A bowl of bok choy and tofu stir-fry with assorted mushrooms in a light brown sauce, served in a decorative dish on a wooden tray, accompanied by chopsticks and a cup of tea.

Recipe Highlights

I’ve always loved a stir-fry on a busy weeknight because it comes together fast but still feels satisfying. My Bok Choy and Tofu Stir-Fry uses a thick, deep-fried tofu cutlet that holds its shape and takes on a golden brown color. The sauce is a mix of vegetable stock, soy sauce, and a starch slurry—light, savory, and just thick enough to coat every ingredient.

  • Ready in 20 minutes for the perfect weeknight dinner
  • Plant-based and satisfying
  • Flexible – easy to swap proteins or vegetables

If you love plant-based Japanese dinners, try my Vegetable Gyoza, Vegetarian Japanese Curry, and Vegetarian Ramen recipes next!

A bowl of bok choy and tofu stir-fry with mushrooms and savory sauce is served on a wooden tray with chopsticks and a cup of tea, beautifully presented in a white and blue flower-shaped bowl.

Ingredients for Bok Choy and Tofu Stir-Fry

  • deep-fried firm tofu cutlet (atsuage)
  • Shanghai bok choy (baby bok choy)
  • shimeji (brown beech) mushrooms
  • ginger
  • garlic
  • salt and black pepper
  • toasted sesame oil

For the Sauce

  • concentrated vegetable base – I use Better Than Bouillon
  • water
  • soy sauce
  • potato starch or cornstarch

Find the printable recipe with measurements below.

Jump to Recipe

How to Make Bok Choy and Tofu Stir-Fry

  1. Prep the ingredients. Slice the bok choy into 2-inch pieces. Separate the shimeji into clusters and cut the tofu into cubes. Grate the ginger and mince the garlic. Whisk together the sauce ingredients.
  1. Sauté the aromatics. Heat sesame oil in a pan or wok over medium heat. Add the fresh ginger and garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
  1. Stir-fry the tofu and stems. Add the atsuage and thick bok choy stems. Stir-fry until the tofu is lightly golden and the stems begin to soften. Season with salt and pepper.
  1. Add the greens and mushrooms. Add the bok choy leaves and mushrooms and stir-fry until the greens wilt and the mushrooms are tender.
  1. Add the sauce and serve. Give the slurry a quick stir, pour it into the pan, and stir constantly until the sauce thickens, about 30–60 seconds. Serve immediately.
A person slicing a head of bok choy on a wooden cutting board with a large kitchen knife, prepping fresh ingredients for a flavorful bok choy and tofu stir-fry.
Minced garlic and ginger being sautéed in oil in a black wok on a stovetop, stirred with a wooden spatula as the base for a flavorful bok choy and tofu stir-fry.
A hand sprinkles pepper from a grinder onto a bok choy and tofu stir-fry sizzling in a black wok on the stovetop.
A person pours sauce from a measuring cup into a wok filled with bok choy and tofu stir-fry, mushrooms, and other vegetables while stirring with a spatula.
A hand with chopsticks picks up tofu from a savory bowl of bok choy and tofu stir-fry, featuring braised vegetables and mushrooms. The dish rests on a wooden surface beside a lidded cup.
Namiko Hirasawa Chen

Nami’s Recipe Tips

These simple tips will help you make Bok Choy and Tofu Stir-Fry perfectly every time.

  • Separate the bok choy stems and greens – The thick white parts need more time to cook. Add them to the pan first with the tofu so everything finishes at the same time.
  • Whisk the slurry just before you pour – Potato starch or cornstarch settles to the bottom of the bowl as it sits. A quick stir right before adding it keeps the sauce smooth and lump-free.
  • Use gentle heat – Stick to medium heat to brown the tofu without burning the garlic and ginger. Avoid high or medium-high heat.
  • Remove from heat immediately – The sauce thickens quickly, so pull the pan off the heat as soon as it’s glossy.
A plate of bok choy and tofu stir-fry with mushrooms and green onions in a light brown sauce, served in a decorative dish on a wooden tray with chopsticks and tea cups nearby.

