Swiss Chard and Tofu Stir Fry
Swiss Chard and Tofu Stir Fry, a simple vegan stir fry with onions, garlic, crispy tofu, and Swiss Chard in an almond butter sauce. Ready in only 25 minutes!
Stir fries are a great way to get a healthy meal on the table, but they can be time consuming to make. Tofu is a great addition to any stir fry, but it can be difficult to get the texture just right.
Swiss chard and tofu stir fry is the perfect solution! This dish is easy to make, healthy, and delicious. The chard wilts down quickly, so it’s the perfect vegetable for a fast stir fry. And since tofu absorbs flavors well, it’s the perfect protein for this dish.
Ready to learn how to make a tasty stir fry with Swish chard and tofu? Let’s do it!
Ingredients
- Tofu: Tofu is the base of this stir fry and a great source of plant-based protein. We chose extra firm tofu and make sure to drain and press the tofu before cooking for a crispier texture.
- Onion and garlic: Onions and garlic are added to this tofus to add flavor.
- Swiss chard: Swiss chard is a leafy green that has a sturdier texture, making it a great green to add to stir frys and other mixed dishes.
- Bragg’s Liquid Aminos: This sauce is a gluten free soy sauce alternative that adds depth and flavor to the sauce.
- Almond Butter: The base of the sauce, but you can also used peanut butter or even tahini if you are going tree nut free.
- Sesame oil: Add a drizzle of sesame oil to the sauce and to the pan to help with cooking.
How to make (step-by-step photos)
Step One: Cook tofu
The first step to cooking this stir fry is to cook the tofu!
To do this, simply heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat and add garlic and onions, cooking until they become soft (about 5 minutes).
Then add the tofu and heat for about 10 minutes until it’s browned on all sides, about 10 minutes.
Step Two: Make the sauce
While the tofu is cooking, it’s time to make the sauce!
To do this, simply add Bragg’s Liquid Aminos, sesame oil, almond butter, and water to a bowl and whisk well to combine.
Can you substitute anything for almond butter? Both peanut butter and tahini can be substituted for almond butter in this sauce.
Step Three: Combine sauce and wilt the chard
When the tofu is cooke and the sauce has been made, it’s time to finish off the dish.
Add the reserved sauce to the pan and stir to coat the tofus and vegetables. Then add chopped Swiss chard and cook until it begins to wilt, about 2-3 more more.
To serve the dish, simply serve in a bowl on its own or serve over brown rice for a balanced meal.
Questions + quick tips
Place a block of squeezed tofu on paper towels and then place new, dry paper towels on top. Put another chopping board or plate that has a weight on it (a pot with water; or just a cast iron skillet) to put pressure on the tofu to squeeze out the excess moisture. Let sit for 5-10 minutes before using in your stir fry.
It’s often recommended not to overcook vegetables because they will lose vitamins and nutrients, but it turns out that the opposite may be true for Swiss chard! In fact, one study showed that cooking the vegetable (and probably other cruciferious veggies) actually increases levels of nitriloside aminotransferase (an enzyme involved in metabolizing compounds like ammonia) by more than 1500%. This means that when you cook Swiss chard, you’re actually increasing the availability of some of its key nutrients. So go ahead and cook it up – your body will thank you!
You can add any vegetables that you like to a stir fry. However, some vegetables are better suited for stir frying than others. typically, harder vegetables like carrots, broccoli, and cauliflower work well because they hold their shape when cooked. Quick-cooking vegetables like bell peppers, sugar snap peas, and snow peas are also good additions to a stir fry.
Stir fry variations
Want to make this recipe your own? Check out our ideas for sprucing up this stir fry with additional ingredients:
- Make it spicy. Add a little sriracha to the sauce to take the heat up a notch.
- Add Thai basil. Add a few sprigs of Thai basil to give this stir fry a Thai-twist.
- Add ginger. Ginger pairs perfectly with garlic in stir fries.
- Give it some crunch. Sprinkle with green onions and sesame seeds for a textured garnish.
How to store
How to store a tofu stir fry in the refrigerator:
- Store the tofu stir fry in an airtight container.
- Place a piece of paper towel on top of the tofu stir fry to absorb any excess moisture.
- Store in the fridge for up to 3 days.
How to store a tofu stir fry in the freezer:
- Freeze the tofu stir fry in an airtight container.
- Place a piece of wax paper on top of the tofu stir fry to prevent it from sticking together.
- Store in the freezer for up to 2 months.
More gluten free stir fry recipes
If you love this tofu and Swiss chard recipe, you might enjoy these stir fry-style dishes also:
- Sweet Corn & Pineapple Stir Fry (vegan)
- Maple Veggie “Sausage” Skillet (vegan)
- Coconut Curry Shrimp (pescatarian)
Swiss Chard and Tofu Stir Fry
Ingredients
Stir Fry Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons sesame oil
- 1 15 ounce package extra firm tofu drained and pressed
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- ½ large onion sliced
- ½ large bunch swiss chard about 6 oz after stems are removed, stems removed and coarsely chopped
Almond Stir Fry Sauce
- 2 tablespoons Bragg Liquid Aminos
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon almond butter
- 1 teaspoon water
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat until fragrant. Add garlic cloves and onion and heat, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes. Add tofu to the skillet and heat for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until browned on all sides.
- While tofu mixture is cooking, whisk together Bragg Liquid Aminos, sesame oil, almond butter, and water to create a sauce.
- Once tofu is browned, add sauce and stir to coat. Add the chopped swiss chard and cook for several minutes until slightly wilted, then remove from the pan and serve.
UPDATE: This recipe was originally published in August 2019 and was updated for clarity in March 2022.
Thanks, Katrina! Love this sauce! We added sliced carrots and grated beets to our stir fry because we had them in the fridge and tend to like extra veggies.
That sounds delicious! I’ll try beets and carrots next time we make this dish! Thanks for the tip.
What a great recipe! We love tofu! I’m not a fancy drainer…ha ha! I need to work on my technique! 🙂
If what you’re doing is working for your meals and you love the outcome, I’d say your tofu technique is spot on! 😀
I am going to need to try this for my daughter. I always run out of stuff for her to eat. I think she will enjoy this. Yum!
So glad to hear it, Karie! I hope you and your daughter love it!
Oh, supper yummy recipe. I’ve never heard this before. But I wanted to try this delicious food soon. Love it and thank you for sharing, Katrina!
You are so very welcome! It’s fun to try new things, and I hope you enjoy it! 🙂 Let me know what you think.
I was just looking for a Swiss chard recipe and this one is perfect. And pretty. I could use the stems in a soup, maybe.
I’m so glad this is useful, Jenny! Swiss chard is wonderful to cook with. I hope you have fun with the recipe.