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    Home » Mains & Entrees

    Vegan Tofu Chop Suey

    Published: Jul 30, 2021 · Modified: Aug 18, 2021 by Meesha · This post may contain affiliate links

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    Chop suey in a plate with a pair of chopsticks on a wooden board.
    Tofu chop suey in a wok with a wooden spatula with text overlay.

    Featuring colorful veggies and crispy tofu cooked in a thick, rich savory sauce, this vegan tofu chop suey will please even non-vegans! This one-pan meal is incredibly easy to make, and is ready in 30 minutes. A great quick meal to add to your weekly meal rotation that is hearty and satisfying!

    Chop suey in a white plate topped with chopped scallions with a chopstick.

    This American-Chinese version of vegan chop suey is my current favorite meal that I have to share! This dish is definitely a fridge cleanout kind of meal, and is great for using up that random few mushrooms or that forgotten carrot half. 😆

    Jump to:
    • 💚Why you will love this recipe
    • 🤔What is chop suey
    • 🍄What you will need
    • 📃Notes/substitutions
    • 🔪How to make
    • ✔Helpful tips
    • ✨Variations
    • 🍚How to serve
    • ❔Commonly asked questions
    • 🍽More Asian inspired dinners
    • 📖 Recipe

    💚Why you will love this recipe

    • A quick and easy one-pan meal - This tofu chop suey is super quick and easy to fix, foolproof, and beginner-friendly! Ready in no time and everything can be cooked in a pan, which means less dishes to clean.
    • Wholesome and nourishing - This dish is packed full of fiber-rich colorful vegetables, and tofu provides a substantial amount of protein to keep you full and satisfy.
    • Customizable and versatile - As mentioned above, you can virtually use any veggies that you have on hand or are in season to make this vegan chop suey! You can even use other plant based protein in place of tofu if you are not a fan of it.
    • Stores well, great for meal prep and freezable - This amazing meal will stay well in the fridge for a solid few days, and can even be frozen for later.

    🤔What is chop suey

    Chop suey is an American-Chinese dish that consist of tons of veggies and some sort of meat cooked in a thick, savory and rich sauce. (And there is lots of it!) It can also be describe as the western version of the classic Chinese stir-fry.

    Chop suey is usually served with some freshly steamed rice that will soak up the delicious sauce readily.

    To veganize this dish, we will be using tofu in place of meat.

    🍄What you will need

    Vegetables needed for chop suey like bok choy, carrot, garlic, mushrooms and bean sprouts on a grey background.
    Showing ingredients needed like tofu, cornstarch, maple syrup, sesame oil and soy sauce on a grey background.

    📃Notes/substitutions

    • Bok choy - You can use any other Chinese vegetables in place. Choy sum, napa cabbage and Chinese broccoli (Gai Lan) are some of my go-to. Make sure the stem and leaves are separated as we will be adding them in at different times.
    • Shaoxing wine - Also sometimes known as Chinese cooking wine. The best substitute for it is mirin.
    • Cornstarch - You can use arrowroot, potato starch or tapioca starch in place.
    • Oil-free - Pan-fry tofu without oil on a good non-stick wok or pan and saute vegetables using ¼ cup of water or broth in place of oil. Also, omit sesame oil in the sauce and top it with toasted sesame seeds instead.

    🔪How to make

    Combine together cornstarch and salt. In a zip-top bag, place in tofu cubes along with the cornstarch mixture. Toss bag until tofu are well-coated.

    Heat up a tablespoon of oil in a large non-stick pan or wok on medium high heat. Place tofu in one layer. Cook for 3-4 minutes on each sides, until most sides are golden brown. Set aside.

    Collage showing tofu cubes in a zip top bag and tofu cubes in a wok.

    While cooking tofu, make stir-fry sauce by combining everything needed.

    Add about ½ tablespoon of oil back to the same pan. Saute onion for 3-4 minutes until translucent, before adding in garlic. Cook for an additional 1-2 minutes.

    Now, add in carrot and stems of bok choy and cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently. Next, add in mushroom, leaves of bok choy and bean sprouts. Cook until veggies have soften, about 3-4 minutes, stirring constantly.

    Add in stir fry sauce and water. Cook until sauce has thicken, then toss in pan-fried tofu.

    Give it a taste and add more soy sauce, if needed. Serve vegan chop suey with some rice and enjoy it while warm!

    Collage showing cooking onion and garlic, cooking the rest of the vegetables, and adding in sauce into a wok.

