This plant-based stir fry features pan fried tofu and vegetables coated in a sweet, savory, and nutty sesame miso sauce.

This sesame miso stir fry is a quick, easy, and tasty vegan meal that’s perfect for weeknight dinners. It’s ready in 30 minutes and tastes amazing paired with a bowl of steamed rice. It’s high in protein and fiber to keep you satiated, and the sesame miso flavor is so delicious and comforting!

Key Ingredients

Firm Tofu ⟶ Firm, extra firm, or super firm are all good choices for stir fries.
Veggies ⟶ I used eggplant, cabbage, onions, and mushrooms. Bell peppers, broccoli, and carrots are also good options.
Sesame Seeds ⟶ Toasted and ground! You can buy pre-ground toasted sesame seeds, but the flavor is even better fresh.
Miso ⟶ For salty, savory flavor that makes this stir fry so comforting.
Mirin and Sugar ⟶ Some sweetness to balance out the miso.

Tips for Success

Add miso at the end on low heat ⟶ You don’t want to boil the miso otherwise you will lose some of the flavor and beneficial compounds.

Add mirin before the miso ⟶ Unlike with miso, you do want to boil the mirin for a bit to cook off the alcohol.

Sesame Miso Stir Fry FAQ

Is this stir fry gluten-free?
Yes, this stir fry is gluten-free! If you’re using doubanjiang, check the ingredients since some may contain gluten. I use this Japanese-style doubanjiang*.

How do I grind sesame seeds?
You can buy pre-ground sesame seeds (called “surigoma”) at Japanese markets, or just toast and grind sesame seeds at home with a mortar and pestle.

What kind of miso should I use?
I use whatever miso I have on hand, which is usually awase miso (a mix of red and white miso). I recommend awase or red miso for more savory flavor.

Do I need to press tofu?
I recommend pressing the tofu so it absorbs more flavor, but if you’re short on time you can skip this step. You can also try super firm tofu which doesn’t need to be pressed.

More Quick & Easy One-Pan Meals

If you try out this recipe, don’t forget to leave a comment/rating down below and tag me in your photos on instagram @ellielikes.cooking. I love seeing all of your tasty recreations!

Prep Time:15

Cook Time:15

Servings: 3

Ingredients

2 tbsp oil
16 oz firm tofu pressed and sliced
2 Chinese or Japanese eggplants chopped
½ onion sliced
1 clove garlic minced
1 tsp ginger minced
¼ small head of cabbage chopped
1 package (200g) shimeji or enoki mushrooms
2 green onions sliced, whites and greens separated

Sauce

2 tbsp mirin
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp doubanjiang* optional for heat
2 tbsp miso
2 tbsp water
2 tbsp ground toasted sesame seeds (surigoma)

Instructions

Heat half the oil in a wok over medium high heat. Add tofu slices and cook each side until browned. Transfer to a plate.
Add remaining oil to the wok. Once hot, add eggplants and stir fry until soft.
Add onion, garlic, ginger, cabbage, mushrooms, and green onion whites. Stir fry until soft and starting to brown, 5-7 minutes.
Add tofu, mirin, sugar, and doubajiang and stir for 2 minutes to cook off the alcohol.
Mix together miso and water. Reduce heat to low and add the miso and sesame seeds. Stir until well coated and heated through.
Turn off heat and garnish with the green parts of the green onions.

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