Stir-fry is one of the easiest ways to cook vegetables. I try to use seasonal vegetables a lot and my favorite is Asparagus. To make this dish more fun, I shaved the asparagus with a vegetable peeler and cut some diagonally to retain the crunch. This simple stir-fry is easy and delicious with a little spicy kick.
This recipe is spicy as I love the chili and I added crispy tofu triangles made from firm tofu. The chili sauces that are perfect for stir-fries include sambal oelek, garlic chili sauce, Thai sweet chili sauce, and Sriracha. So, use your favorite blend for that spicy kick in this dish. If you prefer to have a non-spicy version, feel free to use my Vegan Stir Fry or Oyster sauce in this recipe to create a flavorful quick meal.
A simple leafy vegetable stir-fry is as easy as
The steps below are one of my go-to cooking methods when I need a quick vegetable dish. I also love to sauté ginger or garlic before adding my favorite vegetables. A simple seasoning such as soy sauce, salt, or stir-fry sauce is all you need. If you would like to make your own stir-fry sauce, check out my Vegan Stir Fry sauce for your everyday cooking.
- Add some oil to a heated pan
- Season with a pinch of salt
- Add washed and drained vegetables
- A quick toss
- Cover pan with lid
- Allow the moisture to cook the vegetables naturally
- Serve warm
Vegetables that are great for stir-fries
- Leafy greens such as Spinach, Bok Choy, Lettuce, Kale
- Asparagus, Cabbage, Napa Cabbage, Zucchini
- Broccoli and Cauliflower – I prefer to blanch these quickly in hot boiling water first to keep the crunch and color before tossing them in my favorite sauces
This spicy Asparagus stir-fry is
- Quick and easy
- Gluten-free
- Customizable
- Perfect for 1-person meal
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!
Spicy Asparagus Stir-fry
Ingredients
- 1 cup [½lb] asparagus cut diagonally or shaved
- 4 oz [130g] firm tofu pressed
- toasted sesame seeds optional
- 1 serving cooked Jasmine or Basmati rice
- oil for cooking
Sauce:
- 1 tablespoon sambal oelek or your favorite chili sauce
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce or tamari
- 1 teaspoon maple syrup optional or adjust to your preference
- ¼ cup [62g] water or use veggie broth
Instructions
- Mix sauce ingredients in a bowl until well combined and set aside.
- Slice pressed tofu crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick pieces; cut each piece diagonally into 2 triangles (this is an optional step or you can just cube the tofu).
- In a heated non-stick pan with a drizzle of oil, pan-fry tofu on both sides until golden brown.
- Then, add in the sauce and cook for 1 minute or until the sauce is slightly reduced
- Add the asparagus, place a lid over, turn heat to low-medium, and let the mixture cook for 45 seconds to 1 minute depending on your crunch preference. (Asparagus will turn bright green at this time. If you prefer softer asparagus, you may cook it longer.)
- Remove the lid, give the mixture a final quick toss.
- Serve warm with rice and garnish with sesame seeds.
Feel free to pin the below picture on your Pinterest Board for easy reference.
I had all the ingredients for the sauce and asparagus but not much else. Ended up sauteeing red pepper, sliced leeks, asparagus adding sliced mushrooms and frozen edamame beans, served with noodles. It was absolutely delicious, the sauce was out of this world and so easy to put together. Thank you so much, this will be a weekly event for us from now on. I shall try it with the tofu and rice next time
OMG I can’t wait till spring and us wild asparagus
Yay! thanks so much, they have the best crunch when in season. 🙂