Hunan tofu is sauteed with Asian vegetables in this classic recipe that's full of authentic Chinese flavor. It's easy to prepare, and is a unique way to enjoy tofu and veggies that's much healthier than ordering a takeaway.
I love any kind of stir fried tofu with veggies! It's easy, healthy, delicious and budget friendly, plus it's a one pan meal. Minimal dishes equals winning.
Asian tofu dishes like this Szechwan tofu are amongst my favorite to recreate at home. It's satisfying to achieve that crave-worthy taste and texture of a takeaway, without all the oil and preservatives you might get if you ordered in. Plus, when you make your own homemade tofu and veggie recipes at home, you can be guaranteed that they're 100% vegan.
If you enjoy unique and flavorful tofu recipes, you might want to check out my popular 15 Different Tofu Marinades.
Reasons You'll Love This Recipe
✅If you like authentic Chinese dishes, just like you'd get from a Chinese restaurant this is the dish for you.
✅You can have a delicious plate of Hunan style tofu on the table in 40 minutes (and that includes the time it takes to drain the tofu).
✅If you order Hunan tofu from your local takeaway, I can guarantee that it will have at least double the fat and good helping of MSG on the side. This recipe contains minimal fat compared to a Chinese takeaway, and there's no nasty additives.
Ingredients Notes And Substitutions
- Tofu: Choose firm or extra firm tofu.
- Vegetable Oil: Choose a neutral tasting vegetable oil. Grapeseed oil, vegetable oil, canola oil and peanut oil are all good choices.
- Ginger: Fresh ginger is the best choice for this recipe. It's not difficult to find in the grocery store, but in a pinch you could use 1 teaspoon of dried ginger.
- Garlic: Garlic stretches all the other flavors in the recipe. Choose fresh garlic . Dried won't work here.
- Shiitake Mushrooms: I used shiitake mushrooms because they're the most readily available Asian mushroom. Wood ear mushrooms, though they're a bit harder to find, are another good option.
- Red Pepper: You could also use a yellow or green pepper or a combination of the three.
- Red Chili: The chili peppers that are traditionally used in Hunan and Szechwan cooking are called Tien Tsin chile peppers or Chinese red peppers. You can find them at most Chinese grocery stores. However, it's totally possible to substitute whatever red chili pepper you can find. Alternatively, you can use a chili paste like sambal oelek.
- Scallions: We'll be using both the white and green part of the scallions.
- Chinese Fermented/ Salted Soybeans: Fermented soybeans are very typical of Hunan cuisine. You can find them at Asian supermarkets, at some major retailers in the Chinese section or you can buy them on Amazon here. Many brands are made with ginger, which is perfectly fine for this recipe. In a pinch you could substitute a black bean paste, but I highly recommend seeking out the real deal. Fermented bean curd has a very unique taste that's hard to replicate.
- Soy Sauce: Choose a dark soy sauce. For a gluten free option, choose tamari sauce.
- Shaoxing Wine: Shaoxing wine has a unique taste. It's a bit like sherry, so if you cant find it, sherry would be the closest substitution. You should be able to find it in the Asian section of most major retailers. You can also buy Shaoxing wine online.
- Cornstarch Slurry: A cornstarch slurry is simply a few teaspoons of cornstarch mixed with a few tablespoons of water. It's a thickening agent for the sauce.]
- Sugar: Sugar is optional in this recipe. I think it serves to balance the other flavors, but you can omit it if you want. You could also substitute coconut sugar, agave nectar or maple syrup.
- Vegetable Broth: You can use fresh stock or vegetable stock from a bouillon cube.
How To Make Hunan Tofu And Vegetable Stir Fry
- Drain your tofu and wrap it in a paper towel. Place a heavy object like a cast iron pan on top, and allow the tofu to release its liquid for 15 minutes. Alternatively, you can use a tofu press. I can't recommend them highly enough. They're not that expensive, and if you eat a lot of tofu they'll definitely earn their keep. You can buy an inexpensive tofu press on Amazon here.
- Blot your tofu dry and cut it into ½ inch squares. Line a plate with a paper towel and set aside.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil is a large non stick pan or wok over medium-low heat.
- Spread your tofu in an even layer across the bottom of the pan or wok. Do not move it for 3-4 minutes. Turn over and carry on searing for an additional 3-4 minutes. The tofu should be nicely browned. If not, carry on cooking . Transfer to the plate.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in the wok or saute pan. Saute the ginger, chili and the white part of the scallions for 30 seconds.
- Add your red peppers, and mushrooms and saute until they've started to soften slightly. About 30-45 seconds.
- Add your garlic and fermented beans and saute for 30 seconds. Add your vegetable stock, soy sauce, sugar and Shaoxing wine to the pan and mix to combine. Reduce the heat and simmer for 2 minutes. Add the cornstarch slurry to the pan followed by the tofu. Allow the sauce to thicken slightly.
Frequently Asked Questions
Once opened, store Chinese fermented soybeans in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 6 months.
Hunan sauce is a spicy Chinese sauce that gets it's unique flavor from fermented soybeans. Most Hunan sauces contain Shaoxing wine, ginger and chili peppers.
Yes, there are no animal products or byproducts in Hunan tofu. However, many Chinese recipes do include meat such as pork or chicken in addition to the tofu.
Craving More Easy Vegan Chinese Recipes?
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📖 Recipe
Hunan Tofu Vegetable Stir Fry
Ingredients
- 1 pound tofu firm or extra firm
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
- 1 teaspoon ginger grated
- red chili deseeded and diced
- 4 scallions cut into 1½ inch pieces on the diagonal
- 3 garlic cloves finely chopped
- 4 tablespoons black fermented beans
- ¾ cup vegetable broth
- 1 red pepper deseeded and thinly sliced
- 3 ounces shiitake mushrooms
- 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- ½ teaspoon sugar (optional) or agave nectar or maple syrup
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons of water
Instructions
- Drain the tofu and wrap it in a paper towel. Place a heavy object like a cast iron pan on top, and allow the tofu to release its liquid for 15 minutes. *see note 1
- Blot the tofu dry and cut the tofu into ½ inch squares. Line a plate with a paper towel and set aside.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil is a large non stick pan or wok over medium-low heat.
- Spread the tofu in an even layer across the bottom of the pan or wok. Do not move it for 2-3 minutes. Turn over and carry on searing for an additional 2-3 minutes. The tofu should be nicely browned. If not, carry on cooking . Transfer to the plate.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in the wok or saute pan. Saute the ginger, chili and the white part of the scallions for 30 seconds.
- Add the red peppers, and mushrooms and saute until they've started to soften slightly. About 30-45 seconds.
- Add the garlic and fermented beans and saute for 30 seconds. Add the vegetable stock, soy sauce, sugar and Shaoxing wine to the pan and mix to combine. Reduce the heat and simmer for 2 minutes. Add the cornstarch slurry to the pan followed by the tofu. Allow the sauce to thicken slightly.
Notes
- If you have a tofu press, use it to press the liquid out of your tofu.
- Once opened, Chinese fermented soybeans can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 6 months.
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