Tofu and Eggplant Stir Fry

Tofu and Eggplant Stir Fry is a low-carb meatless dish that’s loaded with flavor from red pepper strips, spicy Sriracha Sauce, and basil. And if you make this stir fry dish with tofu and eggplant using Thai Basil it will be even better!

PIN the Tofu and Eggplant Stir Fry to try it later!

This Tofu and Eggplant Stir Fry might have two strikes against it for some of you, because tofu and eggplant are the two main ingredients! But trust me, this meatless stir fry was so delicious that it tasted like it came from a restaurant.

And the sauce has just enough Sriracha Sauce (affiliate link) to make it interesting, and Thai Basil bumps up the flavor. You can also use regular basil (or leave the basil out completely.) No matter how you make it this combination of stir-fried tofu and eggplant is so delicious!

I’m not a vegetarian, but I love vegetables, and I really enjoy tofu when it’s firm and cooked to be slightly chewy. Jake and I made this several times to get the sauce ingredients and the timing just right. And if you’ve never cooked tofu (or eggplant) I bet you’ll love this too if you give it a try.

What ingredients do you need?

(This is only a list of ingredients; please scroll down for complete printable recipe. Or if you use the JUMP TO RECIPE link at the top of the page, it will take you directly to the complete recipe with ingredient amounts.)

• firm or extra firm tofu
• Peanut Oil (affiliate link), or other neutral-flavored oil
• whole garlic cloves
• thin Asian eggplants
• red bell pepper
• thinly sliced green onion
• Thai basil leaves, or other basil
• soy sauce or Gluten-Free Soy Sauce (affiliate link)
• fish sauce (see notes)
• fresh-squeezed lime juice (I used my fresh-frozen lime juice)
• Golden Monkfruit Sweetener (affiliate link), or another sweetener of your choice (see notes)
• Sriracha Rooster Sauce or Sriracha Sauce (affiliate link)

What Tofu should you use for Tofu and Eggplant Stir Fry?

Use Firm or Extra Firm Tofu for this recipe where the tofu is stir-fried with eggplant. Softer tofu won’t hold together in a stir-fry recipe.

What To Use if you want Vegetarian Fish Sauce:

We used fish sauce in the cooking sauce to give it a nice savory flavor, and that might be an ingredient that some plant-based food fans don’t mind. But if you don’t want to use fish sauce, Vegetarian Fish Sauce (affiliate link) is available online or at Asian markets. Or make your own vegan fish sauce, or even easier, replace the fish sauce with more soy sauce and the flavor will still be great.

Is Thai Basil a must for Tofu and Eggplant Stir Fry?

Thai Basil is a slightly more spicy and anise-flavored type of basil that’s grown all over Southeast Asia. Thai Basil keeps it’s flavor better when it’s cooked, but you can substitute any fresh basil for this recipe. Or use diagonally sliced green onion if you prefer that or don’t have any basil.

Is Japanese Eggplant a must for this stir fry with Tofu?

Japanese Eggplant is a type of long thin eggplant that’s perfect for grilling or using in stir-fries, but use any type of cut up eggplant in this recipe. See more about different types of eggplant.

How low in carbs is this stir fry with tofu and eggplant?

This tasty meatless dish has only 9 net carbs per serving, with 9 grams of protein.

How to Make Tofu and Eggplant Stir Fry:

(This is only a summary of the steps for the recipe; please scroll down for complete printable recipe. Or if you use the JUMP TO RECIPE link at the top of the page, it will take you directly to the complete recipe.)

1. Put the tofu in a colander and let it drain for at least 10 minutes. (Prepare veggies, herbs, and sauce while the tofu drains.)
2. Then press the tofu between two layers of paper towel to press out even more of the water. 
3. Cut the tofu into pieces just over an inch square. (Don’t cut too small or they are hard to keep turned when the tofu is browning.)
4. Cut the red bell pepper into long thin strips.
5. I used small Japanese eggplant from my garden, which are perfect for stir-fries, but use the eggplant you prefer.
6. Cut eggplant into slightly diagonal slices about an inch thick.
7. If you’re using basil, pull the  leaves off the stems and wash in the salad spinner. (I made this when I had Thai basil in my garden, but use any fresh basil you have, or skip the basil completely.)
8. Mix together soy sauce, fish sauce (or Vegetarian Fish Sauce or more soy sauce), lime juice, sweetener of your choice, and Sriracha to make the cooking sauce.
9. Heat the wok, then heat the oil, then add the garlic cloves and stir-fry just until they are fragrant. Then discard the garlic. This is called “seasoning the oil.”
10. Add the tofu cubes to the seasoned oil and cook over medium-high heat, turning tofu several times, until all the pieces are well-browned.
11. It took about 8-10 minutes to get the tofu browned and we used tongs to turn it. Remove tofu to a plate while you cook the vegetables.
12. Add another tablespoon of oil as needed, then add the eggplant and stir-fry four minutes.
13. When eggplant is starting to soften and brown, add red pepper strips and cook about 2 minutes more.
14. Then add tofu back to the wok, add the sauce, and cook 2-3 minutes, turning often, until all the tofu and vegetables are coated with sauce.
15. Add the Thai basil or basil (or sliced green onions) and cook about one minute more. 
16. Serve the Tofu and Eggplant Stir Fry hot and enjoy!

