Tofu Udon Stir Fry
The Origin
This recipe is one that arose from a specific question - how few dishes could I produce from a complete homemade, well-balanced meal? Well, as of now the answer if 4, and this is one of my favorite 4 dish dinners! My essentials are usually a cutting board, knife, frying pan, and some tongs or a spatula. But how can you make a noodle stir fry without at least a pot to boil them? That's where our new friend Frozen Udon Noodles comes in to save the day. I just put them in a bowl in the microwave, and then use the same exact bowl for serving. Comes out perfect every time!The Ingredients
The two key ingredients for this recipe are probably also the two hardest to find. I would recommend checking out your local asian grocery store to see if they have them in stock.- Frozen Udon Noodles: Not only do they ensure we don't need that 5th dish, BUT they also provide the most incredible chewy texture that compliments the veggies and tofu perfectly.
- Mushroom Oyster Sauce: Yes, it's vegan! Here is a link to it on amazon, but you can often find it in stores as well. This sauce is sooo flavorful and is perfect for coating our Udon Noodles. I promise it doesn't taste like mushrooms or like fish!
- Tofu: No need to press it. I personally would recommend a medium firm tofu, but try out a few and see what you like!
- Veggies: We love broccoli in my household, so we always make this with at least broccoli and onion, and then whatever else we have on hand. The shitake mushrooms add a great savory flavor, but you can totally skip them or sub in any other veggie if you're not mushroom person.
- Garlic: I mean what can I say, no stir fry is complete without it.
- Ginger: I know ginger can be hard to find and a hassle to keep around. For some people the flavor is too strong, but I do think ginger amplifies this dish, so try it out if you have it on hand!
- Other sauces: Soy sauce, rice vinegar, agave (or any sweetener), and sesame oil will round out the flavors in addition to our main star, the mushroom oyster sauce.
The Method
I'm not going to describe the full method here, but I do want to outline one absolutely critical step in the process that you cannot skip. SEASON THE TOFU!!! Many people complain that tofu is too bland, but the reason seems to be that it's either not seasoned at all (ick) or that it's in big chunks with the only seasoning on the outside, so that when you bite in, it's totally plain on the inside. Soy sauce is going to be your friend here. After you've fried the tofu for a few minutes and gotten it slightly golden, put on (at least) a tablespoon of soy sauce before you add anything else to the pan. Tofu needs way more seasoning than noodles or veggies (especially broccoli which soaks up salt like a sponge.) It's very important that the soy sauce is added to the tofu by itself and not at the end with the rest of the sauce. Otherwise, this is a pretty fail-proof recipe. I hope you love it (and your lack of a huge pile of dishes) as much as I do!This tofu udon stir fry is the perfect weeknight recipe - quick, healthy, filling, and minimal dishes. Make it your own by adding your favorite veggies, or just whatever is left in your fridge!
- 1 tsp oil (try sesame for added flavor!)
- 7 oz medium firm tofu (half a standard container)
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1/2 onion (sliced)
- 1/2 red bell pepper (sliced)
- 1 head of broccoli (chopped)
- 1/2 cup shiitake mushrooms (sliced)
- 2-3 clove garlic (peeled and diced)
- 1 tsp grated ginger (optional)
- 9 oz frozen udon noodles (a standard package)
- 1.5 tbsp mushroom oyster sauce (vegan)
- 1 tsp soy sauce
- 1/2 tsp rice vinegar
- 1 tsp agave (or any sweetener)
- 1 tsp sesame oil
Heat a large saute pan or wok to medium heat. Add your oil once the pan is warm.
Open and drain your tofu and cut into 1/2-1 inch cubes. Fry your tofu over medium heat for about 5 minutes or until the sides start to get golden brown. Add your 1 Tbsp soy sauce and let cook for another 2-3 minutes, or until all sauce is absorbed.
Seasoning the tofu before adding the other ingredients is key to ensure your tofu is flavorful!!
Prep all of your vegetables - I used onion, red bell pepper, broccoli and shiitake mushrooms. Add them to the tofu and cook 4-5 minutes or until onions are translucent and broccoli is slightly softened.
If you prefer softer broccoli, add 2 tablespoons water and cover for this cook time.While the vegetables are cooking, place your frozen udon in a microwave safe bowl and microwave for 3 minutes.
In a small bowl, combine your sauce ingredients.
Add the garlic and (optional) ginger and cook another 2-3 minutes.
Once your veggies and tofu mixture is cooked to your liking, turn down the heat to low. Add your noodles and sauce and stir everything together. Cook another 1-2 minutes and continue to stir to ensure everything is well combined.
- If you can't find these ingredients at your regular grocery store, try a local Asian grocery store!
- You can substitute the frozen udon noodles for dried udon noodles but you won't get the same chewy, restaurant-style udon texture.
