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Calling all tofu lovers, this Sticky Mongolian Tofu and Broccoli Stir Fry is for you! The slightly sweet yet savory marinated tofu is coated in cornstarch, pan-fried, and then tossed in a thick, sticky sauce. The end result is a slightly crispy, sticky, salty, and savory vegan tofu broccoli stir fry that’s reminiscent of Mongolian Beef.
Why You’ll love This Mongolian Tofu Recipe
If you’re a fan of Szechuan Tofu, Sesame Tofu or Orange Tofu, you’ll love this Mongolian Tofu! Here are a few reasons we love this recipe and you will too:
Emily’s Recipe Notes:
- The Perfect Sweet, Slightly Spicy, yet Savory Sauce: the tofu is tossed in a thick sauce that has just the right amount of sweetness and spice thanks to brown sugar & red chili peppers.
- Easy Weeknight Dinner: aside from the marinating time, this tofu dish takes less than 30 minutes to make, perfect for weeknight dinners.
- Vegan Friendly Mongolian Tofu: this vegetarian and vegan-friendly adaptation of Mongolian Beef is made with just a few fresh ingredients.
Why This Recipe Works
This recipe calls for extra or super firm tofu, which when pressed, coated in cornstarch and shallow fried becomes nice and crispy!
The crispy exterior really helps the sauce adhere to the tofu when everything gets tossed together.
Red Chili Peppers, Green Onions, Minced Garlic, and Fresh Ginger act as a few key flavoring ingredients in the sauce, helping create a savory taste.
Ingredients
This Sticky Mongolian Tofu is vegan and vegetarian friendly but will be a favorite among omnivores as well! It’s full of salty, sweet, and slightly spicy flavors that are inspired by Asian-American cuisine.
If using gluten free tamari, this tofu recipe is also completely gluten-free.
Here’s what you’ll need to make this dish:
- Soy Sauce, if gluten free- make sure you’re using gluten free soy sauce or coconut aminos
- Dark Brown Sugar
- Fresh Garlic
- Fresh Ginger
- Veggie Stock
- Rice Vinegar
- Sesame Oil
- Red Chili Peppers
- Cornstarch
- Green Onions
- Super or Extra Firm Tofu
Ingredient Notes & Substitutions
Extra Firm Tofu
This recipe calls for extra-firm or super firm tofu which acts as a fantastic meat substitute.
The texture is more ‘meat-like’ because there is less liquid in it and subsequently, the tofu gets crispier when cooked. It’s important to drain and press the block of tofu prior to marinating it and tossing it in cornstarch.
To press the tofu, you can use a tea towel or paper towels to pat any excess liquid out of the block. You can also press the tofu by placing a heavy object on top of the paper towels or you can use a tofu press.
Then, slice the tofu into strips that are about 1 ½ – 2 inches long and ¼ inch wide.
The Cornstarch Coating
To get a crispy exterior that holds onto the sticky sauce, roll the marinated tofu cubes into a bit of cornstarch.
Cornstarch helps dry out the exterior of the tofu, allowing it to easily become golden brown when pan-fried (or baked).
- Cornstarch can be substituted for Potato Starch.
Helpful Equipment
- Large Wok or Non Stick Pan
- Shallow Bowl
Step-by-step Instructions
🎥 *Video Tutorial is Above the Recipe Card Below!*
Prep the Tofu
STEP 1: In a shallow bowl or airtight container, mix the marinade ingredients together.
STEP 2: Drain the block of tofu and pat dry. Slice the tofu into 2” x ¼” rectangles. Gently pat dry again with paper towels or a kitchen towel once cut.
STEP 3: Add the tofu to the marinade, and gently mix so all the pieces are coated. Cover and let marinate in the fridge for at least 30 minutes, preferably 4 hours / or overnight.
STEP 4: Once the tofu has marinated, scoop it out of the container into a medium sized bowl. Set the remaining marinade aside for later.
STEP 5: Sprinkle the cornstarch (or potato starch) on the marinated tofu. Gently toss to coat all the pieces.
For the Stir Fry
STEP 6: Heat the vegetable oil in a work or large non-stick pan over medium heat. Add the chili peppers (if using), chopped scallions, broccoli and marinated/coated tofu.
Stir fry on medium low heat for 7-8 minutes, stirring occasionally. The tofu should be golden brown.
STEP 7: Decrease the heat to low. Add the remaining marinade to a small saucepan over low heat. Then, add the cornstarch slurry. Stir for 1-2 minutes. It should thicken immediately. Pour the thickened sauce over the tofu. You can remove the broccoli prior to adding the sauce if you’d like.
STEP 8: Cook on low for 2-3 minutes or until the sauce thickens more and the tofu is coated. Fry for an additional 2 minutes on medium-high heat to re-crisp the tofu.
Tofu Cooking Methods
PAN FRYING
- In this recipe, I’m pan-frying the tofu in a large wok since it is the fastest method.
- The key to pan-frying the tofu is to be sure your pan is hot enough, that you’re using enough oil (enough to coat the bottom of the pan), and to be patient. If you fry the tofu before the oil is hot, it will absorb the oil instead of getting crispy.
- You’ll want each side of the tofu to get golden brown before flipping it.
AIR FRYING
- This Mongolian Tofu can also be made by air frying. I recommend air frying it at 400F for about 10-15 minutes, making sure to flip it halfway through.
- Once you air fry the tofu, transfer it to a non-stick skillet or wok to coat it in the sauce. You can also transfer the tofu back to the air fryer and cook for 5 more minutes to crisp up the exterior even more.
BAKING
- This tofu can also be made by baking but it takes more time.
- I recommend baking it at 425F for about 25 minutes on a parchment-lined baking sheet, making sure to flip it halfway through.
