Recipe Background
Nutty Sweet and Sour Stir-Fry answers the question "can you have a stir-fry without meat" with an enthusiastic yes! It uses crunchy, candied cashews for texture and protein, pairing them with classic stir-fry vegetables like bell peppers and savory onion. Slathered in sweet and tangy sauce, Nutty Sweet and Sour Stir-Fry tastes so good you'll go nuts for it. Don't forget the rice so you don't miss a morsel of flavor!
Nutty Sweet and Sour Stir-Fry answers the question "can you have a stir-fry without meat" with an enthusiastic yes! It uses crunchy, candied cashews for texture and protein, pairing them with classic stir-fry vegetables like bell peppers and savory onion. Slathered in sweet and tangy sauce, Nutty Sweet and Sour Stir-Fry tastes so good you'll go nuts for it. Don't forget the rice so you don't miss a morsel of flavor!
Ingredients
For the cashews:
- 1 cup cashews whole and raw
- 1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon sriracha
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon peanut oil
For the stir-fry:
- 1 tablespoon peanut oil
- 5 large cloves of garlic halved
- 1 (1-inch) piece ginger peeled and thinly slivered
- 1 small red onion sliced into wedges
- 2 bell peppers thinly sliced
- 3/4 cup fried tofu puffs optional
- 2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon sriracha
- 2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 green onions thinly sliced, plus more for garnish
- 1 tablespoon water plus more as needed
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- sesame seeds optional, for garnish
- rice cooked, for serving
Directions
- In a large skillet over medium-low heat, add the cashews and sauté, stirring frequently, until golden and lightly charred, about 4 minutes.
- Transfer the cashews to a bowl. Add 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 tablespoon vinegar, and 1 tablespoon sriracha to the bowl with the cashews, stirring to combine.
- Let the cashews sit in the marinade for at least 10 minutes.
- Drain the cashews, reserving any remaining marinade.
- Sprinkle the cornstarch over the cashews, tossing to coat the nuts evenly.
- Return the skillet to medium heat. Heat 1 tablespoon of the peanut oil in the skillet.
- Add the cashews to the hot oil and sear, tossing frequently, until golden, about 4 minutes. Transfer the cashews to a bowl.
- Return the skillet to medium heat. Heat the remaining peanut oil.
- Add the garlic, ginger, red onion, bell pepper, and tofu, cooking until soft and fragrant, about 6 minutes.
- Add in the reserved marinade from the cashews, remaining soy sauce, remaining vinegar, remaining sriracha, brown sugar, black pepper, and green onions.
- Add in the water gradually and as needed to loosen the sauce. Add up to 1 additional tablespoon of water if needed.
- Cook the sauce until thickened and syrupy, about 3-4 minutes.
- Add in the sesame oil and the cooked cashews.
- Transfer the skillet from the heat, tossing it to combine the stir-fry.
- Garnish with the sesame seeds and remaining green onions.
- Serve over the rice.
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