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    Home » All Recipes

    Garlicky Cashew Broccoli & Tofu Stir-Fry

    Garlicky Cashew Broccoli & Tofu Stir-Fry - ilovevegan.com

    Today we’ve got Garlicky Cashew Broccoli & Tofu Stir-Fry. This is good, simple, vegan food.

    Garlicky Cashew Broccoli & Tofu Stir-Fry - ilovevegan.com

    This recipe feels a little special to me – it’s inspired by one of the first times William and I prepared and really LOVED vegetables. In 2009, we traded in the typical last semester of high school for the first level of a local college’s cook’s training program. We lucked out and ended up with a passionate and talented Nelson B.C., based chef and a blunt and wonderfully humorous, reggae-listening, Julia Child-pushing, high school cooking teacher from South Africa. Nelson is a notoriously crunchy and colourful hippie town in the Kootenays, so our chef instructor had nothing but positive encouragement for our future in cooking, even with my vegetarian-soon-to-be-vegan leanings…

    Garlicky Cashew Broccoli & Tofu Stir-Fry - ilovevegan.comGarlicky Cashew Broccoli & Tofu Stir-Fry - ilovevegan.comGarlicky Cashew Broccoli & Tofu Stir-Fry - ilovevegan.com

    Simple but memorable dishes from that experience changed my opinion of vegetables. Broccoli almondine and a cashew variation are some that stick out in my mind. Who would have thought vegetables could be so delicious? Broccoli has been one of my favourite vegetables ever since.

    Garlicky Cashew Broccoli & Tofu Stir-Fry - ilovevegan.com

    This simple 30 minute lunch or dinner uses quick cooking whole wheat couscous (but you can sub in whatever you prefer: rice, quinoa, cauliflower rice, anything you like!) On top of that: sweet, garlicky stir-fried broccoli, cashews, and chunky cubes of fried tofu. The light sauce is a mix of vegan butter, brown sugar, soy sauce, and lemon juice. It’s simple but it works. I hope you love this recipe as much we do - enjoy!

    Garlicky Cashew Broccoli & Tofu Stir-Fry - ilovevegan.com

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    Garlicky Cashew Broccoli & Tofu Stir-Fry - ilovevegan.com

    Garlicky Cashew Broccoli & Tofu Stir-Fry

    ★★★★★ 4.9 from 27 reviews
    • Yield: 2 people 1x
    • Category: Lunch and Dinner
    • Cuisine: Vegan
    Print Recipe
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    Description

    Sweet, garlicky stir-fried broccoli, cashews, and chunky cubes of fried tofu on a bed of whole wheat couscous. The light sauce is a mix of vegan butter, brown sugar, soy sauce, and lemon juice. It's simple but it works.


    Ingredients

    Scale

    Couscous

    • 1 cup whole wheat couscous
    • 1 cup vegetable broth
    • 1 tsp. soy sauce

    Tofu

    • 1 block (350g.) extra-firm tofu, drained and cubed
    • 1 ½ tbsp. cornstarch
    • ¼ tsp. sea salt
    • ¼ tsp. garlic powder
    • Oil, for frying

    Garlicky Cashew Broccoli

    • 1 ½ tbsp. brown sugar
    • 1 tbsp. hot water
    • 2 tbsp. soy sauce
    • ½ tsp. lemon juice
    • 2 tbsp. vegan butter (divided)
    • 4 cups, (227g.) broccoli florets
    • ½ cup, (64g.) chopped or halved raw cashews
    • 3 cloves garlic, minced
    • To serve: sriracha, sesame seeds, etc.

    Instructions

    Couscous

    1. Prepare couscous according to package instructions, substituting 1 cup vegetable broth and 1 tsp. soy sauce for every cup of water required.

    Tofu

    1. In a medium-sized bowl, combine drained, cubed tofu, cornstarch, salt, and garlic powder. Mix gently to coat the tofu evenly and avoid breaking up the tofu cubes.
    2. Heat oil in a frying pan or wok over medium-high heat. Add the coated tofu and fry, stirring often, until the cubes are evenly golden-brown and crispy on all sides.
    3. Set aside.

