Cashew Tofu Stir Fry
on Nov 09, 2023, Updated Oct 20, 2026
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This vegan cashew tofu stir fry features crispy tofu, toasted cashews, broccoli and bell peppers tossed in a sweet and savoury garlic sauce. Inspired by Thai cashew chicken, it’s an easy weeknight dinner with plenty of flavour and texture.
The homemade stir fry sauce combines soy sauce, maple syrup, rice vinegar, sesame oil and garlic for a thick, sticky coating that brings everything together. Serve it over rice or noodles for a satisfying meal that’s easy to customize with your favourite vegetables.
If you enjoy quick, flavourful dinners, try my Ramen Noodle Stir Fry or Tempeh Stir Fry next.
What Readers Are Saying
Super easy and quick to make + had everything on hand (no fancy ingredients). The sauce is really flavourful!
Why You’ll Love Cashew Tofu Stir Fry
- Crispy tofu and crunchy cashews: Enjoy a satisfying combination of textures in every bite.
- Sweet and savoury sauce: The homemade garlic stir fry sauce is thick, sticky and full of flavour.
- Easy weeknight dinner: Made with everyday ingredients and ready in about 40 minutes.
- Plant-based protein: Tofu and cashews make this a satisfying vegan meal.
- Easy to customize: Swap in your favourite vegetables or adjust the sauce to suit your taste.
- Great for meal prep: Prepare it ahead for convenient lunches or dinners throughout the week.
Ingredient Notes
- Tofu: Extra-firm tofu is best because it holds its shape and develops a crisp exterior when pan-fried. Pressing it beforehand helps remove excess moisture. For more guidance, see my guide on how to press tofu.
- Cornstarch: Tossing the tofu with cornstarch helps create a lightly crisp exterior when pan-fried. It also thickens the stir fry sauce, helping it coat the tofu and vegetables. Arrowroot starch can be used as an alternative, although the texture may differ slightly.
- Cashews: You can use raw, unsalted cashews and toast them until golden brown or, if using roasted cashews, skip the toasting step and add them when finishing the stir fry.
- Soy sauce: Regular soy sauce gives the sauce its savoury flavour. Use gluten-free tamari if needed, and check the labels on your other ingredients to ensure the finished dish is gluten-free.
- Maple syrup: Maple syrup balances the savoury soy sauce and tangy rice vinegar. Agave syrup also works.
- Sesame oil: Adds a distinctive toasted, nutty flavour to the sauce. Use toasted or regular sesame oil, depending on your preference.
- Vegetables: Broccoli, bell pepper, carrot and onion provide a good mix of colours and textures. You can substitute vegetables such as snap peas, green beans or mushrooms based on what you have available.
Variations & Additions
- Change the vegetables: Replace the broccoli, carrot or bell pepper with snap peas, snow peas, green beans, mushrooms or zucchini. Cut vegetables into similarly sized pieces so they cook evenly.
- Make it spicy: Add sliced fresh chilli to the vegetables while stir-frying, or mix chilli flakes or sambal oelek into the sauce.
- Use baked tofu: For a hands-off option, bake the cornstarch-coated tofu at 400°F until golden and crisp, turning it halfway through. Cooking time will vary depending on the size of the pieces and your oven. For detailed instructions, see my Crispy Baked Tofu recipe.
- Make it gluten-free: Use certified gluten-free tamari instead of soy sauce and check the labels on your remaining ingredients.
- Use roasted cashews: Skip the toasting step if your cashews are already roasted. Add them toward the end to preserve their crunch.
How to Make Cashew Tofu Stir Fry
Quick Note: If you’d like to serve your stir fry over rice, start cooking it now according to package instructions. I would also suggest pressing the tofu for best results. You’ll need an extra 15-30 minutes for this step or or it can be done in advance using a tofu press or by wrapping the block of tofu in a kitchen towel and placing a heavy object on top.
Step 1: Add the cashews to a large, dry skillet over medium-low heat. Toast for 4–6 minutes, stirring frequently, until golden and fragrant. Watch them closely because they can burn quickly. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
Step 2: In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, maple syrup, rice vinegar, sesame oil, cornstarch, cold water, garlic and black pepper until smooth. Set aside.
Step 3: Cut the tofu into bite-sized cubes or break it into pieces by hand for a more irregular, textured exterior. Transfer to a bowl, sprinkle with cornstarch, and season with salt and pepper. Toss until evenly coated.
Step 4: Heat 2 teaspoons of cooking oil in the same skillet over medium-high heat. Add the tofu in a single layer and cook for 5–7 minutes, turning occasionally, until golden and crisp on the outside. Work in batches if necessary to avoid overcrowding the pan. Transfer the tofu to a plate.
Step 5: Add another 2 teaspoons of oil to the skillet. Add the carrot, onion, bell pepper and broccoli. Stir-fry for 5–7 minutes, stirring frequently, until the vegetables are tender-crisp.
Step 6: Return the tofu to the skillet and add the toasted cashews and prepared sauce. Stir continuously for 1–3 minutes, until the sauce thickens and coats the tofu and vegetables. If the sauce becomes too thick, add a small splash of water to loosen it.
Serve immediately over cooked rice of choice, quinoa or noodles to soak up the sauce. Finish with sliced green onions, sesame seeds or chilli flakes for extra flavour and texture.
