Stir-fried tofu with golden crisp edges, bright green wilted spinach and a good sprinkle of salty tamari soy sauce, this simple Asian-inspired stir-fry is loaded with protein pizzazz! Besides that, it all comes together in less than an hour!

With crunchy sesame seeds, tofu, brown rice and quinoa, altogether this tofu and spinach stir-fry yields 19 grams of protein per serving. That’s a lot of vegan protein! This meal is so good, I’ll bet you can surprise your declared tofu haters and get them to declare anew–this is really delicious!
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Dinner in one hour is no problem with this golden tofu and spinach stir-fry:
- Start the rice and quinoa in one pot.
- Then take 10 minutes to press extra water from the tofu.
- Heat the skillet, then sautรฉ the tofu.
- Clean the spinach and toast sesame seeds.
- In the same pan as the golden tofu, wilt the spinach with a sprinkle of tamari.
- Awesome! You’ve just pulled together a colorful protein-rich vegan and gluten free meal!
โThis is mighty healthy,โ Robbie would say. “Tastes like chicken!” Sure this Asian feast is healthful, but itโs also one of our favorite dinners.
How to press tofu:
Time needed: 15 minutes
- Cut the tofu:
Cut the tofu lengthwise in 4 slabs. Lay a clean tea towel (without terrycloth nubs) on a cutting board. Arrange the tofu slabs close to each other on the towel, then cover with another towel.
- Add some sort of weight to press out excess water.
Place a baking dish or plate on top of the second towel, making sure it presses all the slabs. Place something heavy on top of that. (I use my utensil crock. Make sure to center the weight so it doesnโt fall over.)
- Cut into desired size:
After 5 to 10 minutes the tea towels will have absorbed enough excess water, ready to cut in cubes to stir-fry or bake.
Frequently asked question about tofu and quinoa:
Pressing tofu squeezes out extra moisture. The firmer tofu absorbs flavors better and gets a crispier golden exterior when cooked. Even if you buy extra firm tofu, itโs always best to press out the excess water.
I donโt recommend silken tofu for this recipe. Itโs fragile and better suited for smoothies or a high protein chocolate mousse.
If you often cook tofu and you have the space, you can buy an official tofu press, but the method with towels and weights works just fine.
Refrigerated and unopened, tofu packed in water has about a six-week expiration date. Check the date–if the package will expire soon, look of a newer package or plan to use it before the expiration date.
Yes! Frozen and then thawed, tofu takes on a different pleasing texture. Learn how to use frozen tofu in this recipe for meatless traditional tacos with tofu “hamburger.”
Quinoa (keen-wah) is a seed, originally from the Andes mountains where itโs been used for centuries. It cooks much like a whole grain and is often grouped in the grain category. Quinoa is a delicious a high-protein gluten-free option to rice or wheat grains. Read a whole lot more about superfood quinoa here.
More Golden Tofu and Spinach Stir-Fry recipe notes:
- 1 cup of uncooked quinoa/rice yields about 3 cups cooked. You might have some leftoverโfreeze it and add to creamy soups for a bit of texture. Like in this Spicy Zucchini Rice Soup.
- 1 cup of cooked brown rice has 5 grams of protein; 1 cup of cooked quinoa has 8 grams.
- When I was in college, quinoa wasnโt even on the radar when Diet for a Small Planet was published, that is unless you lived in the South American Andes. These days, regular and multi-color quinoa are easily available.
The recipe is adapted from a dog-eared paperback Iโve had since college–a cookbook that fueled my newfound vegetarian leanings. In Diet for a Small Planet (affiliate link), author Frances Moore Lappรฉ tells us how plant-based and meat-centered diets affect our food systems, as well as how to get plenty of protein without meat.
Author Lappรฉ named this recipe “Leafy Chinese Tofu.” She suggested โServe over brown rice.โ I’m giving this recipe a new name and adding red quinoa to the basmati brown rice. You get the nuttiness of brown rice, plus all the quinoa benefits– protein count, eye appeal and flavor and nutrition.
You’ll also want to make these Spicy Thai Peanut Noodles with Golden Tofu.
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Golden Tofu and Spinach Stir-Fry
Ingredients
- ยฝ cup red or multi-color quinoa ,rinsed
- ยฝ cup brown basmati rice
- ยผ cup toasted sesame seeds
- ยผ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 14 ounces firm or extra-firm tofu, see note
- 1 bunch fresh spinach, stems removed, washed, about 12 ounces spinach, see note
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil
- 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
- 3 tablespoons tamari soy sauce
Instructions
- In a saucepan, bring 2 cups water to a boil. Add the quinoa and rice, cover and return to a boil. Reduce heat to very low and cook, covered, 30 to 40 minutes, or until the liquid has been absorbed. (To see if the liquid has been absorbed without stirring, tilt the pan to the side.) Let sit 5 to 10 minutes to cool. Fluff with a fork.
- Press excess water from the tofu: Place the tofu on top of a clean tea towel (without terrycloth nubs.) Cover with another towel or paper towels. Place a dish on top and place something heavy on the dish. After 5 minutes the tea towels will have absorbed excess water.
- Grind the toasted sesame seeds in a blender or food processor for about 5 seconds. You want some of the seeds to remain whole. Transfer to a small bowl and stir in the salt.
- Tear the spinach into pieces no larger than the size of a credit card.
- Cut the pressed tofu into cubes, about 3/4-inch square.
- In a non-stick skillet, on medium high, heat the coconut and sesame oils until shimmering. Add the tofu. Let it get golden on one side, then turn the cubes over and cook on another side, turning occasionally until the tofu is crisp golden brown on most sides. This should take about 15 minutes.
- Push the tofu to the sides of the pan. Arrange the spinach in the middle of the pan. Sprinkle with tamari soy sauce, cover, and steam just to wilt the spinach, 2 to 4 minutes.
- Sprinkle the sesame seed/salt mixture on top of the spinach and tofu.
- Serve over the steamed quinoa rice.
Notes
- Start the quinoa and brown rice first–while itโs cooking you can prepare everything else.
- 1 cup of uncooked quinoa/rice yields about 3 cups cooked. You’ll likely have some leftoverโfreeze it and add to creamy soups for a toothy bite.
- I try to keep a package of tofu on hand. Refrigerated and unopened, it has about a six-week expiration dateโjust be sure to check the date before buying.
- Feel free to substitute baby spinach for larger spinach. Use 2+ (5-ounce) packages.
Nutrition
*** This is an update of the Leafy Chinese Tofu recipe I posted in October 2014.
This is a favorite of mine, too. But it’s not Chinese. I live and work in China where I was stunned to discover that people don’t eat spinach and tofu together. Folks at the vegetable market (where I buy my spinach AND my tofu) always assure me that it will make me sick if I eat them together. I always assure them that it never has yet and I’ve been eating them together for 40 years! · 3 January, 2015
Thanks for the note Judy. Good thing we’ve never been sick from eating tofu and spinach together!
I wonder–do they cook bok choy with tofu? · 3 January, 2015
My husband brought that dog-eared paperback into our marriage, and I always liked it! · 18 January, 2015
I also have the companion paperback which is literally falling apart–more great recipes. Recipes for a Small Planet by Ellen Buchman Ewald. · 18 January, 2015