Super easy and flavorful Thai Basil Tofu Stir Fry gets done in less than 20 minutes (including the prep time)!
Serve over jasmine rice for a perfect meal.
I have heard from most people that they either hate tofu or love it.
Basically, they don’t enjoy it as such but if it’s spiced or coated with sauce (in short flavorful), then they will love it.
I have the same thing with tofu. I absolutely love it when it’s wonderfully spiced like in this Tofu Tikka Masala or Honey Cashew Tofu.
But if you just give me a block of tofu and ask it to eat it as such (believe me that has happened with me before), I won’t be able to eat it!
Last week, I had a block of tofu sitting in my refrigerator. And I decided to make a stir-fry out of it using Thai basil.
It turned out so well and I am so excited to share this recipe with you guys!
This Thai Basil Tofu
✓ wonderfully flavored
✓ pairs well with rice or noodles
✓ has a wonderful texture
✓ gets done in less than 20 minutes!
I always use extra-firm tofu for my recipes. I just like the texture better.
A small tip if using extra-firm tofu – do not skip the step of pressing it with a heavy object for 15 to 20 minutes before using in the recipe.
The tofu absorbs more flavors when you do this, so don’t rush. Once that it done, this stir-fry comes together in less than 15 minutes.
Easy meals for the win!
I wanted the tofu to have some texture and so I dusted the tofu pieces with cornstarch. It made the tofu crisp and also gave it a nice texture that I personally loved.
For this Thai basil tofu recipe, I chopped the tofu into very small pieces. You can cut into large pieces but I thought the smaller ones worked better here.
Stir-Fry Sauce
This dish gets lot of it’s flavor from the sauce. I have used a very simple sauce here.
It’s made up of dark soy sauce, lime juice, sriracha, sesame oil and brown sugar.
Only 5 ingredients!
But if you ask me, the star of the dish is definitely the Thai Basil. I think I am just obsessed with it and feel like adding it to everything.
Keep in mind though, do not substitute the Thai Basil with Sweet Basil here. Thai basil is what you need for this recipe!
It gives this dish such a robust fresh flavor!
This basil tofu stir fry is such an easy recipe, takes no more than 20 minutes.
So, it’s perfect for those busy days when you are in a rush. You can have this amazingly flavorful dish ready to devour in less than 20 minutes.
I paired mine with white jasmine rice but it will go well with brown rice too. Or some sort of noodles will be amazing too!
Method
Before you start, press tofu with a heavy object like cast iron pan or mortar and pestle for around 20 minutes. This will help in getting rid of excess moisture and tofu will absorb the flavors better.
1- In a bowl whisk together dark soy sauce, lime juice, sriracha, brown sugar and toasted sesame oil. Set the sauce aside.
2- Once the tofu has been pressured for 20 minutes, chop it into very small cubes. Then add it to a bowl along with cornstarch, white pepper powder and salt. Toss to combine so that tofu pieces are coated with the cornstarch.
3- Heat a cast iron skillet on medium heat. Once it is hot, add the oil (I used avocado oil). Then add in the cornstarch coated tofu into the pan.
4- Let the tofu become lightly browned and crisp. The cornstarch coating gives it a nice texture. I cooked the tofu around 7 minutes, flipping once or twice in between.
5- Then add the garlic, ginger and red pepper. Stir and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until ginger-garlic start changing color.
6 & 7- Stir in the prepared sauce. Mix well and cook for 30 seconds or so until all the tofu is well coated with the sauce.
8- Remove pan from heat and stir in the chopped thai basil. Mix.
Add more Thai basil and serve the Thai Basil Tofu Stir Fry over jasmine rice!
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Thai Basil Tofu Stir Fry
Ingredients
- 8 oz extra-firm tofu 226 grams, cut into very small cubes
- 2 teaspoons dark soy sauce 10 ml
- 3 teaspoons lime juice 15 ml
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce like sriracha, or adjust to taste
- 1.5 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil 5 ml
- 1.5 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1/4 teaspoon white pepper powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt or to taste
- 1.5 tablespoons oil 22 ml, I used avocado oil
- 5-6 large garlic cloves finely chopped
- 1 inch ginger finely chopped
- 1 large red pepper sliced
- 1/2 cup chopped thai basil
Instructions
- Before you start, press tofu with a heavy object like cast iron pan or mortar and pestle for around 20 minutes. This will help in getting rid of excess moisture and tofu will absorb the flavors better.
- In a bowl whisk together dark soy sauce, lime juice, sriracha, brown sugar and toasted sesame oil. Set the sauce aside.
- Once the tofu has been pressured for 20 minutes, chop it into very small cubes. Then add it to a bowl along with cornstarch, white pepper powder and salt. Toss to combine so that tofu pieces are coated with the cornstarch.
- Heat a cast iron skillet on medium heat. Once it is hot, add the oil (I used avocado oil). Then add in the cornstarch coated tofu into the pan.
- Let the tofu become lightly browned and crisp. I cooked the tofu around 7 minutes, flipping once or twice in between.
- Then add the garlic, ginger and red pepper. Stir and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until ginger-garlic start changing color.
- Stir in the prepared sauce. Mix well and cook for 30 seconds or so until all the tofu is well coated with the sauce.
- Remove pan from heat and stir in the chopped thai basil and mix.
- Add more Thai basil and serve the Thai Basil Tofu Stir Fry over jasmine rice!
Notes
- If you want some crunch in this recipe, add peanuts or cashews to it. They would go very well here.
- You can make this recipe with paneer too, should work just fine.
- I love making this recipe in my cast iron skillet but you can use any wok too.
It looks like there are red peppers and maybe carrots in the picture that accompanies the recipe, but these are not listed in the ingredients. Can you comment please.
There are red peppers and that’s mentioned in the recipe, please go through it again. There are no carrots.
I didn’t love this – the sauce didn’t taste as flavorful as I would have hoped.
Thanks for trying Andrew, sorry you didn’t like it. Thai basil adds so much flavor so not sure what went wrong
By any chance, did you use regular soy sauce instead of dark? I made it verbatim and it was super flavorful, which made me wonder. That’s all.
For a review, I followed the recipe to a t for 99% of it. It ended up being a last minute throw together dinner and my kitchen was lacking the red pepper, but I threw in the last tablespoon of pimientos I had. The sauce is a great vehicle for all sorts of things. I added sliced cabbage. If I’d had some cool mushrooms, they would’ve been tossed in. Remember that lime is the much needed acid, so let it flow! Great dinner, thanks for the recipe.
glad you liked it Mimi!
Absolutely delicious! Don’t be intimidated by the long list of ingredients. It really is easy. I doubled the sauce and will double the whole recipe next time. My family loved it!
Thanks for the lovely feedback Robyn!