Delicious Black Pepper Tofu with Bok Choy – a simple vegan tofu stir-fry that can be made in 20 minutes flat! Serve this over noodles or rice for a quick and easy weeknight dinner. 
Laugh because that is the purest sound. – Hafez
This Black Pepper Tofu with Bok Choy is a quick and easy weeknight dinner that can be made in under 30 minutes. It’s loaded up with healthy bok choy and can be served on its own, jasmine rice, black rice or rice noodles.
And even though this tofu stir fry is easiest made in a wok, don’t let this stop you if you don’t happen to have one.
Half the time I make this in my cast iron skillet. Either way, it’s a super tasty way to serve up tofu and the vibrant baby bok choy!
Black Pepper Tofu | 30-second video
TIP: As with most stir-fry recipes, my best advice is to make sure to prep all the ingredients beforehand and place them close to the stove, ready to go. The cooking part goes very quickly and it’s all too easy to burn things when you are not constantly stirring.
So always chop and prep before you turn on the pan.
This recipe for Black Pepper Tofu is perfect for two.
Brian and I normally eat this without rice or noodles, for a lower carb dinner, but feel free to add if you like.
Although it has a fair amount of crushed black peppercorns, the Black Pepper Sauce is not overwhelming. It perfectly accentuates the tofu and the bok choy, and the dish feels balanced.
And keep in mind, I’ve simplified this recipe quite a bit to prevent you from having to make an extra trip to the Asian Market for specialty items.
The baby bok choy turns a vibrant green in the wok and gets just slightly wilty.
And even though the dish tastes flavorful and saucy, it also tastes very clean. Which I love…
I’m not sure if it is just my imagination, but the natural water element of the bok choy feels very healing and restorative to the body.
A simple easy recipe to whip up when days are full and time is short. Give this Black Pepper Tofu with Bok Choy, a try this coming week and let me know what you think!
Have a great holiday weekend.
xoxo
Sylvia
More recipes you may like:
- Broccoli Stir Fry
- Szechuan Tofu and Veggies
- Sesame Brussels Sprouts Tofu Bowl
- Miso Tofu Bowl with Veggies!
- Tofu Stir-Fry with Broccolini and Mushrooms
Black Pepper Tofu with Bok Choy
- Prep Time: 15
- Cook Time: 15
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 2
- Category: Vegan, Gluten Free, Main
- Method: Stir fry
- Cuisine: Chinese
- Diet: Vegan
Description
A simple delicious recipe for Black Pepper Tofu with Bok Choy – a tasty vegan meal that can be made in under 30 minutes!
Ingredients
- 8–12 ounces firm tofu, patted dry, cut into 1-inch cubes (do not use silken tofu – or sub chicken or shrimp, see notes)
- corn starch for dredging (optional)
- 2 tablespoons wok oil (high heat oil like peanut, or coconut )
- generous, 5-finger pinch of salt
- 1 teaspoon fresh cracked peppercorns
- —–
- 1 fat shallot, sliced
- 4 cloves garlic, rough chopped
- 6 ounces baby bok choy (about 4) quartered lengthwise ( or if very thick, in half again)
Black Pepper Sauce:
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce ( or Gluten-free Liquid Aminos)
- 2 tablespoons Chinese Cooking Wine ( Shaoxing Rice Wine) or sub dry white wine, pale sherry, or rice wine.
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar ( or sub palm sugar, coconut sugar or agave)
- ½ teaspoon fresh cracked peppercorns
- 1 teaspoon chili paste (optional)
Serve with rice, or on its own.
Instructions
- Cut tofu into cubes and blot dry with paper towels, pressing down gently.
- Make the wok sauce, stirring ingredients together in a small until most of the sugar dissolves. Place it by the stove.
- Prep the shallots, garlic and bok choy.
- Dredge the tofu in a light coating of cornstarch (cornstarch is optional, but provides a crispier texture).
- Heat oil in a wok or large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat and add the salt and crushed peppercorns to the oil, swirling it around until fragrant, about one minute.
- Add the tofu to the seasoned oil, and sear on all sides until golden and crispy, turning the heat down if need be. Be patient and take your time, it will take about 5-6 minutes.
- Set the crispy tofu aside on a paper towel-lined plate, and wipe the pan out.
- Heat another teaspoon or two of oil over medium heat, and add shallots, garlic and bok choy. Stir continuously until bok choy begins to wilt and shallots become golden, about 3-4 minutes. It will smell amazing. Add the wok sauce to the pan, careful to get all the sugar that may have settled in the bowl.
- Simmer for a couple of minutes, or until bok choy is just tender.
- At the very very end, toss the tofu back into the pan with the bok choy and sauce ( just long enough to coat, only 5-10 seconds!) Cooking any longer will remove the amazing crispiness! Taste for salt and heat, adjusting to your preference.
- Serve immediately, diving between two bowls.
