Commit this basic recipe to memory, and then you'll be able to put your leftover vegetables at the end of the week to good use! This Edamame Stir Fry recipe relies on frozen edamame, simple veggies and tofu, and a packet of udon noodles. The stir fry sauce is one to print out and put on the fridge!
If you keep your pantry relatively well-stocked with a few Asian staples, you can make this stir fry in less than 30 minutes! I always have soy sauce, sesame oil, and sesame seeds in the pantry. Plus, I keep a few knobs of peeled fresh ginger in the freezer and a bottle of pre-squeezed lime juice in the fridge, because they both last for a while this way.
The type of vegetables you use in this edamame stir fry is entirely your call. I land on my favorite combination of: bell pepper, Napa cabbage, and tofu often, so that is what I list here. The only vegetable that is not optional, in my opinion, is the green onion! This is because we will flavor the oil with the white part of the scallion, and then garnish later with the green part of the scallion.
I'm serving this with a package of already cooked udon noodles, but you can absolutely serve this edamame stir fry over rice. The choice is yours.
Ingredients for Edamame Stir Fry
- Soy Sauce. One-quarter cup of soy sauce. I don't use low-sodium soy sauce, just for reference. I use a naturally brewed soy sauce--Sempio is my favorite brand.
- Sesame Oil. We need one tablespoon of toasted sesame oil for the stir fry sauce, and another tablespoon for sautéing the vegetables later on.
- Lime Juice. Three tablespoons of lime juice is roughly 2-3 limes. I keep bottled lime juice on hand in the fridge for times like this.
- Ginger. One small knob of peeled fresh ginger grated to make 1 tablespoon of ginger. Please don't skip the fresh ginger, it brings so much depth and heat to the sauce. Dried ginger powder just isn't the same.
- Black Pepper. Similarly, do not underestimate the power of freshly ground black pepper in a stir fry sauce.
- Sesame Seeds. One tablespoon of toasted sesame seeds are technically optional, but I love the crunch and nutrition they bring to the table.
- Scallions. When you slice up 3 scallions, separate them into white parts and green parts. We will use the 'tougher' white part to flavor the cooking oil, and then we will garnish at the end with the more tender green parts.
- Bell Pepper. One large bell pepper (red, yellow or orange) sliced into thin sticks. I don't recommend green bell pepper for this edamame stir fry. It has an entirely different flavor than more mature bell peppers.
- Cabbage. You can use 8 ounces of chopped Napa cabbage, or a bag of already shredded cabbage for this recipe. Cabbage really melts down in volume, so do not be alarmed by adding half a pound to the skillet!
- Tofu. I like to slice my tofu into ½-inch by 2-inch sticks. If you aren't a tofu fan, use the same amount of diced chicken thighs or lean steak.
- Edamame. One-half cup of shelled edamame, also called mukimame. There is no need to thaw, if frozen.
- Noodles. For serving, my first choice is 8-ounces of fresh, already cooked udon noodles. I usually buy frozen udon noodles, and keep them in my freezer, or the vacuum sealed noodles. However, you can buy shelf-stable ones that need to be boiled, but this is an extra step. If you have seen the 'Thai Wheat Noodles' at Trader Joe's, they are very good here because they are partially cooked, so no extra step of boiling them!
How to Make Edamame Stir Fry with Noodles and Tofu
First, stir together all of the stir fry sauce ingredients: whisk together the soy sauce, warm water, sesame oil, lime juice, grated ginger, black pepper, and toasted sesame seeds. Set this aside.
In a large 10-12-inch nonstick skillet, heat the other tablespoon of sesame oil over medium-high heat. Add the white part of the scallions and saute for 30 seconds.
Next, add the bell pepper slices and cabbage. Stir to coat in the oil. Next, add the tofu pieces and let it cook on one side until crispy, about 4-5 minutes. Flip and cook the other side, another 4-5 minutes.
Add the edamame and warm through.
Finally, add the udon noodles and pour the sauce over top. Toss to coat everything and warm the noodles through.
Recipe Variations
- Protein - I love little tofu cubes in this edamame stir fry recipe, but if tofu isn't your favorite, you can use an equal amount of chopped chicken thighs or thinly sliced lean steak. If you think you don't like tofu because of the texture, can I recommend that you freeze it first? After freezing and thawing tofu, it has a much more chewy texture--try it!
- Noodles - Try to find the fresh udon noodles that don't need to be cooked. These can be in the frozen section of any Asian market. Or, you can find vacuum sealed noodles that have already been cooked, too. If you have dry udon noodles, that works too, but you'll need to cook them separately before adding to the dish. You can also use any other type of pre-cooked noodle here.
- Serving - Instead of noodles, this is great served over hot rice.
- Vegetables - Use whatever leftover vegetables that you have in your fridge. Broccoli, bok choy, and spinach are also great here. The only vegetable that I wouldn't swap out is the scallion.
Edamame Stir Fry
Edamame stir fry with noodles and tofu.
Ingredients
For the stir fry sauce:
- 4 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 3 tablespoons lime juice
- 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
For the stir-fry:
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 3 scallions, sliced
- 1 large bell pepper, sliced into sticks
- 8 ounces chopped Napa cabbage
- 8 ounces firm tofu, sliced into ½-inch x 2-inch sticks
- ½ cup shelled edamame
- 7-8 ounces of fresh soft udon noodles
Instructions
- In a small bowl, whisk together all sauce ingredients.
- Next, In a large 10-12-inch nonstick skillet, heat the sesame oil over medium-high heat. Add the white part of the scallions and saute for 30 seconds.
- Then, add the bell pepper slices and cabbage. Stir to coat in the oil.
- Add the tofu pieces and let it cook on one side until crispy, about 4-5 minutes. Flip and cook the other side, another 4-5 minutes.
- Add the edamame and warm through.
- Finally, add the udon noodles and pour the sauce over top. Toss to coat everything and warm the noodles through.
- Serve with the green parts of the scallions on top in bowls.
Notes
Protein - I love little tofu cubes in this edamame stir fry recipe, but if tofu isn't your thing, you can use an equal amount of chopped chicken thighs or thinly sliced lean steak. If you think you don't like tofu because of the texture, can I recommend that you freeze it first? After freezing and thawing tofu, it has a much more chewy texture--try it!
Noodles - Try to find the fresh udon that don't need to be cooked. These can be in the frozen section of any Asian market. Or, you can find vacuum sealed noodles that have already been cooked, too. If you have dry udon noodles, that works too, but you'll need to cook them separately before adding to the dish. You can also use any other type of pre-cooked noodle or rice for serving.
Vegetables - Use whatever leftover vegetables that you have in your fridge. Broccoli, bok choy, and spinach are also great here. The only vegetable that I wouldn't swap out in the scallion.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 472Total Fat: 13gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 906mgCarbohydrates: 69gFiber: 5gSugar: 4gProtein: 21g
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