ⅔ cup water
- 2 teaspoons sesame oil
- Ground pepper to taste
Instructions
Fry the tofu - 3 ways:
- Drain the tofu and cut it up into bite-size pieces. Place them on paper towels and pat them dry to drain more water out — the crispier it'll get when fried or baked.
- Air Fryer – Grease your air fryer basket with cooking spray and place the tofu pieces in a single layer, making sure not to overcrowd them. Depending on the size of your air fryer, you may have to do it in separate batches. Fry at 400° Fahrenheit (200° Celsius) for 10-12 minutes until browned and crispy. Shake the pan halfway through to ensure even cooking.
- Oven – Generously grease your baking sheet and spread out the tofu pieces. Bake at 400° Fahrenheit (200° Celsius) for 20 minutes total until crisp and nicely browned. Flip them halfway through to crisp the other side.
- Wok or Pan – Set your wok or pan to medium-high heat and add oil to cover the bottom. When the oil is hot and ready, add the tofu in a single layer. Do not overcrowd so they don't steam. Let them brown and crisp for about 2 minutes before flipping, or they will stick to the pan. Brown the other side for the same amount of time.
Prepare the aromatics and vegetables:
- Wash the asparagus, line them up on a cutting board, and slice off the woody ends where the green starts to fade into white. Cut them diagonally into 2-inch sections.
- Cut the scallions into 2-inch sections.
- Mince or grate the garlic and ginger.
Make the stir-fry sauce:
- In a small bowl or cup, combine the cornstarch, Chili Garlic Sauce, sugar, Shaoxing wine, soy sauce, and ⅔ cup water.
- Stir them together.
Stir-fry:
- Set your wok or pan to medium-high heat and add about a tablespoon of oil
- Sauté the ginger and garlic for about 30 seconds. Careful not to brown them, or they'll be burnt when the whole thing is done.
- Add the scallions and the asparagus, cook for 2 minutes (1 minute for thin asparagus). Keep them moving in the pan, so they don't burn.
- Add the tofu and the stir-fry sauce. When you add the sauce, it will immediately bring the temperature down so turn up the heat a notch.
- Toss them together and let the sauce cook and thicken for about a minute.
- Add the sesame oil and some ground pepper.
- Give it a taste and adjust accordingly. Turn off the heat.
Serve:
- Serve with rice or noodles to soak up all the sauce.
Video
Notes
- Tofu: For this recipe, you will need a "firm" or "extra-firm" block of tofu sold in plastic tubs.
- Soy sauce: Use an all-purpose soy sauce or one that is labeled as "light soy sauce," but not dark soy sauce.
- Chili Garlic Sauce: It is made from ground red chilies with a thick chunky consistency used as a condiment or a cooking ingredient in Asian cuisine. You can also use Sambal Oelek or Sriracha in place of it. If you don't like the heat, skip it.
- Shaoxing Wine: An amber-colored Chinese rice wine essential in Chinese and Chinese-influenced Filipino cooking. There's usually a minimal amount added to the dish but it does make a difference. It adds depth, enhancing the flavors in the dish. To substitute in this recipe, you can use any other Chinese cooking wine, Mirin, dry sherry, or Japanese rice wine (sake).
- Oil: Use a neutral-tasting oil that can withstand high heat, like canola or vegetable oil.
- Sesame oil: Use the dark-colored variety made from toasted sesame seeds — not to be confused with the neutral-flavored light sesame oil made from raw sesame seeds. The dark variety has a strong flavor and aroma used for seasoning (not as regular oil) and is added in the last minutes of cooking. It can be overpowering in excess; a little goes a long way.
- Vegetable substitutes: You can forget the name of this dish and try other vegetables like green beans, Chinese broccoli, broccoli, cauliflower, snow peas, or bok choy.
Bim
This is a healthy menu and easy to make. Yummy!
Edna
Delicious and healthy and so easy to make!
Thanks for sharing💕