A fragrant brown sauce is slathered over tofu and soft, crisp vegetables in the dish known as “Chop Suey with Tofu and Shiitake Mushrooms.” You may feel well giving this food to the family because it’s delicious and healthy!
Table Of Contents
- Ingredient notes
- How to parboil vegetables
- Quick tip
- Serving suggestions
- Storage and reheating instructions
- More vegetable stir-fries
Chop Suey with Tofu and Shitake Mushrooms
Another Chop Suey variation I have is actually one of my most well-liked blog posts ever. It’s a filling and tasty supper that you can feel good serving the family because it contains chicken, liver, quail eggs, and tender-crisp vegetables.
But this chop suey with tofu is the stir-fry for you if you prefer a meatless option! It’s just as wholesome and delicious and is filled with tofu and juicy mushrooms!
Ingredient notes
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- Vegetables– the recipe uses broccoli, carrots, cabbage, and shiitake mushrooms. Feel free to add or swap whatever veggies you have on hand. My favorites include snap peas, cauliflower, bell peppers, and baby corn.
- Protein– firm tofu is the delicious backbone of this dish and the protein alternative. Check out this how-to on how to fry them golden and crisp!
Sauce– a light vegetable stock made from the liquid used to poach the vegetables and the juice used to soak the mushrooms. Cornstarch slurry is added to thicken the consistency.
This chop suey stir-fry is a quick and easy dish to pull together. One important element of the recipe for best results is blanching the vegetables. This extra step not only helps maintain texture and color but also helps to slow the loss of nutrients.
How to parboil vegetables
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- In a saucepan, heat water to boiling.
- Add vegetables to the boiling water and cook for about 2 to 3 minutes or until half done.
- Fill a bowl halfway with ice and enough water to cover the ice. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt for each quart of water.
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Remove vegetables from the boiling water with a slotted spoon and immediately plunge them into the iced water. Chill until completely cold.
Quick Tip
Ensure the blanched vegetables drained well, so the excess liquid doesn’t thin the sauce
Serving suggestions
Chop suey is a delicious main or side dish for lunch or dinner. Pair with steamed rice, grilled meat, or fried fish for a hearty meal!
Storage and reheating instructions
- Allow leftovers to cool completely and transfer to an airtight container. Refrigerate for up to 3 days. The dish doesn’t freeze well, as the vegetables turn mushy when frozen and thawed.
Reheat in a wide pan over medium heat or microwave at 2 to 3-minute intervals to 165 F. Stir well to distribute heat.
Ingredients
- 1 package (12 ounces) tofu
- 6 pieces Shiitake mushrooms
- 1 broccoli crown, cut into florets
- 2 large carrots, peeled and cut thinly in a bias
- 1/2 small cabbage, cut into pieces
- water
- oil
- 1 small onion, peeled and sliced thinly
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
- 1 tablespoon corn starch
salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
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Remove tofu from packaging and drain from packing liquid. Wrap in paper towels, set on a wire rack or colander and weigh down with a saucer for about 15 to 20 minutes to extract moisture. Cut into 1-inch cubes.
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In deep, wide pan, heat about 2-inches deep of oil until very hot but not smoking. Add tofu in batches and cook, turning as needed, until golden and crisp. With a slotted spoon, remove from pan and drain on paper towels.
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In a bowl, soak mushrooms in 1 1/2 cups of warm water for about 15 to 20 minutes or until softened. With hands, squeeze mushrooms to extract liquid. Reserve 1 cup of the soaking liquid. Trim mushroom stems and cut caps into halves.
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Fill a bowl halfway with ice and enough water to cover ice. Add ½ teaspoon salt for each quart of water. Set aside.
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In a sauce pan, add 3 cups of salted water and bring to a boil. Add carrots and cook for about 1 minute or until half done. With a slotted spoon, remove from pan and plunge into bowl of ice bath. Add broccoli to the boiling water and cook for about 2 to 3 minutes or until half done. With a slotted spoon, remove from pan and plunge into bowl of ice bath. Add cabbage to the boiling water and cook for about 30 seconds or until half done. With a slotted spoon, remove from pan and plunge into bowl of ice bath. Reserve 2 cups of the poaching liquid (the one used to blanch vegetables). Drain vegetables from the ice bath when they are cold.
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In a wok or wide skillet or medium heat, heat oil. Add onions and garlic and cook until softened.
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In a bowl, combine reserved 1 cup of poaching liquid (from par-boiling vegetables), 1 cup of the soaking liquid (from soaking mushrooms), and cornstarch. Stir until cornstarch is well dissolved. Add to wok and bring to a simmer until slightly thickened.
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Add parboiled vegetables, fried tofu, and Shiitake mushrooms, stirring to combine, and cook for about 3 to 5 minutes or until vegetables are heated through. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot.
“This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.”