Recipe FAQs
Yes. You can prepare the sauce and chop the vegetables up to three days in advance, storing them separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator. You can also cook the entire stir fry ahead of time, although the tofu will soften as it sits in the sauce.
Start with extra-firm tofu and remove as much excess moisture as possible. Cut it into bite-sized pieces, coat it lightly in cornstarch and pan-fry it in a hot skillet without overcrowding the pan. Let the pieces brown before turning them so they develop a crisp exterior.
Yes. Replace the soy sauce with gluten-free tamari and check the labels on the remaining ingredients to ensure they are gluten-free.
Broccoli, bell pepper, carrot and onion work well in this recipe. You can also use snap peas, snow peas, green beans, zucchini or mushrooms. Cut the vegetables into similarly sized pieces and adjust the cooking time as needed.
How to Store
- Refrigerator: Let the stir fry cool slightly, then transfer it to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days. Store rice separately if you’re meal prepping. The tofu will soften as it sits in the sauce, but the leftovers will still be delicious.
- Reheating: Reheat in a skillet over medium heat until warmed through, adding a splash of water if the sauce has thickened. You can also reheat individual portions in the microwave.
- Freezer: You can freeze leftover cashew tofu stir fry in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating. Keep in mind that the vegetables may soften and the tofu’s texture may change after freezing and thawing.
If you make this recipe, please consider leaving a comment and a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating in the comment section below. It helps others who are thinking of making the recipe, and I love to hear from you. Thanks for trying my recipes! – Deryn
Cashew Tofu Stir Fry
Ingredients
For the Cashew Tofu Stir Fry
- 1 cup unsalted cashews, 145 g
- 1 block extra-firm tofu, 454g/16 oz
- 1 tbsp cornstarch or arrowroot starch, 9 g
- 4 tsp cooking oil, divided
- 1 large carrot, peeled and sliced , about 1 cup
- 1 medium onion, sliced, about 1½ cups
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped, about 1¾ cup
- 2 cups broccoli florets, 160 g
- salt and black pepper, to taste
- 2 green onions, thinly sliced, optional for serving
- chili flakes, optional for serving
For the Sauce:
- 6 tbsp soy sauce or gluten-free tamari, 90 mL
- 4 tbsp maple or agave syrup, 60 g
- 2 tbsp rice vinegar, 30 g
- 2 tsp sesame oil, 5 g
- 1.5 tbsp cornstarch, 14 g
- 1/3 cup cold water, 78 mL
- pinch of black pepper
- 4 cloves garlic, grated or crushed (16 g)
Instructions
- Toast the Cashews: Add the cashews to a large skillet over medium-low heat. Toast for 4–6 minutes, stirring frequently, until golden and fragrant. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
- Prepare the Sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, maple syrup, rice vinegar, sesame oil, cornstarch, cold water, garlic and black pepper until smooth. Set aside.
- Prepare the Tofu: Cut the tofu into bite-sized cubes or break it into pieces by hand. Transfer to a bowl, sprinkle with cornstarch, and season with salt and pepper. Toss until evenly coated.
- Cook the Tofu: Heat 2 teaspoons of cooking oil in the skillet over medium-high heat. Add the tofu in a single layer and cook for 5–7 minutes, turning occasionally, until golden and crisp. Work in batches if needed to avoid overcrowding the pan. Transfer to a plate.
- Cook the Vegetables: Add another 2 teaspoons of oil to the skillet. Add the carrot, onion, bell pepper and broccoli. Stir-fry for 5–7 minutes, stirring frequently, until tender-crisp.
- Add the Sauce: Return the tofu to the skillet and add the toasted cashews and prepared sauce. Stir continuously for 1–3 minutes, until the sauce thickens and coats the tofu and vegetables. If the sauce becomes too thick, add a splash of water.
- Serve: Serve immediately over rice, quinoa or noodles. Garnish with sliced green onions and chilli flakes, if desired.
Labor intensive but even our picky vegan son liked it enough to want it again. (without the peppers but with peapods). I thought it tasted amazing.
Super easy and quick to make + had everything on hand (no uber fancy ingredients). The sauce is really flavourful!
Thank you, Cindy!
This meal was amazing and a huge hit with the family. Thank you for sharing.
Thank you so much! I’m so glad everyone enjoyed it.
This is amazing. Like restaurant food, but home-cooked. The recipe seems a little complicated because there are a few steps, but you use the pan for more than one step. I used the bowl that I mixed the sauce in to serve the cut up green onions. I put the roasted cashews back into the measuring cup. I put the browned tofu onto my dinner plate. So it wasn’t like there were a ton of pans and dishes and the different steps were each simple. Well worth the steps. So good.
Thanks so much for the great feedback! I’m so glad you loved it.
This is delicious and will now be a regular in our household. So tasty!
So glad, Tash! Thanks for the review.
Easy, perfect.
I made this last week and even my non-vegan kids loved it! The flavor is perfect. The only thing I changed was air frying the tofu. I think I’ll use the roasted unsalted cashews next time because I nearly burned the cashews because I wasn’t paying attention.
Ugh, ya I’ve done that before too! Definitely need to keep an eye on them but using roasted cashews is an easy fix. Air-frying the tofu would work great! Thanks for trying the recipe. Glad everyone enjoyed it!
This was fast and delicious. Great recipe!
Thanks, Karen! So glad you liked it.