This is really the best damn peanut stir fry! Whipping up the perfect peanut sauce is my favorite way to glow up end-of-the-week vegetables with a fabulously simple stir fry. Start with soy sauce for saltiness, peanut butter for creaminess and water to thin it out. Then add rice vinegar, garlic, and ginger for tang and brown sugar to balance the flavors. Sriracha adds heat while toasted sesame oil rounds things out with a silky mouthfeel and deep nutty flavor.
1tablespooncornstarchpotato starch would also work
1tablespoongrapeseed or other mild oildivided
1cupchopped cauliflower
4-5clovesgarlic
1white onionchopped
1cupchopped asparagus
1bell pepperchopped
Peanut Stir Fry Sauce
4tablespoonssoy sauce or tamari
3tablespoonspeanut butter
2tablespoonswarm water
3tablespoonstoasted sesame oil
1tablespoon rice vinegar
2tablespoonsbrown sugar
2clovesgarlicminced
4teaspoonsminced ginger
2teaspoonscornstarchor potato starch
2teaspoonsSrirachaand more for garnish
For Serving
4cupscooked brown ricesee Fresh Tips!
2stalksgreen oniondiced
2tablespoonschopped peanuts
Instructions
Wrap the tofu in a towel and gently squeeze out the water. Dice into 1-inch cubes. Put the cubes in a container with a lid. Drizzle the soy sauce over the tofu, then cover and shake until well coated. Add the garlic powder and starch, then cover and shake again.
Put a nonstick pan over medium-high heat. Pour in 2 teaspoons of oil. Cook the tofu until browned on all sides, about 3 to 4 minutes, turning occasionally. Remove the tofu when it’s done and place the pan back over the heat.
Add the cauliflower to the pan, along with the remaining 1 teaspoon of oil. While it cooks, mince the garlic. Add the white onion to the pan. Stir and cook until the onion is soft, about 3 to 4 minutes.
Add the asparagus, bell pepper, and garlic to the pan. Cook and stir until the vegetables are tender with a bit of crunch, about 5 to 7 more minutes.
Meanwhile, make the sauce. Whisk the soy sauce, peanut butter, water, sesame oil, vinegar, brown sugar, garlic, ginger, starch, and Sriracha together in a bowl.
When the veggies are tender with a bit of crunch, add the tofu back to the pan, and turn off the heat. Add the sauce and mix well to combine. Serve over warm brown rice with green onion, chopped peanuts, and a drizzle of Sriracha, if desired.
Notes
Fresh Tips!
Feel free to use other vegetables that might be hanging out in your fridge, like snow peas, broccoli, or mushrooms.
Since brown rice can take up to 45 minutes to cook, I recommend prepping a batch ahead of time or using frozen brown rice for convenience.