    Garlicky Cashew Broccoli

    1. Stir together brown sugar and hot water until sugar is dissolved. Add soy sauce and lemon juice. Set aside.
    2. In the same frying pan or wok used to cook the tofu, heat 1 ½ tbsp. vegan butter over high heat. Add the broccoli florets and stir-fry uncovered, for 2-3 minutes. Cover and cook for another 2-3 minutes, until the florets are nearly tender.
    3. Add another ½ tbsp. vegan butter, cashews, and minced garlic. Stir well and cook for another 1-2 minutes (until garlic is cooked and fragrant.)
    4. Add the tofu and the brown sugar/soy sauce mixture. Mix well and cook for another 1-2 minutes, until the sauce reduced.
    5. Serve over couscous. Add sesame seeds and sriracha to taste.

    Did you make this recipe?

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Ashleen

      October 01, 2024 at 7:47 pm

      This is hands down one of my favorite recipes ever. We have added this to our regular rotation of meals. We make extra for our weekly meal plan and will eat this for a week. After finding this a couple years ago I decided to come back here and leave a comment.

      I rarely do that these days. This recipe is that good XD

      Would recommend this to any of my friends.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    2. Michelle

      February 08, 2024 at 10:21 pm

      I doubled the ingredients for the sauce, added 1/2 tbsp of cornstarch to it. The entire dish came out DELICIOUSLY! Toddler and baby approved, too!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    3. cm

      December 20, 2023 at 7:54 am

      Wonderful flavours here. Broccoli never tasted so good!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    4. J

      October 29, 2023 at 9:42 am

      Flavor is ok but there is NO SAUCE! How can i make a sauce out of 2 spoons of water?? I doubled it added 1/2 stock cube and it’s still super dry.. needs way more liquid

      ★★★

      Reply
    5. priya singh

      August 24, 2022 at 5:02 am

      There are lots of food blogger like this But the best food recipe "GARLICKY CASHEW BROCCOLI & TOFU STIR-FRY" is yours. Thanks for giving me this wonderful blog. I will try to make it like you.

      Reply
    6. Kim

      August 30, 2021 at 7:05 pm

      I LOVE this recipe! It is so good and I make it frequently.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Gregor

        December 10, 2022 at 3:14 am

        Yeah I made this it was great. Simple enough for me to enjoy cooking it but tasty enough to be rewarding.

        Reply
    7. Julie

      July 24, 2021 at 6:43 pm

      Tried this recipe to use up some broccoli we had, and it was fantastic!! Very simple and absolutely delicious. This one is a keeper!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    8. Stephanie Weber

      February 08, 2021 at 6:54 pm

      Absolutely delicious! We use real butter because we’re not aiming for vegan. I press my tofu for a couple hours ahead of time then fry really well on all sides. So yummy:)

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    9. Claire

      January 06, 2021 at 2:24 am

      This is a great recipe made it last night, Clear instructions, not complex ingredients and it worked out really tasty will make this a regular dish. My husband who isn't plant based loved it as well so double win. Thanks a million for sharing.
      Claire

      Reply
    10. Disha

      October 27, 2020 at 2:42 am

      This is absolutely delicious! I habe cooked this a few times in the last couple of months. A regular on my dinner menu!
      I used brown rice, instead of couscous. I also added large red chillies sliced up to the dish. YUMM! This dish is sure to convert the tofu haters 🙂

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    11. Rachel

      October 14, 2020 at 3:32 pm

      This is my new favourite! I've made it at least four times since discovering it last month. And it comes together so quickly!

      Thanks, Brittany! Can't wait to explore more of your recipes 😋

      Ps...about to make this for dinner AGAIN.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    12. Jess

      July 20, 2020 at 2:34 am

      I loved this! So tasty and I'll never cook tofu differently again. I used peanut oil and it added a great flavour. Thank you!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    13. Irfan

      April 24, 2020 at 4:02 pm

      Wow!! Just made this for the first time and my girlfriend who was in another room came rushing because of how good it smelled. Thanks for the easy recipe.

      Reply
    14. Melanie Adams

      April 09, 2020 at 8:35 pm

      Incredible recipe! I used tri quinoa. I’m adding sautéed mushrooms to the leftovers. My teens LOVED this recipe!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Brittany

        April 19, 2020 at 3:03 pm

        I'm so happy to hear that Melanie! Your changes sound perfect, thank you for commenting!

