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–+ servings
Bowl of vegan cashew chicken and vegetables on rice.

Easy Vegan Cashew Chicken Stir Fry (gf)

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Author: Tracy Halasz

Ingredients

The Prep Work

  • 2 cups basmati rice, cooked
  • 1 ¼ cups cashews, toasted in a dry pan

The Vegetables

  • 1 tablespoon oil
  • 1 cup onions, diced
  • 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
  • 1 large red pepper, bite-size chunks
  • 1 large carrot, sliced into rounds
  • 2-3 cups broccoli (stalks & florets), chopped
  • 2 large handfuls baby spinach or sliced into ribbons

The Soy Curls

  • 4 ounces soy curls, dry
  • 1 ½ cups veggie broth or water
  • 1-2 tablespoons oil (for cooking)

The Stir-Fry Sauce

  • ⅓ cup hoisin sauce OR ketchup
  • ¼ cup soy sauce
  • ¼ + cup vegetable or vegan chicken broth
  • 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
  • 1 - 2 tablespoons maple syrup
  • 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
  • 1 tablespoon sriracha sauce
  • 2 large cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tablespoon ginger, minced (more to taste)
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch

The Rest

  • 3 green onions, sliced
  • sesame seeds

Instructions

The Prep Work

  • Make the rice as per package directions (either stove top, rice cooker or Instant Pot). I made enough for 2 cups cooked rice (½ cup cooked each serving). Adjust for your family's appetites.
  • Prepare the vegetables, garlic, onions, and ginger.
    *Add more or less vegetables customized to your family's taste.

Hydrate the Soy Curls

  • Cover the dry soy curls in vegan chicken broth or water and soak for ~6 minutes.
  • Drain and gently squeeze to remove excess liquid. Set aside.

Toast the Cashew Nuts

  • While the soy curls hydrate, toast the cashews and make the stir-fry sauce.
  • Toast the cashews in a skillet over medium heat until visibly toasted in some spots. Shake the skillet periodically to prevent burning. Remove from heat.

Make the Stir-Fry Sauce

  • Put all sauce ingredients into a jar and shake to combine. Set aside.
  • Choose ketchup OR hoisin as your base (or half of each). *Hoisin is slightly sweeter so you may want to adjust the added sweetener (taste as you go).

Cook Soy Curls

  • Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a wok or large saute skillet over medium-high to high heat until shimmering.
  • Add the drained/squeezed soy curls to the pan. Stir fry for ~5 minutes until they take on some color/charring. Don't overcrowd the pan or the soy curls will steam instead of fry. Depending on the pan size, you may need to do 2 batches. Transfer to a bowl.

Stir Frying Vegetables

  • Add another tablespoon of oil to the wok/skillet. Once, shimmering, add the onions, sauté over medium-high heat for ~3 minutes or until fragrant.
  • Add the garlic and veggies (except the spinach) continue to cook for 3-5 minutes until tender but still crisp. Keep the veggies moving to prevent sticking (add a splash of water or broth if necessary).
  • Next add the soy curls back in along with the spinach, half the cashews, and ¾ of the sauce. Stir to combine. Allow the sauce to simmer over medium heat for 1 to 2 minutes to thicken.
  • Add the remaining sauce if the stir-fry is dry or you like a super saucy stir fry (this will vary depending on the amount and type of vegetables you choose as well). If the sauce gets too thick, add a splash or two of water/broth to correct.
  • Remove from heat, garnish with remaining cashews, green onions, and sesame seeds. Dig in!

Notes

SOY CURLS: I use Butler Brand soy curls. In the USA you can order directly from Butler Foods. In Canada, I use Vegan Supply online. They can also be ordered online from Amazon. The price is around $6.99 (Canadian) for a bag.
NUTS: toasting the nuts unlocks the flavor and crunch. Batch cook them and store in a jar in the fridge or in the freezer for longer storage.
NUT ALLERGY?: If nut free, skip the cashews. If you can eat peanuts, they are a nice substitution. Or sesame seeds.
STORING & REHEATING: Store any leftover vegan cashew chicken in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Simply reheat in a microwave safe dish and enjoy!