    ✔Helpful tips

    • Press tofu beforehand - This step is essential in creating crispy tofu. Do so using a tofu press or by stacking something heavy on top. You can check out this post on how to press tofu for a more detailed instruction.
    • Do not skip the cornstarch - It helps tofu develops a crispy outer crust.
    • Separate the stems and leaves of bok choy - Stems will need to be cooked longer when compared to the leaves. Hence, we will be adding in the stems first.
    • Use a big enough pan or wok - Always choose an "oversized" one than a pan that is too small. As we will be tossing around the ingredients a lot, this will prevent ingredients from leaping out from the pan and creating a mess.
    • Prep ingredients ahead on time and keep them close to you - Making vegan chop suey is a pretty quick process, and requires constant stirring. Therefore, it is best that everything you need is prepped and ready to go.

    ✨Variations

    • Switch up the veggies - You can use almost any vegetables that you have on hand or are seasonal for this tofu chop suey. For a quicker version, you can even use 2-3 cups of frozen mix vegetables instead!
    • Replace tofu with other plant based protein - Not a fan of tofu? No problem as you can use any other plant protein in place! Things like seitan, tempeh and rehydrated soy curls will work well.
    • Add in some chili flakes or sriracha - Gives vegan chop suey a nice kick, especially if you love spicy foods!
    • Toss in some cooked noodles - To make this a heartier dish, toss in some cooked soba, ramen or rice noodles. I recommend doubling the sauce portion.
    Tofu chop suey in a wok with a wooden spatula. There is a bowl of rice, soy sauce and chopped scallions beside.

    🍚How to serve

    The classic (and best way) to serve your tofu chop suey is with some fluffy white or brown rice. The rice will soak up the flavorful sauce readily! For a lower carb version, you can opt for broccoli rice or cauliflower rice instead.

    If you are planning to host a Chinese-inspired dinner, pair vegan chop suey together with vegan egg fried rice, orange tofu and/or kung pao chickpeas. For appetizers, you can make this Asian rice salad or some tofu rice paper rolls.

    ❔Commonly asked questions

    What is the difference between chow mein and chop suey?

    Although both dishes are Chinese inspired and is made from similar ingredients, they have a few key difference between them.

    First of all, boiled noodles are oftentimes stirred into the stir-fry vegetables before serving in chow mein, while chop suey are usually serve over steamed rice or fried noodles without mixing. Other than that, chop suey has a decent amount of thick sauce, while chow mein is dry with little to no sauce.

    Is this dish spicy?

    This vegan chop suey is not spicy, making it kid-friendly. However, you can add in a pinch of chili flakes or drizzle of sriracha if you like yours spicy.

    How to store leftovers and can it be frozen?

    Refrigerate leftover vegan chop suey in a sealed container for 2-3 days. You can also freeze it for up to 3 months.

    Take note that the texture of tofu will change slightly and becomes chewier after freezing. It is normal and will still taste good regardless!

    To reheat from frozen, let tofu chop suey thaw overnight in the fridge or on countertop for a few hours. You can reheat it in the microwave or on stove, adding some water if the mixture is getting too thick.

    Plate filled with chop suey with chopsticks on the side and a bowl of rice in the background.

    🍽More Asian inspired dinners

    • Peanut noodles in skillet topped with chopped scallions and sesame seeds.
      Vegan Peanut Butter Noodles with Crispy Tofu
    • Chickpea rice served with fork and a glass of water topped with chopped cilantro.
      Basmati Chana Pulao (Chickpea Rice)
    • A plate of noodles served with black bean sauce with a pair of chopsticks beside.
      Vegan Jajangmyeon (Korean black bean sauce noodles)
    • Teriyaki soba noodles in a pan with a dish of sesame seeds, scallions and a wooden spatula beside.
      Easy Teriyaki Soba Noodles

    If you did make this recipe, do leave a rating and comment down below, we love hearing from you! Subscribe to My Plantiful Cooking to get new recipes delivered straight to your inbox! Follow us on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest to get the latest updates. 😉

    📖 Recipe

    A plate of chop suey with chopsticks on a wooden cutting board.