Variations and Customizations

Looking to change things up? Try these easy ideas!

  • Swap the tofu for chicken. Slice boneless chicken thighs into bite-sized pieces and stir-fry until no longer pink before adding the bok choy.
  • Use extra-firm tofu. If you can’t find deep-fried tofu cutlet, use extra-firm tofu pressed, cubed, and pan-fried in a little oil until golden. The texture will be softer but still delicious.
  • Try different mushrooms. If you can’t find shimeji, toss in shiitake mushrooms, enoki, or crimini mushrooms instead.
  • Add more veggies. Snow peas, baby corn, bell peppers, sweet red peppers, napa cabbage, or thinly sliced carrots are all great alternatives.
A bowl of bok choy and tofu stir-fry, paired with mushrooms in a light broth, is served on a wooden tray with chopsticks. A cup of tea and a small lidded bowl complete this elegant presentation.

What to Serve with Bok Choy and Tofu Stir-Fry

Round out your meal with these simple pairings.

Black ceramic bowls containing glass noodle soup with tofu, fluffy egg, and wakame seaweed.
A Japanese black mortar containing cut tomato wedges dressed in ground sesame ponzu seasoning, garnished with mitsuba leaves on top.

Storage and Reheating Tips

To store: Let the stir-fry cool completely, then transfer to an airtight container. Keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 1 month. Note that the tofu texture may become more porous after freezing.

To reheat: Warm in a frying pan over medium-low heat with a splash of water to loosen the sauce. Stir gently until heated through.

FAQs

Can I use regular firm tofu instead of atsuage?

Yes. Press an extra-firm tofu block to remove excess moisture, pat dry with paper towels, then pan-fry until golden before adding it to the stir-fry. It works in a pinch but will be softer than deep-fried atsuage, which has the best texture.

Where can I find deep-fried tofu cutlet?

Look for this plant-based protein in the refrigerated section at mainstream stores or Asian supermarkets. If you can’t find it, extra-firm tofu pan-fried until golden is your best substitute.

Can I make this ahead of time?

It’s best to eat this dish right away while the sauce is glossy and the bok choy has crunch. If you’re prepping ahead, cut all the vegetables and mix the sauce the day before. Then cook everything fresh.

I’d love to hear how yours turned out! 💛 Please leave a star rating and comment below to share your experience. Your feedback not only supports Just One Cookbook but also helps other home cooks discover recipes they can trust.

A bowl of bok choy and tofu stir-fry with mushrooms and savory sauce is served on a wooden tray with chopsticks and a cup of tea, beautifully presented in a white and blue flower-shaped bowl.
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Bok Choy and Tofu Stir-Fry

by Namiko Hirasawa Chen
Bok Choy and Tofu Stir-Fry is a light but filling dish you can pull together on any weeknight. A savory ginger-garlic sauce coats tender deep-fried tofu cutlet, crisp bok choy, and earthy mushrooms. My recipe uses pantry-friendly ingredients to build a glossy, savory sauce right at home. In 20 minutes, you'll have a colorful stir-fry that tastes even better with hot steamed rice or noodles.
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 10 minutes
Total: 20 minutes
Servings: 2

Ingredients  

For the Sauce

Instructions

  • Gather all the ingredients.
    Ingredients for a flavorful bok choy and tofu stir-fry on a wooden surface: water in a measuring cup, garlic, ginger, shimeji mushrooms, baby bok choy, tofu cutlet, soy sauce, cornstarch, miso paste, salt, pepper, and sesame oil in small bowls.