- Once you bake the tofu, transfer it to a non-stick skillet or wok to coat it in the sauce.
DEEP FRYING
- If you’d like super crispy tofu, you can also deep fry it!
- Heat a few inches of vegetable oil in a large pot over medium heat (about 375F if using a thermometer). Fry the tofu in batches to help keep the oil temperature from dropping.
- It should take about 4 minutes to fry the tofu until it is golden brown.
Serving Ideas
This Mongolian Tofu Stir Fry is delicious served on a bed of rice, garnished with a sprinkle of spring onion, fresh cilantro, and white sesame seeds! A drizzle of sesame oil on top would also be delicious!
You could serve the tofu with white rice, brown rice, rice noodles, or udon noodles.
Pro Tips
- Use Super or Extra Firm Tofu
- Drain and Press the Tofu
- Marinate for At Least 30 Minutes
- Pan Fry Until Crispy
FAQ
Cornstarch is absolutely necessary for the Mongolian sauce. Without it, the sauce will not be thick or sticky.
To make this Mongolian Tofu Stir Fry, I recommend adding broccolini or broccoli and serving it alongside white rice (I prefer Jasmine) or with rice noodles.
Yes! This Sticky Mongolian Tofu can also be made in the air fryer. I recommend air frying it at 400F for about 10-15 minutes, making sure to flip it halfway through. Once you air fry the tofu, transfer it to a non-stick skillet or wok to coat it in the sauce.
More Quick and Easy Vegan Tofu Recipes:
Video Tutorial
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Sticky Mongolian Tofu and Broccoli
Ingredients
Marinade & Sauce
- 3 tbsp dark brown sugar
- ½ cup vegetable broth
- ¼ cup soy sauce, use low-sodium if sensitive to salt
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger, minced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced (about 1- 1 ½ tbsps)
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
Tofu
- 1 15 oz block extra firm tofu
- ¼ cup cornstarch or potato starch
Stir Fry
- 2-4 tbsp vegetable oil or canola oil
- 4 dried red chili peppers
- 3-4 scallions, green onions, cut into 1” pieces
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger, minced
- 2-3 cup roughly chopped baby broccoli
- 1 tbsp cornstarch + 1 tbsp water, to form a slurry
- Optional- Splash of Dark Soy Sauce, for color
- Toasted Sesame Seeds, Cilantro, and Green Onions, for garnish
Instructions
- TIP: If you love a lot of sauce or you are marinating longer than 30 minutes, I recommend doubling the sauce/marinade ingredients. (see notes below)
Prep the Tofu:
- In a shallow bowl or air tight container (like a Tupperware), mix the marinade ingredients together (brown sugar, vegetable broth, soy sauce, ginger, garlic, vinegar, sesame oil).3 tbsp dark brown sugar, ½ cup vegetable broth, ¼ cup soy sauce, 1 tbsp fresh ginger, 4 cloves garlic, 1 tbsp rice vinegar, 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
- Drain the block of tofu and pat dry.1 15 oz block extra firm tofu
- Slice the tofu into 2” x ¼” rectangles. Gently pat dry again with paper towels or a kitchen towel once cut.
- Add the tofu to the marinade, and gently mix so all the pieces are coated. Cover and let marinate in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. See notes if marinating longer than 30 minutes.
- Once the tofu has marinated, scoop it out of the container into a medium sized bowl. Set the remaining marinade aside for later.
- Sprinkle the cornstarch (or potato starch) on the marinated tofu. Gently toss to coat all the pieces.¼ cup cornstarch or potato starch
For the Stir Fry:
- Heat the vegetable oil in a work or large non-stick pan over medium heat.2-4 tbsp vegetable oil or canola oil
- Add the chili peppers, chopped scallions, ginger, and marinated/coated tofu. Stir fry on medium heat for 7-8 minutes, stirring occasionally. The tofu should be golden brown on all sides.TIP: Make sure the tofu is in a single layer! If the pan is too small, do multiple batches. The tofu won't get crispy if the pan is crowded.4 dried red chili peppers, 3-4 scallions, 1 tbsp fresh ginger
- After the tofu is browned, add the broccoli and cook for 5-7 minutes until slightly tender.2-3 cup roughly chopped baby broccoli
- Make a cornstarch slurry by combining 1 tbsp of cornstarch with 1 tbsp water in a small bowl. Mix well so there are no lumps.1 tbsp cornstarch + 1 tbsp water
- Add the remaining marinade to a small saucepan over low heat. Then, add the cornstarch slurry. Stir for 1-2 minutes. It should thicken immediately.
- Decrease the heat of the wok to medium-low. Pour the thickened sauce over the tofu. You can remove the broccoli prior to adding the sauce if you’d like.Optional- add a splash of Dark Soy Sauce for color and taste.
- Cook on medium-low heat for 2-3 minutes or until the sauce thickens more and the tofu is evenly coated. Fry for an additional 2 minutes on medium-high heat to re-crisp the tofu.
- Serve over white rice and garnish with toasted sesame seeds, cilantro or more scallions.Toasted Sesame Seeds, Cilantro, and Green Onions
Video
Recipe notes
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I loved the picture of this dish and it made me want to make it. The sauce and the marinade was wonderful, maybe I would have added a little more water just to make it a little saucier. I did stir fry the tofu but did not use all that oil. I think I would bake it in the oven next time, I feel it would have made it better. But I loved the recipe and will surely make it again.
Can I substitute the brown sugar with monk fruit or any other lower calorie sugar alternative?
Hi Mary, I haven’t tried this substitute but you should be able to. I recommend opting for a brown sugar alternative vs. a regular granulated sweetener alternative.