by A quick 30-minute meal, this tofu with fresh basil in a sticky ginger garlic sauce comes together in one pan on the stovetop and uses extra firm tofu! We simply pan-fry the tofu until it’s nice and crispy, then whisk together the sauce and pour it into the pan for a deliciously coated sticky tofu recipe that you can eat on its own or pair with rice for a healthy main meal!
As a Registered Dietitian, you already know that I’m allllll about easy healthy meals that come together FAST because just like you, I don’t want to be spending forever in the kitchen!
Because of that, I’ve shared tons of recipes that use tofu since it’s one of my favorite ways to make sure I’m getting a good dose of protein while still being super quick.
This Quick, Stovetop Ginger Garlic Basil Sticky Tofu is so freaking easy it’s almost unbelievable. Especially when you consider how DELICIOUS it is.
I tested this a few different ways because I wanted to include other delicious flavors like ginger and garlic in the recipe, and we use extra-firm tofu that we cube, rather than crumble, to get the perfect chewy texture!
Make It A Full Meal!
I’ve tested this garlic ginger tofu multiple ways and can confidently say that I LOVE pairing it with rice for a more filling meal! With that being said, it is still delicious on its own.
If you still want it to come together quickly without waiting for rice to cook, I’ve tested out using microwavable rice and I seriously can’t taste this difference in this recipe compared to stovetop rice.
Save this Recipe!
Tons of Saucy Goodness!
I tested this crispy tofu stir fry to perfection to make sure it has the most delicious balance of garlic, ginger and basil, and I think I knocked it out of the park!
I also tried simmering the tofu in the pan with the sauce rather than crisping it up beforehand, and I much prefer the texture when we crisp up the tofu first!
Finally, I found the perfect amount of cornstarch to use to make sure we get that perfect sticky-but-still-saucy consistency, so don’t skip out on this step!
Have extra basil leftover after making vegan basil stir-fry? I totally recommend trying my Creamy Dreamy Coconut Curry Noodle Soup next, since it’s made it one pot and only takes 30 minutes to whip up!
The Easy Vegan Dinner of Your Dreams!
Easy Garlic & Ginger Sticky Basil Tofu (with Extra Firm Tofu!)
Ingredients
For the Sauce
- 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 cup vegetable stock
- 1/4 cup sugar or maple syrup
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp cornstarch
For the Tofu
- 1 package extra firm tofu
- 2 tbsp olive oil, divided
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
Other Ingredients
- 1 bunch basil, divided in half
- 1/2 diced red onion
- 1/2 bell pepper
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp ginger, minced
Equipment
- 1 Small bowl
Instructions
Cook the Tofu
- Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the cubed extra firm tofu to the pan and sprinkle the garlic powder and salt on top. You could do this beforehand in a bowl if you’d rather, but I like saving a dish and doing it in the pan!
- Let the tofu cook for about 7-10 minutes, flipping every few minutes until it’s golden brown and crisp on all sides.
Make the Sauce
- While that’s cooking, whisk together the ingredients for the sauce.
Add All Components Together
- Once the tofu is golden brown on all sides, remove from the pan. Add the remaining 1 tbsp of olive oil and half the bunch of basil to the pan and let heat until wilted. Then, add the diced red onion, bell pepper, minced garlic and ginger to the pan and sauté for 3 minutes.
- Add the stir fry sauce and tofu to the pan with the remaining basil. Reduce the heat to low-medium and let the stir fry sauce come to a low simmer to thicken, stirring occasionally.
- Once the stir fry sauce has thickened so that most of it is sticking to the sides of the tofu, remove from heat and enjoy on its own or served with rice or noodles!
