This cabbage-tofu delicata squash stew, 白菜豆腐锅 (Báicài dòufu guō) is easy to make and perfect for days you want some comfort food. The recipe is easily customizable.
I love a good veggie stew, but it always sounds more delicious when it’s cold outside. Do you agree? When it comes to stew, both clear and thick broth will make my tummy grumble. They go so well with a bowl of fragrant Jasmine rice. Seasonal squashes are the best ingredient to use in fall cooking. They lend a sweet flavor which makes them a perfect ingredient in savory dishes.
The best part about this dish is that you can make this in under an hour and in one pot. This recipe is also easily customizable. Substitute Savoy or green cabbage for Napa cabbage or use squashes of your choice for the sweetness. It’s really easy and you’ll have a cozy meal at your dinner table in no time.
Why you need this recipe
- Super delicious – This pot has a variety of flavors from the sweet Napa cabbage, tender delicata squash, and the golden-brown tofu soaked in a savory sauce.
- Easy and Simple – You only need to pan-fry the tofu and make the sauce. Then, add the ingredients in layers and cook in the sauce you just made, which takes only 8 to 10 minutes.
- Substitutions made easy – Use Savoy cabbage or green cabbage to replace Napa cabbage if you prefer. If using green cabbage, you’ll need to make more sauce as cabbage needs more liquid to cook until tender. This recipe works great with other squashes such as Kabocha, pumpkin, and butternut squash.
How to make Cabbage Tofu Delicata Squash Stew
Slice a block of medium-firm tofu lengthwise. Normally, my recipe uses firm tofu, though I find that medium-firm tofu works the best in this recipe as it’s slightly softer.
Pan-fry tofu until golden brown and set aside.
To assemble the ingredients, place a layer of Napa cabbage in a pot – I’m using a ceramic pot as it retains heat really well. Then, continue to layer the ingredients with tofu as the final layer.
To make the sauce, sauté ginger in oil until fragrant, then add in the rest of the ingredients and season accordingly.
Ladle the homemade sauce to cover all the ingredients. It’s okay if you don’t see much sauce here as the Napa cabbage will release lots of moisture after it’s cooked.
Cook the vegetables over medium heat for about 8 to 10 minutes. Serve warm with a bowl of rice.
Check out my other comforting recipes:
This Cabbage, Tofu, and Delicata Squash stew is
- Flavorful
- Light and Delicious
- Simple and Quick
- Comforting
- Easily customizable – use gluten-free sauces to make this a gluten-free dish
- Allium free adaptable – omit garlic and chopped green onions and keep only the ginger and replace green onions with cilantro
- Tasty and Satisfying!
If you try this recipe, I would love to hear your feedback and see your beautiful re-creation. Leave me a comment, rate it, and tag @woon.heng and #woonheng to your photos on Instagram or Facebook. Happy cooking, friends!
Cabbage Tofu Delicata Squash Stew – 白菜豆腐锅
Ingredients
- 14 oz medium-firm tofu
- 1 small delicata squash cut into large chunks
- 3-4 cups Napa cabbage roughly chopped
- ¼ cup mushrooms cleaned
- 3 cloves of garlic sliced
- 1 tablespoon chopped ginger
- 2 Thai chili sliced (optional)
- 3 stalks green onion or a handful of chopped cilantro
Sauce
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon vegan ‘oyster’ sauce
- 1 tablespoon Chinese cooking wine used Shaoxing
- ¾ cup water veggie stock
- white pepper
- a drizzle of toasted sesame oil
Instructions
- Slice tofu lengthwise into your desired thickness.
- In a heated non-stick pan with oil, slowly pan-fry tofu until golden brown over low-medium heat. Remove and set aside.
- Fill a ceramic pot (used Donabe) or tall pot with layers of Napa cabbage.
- Then, top with delicata squash, mushrooms, and green onion. Add tofu as the final layer.
- To make the sauce, heat a non-stick pan with oil and sauté ginger until aromatic. Then, add the garlic and chili and stir-fry for another few seconds until fragrant.
- Season with sauce ingredients and slowly add in the water or vegetable stock.
- Bring the mixture to a rolling boil and cook for 30 seconds. Remove from the heat.
- Ladle the sauce over the assembled vegetable pot, then place a lid over and cook the mixture for 8 to 10 minutes over medium heat or until the Napa cabbage is tender.
- Taste test and season if needed. Serve warm.
Video
Notes
Feel free to pin the below picture on your Pinterest Board for easy reference.
This was so delicious! I will definitely be making this again. So flavorful, so easy.
super i am vegan so your chanel help me to cook
Yay, that’s so awesome. Many thanks to you!
With what vegetable can I substitute the squash with? Do you have any recommendation? Where I live it’s not that easy to find it :3
Hi Michelle, you can try pumpkin.
Just in time for the cold weather, what a hearty bowl! Love all your recipes!
Indeed, hope you give it a try too. 🙂