    Vegan Tofu Chop Suey

    Meesha
    Featuring colorful veggies and crispy tofu cooked in a thick, rich savory sauce, this vegan tofu chop suey will please even non-vegans! This one-pan meal is incredibly easy to make, and is ready in 30 minutes.
    5 from 4 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 10 mins
    Cook Time 20 mins
    Total Time 30 mins
    Course Main Course, Side Dish
    Cuisine American, Chinese
    Servings 4 people
    Calories 145 kcal

    Ingredients
     
     

    For tofu

    • 1 tablespoon cornstarch or potato / arrowroot / tapioca starch
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • 1 14 oz block extra firm tofu drained, pressed and cubed

    For sauce

    • ¼ cup soy sauce or tamari
    • 1 ½ tablespoons cornstarch
    • 1 tablespoon shaoxing wine / Chinese cooking wine or mirin
    • ½ tablespoon maple syrup or other liquid sweetener
    • ½ tablespoon sesame oil

    For stir-fry

    • ½ medium yellow onion sliced
    • 3 cloves garlic minced
    • 1 medium carrot sliced
    • 2 stalk bok choy (about 7 oz)
    • 1 cup beansprouts
    • 10-12 brown button mushrooms sliced (about 3.5 oz)
    • 1 cup water
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions
     

    • Preparing bok choy : Separate your bok choy into individual stems. Trim off ends and cut them into 2" (10 cm) slices. Separate stalk from leaves.
      2 stalk bok choy
    • Combine together cornstarch and salt. In a zip-top bag, place in tofu cubes along with the cornstarch mixture. Toss bag until tofu are well-coated.
      1 tablespoon cornstarch, ½ teaspoon salt
    • Heat up a tablespoon of oil in a large non-stick pan or wok on medium high heat. Place tofu in one layer. Cook for 3-4 minutes on each sides, until most sides are golden brown. Set aside.
    • While cooking tofu, make stir-fry sauce by combining everything needed.
      ¼ cup soy sauce, 1 ½ tablespoons cornstarch, 1 tablespoon shaoxing wine / Chinese cooking wine, ½ tablespoon maple syrup, ½ tablespoon sesame oil
    • Add about ½ tablespoon of oil back to the same pan. Saute onion for 3-4 minutes until translucent, before adding in garlic. Cook for an additional 1-2 minutes.
      ½ medium yellow onion, 3 cloves garlic
    • Now, add in carrot and stems of bok choy and cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently. Next, add in leaves of bok choy, bean sprouts, and mushroom. Cook until veggies have soften, about 3-4 minutes, stirring constantly.
      1 medium carrot, 2 stalk bok choy, 1 cup beansprouts, 10-12 brown button mushrooms
    • Add in stir fry sauce and water. Cook until sauce has thicken, then toss in pan-fried tofu.
      1 cup water
    • Give it a taste and add more soy sauce, if needed. Serve vegan chop suey with some rice and enjoy while warm!

    Notes

    *Bok choy - You can use any other Chinese vegetables in place. Choy sum, napa cabbage and Chinese broccoli (Gai Lan) are some of my go-to. Make sure the stem and leaves are separated as we will be adding them in at different times.
    Oil-free - Pan-fry tofu without oil on a good non-stick wok or pan and saute vegetables using ¼ cup of water or broth in place of oil. Also, omit sesame oil in the sauce and top it with toasted sesame seeds instead.
    Helpful tips
    Press tofu beforehand - This step is essential in creating crispy tofu. Do so using a tofu press or by stacking something heavy on top. You can check out this post on how to press tofu for a more detailed instruction.
    Do not skip the cornstarch - It helps tofu develops a crispy outer crust.
    Separate the stems and leaves of bok choy - Stems will need to be cooked longer when compared to the leaves. Hence, we will be adding in the stems first.
    Use a big enough pan or wok - Always choose an "oversized" one than a pan that is too small. As we will be tossing around the ingredients a lot, this will prevent ingredients from leaping out from the pan and creating a mess.
    Storing - Refrigerate leftover vegan chop suey in a sealed container for 2-3 days. You can also freeze it for up to 3 months.Take note that the texture of tofu will change slightly and becomes chewier after freezing. It is normal and will still taste good regardless!

    Reheating - To reheat from frozen, let tofu chop suey thaw overnight in the fridge or on countertop for a few hours. You can reheat it in the microwave or on stove, adding some water if the mixture is getting too thick. 

    Nutrition

    Calories: 145kcalCarbohydrates: 17gProtein: 12gFat: 4gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 1212mgPotassium: 591mgFiber: 2gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 4788IUVitamin C: 30mgCalcium: 106mgIron: 3mg

    Nutrition info calculated is just a rough estimate and is provided as a courtesy. Bear in mind that value will vary based on variables like specific brand or type of product used. To obtain the most accurate representation, it is highly recommended that you calculate it on your own with the actual amount and type of ingredient used.

    Did you make this recipe ?Tag @myplantifulcooking on Instagram !

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