Chinese Tofu and Egg Stir-Fry, Home-Style (30g Protein)

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This tofu and egg stir-fry is the dish I make when I want a fast, high-protein dinner without touching meat. One bowl gets you 30 grams of protein from pressed tofu and soft scrambled eggs, and it takes about 25 minutes from cutting board to table.

It is the kind of stir-fry you will find in a lot of Chinese home kitchens: tofu seared until it has a proper crust, eggs folded through until just set, everything tied together with soy sauce, a little oyster sauce and a hit of white pepper. No fish sauce, no seafood, nothing you need to hunt down at a specialty store. Just a wok, a spatula and about eight ingredients you probably already have.

I make this on nights I do not want to think too hard about dinner. It also reheats well enough that I usually cook a double batch and eat the extra for lunch the next day, which is more than I can say for most egg dishes.

Why this works

Two things matter here. First, you press the tofu and dust it in a little cornstarch before it goes in the pan. That thin coating is what gives you a crust instead of a soggy cube, and it helps the sauce grip onto the tofu instead of sliding off the surface. Second, the eggs get scrambled on their own and pulled off the heat while they are still a bit glossy, then folded back in at the very end. Cook them directly in the sauce with everything else and they turn grey and rubbery. Keeping them separate until the last 30 seconds is what keeps them soft.

Ingredient notes

Use extra-firm or firm tofu, not silken. Silken tofu will fall apart before it ever gets near a crust. Press it for at least 15 minutes, longer if you have time; the drier it goes into the pan, the better it sears. For the sauce, light soy sauce means the regular, everyday soy sauce, not the thick dark kind meant for color. Oyster sauce adds body and a little sweetness; if you want this vegetarian, a mushroom stir-fry sauce works as a straight swap. Shaoxing wine is worth having in the pantry for stir-fries in general, but a splash of dry sherry or just a spoon of water will get you through this recipe if you do not have it. White pepper is the more traditional choice here and has a sharper, more floral heat than black pepper, but black pepper will not ruin anything if that is what is in your cupboard.

For more ways to get your protein from tofu, my kung pao tofu and crispy teriyaki tofu bowls are both in regular rotation at my place. If you like eggs as a protein base, my tomato egg stir-fry with chicken is worth a look too.

Chinese Tofu and Egg Stir-Fry

Seared cubes of pressed tofu and soft scrambled eggs tossed in a quick garlic soy sauce, a home-style Chinese stir-fry with 30g of protein a serving and no meat required.

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 10 minutes mins

Total Time 25 minutes mins

Servings: 3 servings

Calories: 390

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

  

• 400 g extra-firm tofu pressed at least 15 minutes, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 4 large eggs whisked with a pinch of salt
• 1.5 tbsp neutral oil divided, peanut or vegetable
• 1.5 tsp cornstarch for coating the tofu
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 1 tsp fresh ginger minced
• 4 scallions whites and greens separated, sliced
• 2 tbsp light soy sauce
• 1 tbsp oyster sauce or mushroom stir-fry sauce for vegetarian
• 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine optional, or dry sherry
• 0.25 tsp white pepper or black pepper
• 1 tsp cornstarch mixed with 2 tbsp water, for the slurry
• 1 tsp sesame oil for finishing
• cooked white rice for serving, optional, not included in nutrition

Method

 

1. Press the tofu between paper towels or a clean kitchen towel with something heavy on top for at least 15 minutes. Cut into 1-inch cubes and toss with 1.5 tsp cornstarch until lightly and evenly coated.
2. Heat 0.5 tbsp of the oil in a wok or large nonstick pan over medium-high heat. Pour in the whisked eggs, let sit undisturbed for 10 seconds, then push and fold gently until just set but still a little glossy, about 45 seconds. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
3. Wipe out the pan. Add the remaining 1 tbsp oil and heat over medium-high until shimmering. Add the tofu in a single layer and sear undisturbed for 2 to 3 minutes per side, until golden and crisp on at least two sides.
4. Push the tofu to one side of the pan. Add the garlic, ginger and scallion whites to the cleared space and stir-fry for 20 seconds until fragrant.
5. Add the soy sauce, oyster sauce, Shaoxing wine and white pepper. Toss everything to coat the tofu evenly, about 30 seconds.
6. Stir the cornstarch slurry (1 tsp cornstarch plus 2 tbsp water) to recombine and pour it into the pan. Toss until the sauce thickens and clings to the tofu, about 30 seconds.
7. Fold the scrambled eggs back into the pan along with half the scallion greens. Toss gently just to combine and warm through, 20 to 30 seconds; do not overmix or the eggs will break apart too much.
8. Remove from heat, drizzle with sesame oil, and top with the remaining scallion greens. Serve over rice if you like.

Tips and storage

This keeps in the fridge for 3 to 4 days in a sealed container. Reheat it gently, either in a pan over medium-low heat with a small splash of water, or in the microwave at around 50 percent power. Full power tends to make the egg rubbery and the tofu chewy. I would not freeze this one; both tofu and soft scrambled eggs change texture badly once frozen and thawed.

If you are meal prepping, you can press the tofu and mix the sauce (soy sauce, oyster sauce, Shaoxing wine, white pepper) up to two days ahead and keep them separately in the fridge, then cook everything fresh when you are ready to eat. Serve it over steamed rice for a full meal, or skip the rice and eat it straight from the pan with a spoon, which is what I usually do on weeknights.