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    Home » Recipes » Asian Inspired

    Published: Oct 1, 2022 by Willow Moon · This post may contain affiliate links. · As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. · I get commissions for purchases made through links in this post.

    Tofu Bell Pepper Stir Fry

    Jump to Recipe Pin Video

    This Tofu Bell Pepper Stir Fry has a balance of sweet, savory, and spicy flavors. It is an easy healthy meal. 

    Tofu Stir Fry with Bell Peppers in a bowl.

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    This Tofu Bell Pepper Stir Fry is sweet, savory, and spicy. It is packed with veggies and flavor!

    Eat it by itself or over rice, rice noodles, or quinoa.

    Serve some Glazed Tofu Meatballs, Vegan Gluten Free Cream Cheese Wontons, or a Vegetable Spring Roll as an appetizer.

    Another stir fry recipe that is packed with veggies is my Frozen Vegetable Stir Fry With Zucchini Noodles. It is done in about 15 minutes.

    Other recipes with tofu and bell peppers are my Tofu Quinoa Sushi Rolls and my Vegan Stuffed Peppers with Tofu.

    Jump to:
    • ❤️ Why You'll Love It
    • 🧾 Ingredients
    • 📖 Variations / Additions
    • 🔪 Instructions
    • 💭 Tips
    • 🍽 Serving
    • 👩🏻‍🍳 Recipe FAQs
    • 🍱 Other Asian-Inspired Recipes
    • 🎥  Video
    • 📋 Recipe
    • 💬 Comments

    ❤️ Why You'll Love It

    • It is sweet, savory, and spicy.
    • It has crispy tofu and healthy veggies in a flavorful sauce.
    • It's an easy meal with simple ingredients.

    🧾 Ingredients

    Ingredients for stir fry with labels.
    • Firm or extra firm tofu: I used firm tofu, but you could also use extra firm, which has less water. Whichever you choose, I suggest draining and pressing it to get the moisture out so it gets crispy.
    • Bell peppers: Red bell pepper and yellow bell pepper both add a sweet, crunchy bite. Green bell pepper adds a bitter note.
    • Mushrooms: Add an umami flavor and meaty texture.
    • Carrots: Add a sweet flavor and crunchy texture.
    • Onion: Adds a pungent flavor.
    • Serrano pepper: Adds a spicy note. You could use jalapeño pepper for less spice or habanero for more spice.
    • Garlic: Adds a pungent flavor.
    • Fresh ginger: Adds sweet and spicy flavor.
    • Tamari: Since I'm gluten intolerant, I like to use tamari in place of soy sauce. The low-sodium kind is my go-to. Tamari adds a salty umami flavor.
    • Maple syrup: Balances out the salty umami flavors in this dish. Adds sweetness. You can also use brown rice syrup or agave syrup.
    • Brown rice vinegar: For its acidity. I used unseasoned rice vinegar. It balances out the other flavors. You could also use lime juice.
    • Olive oil: To cook the tofu and veggies in. You could also use avocado oil, coconut oil, or sesame oil for a nutty flavor.
    • Salt and pepper: Watch how much salt and pepper you add. The tamari has a lot of sodium and the serrano pepper already adds a punch of spice.

    To see the full list of ingredients with measurements and instructions, see the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

    📖 Variations / Additions

    • Broccoli
    • Bamboo shoots
    • Bok choy
    • Snow peas or sugar snap peas
    • Green beans
    • Baby corn
    • Eggplant
    • Bean sprouts
    • Water chestnuts
    • Green onions
    • Sesame seeds
    • Red pepper flakes for more spice

    5 Secrets to Transforming Tofu

    Maple Dijon Baked Tofu Sandwich

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    🔪 Instructions

    Onions in a pan, tofu added to the pan, then carrots and peppers, last mushrooms and sauce added.
    1. Mix together maple syrup, brown rice vinegar, and tamari in a medium bowl. Set aside.
    2. Drain and press tofu. If you don't have tofu press, you can do this by putting the tofu in between a towel on a cutting board. Then, place a cast iron skillet or other heavy object on top. Let sit for 15 minutes like this. The towel will soak up the excess moisture. Slice into cubes.
    3. Heat olive oil in a large skillet on medium-high heat or wok on high heat. Add onions and cook until translucent.
    4. Add cubed tofu and cook until golden brown.
    5. Add ginger and garlic. Cook for a minute.
    6. Add carrots and peppers. Cook until slightly tender.
    7. Add mushrooms and sauce. Cook a few more minutes.
    8. Serve over white rice, brown rice, or rice noodles.

    💭 Tips

    • You can use your favorite veggies, just make sure to cook the hard vegetables first. They will take longer. Then, add soft vegetables.
    • If you are using a wok, cooking goes a lot faster than a frying pan. You will need less oil than I listed here.
    • Have all the vegetables cut ahead of time. It makes things a lot easier.

    🍽 Serving

    • As is - which is how I like it
    • Rice (my latest favorite is rice made from chickpeas)
    • Rice noodles
    • Quinoa
    Tofu Stir Fry with Bell Peppers in a bowl close up.

    👩🏻‍🍳 Recipe FAQs

    What type of tofu is best for a stir fry?

    Firm tofu or extra firm tofu is best for a vegan stir fry. It gets crispy when drained, pressed, and fried.

    Why is my tofu not crispy?

    You're either not draining and pressing it first or you're not cooking it long enough or at the right temperature.

    Do you have to press tofu for a stir fry?

    If you want it crispy, you'll need to drain the block of tofu and press it.

