Tofu Stir Fry with Hoisin Sauce

This Tofu Stir Fry with Hoisin Sauce is full of fresh vegetables, flavour and nutrition. Best of all, it comes together really fast so it’s perfect for busy nights.

I serve stir fries regularly – my Beef and Vegetable Stir Fry with a Sweet and Spicy Sauce and my Vegetable and Cashew Stir Fry are always a hit – but I do not often use tofu. In fact, I first made Tofu Stir Fry with Hoisin Sauce for a casual potluck Chinese New Year celebration with friends back in 2012.

Up until making this recipe to bring to the potluck dinner, my only experience of Chinese New Year celebrations was watching the Chinese New Year parades from Macy’s seventh floor window over looking Union Square on our visits to San Francisco. The parades were like nothing I had ever seen before. There was such a riot of colour and the joyful noise of the celebrations echoed through the streets all around the building.

This was a more low key celebration, but we all had a lot of fun. We had lots of delicious food, including my Tofu Stir Fry with Hoisin Sauce, and I enjoyed learning about the Chinese calendar, which uses both lunar and solar cycles, meaning Chinese New Year falls on different dates every year and the celebration continues for 16 days afterwards. Each year is associated with one of twelve animals in the Chinese zodiac. In 2026, Chinese New Year falls on 17th February, making it the Year of the Fire Horse. I don’t follow horoscopes, but it’s fun to find out what animal you are.

Hoisin Sauce

Hoisin sauce is a thick, tangy sauce made with soy beans, garlic, chillies and spices. I don’t often use store-bought sauces, but in this case I do as it makes the stir fry so quick and easy. I’m thinking of giving homemade hoisin sauce a try and will update this Tofu Stir Fry with Hoisin Sauce recipe when I do.

Recipe Variations

I sometimes substitute mushrooms for the tofu and of course, you can switch up the vegetables depending on what you have on hand.

• use quartered or sliced mushrooms instead of tofu
• switch up the vegetables depending on what you have on hand
• serve over brown or Basmati rice instead of plain white rice
• serve over noodles instead of rice

Tofu Stir Fry with Hoisin Sauce Recipe

Serves 4 generously

1½ cups rice
about 1 cup ready to use Tofu or 1 cup sliced mushrooms
2 tablespoons oil, sesame if possible
a couple handfuls of green beans, topped, tailed and cut in one to two inch pieces (or substitute a sliced green pepper or some asparagus)
1 yellow or red pepper, de-seeded and sliced
3 to 4 carrots, peeled and sliced on the diagonal
half a small cabbage, shredded
½ cup Hoisin sauce
one bunch of scallions (spring onions), finely chopped

Prepare the rice according to package directions.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large frying pan or wok over medium to high heat. Stir fry the beans, pepper and carrots for a few minutes, stirring pretty much constantly so they cook evenly. Toss in the tofu and cabbage and continue to stir fry for about three to four minutes, then stir in the Hoisin sauce and scallions and cook for a couple minutes more.

Drain the rice and divide between four plates. Serve the stir fry on top of the rice.