        Reply
    15. RFC

      April 04, 2020 at 4:17 pm

      I'm not very skilled in the kitchen, but this recipe came out amazing. 5 stars, thank you!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Brittany

        April 19, 2020 at 3:06 pm

        That's great to hear! So glad you enjoyed it 🙂

        Reply
        • Ann Slater

          May 31, 2024 at 4:50 pm

          This is such a good and easy recipe. It's honestly perfect the way it is. But sadly I've run out of cashews, do you think peanuts would work as well?

          ★★★★★

          Reply
    16. Cynthia Robinson

      February 05, 2020 at 4:42 pm

      Wow. Tofu was a no no for me until this.
      I added red pepper flakes,thinly sliced carrots and red bell pepper.
      Also a little green onion. Thank you for something easy,fast,affordable and delicious.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    17. Laura

      January 04, 2020 at 10:07 pm

      I just tried this recipe. It was very tasty -- the couscous was a nice alternative to rice, but I can see how it would be good with either. I also cut the sugan in half and it was great. The one thing I'll change if I make it again is I'll sautee the cashews separately and then set them aside and add per serving; that way, they maintain their crunch and it's a nice texture contrast to the broccoli. When cooked as directed in this recipe, they immediately became soft, and will be even more squishy as leftovers 🙁 Thanks for sharing!

      ★★★★

      Reply
      • Brittany

        January 05, 2020 at 12:10 pm

        Thanks Laura! That's a great idea 🙂 Thanks for sharing!

        Reply
    18. Natasha

      August 19, 2019 at 6:40 am

      This was a hit with the whole family, added extra veg including beans,shiitake mushrooms, edamame beans and carrots. Served with coconut rice, super tasty full of flavour.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • William Mueller

        August 24, 2019 at 12:44 pm

        Thanks for your feedback, Natasha! I'm so glad your family liked the stir-fry. Coconut rice and extra veggies sound like awesome additions!

        Reply
    19. Sarah

      April 25, 2019 at 4:44 pm

      I didn't find the sauce to be too sweet....it was just perfect in my opinion. I've tried a lot of recipes by the same name, but this one is the best so far!! The whole family liked it without any changes. The instructions for cooking the broccoli yield bright green crisp-tender florets. Really perfect!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    20. Lauren

      February 05, 2019 at 10:41 am

      This was really good! I didn’t have tofu so I just skipped it but still great without it. Also used coconut oil instead of vegan butter because I didn’t have that either. Thanks for the recipe!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    21. Sarah and Ian

      January 05, 2019 at 1:46 pm

      YUM. Easy and delish. As two vegetarians looking to be a bit more vegan, this convinced us that vegan food can be flipping awesome. Will be doing more of your recipes in the near future!

      Reply
    22. Nicole

      January 02, 2019 at 10:27 pm

      We loved this recipe! I made it for dinner and added a teaspoon of chili garlic to the sauce.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    23. Stephanie

      August 13, 2018 at 8:27 pm

      This was delicious! It was great that everyone could adjust it to their spice level with Sriracha. My 18 month old loved it. I omitted the sugar because one of my sons is allergic. I also subbed sesame oil for the vegan butter. I'm adding it to the menu rotation. Also, THANK YOU for a vegan recipe that only takes 25 minutes.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Brittany

        August 13, 2018 at 9:12 pm

        Thanks so much Stephanie! I'm so glad you were able to make this recipe work for your whole family. I really appreciate you taking the time to comment on this post. Thank you!

        Reply
    24. cheryl

      July 15, 2018 at 8:09 pm

      By the way ---- this recipe is tofu genius 🌟

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Brittany

        July 16, 2018 at 12:31 pm

        Thank you Cheryl!! ♥

        Reply
    25. Donna Tan

      April 11, 2018 at 10:14 pm

      I made this today! I made some changes to suit what's available in our kitchen. Added uncooked oats with the cornstarch for the tofu coating. Then changed the brown sugar to honey for the broccoli sauce. Thanks for sharing thks recipe. Glad to find your site.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Brittany

        April 23, 2018 at 1:04 pm

        Thanks for trying out the recipe! I'm so glad you enjoyed it Donna! 😀

        Reply
    26. Kimberly

      February 25, 2018 at 9:56 pm

      This is one of the most delicious things I've eaten in a LONG time. And I regularly eat very delicious things!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    27. Shruti

      February 09, 2018 at 9:33 pm

      I made this twice and it was really good! Although I made my own teriyaki sauce the second time with tamari, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar and garlic as I found the sauce in the recipe to be waaaaay too sweet. Thank you!

