Light miso gives this easy, vegan stir-fry its rich flavor while tofu adds protein and heartiness. Quick, under 200 calories, and gluten-free.
I don’t post a lot of stir-fry recipes because, as I’ve mentioned before, I tend to make them by feel, adding whatever amounts of vegetables and sauce feel right. Since I usually use the same basic ingredients, most of my stir-fries taste about the same. But not this one.
Adding a miso-based sauce to my stir-“fried” veggies (they’re really stir-steamed) took this easy dish to a new level. And if I hadn’t had a tub of miso that I needed to use up, I never would have thought of it. If you love the rich flavor of mellow white miso, you’re going to love this dish!
The only time-consuming part of this recipe is the chopping. I used packaged baked tofu (not something I usually buy but I got it on sale for half-off) and sliced the vegetables extra thin so that they cooked in a flash. Then, I served the cooked vegetables over buckwheat soba noodles because they also cook quickly, but if you’re in less of a hurry than I was, brown rice, quinoa, or your favorite whole grain would also make a nice “bed” for the stir-fry. Just do serve it on top of something–the sauce is intentionally thin and plentiful enough to deliver that great miso flavor to whatever’s underneath it.
Note: A quarter teaspoon of roasted sesame oil packs a whole lot of flavor and only 1/3 gram of fat per serving, but you can omit it if you need to.
Stir-fried Tofu and Vegetables with Miso Sauce
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 1 pound baby bok choy
- 1 large carrot
- 6 ounces mushrooms
- 1/2 red bell pepper
- 8 ounces baked tofu
Sauce
- 2 tablespoons shiro (white miso)
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 teaspoon sriracha or other chile sauce
- 1 tablespoon mirin sweet rice cooking wine
- 1 teaspoon agave nectar or other liquid sweetener
- 1/4 teaspoon toasted sesame oil optional*
Instructions
- Wash bok choy, cut off the green tops, chop them coarsely, and place in a bowl. Slice the white parts about 1/2-inch thick and place in another large bowl. Cut the carrot into matchsticks and add it to the white bok choy bowl. Slice the mushrooms, and put them with the carrots. Slice the bell pepper thinly and add it to the bok choy greens. Dice the tofu and set aside.
- Place the miso and cornstarch into a bowl and gradually add the water as you whisk it to combine smoothly. Add the remaining sauce ingredients and set aside.
- Heat a large non-stick skillet or wok (or regular skillet that has been rubbed or sprayed lightly with canola oil). When it’s hot, add the garlic and stir for about 30 seconds. Add the white bok choy/carrot mixture and 2 tablespoons water and cover immediately. Steam for about 2 minutes. Add the bok choy greens, cover, and cook until just wilted, about 1-2 minutes. Stir in the tofu and the sauce and cook until tofu is heated through and sauce is slightly thickened. Serve immediately over noodles or whole grain.
Notes
Nutritional info is approximate.
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Ryan Elizabeth
January 15, 2014 at 9:22 amHi!
Just wanted to thank you for this recipe! I have a whole tub of white miso paste, am constantly looking for new ways to use it and this recipe hit the spot! I threw together a stir fry with this miso sauce and HOLY MOLY was it delish. Having it again for dinner tonight, can’t wait! 🙂