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Eggplant tofu stir fry with rice in a black bowl.
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5 from 17 votes

Eggplant Tofu Stir Fry

This eggplant tofu stir fry is spicy, sweet, salty, savory, veggie packed and loaded with flavor! You'll definitely come back for seconds.
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Total Time1 hour
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Asian-Inspired
Diet: Vegan
Servings: 4
Calories: 325kcal
Author: Alison Andrews

Ingredients

Stir Fry:

  • 4 Tablespoons Sesame Oil Divided, plus more as needed
  • 16 ounces Extra Firm Tofu (450g)
  • 3 Cloves Garlic Crushed
  • 1 Tablespoon Minced Ginger
  • ¼ teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes
  • 1 pound Eggplant (450g) Quartered and sliced with peel on
  • 2 Medium Red Bell Peppers Chopped
  • 3 Tablespoons Green Onions Chopped

Sauce:

  • ¼ cup Soy Sauce (60ml)
  • 3 Tablespoons Maple Syrup
  • 1 Tablespoon Toasted Sesame Oil
  • 1 Tablespoon Sriracha Sauce
  • 1 Tablespoon Rice Vinegar
  • 1 Tablespoon Cornstarch

Serving (Optional):

Instructions

  • Press the tofu for 30 minutes, ideally using a tofu press. Alternatively you can place the tofu on a plate, with another plate on top of it and then stack something heavy on top like a heavy pot.
  • When the tofu is pressed cut it into cubes.
  • Add soy sauce, maple syrup, toasted sesame oil, sriracha sauce, rice vinegar and cornstarch to a measuring jug and whisk it up into a sauce.
  • Add 2 tablespoons of sesame oil to a pan or wok, add tofu and fry until the tofu is golden on both sides. Remove the tofu from the pan.
  • Add another 2 tablespoons of sesame oil to the pan, add crushed garlic, minced ginger, red pepper flakes and sliced eggplant and fry until the eggplant is cooked. Try to lay the eggplant out in an even layer along the bottom of your wok or pan so that it cooks evenly.
  • Add more oil as needed during cooking as eggplant absorbs the oil quickly. Alternatively, add small amounts of vegetable stock during cooking, if you prefer to use less oil.
  • Add red bell peppers and cook for 2 minutes.
  • Pour over the sauce and gently toss and stir to evenly coat the veggies with the sauce.
  • Cook until the sauce has thickened and everything is evenly coated.
  • Add the tofu back to the pan, along with chopped green onions and gently toss to mix them in.
  • Serve over basmati rice, topped with chopped green onions and a sprinkle of sesame seeds.

Notes

  1. Extra firm tofu - is best to use. We also press it so that it's as firm as it can get. This results in the best texture after stir frying. If you can get vacuum packed super firm tofu then you can skip pressing it.
  2. Prep time - includes pressing the tofu. While the tofu is pressing you can prepare all the other ingredients. 
  3. Make it gluten free: Simply switch the soy sauce for a gluten free soy sauce or use tamari.
  4. Storing: It stores really well in the fridge (covered) for 4-5 days. Reheat in the microwave.
  5. Nutritional information - excludes rice. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1Serve | Calories: 325kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 9g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Sodium: 977mg | Potassium: 660mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 17g | Vitamin A: 1976IU | Vitamin C: 83mg | Calcium: 77mg | Iron: 2mg