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Crispy, pan-fried black pepper tofu and crunchy vegetables give you all the texture in a savory, peppery sauce - perfect for a healthy, vegan-friendly meal. {Vegan, Gluten-Free Adaptable}

Black Pepper Tofu

5 from 12 votes
Crispy, pan-fried black pepper tofu and crunchy vegetables give you all the texture in a savory, peppery sauce - perfect for a healthy, vegan-friendly meal. {Vegan, Gluten-Free Adaptable}
To make this dish gluten-free, use tamari to replace the light and dark soy sauce and use dry sherry instead of Shaoxing wine.
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Course: Main
Cuisine: Chinese
Keyword: restaurant-style
Servings: 2 to 4 servings
Author: Maggie Zhu

Ingredients

Sauce:

  • 2 tablespoons light soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoons dark soy sauce
  • 1 1/2 tablespoon Shaoxing wine
  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 teaspoons sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon vegetable bouillon (or 1 teaspoon mushroom powder)
  • 1/2 cup water (or vegetables stock)
  • 2 teaspoons cornstarch

Stir fry:

  • 1/4 cup peanut oil (*Footnote 1)
  • 1 block (14 oz/396 g) extra-firm tofu , cut to 1/2” (1 cm) squares and pat dry
  • 1 clove garlic , minced
  • 1/2 ” (1 cm) ginger , minced
  • 1/2 white onion , cut to 1/2” (1 cm) squares
  • 1 bell pepper , cut to 1/2” (1 cm) squares
  • 1 stalk celery , sliced

Instructions

  • Mix the sauce ingredients together in a small bowl and set aside.
  • Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Add the tofu and spread it out without overlapping. Let cook without touching until the bottom turns golden brown. Flip the tofu. Cook, stirring occasionally, until most sides turn golden. Transfer the tofu to a big plate.
  • Turn the heat to medium-low. Drain most of the oil from the pan by wiping the pan with a few layers of paper towel held in a pair of tongs. Leave about 1 tablespoon of oil in the pan.
  • Add the garlic and ginger. Stir a few times until it releases the fragrance.
  • Turn to medium-high heat again. Add the onion, pepper, and celery. Cook and stir for another minute, or until the vegetables just start to soften.
  • Stir the sauce again to dissolve the cornstarch completely and pour it into the pan. Stir immediately and cook until the sauce has thickened.
  • Add the cooked tofu back into the pan and toss to coat evenly.
  • Transfer everything to a serving plate. Serve hot over steamed rice as a main dish.

Notes

  1. Using more oil will shallow fry the tofu and create a crispier texture. If you do not wish to use too much oil, you can use 1 to 2 tablespoons of oil and pan fry the tofu instead.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving, Calories: 196kcal, Carbohydrates: 12.9g, Protein: 11.1g, Fat: 12.6g, Saturated Fat: 1.7g, Sodium: 742mg, Potassium: 243mg, Fiber: 1.4g, Sugar: 6.3g, Calcium: 186mg, Iron: 2mg