Notes
- Feel free to substitute chicken breast for the tofu, cut into cubes, and prepared the same way.
- Feel free to crisp the tofu in the wok, without using cornstarch. Just make sure to pat dry the tofu with paper towels and season the oil in the pan with salt and pepper. Don’t move the tofu around too much in the pan. The tofu will naturally release from the pan when it develops a “crust”. So just turn and flop every so often, letting it get crispy.
Keywords: tofu stir fry, tofu stir fry recipe, vegan stir fry, black pepper tofu, black pepper tofu recipe, black pepper beef, seared tofu with bok choy, tofu in black pepper sauce
Looks tasty and simple – will try this week, and I’m already imagining variations beyond the chicken or shrimp substitutions (maybe some fancy mushroom, maybe some bamboo shoots, or pea pods …. yum!)
★★★★
Okay, this was amazing. Unexpectedly so. I’d never cooked with cornstarch before, and I’ve only sauteed tofu Japanese style, so this was all brand new to me. I have a small garden and am drowning in bok choy right now, so I’ve been hunting for recipes – this is the first I’ve tried from this site, and I am so impressed!
I did take the tofu out early and let it sit on a mounded bowl with a press (just a couple of cans on a flat dish) on top of it to get out as much moisture as possible, and I wound up using 1 Tbsp dark Chinese soy sauce and 1 Tbsp regular soy sauce. And I served it with rice on the side, which meant it was a little too much for just two people as a main course – not that we were complaining.
Very very wonderful dish. Thank you, I’m off to search your site for more!
★★★★★
Gorgeous light, crispy, tasty dish…still delicious cold and crispy next day…a winner…thank you 🤓
Made this for dinner tonight and it was delicious! Thank you!
Quick and easy meal.
★★★★★
Tried this for lunch today and it turned out great! Used broccoli instead of bok choy and served on its own. Could’ve left the tofu in the pan at the end a little longer to absorb some of the sauce but was afraid of it loosing it’s crispiness. The sauce is a keeper too. Although i will add a little cornstarch to the sauce next time to make it a little thicker. Thanks for the recipe Sylvia 🙂
★★★★★
Really easy and quick, and very tasty. A good fiery taste from the pepper. Tofu crisped up beautifully. I added sliced mushrooms and broccoli which worked well.
★★★★★
Made this last night and it was perfect! I used rice wine vinegar bcz I didn’t have cooking wine, and it gave it an interesting sweetness. Also, fresh ground pepper is so good with the shallots and garlic. SO good!
★★★★★
Really delicious! I am vegan and loving your recipes. Thank you so much! Jill
★★★★★
I had corn starch left over, so I added it to the sauce. Coated everything nicely.
★★★★★
I’m new to tofu and this was perfect. Added the cornstarch. Amazing flavor
★★★★★
I’d take the peppercorns out of the sauce list if they’re intended to be in the oil in an early step!
They are in both the sauce and searing the tofu. 🙂
We were looking for a recipe to use some of the bok choy from the CSA and found this gem. The flavors are in harmony, the black pepper is the star without being overwhelming and cracking the peppercorn in the mortar and pestle is just so satisfying. Next time we may serve it with rice to make use of all the gorgeous sauce.
★★★★
I’ve been trying to get my picky house of boys (and husband)to eat a couple vegetarian meals a week. They always insist they HAVE to have a meat protein! Well, they didn’t miss it here at all even when they turn up their noses to the thought of eating tofu. The favors blended perfectly and the cornstarch on the tofu was so good! I’m totally obsessed with this! I served it over black rice using the “pasta method” you suggested and we were blown away. Trying the White Enchiladas tonight!!!
★★★★★
Great to hear Sherry!
we made this for dinner tonight, sort of following the recipe and it was quite tasty. I used extra firm tofu. I tossed the tofu chunks in tapioca starch since I’ve misplaced my cornstarch. I had only grownup bok choy, not baby, so I sliced each rib about 1/3 inch wide from stem to stern. Then I was short some green parts so I added the green parts of a leek. I never have shallots, so I used a half an onion, thinly sliced, and used pepper from the pepper mill (not crushed) only not quite as much since I find pepper spicy. I also used about 1/4 tsp of salt since we watch our salt intake. I cooked it in half canola half coconut. I used rice wine vinegar and agave instead of brown sugar. I used 1/3 tsp chili paste since I am a wimp. I think it had a little kick. The tofu had a nice chewy texture, instead of the usual mush. I like it and have saved the recipe.
★★★★★
Great to hear!
“Five FINGER pinch of salt” NOT five pinches”. Gah!!!
★★★
Oh dear. Yes, just a generous pinch.
What is the garnish in the picture? Is it saffron or chili threads?
Chili Threads. 😉
Hi. I don’t have any bok Choy on hand. What would recommend as a substitute? Broccoli?
That would work- maybe steam first?