    How long will tofu stir fry last?

    This tofu bell pepper stir fry recipe will last 5 days in an airtight container in the fridge.

    🍱 Other Asian-Inspired Recipes

    • Tofu Peanut Noodles in. a bowl. with chopsticks.
      Tofu Peanut Noodles
    • Baked Tofu Temaki Sushi with Cauliflower Rice on a plate.
      Baked Tofu Temaki Sushi with Cauliflower Rice
    • Crispy Teriyaki Tofu and Cauliflower Rice on a plate.
      Crispy Teriyaki Tofu and Cauliflower Rice
    • Vegan Tempura
      Super Crispy Vegan Tempura

    🎥  Video

    If you tried this Tofu Bell Pepper Stir Fry Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a ⭐️ star rating and let me know how you like it in the 💬 comments below. I love hearing from you!

    This easy vegan stir fry can be eaten by itself or served over noodles or rice.

    I originally posted this recipe on February 14, 2015. I added new photos, text, and a video when I republished it. 

    📋 Recipe

    Tofu Stir Fry with Bell Peppers
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    5 from 2 votes

    Tofu Bell Pepper Stir Fry

    This Tofu Bell Pepper Stir Fry has a balance of sweet, savory, and spicy flavors. It is an easy healthy meal. 
    Course Main Course
    Cuisine Chinese inspired
    Diet Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian
    Prep Time 20 minutes minutes
    Cook Time 25 minutes minutes
    Total Time 45 minutes minutes
    Servings 6
    Calories 179kcal
    Author Willow Moon
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Ingredients

    • ¼  cup low sodium gluten free tamari
    • 2  tablespoons maple syrup
    • 2  tablespoons brown rice vinegar
    • 2  tablespoons olive oil
    • 1 cup chopped onion
    • 14 oz. firm tofu drained and pressed
    • 5 cups julienned red, green, and yellow peppers (3 peppers)
    • 1 cup julienned carrots
    • 1 ½  teaspoons finely diced serrano pepper
    • 1 cup sliced baby bella mushrooms (crimini)
    • 1 clove garlic minced
    • 1 tablespoon minced ginger
    • Salt and pepper
    US Customary - Metric

    Instructions

    • Mix together tamari, brown rice syrup, and brown rice vinegar.  Set aside.
    • Heat olive oil in a pan on medium-high heat or wok on high heat, add onions, and cook until translucent.
    • Slice drained and pressed tofu into cubes. Add cubed tofu to the pan with onions and cook until slightly browned.
    • Add minced garlic and ginger and cook about a minute.
    • Add carrots, and red, yellow and green peppers, and chopped serrano. Cook until almost tender.
    • Add mushrooms and sauce and cook a few more minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
    • Serve over rice or brown rice noodles.

    Notes

    This vegan stir fry recipe will last up to 5 days in an airtight container in the fridge.

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    Nutrition

    Calories: 179kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Sodium: 700mg | Potassium: 457mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 7457IU | Vitamin C: 163mg | Calcium: 115mg | Iron: 2mg
    SIGN UP for my newsletter, get a FREE 30 Minute Vegan Dinners 7-Day Meal Plan as a welcome gift! 💌

    *Note: Nutrition information should be considered an estimate only. Different nutrition calculators give you different results.

    More Asian Inspired

    • Thai Salad in a wood bowl.
      Thai Salad with Peanut Dressing
    • Sheet Pan Tofu and Veggies with Peanut Sauce in a bowl with sauce in the background.
      Sheet Pan Tofu and Veggies with Peanut Sauce
    • Thai Pizza on a cutting board.
      The Ultimate Thai Pizza
    • Ginger Hoisin Tofu on a bed of quinoa in a bowl.
      Easy Ginger Hoisin Tofu

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      5 from 2 votes (2 ratings without comment)

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Jared Kovacs (thehesitantchef) says

      January 17, 2016 at 1:40 pm

      This looks really tasty! Thanks for sharing.

      Reply
    2. parentingpatch says

      January 15, 2016 at 5:19 pm

      This recipe sounds and looks super yummy! I will keep this idea in mind when I want something new to feed my family.

      Reply
    3. Kayli says

      January 15, 2016 at 3:00 pm

      This sounds delicious! Pinning this for later.

      Reply
    4. Kristie says

      January 15, 2016 at 1:29 pm

      Looks really delicious and I love how you included the meaning of each ingredient! So cool.

      Kristie

      Reply
      • Willow Moon says

        January 15, 2016 at 2:29 pm

        Thanks! I love reading about other cultures, and found it interesting, so thought I would share.

        Reply
    5. everydayjennyblog says

      January 15, 2016 at 10:09 am

      This sounds delicous! Love all the symbolism!

      Reply
      • Willow Moon says

        January 15, 2016 at 2:27 pm

        It's interesting, isn't it!

        Reply
    6. Lakesha says

      January 15, 2016 at 10:44 am

      Looks good I must try it out

      Reply
    7. quintanj1 says

      January 15, 2016 at 9:43 am

      This looks delicious! I have never tried tofu but I am willing to try this!

      Reply
      • Willow Moon says

        January 15, 2016 at 2:27 pm

        I could eat tofu daily!

        Reply
    8. Abby says

      January 15, 2016 at 9:42 am

      Yum! What a great way to bring savory taste to tofu.

      Reply
    9. miragonz says

      January 15, 2016 at 10:01 am

      That looks so good! I am pinning so I can make it later.

      Reply

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    Tofu Stir Fry with Bell Peppers

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