      ★★★★

      Reply
    28. Mary Stibre

      December 06, 2017 at 6:09 pm

      OMG - I tried this 2 nights ago and I loved it. Made it again last night I added cooked mushrooms to it was so good I wanted to lick the plate. I've just begun my journey into the Plant Based way of eating (3 wks). The tofu was great, just enough crisp and the insides moist and soft. I'm probably going to make again real soon . Thank you so much for bringing this recipe into my wheel house...so happy! Mary

      Reply
      • Brittany

        December 15, 2017 at 9:15 am

        Ugh, this sounds oh so goof with mushrooms, I think I'd be licking the plate too hahah! Thanks so much for commenting Mary!

        Reply
    29. Laura Fleckenstein

      May 15, 2017 at 10:20 am

      Oh my God! I just made this because it looked so good and I had all ingredients on hand (except for fresh garlic). Can't remember the last time I ate something as delicious as this. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. Will be one of my staples from now on (and next time with fresh garlic)

      Reply
      • Brittany

        May 16, 2017 at 9:24 am

        I'm so happy to hear that Laura, thank you for commenting!! I really appreciate it 😀

        Reply
    30. Lucy

      April 23, 2017 at 1:43 pm

      brown sugar is not vegan!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

      Reply
      • Brittany

        April 23, 2017 at 8:09 pm

        How so? Is it a bone char issue? If that's the case I use the brand Red Path, which does not use bone char to filter its sugar. If it's something else I'd love to know so I can be aware of it in the future!

        Reply
    31. Cheryl

      March 23, 2017 at 4:54 pm

      Wonderful recipe, Brittany. I love that bed of couscous under the veggie and nut combination. Can you recommend a soy sauce for us? Thanks.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Brittany

        March 24, 2017 at 11:51 am

        Kikkoman is great! You could also use Tamari. We usually use a store brand soy sauce from Superstore that we really like!

        Reply
    32. Ivy

      March 23, 2017 at 9:44 am

      I made this last night. It was super simple and came out delicious! I used brown rice instead of couscous and drizzled a tiny bit of chili paste over the finished dish. My omnivore husband, who had already eaten dinner, couldn't stop eating it straight out of the pan. This one is going into my regular repertoire of favorites. Thank you for posting!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Brittany

        March 23, 2017 at 10:56 am

        Thanks for trying the recipe Ivy! I'm so so glad you and your husband enjoyed it. Thank you for commenting 😀

        Reply
    33. Ellen

      March 22, 2017 at 4:50 pm

      Aloha from an old vegetarian/vegan since 1969 🙂 Im kinda a blender juicer nutribullet vitamix girl...don't cook much at all. Love "looking" at your recipes! This One I want to try as tofu n broccoli are favs of mine. Mahalo

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Brittany

        March 22, 2017 at 5:33 pm

        Yay! Thanks for commenting Ellen 😀 I could certainly do a little more blending myself.

        Reply
      • Jarod

        December 11, 2017 at 3:11 pm

        Hey Ellen. Your comment really got to me. Can you help me out? I'd love to go in the way you have.

        Reply
        • Sandy

          November 01, 2021 at 7:41 pm

          Really good. I roasted the broccoli on a sheet pan and doubled the sauce. Tastes great on a bed of rice

          Reply
    34. Christin

      March 22, 2017 at 2:10 pm

      Wow, this looks so amazing!! I love the golden color of the tofu. I'll be trying this! =)

      Reply
      • Brittany

        March 22, 2017 at 2:12 pm

        Thanks so much Christin, I hope you love it!! 😀

        Reply

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    We're Brittany and William!
    We live in Alberta, Canada. We love eating really great (vegan) food + promoting veganism in a friendly and relaxed way.

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