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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.

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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