My tofu and mushrooms are simmered in a savory garlic ginger sauce that’s bursting with flavor, but made with really simple ingredients! This delicious vegan dinner is easy, quick, and so satisfying.
I have a lot of recipes that fit under the general tofu and veggies umbrella, and they tend to feature sweet and spicy flavors. I’m talking about dishes like my tofu and green beans, tofu stir-fry, and General Tso’s tofu. Well, today we’re doing things a little differently. This tofu and mushrooms recipe is all about savory.
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Mushrooms are a star ingredient when it comes to umami. They’re naturally savory, and they soak up flavors like sponges! With that in mind, we’re braising our tofu and mushrooms in a savory sauce to make this recipe. It only requires a handful of ingredients, but still ends up being super flavorful, the way a good mushroom gravy or vegan cream of mushroom soup does.
Be sure to serve your tofu and mushrooms over rice, to soak up all that gingery, garlicky sauce. The result is a hearty, satisfying dinner that also happens to be easy enough for a busy weeknight!
Ingredients You’ll Need
Below you’ll find a list of ingredients in this recipe, with notes and substitutions. Scroll all the way to the bottom of the post to see the full recipe, including the amount of each ingredient.
- Water.
- Soy sauce. Need an alternative? Try tamari or liquid aminos.
- Vegan oyster sauce. Many grocery stores carry this in the international aisle. If you can’t find it there, try an Asian market.
- Toasted sesame oil. This is also available in the international section of most grocery stores.
- Black pepper.
- Cornstarch.
- Vegetable oil. Feel free to use another neutral high-heat oil, like canola, peanut, or corn oil.
- Tofu. I recommend using super-firm tofu if it’s available. If not, extra-firm or firm tofu will work, but will need to be pressed before using.
- Mushrooms. I used a mix of white button, shiitake, and oyster mushrooms. You can swap these out with other types of fresh mushrooms like cremini, beech, or maitake, if you’d like.
- Shallots.
- Garlic.
- Ginger.
- Scallions. Also known as green onions.
- Rice. Use whatever type of rice you normally enjoy with stir-fries. I’m partial to jasmine rice for this type of dish.
How It’s Made
The following is a detailed photo tutorial on how to make this dish. Scroll all the way down if you’d like to skip right to the recipe!
Step 1: Mix the sauce. Stir together water, soy sauce, vegan oyster sauce, sesame oil, and black pepper.
Step 2: Make the cornstarch slurry. Stir cold water and cornstarch together. This is your thickener.
Step 3: Cook the tofu. Heat some oil in a large nonstick skillet, then add tofu cubes. Cook them for a few minutes, flipping them a couple of times, until they’re browned. Move the tofu to a plate.
Step 4: Cook the mushrooms. Add some more oil to the skillet, then add the mushrooms. Don’t stir too much! You want to let the mushrooms sit for a few minutes, stir, then repeat, until they’re browned.
Step 5: Cook the shallots. Add sliced shallots to the skillet, and cook them with the mushrooms for a few minutes, until they start to soften.
Step 6: Cook the aromatics. Push the mushrooms and shallots aside, then add minced garlic, grated ginger, and just the white parts of your scallions. Cook them briefly, stirring constantly to prevent burning.
Step 7: Simmer. Add the tofu back to the skillet, along with the soy sauce mixture. Simmer everything for a few minutes.
Step 8: Thicken. Add the cornstarch mixture, then just bring the sauce back to a simmer. It should thicken right away. Take it off of heat.
Step 9: Finish. Add the green parts of your scallions, and adjust any seasonings to taste. This might mean more soy sauce if you’d like it saltier, more pepper for some heat, or more vegan oyster sauce for more umami.
Step 10: Serve. Serve your tofu and mushrooms while it’s hot, along with some rice.
Variations
- Add some veggies. Stir-fried asparagus, carrots, broccoli, or green beans would make a great addition to this dish. Consider making extra sauce if you add veggies.
- Add some heat. Spice up your tofu and mushrooms with some chili oil or sriracha sauce.
- Serve over noodles. Skip the rice, make a little extra sauce, and toss your tofu and mushrooms with some rice noodles before serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! Use gluten-free tamari instead of soy sauce, and make sure your vegan oyster sauce is certified gluten-free.
Leftovers will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for about three days. Add a splash of water if the sauce seems dry when you reheat them.
I don’t recommend it. Freezing will alter the texture of the tofu, mushrooms, and the sauce.
More Tofu Recipes
Like this recipe? If so, please stop back and leave me a review and rating below if you try it! Also be sure to follow me on Facebook, Pinterest or Instagram, or subscribe to my newsletter for more recipes like this one!
📖 Recipe
Tofu & Mushrooms with Savory Garlic Ginger Sauce
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Ingredients
- 1 cup chilled water, divided
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon vegan oyster sauce
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
- 1 (16 ounce/454 gram) package super-firm tofu, patted dry and cut into ½ to 1-inch cubes
- 6 ounces white button mushrooms, cleaned and sliced (Note 1)
- 6 ounces shiitake mushrooms, stems removed, caps cleaned and sliced
- 4 ounces oyster mushrooms, cleaned and roughly chopped
- ½ cup sliced shallots
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
- 3 scallions, white and green parts chopped and separated
- Cooked rice, for serving
Instructions
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To make the sauce, stir ¾ cup of water together with the soy sauce, vegan oyster sauce, sesame oil, and black pepper in a small bowl or cup. Set this aside.
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In a separate small bowl or cup, stir together the remaining ¼ cup of cold water and cornstarch. Set this aside.
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Coat the bottom of a large nonstick skillet with a tablespoon of the oil and place it over medium heat. Give the oil a minute to heat up, then add the tofu cubes. Arrange them in a single layer and cook them for about 10 minutes, flipping them once or twice until they're golden brown. Remove the tofu from the skillet and transfer it to a plate.
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Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil to the skillet, then give it a minute to heat up. Add the mushrooms. Spread them out and let them cook undisturbed for two to three minutes, then stir them and let them cook a few more minutes. Repeat one or two more times, cooking the mushrooms until they're tender and browned.
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Add the shallots to the skillet, then cook them with the mushrooms for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they begin to soften.
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Push the mushrooms and shallots to the side, then add the garlic, ginger, and the white parts of your scallions. Sauté the mixture until it becomes very fragrant, about 1 minute, stirring constantly.
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Return the tofu to the skillet. Stir everything up and add the soy sauce mixture to the skillet. Raise the heat and bring the liquid to a boil, then lower the heat and let it simmer for about 5 minutes, until reduced slightly.
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Stir in the cornstarch mixture. Raise the heat and bring the sauce back to a simmer. The sauce should thicken once it begins to simmer. Remove the skillet from heat once it does.
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Taste-test the sauce and adjust any seasonings to suit your taste, such as adding more soy sauce, oyster sauce, or black pepper. Stir in the green parts of your scallions.
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Serve with rice.
Notes
- The button, oyster, and shiitake mushrooms can be replaced with just about any variety of fresh mushrooms you can get at the store. The amounts listed in the recipe are suggestions and can be varied — just make sure you use a total of one pound of mushrooms.
- Nutrition information does not include rice.
Nutrition
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