Make it a low-carb meatless Meal:

If you want to make this stir fry with tofu and eggplant as part of a meatless low-carb meal, it would be good with any of these side dishes:

• Air Fryer Asian Green Beans
• Spicy Cilantro Peanut Slaw
• Quick Roasted Broccoli with Soy Sauce and Sesame
• Asian Green Salad with Soy-Sesame Dressing
• Baked Spicy Cabbage

Want more meatless recipes?

Use the category for Vegetarian Recipes to see all the meatless dishes on my site.

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Yield: Makes 6 servings

Tofu and Eggplant Stir Fry

Prep Time 25 minutes

Cook Time 18 minutes

Total Time 43 minutes

You'll love this Tofu and Eggplant Stir Fry for a perfect plant-based meal! And this recipe has red bell pepper, spicy Sriracha Sauce, and basil adding extra flavor.

Ingredients

Ingredients:

• 14 oz. firm or extra firm tofu
• 3 T peanut oil, divided (see notes)
• 8 whole garlic cloves
• 6 thin Asian eggplants, cut into 1 inch diagonal slices
• 1 red bell pepper, cut into thin strips
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced green onion (see notes)
• 3/4 cup Thai basil leaves (see notes)

Sauce Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 T soy sauce
• 1 1/2 T fish sauce (see notes)
• 1 T fresh-squeezed lime juice
• 1 T Golden Monkfruit Sweetener, or another sweetener of your choice (see notes)
• 1 T Sriracha Rooster Sauce, or more (see notes)

Instructions

1. Put tofu pieces in a colander placed in the sink and let them drain at least 10 minutes.
2. While tofu drains, cut eggplant into slightly-diagonal slices about 1 inch thick, cut the red bell pepper into thin strips, thinly slice green onion, and wash Thai basil leaves (if using.)
3. Mix sauce ingredients.
4. When the tofu has drained, put a double layer of paper towels on a cutting board, lay the tofu pieces on the paper towel, and put another double layer of paper towels on top of the tofu.
5. Press down with the palm of your hand to press water out of the tofu so it’s absorbed by the towels.
6. Discard towels and cut tofu into squares slightly over 1 inch square. (Don’t make them too small.)
7. Heat the dry wok over high heat for about one minute, add 2 tablespoons of the oil and heat one minute more, then add the garlic cloves and cook just until they are fragrant, about 30-45 seconds. (Don’t let the garlic brown.)
8. Remove garlic and discard.
9. Add the tofu cubes, laying each on one of the larger sides so the tofu is in a single layer.
10. Cook over medium-high heat, turning often, until the tofu is well-browned on all sides. (Pay close attention to keep the tofu turned so it doesn’t burn.  We use a pair of long-handled tongs for this.)
11. Remove browned tofu to a plate while you cook the vegetables.
12. Add the other tablespoon of oil and heat for about a minute, then add the eggplant slices and stir-fry about 4 minutes, or just until the eggplant is just starting to soften and brown.
13. Add red pepper strips and stir-fry about 2 minutes more.
14. Add the browned tofu pieces back into the wok and cook for 1 minute to be sure the tofu is hot.
15. Add the sauce to the wok and cook the mixture for 2-3 minutes, stirring often so all the pieces of tofu and the vegetables get well-glazed with the sauce.
16. Add the sliced green onions and Thai basil (if using) and cook about 1 minute more.
17. Serve hot.
18. This Tofu and Eggplant Stir Fry will keep overnight in the fridge and can be reheated in the microwave, but it’s best when it’s freshly made.

Notes

Peanut Oil (affiliate link) is ideal for the recipe, or use any high smoke-point oil.

Green onion is optional, or use it in place of Thai Basil or Basil if you prefer.

Thai Basil is great in this dish but definitely optional, or use regular fresh basil if you have some.

I use Golden Monkfruit Sweetener (affiliate link) for this recipe, but use any no-calorie sweetener you prefer.

Be sure to use Gluten-Free Soy Sauce (affiliate link) if needed.

You can use Vegetarian Fish Sauce (affiliate link) for the recipe or use more soy sauce.

One tablespoon Sriracha Sauce was fairly spicy so only use more if you really want it spicy.

This recipe created by Kalyn with help from her cooking assistant (and nephew) Jake!

Nutrition Information

Yield

6

Serving Size

1
Amount Per Serving Calories 171Total Fat 11gSaturated Fat 2gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 8gCholesterol 0mgSodium 891mgCarbohydrates 12gFiber 3gSugar 6gProtein 9g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated by the Recipe Plug-In I am using. I am not a nutritionist and cannot guarantee 100% accuracy, since many variables affect those calculations.

Did you make this recipe?

Did you make this recipe? Please leave a star rating (under the PRINT button in the recipe) or share a photo of your results on Instagram! THANKS!

Low-Carb Diet / Low-Glycemic Diet / South Beach Diet Suggestions:
As long as you use an approved sweetener, ingredients in this Tofu and Eggplant Stir Fry would be approved for low-carb diets. It’s also fine for any phase of the original South Beach Diet. Recommended serving size for tofu is only 1/2 cup for South Beach Phase One, so use portion control if needed.

Find More Recipes Like This One:
Use the Stir-Fry Recipes to find more recipes like this one.Use the Diet Type Index to find recipes suitable for a specific eating plan. You might also like to follow Kalyn’s Kitchen on Pinterest, on Facebook, on Instagram, or on YouTube to see all the good recipes I’m sharing there.

Historical Notes for this Recipe:
This recipe for tofu and eggplant cooked in a stir-fry was posted in 2012, when I had eggplant growing in my garden. It was last updated with more information in 2025.

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