To Prepare the Ingredients

  • Cut 1–2 heads Shanghai bok choy crosswise into bite-size pieces about 2 inches (5 cm) long. Separate the thick white stems and leafy greens.
    A person’s hand slices bok choy with a knife on a wooden cutting board; the chopped pieces are displayed beside the whole stalk, ready to be added to a flavorful bok choy and tofu stir-fry.
  • Stir ½ cup water, ½ tsp concentrated vegetable stock, and ½ Tbsp soy sauce in a bowl or glass measuring cup until dissolved. Whisk ½ tsp potato starch or cornstarch into the sauce to make a slurry.
    Nami's Tip: I used a measuring cup with spout and handle for easy pouring. 
    Three-panel image: First, chili paste and soy sauce are added to water in a glass measuring cup. Next, a small bowl of cornstarch is poured in. Third, the mixture is whisked until smooth for a bok choy and tofu stir-fry sauce.
  • Peel and grate 1 inch ginger and mince 1 clove garlic.
    Nami's Tip: I use a ceramic grater and a garlic press.
    Two side-by-side photos: on the left, hands grate fresh ginger for a bok choy and tofu stir-fry; on the right, hands press ginger with a garlic press onto a ceramic grater, all on a wooden surface.
  • Trim the roots off ½ package shimeji (brown beech) mushrooms and separate them into small clusters.
    Two-panel image showing hands preparing mushrooms for a bok choy and tofu stir-fry: the left panel shows slicing the base, and the right panel shows separating the mushroom clusters.
  • Cut 1 steak deep-fried firm tofu cutlet (atsuage) crosswise into fifths, then into bite-sized cubes.
    Two images side by side show hands using a knife to slice a rectangular block of firm tofu for a bok choy and tofu stir-fry. The tofu rests on a paper towel on a wooden surface and is being cut into even strips.

To Cook

  • Heat a frying pan over medium heat until hot. Add 1 Tbsp toasted sesame oil, the ginger, and the garlic and sauté until fragrant.
    Two-panel image: On the left, a hand adds minced garlic and ginger from a small dish into a wok with hot oil for bok choy and tofu stir-fry. On the right, the mixture sizzles as it's stirred with a wooden spatula.
  • Add the tofu and thick bok choy stems and stir-fry until the tofu is lightly golden and the stems begin to soften, about 2–3 minutes. Season with ¼ tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.
    Split image showing a bok choy and tofu stir-fry in a wok; on the left, a person stirs with a wooden spoon, and on the right, they sprinkle seasoning from a small container.
  • Add the leafy bok choy greens and mushrooms and stir-fry for 1–2 minutes, until the greens wilt and the mushrooms are tender.
    A person makes a bok choy and tofu stir-fry, tossing tofu, baby bok choy, and mushrooms in a black wok on the stove with a wooden spatula. The first image shows fresh ingredients; the second shows them partially cooked and mixed.
  • Give the sauce slurry a quick stir, pour it into the pan, and stir constantly until the sauce thickens and coats the ingredients, about 30–60 seconds. Remove from the heat immediately.
    Two images side by side show a bok choy and tofu stir-fry cooking in a wok. In the left image, a person pours orange sauce into the wok; in the right, the ingredients simmer together on a stovetop.

To Serve

  • Transfer to a serving dish and serve immediately.
    A hand serves bok choy and tofu stir-fry with mushrooms in a savory sauce onto a decorative plate. The right side shows the plated tofu dish on a wooden surface, featuring saucy bok choy, tofu cubes, and mushrooms.

To Store

  • Store the leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 1 month. Note that the tofu texture may become more porous after freezing. To reheat, warm in a frying pan over medium-low heat with a splash of water to loosen the sauce. Stir gently until heated through.

Notes

Variations and Customizations
  • Swap the tofu for chicken. Slice boneless chicken thighs into bite-sized pieces and stir-fry in place of the atsuage. Cook until no longer pink before adding the bok choy.
  • Use extra-firm tofu. If you can’t find deep-fried tofu cutlet at your local store, use extra-firm tofu pressed and pan-fried in a little oil until golden. The texture will be softer but still delicious.
  • Make it vegan. This recipe is already plant-based as written. Confirm your vegetable stock brand is vegan-certified if needed.
  • Try different mushrooms. If you can’t find shimeji, use shiitake or crimini mushrooms instead.
  • Add more vegetables. Snap peas, baby corn, or thinly sliced carrots are all great additions. Add them with the bok choy stems.
  • Make it spicy. Stir in a pinch of shichimi togarashi or a drizzle of chili oil before serving for a spicy kick.

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