Recipes › French Beans › French Bean and Sesame Stir-Fry with Crispy Tofu
French Bean and Sesame Stir-Fry with Crispy Tofu
A fast, high-heat stir-fry where French beans stay beautifully crisp-tender and soak up a punchy sesame and soy sauce. Crispy tofu adds satisfying bite, and the whole thing comes together in under 25 minutes. Serve over steamed rice for a genuinely easy weeknight supper.
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Ingredients
- 500 g French beans, topped and tailed
- 400 g firm tofu, pressed dry and cut into 2cm cubes
- 3 tbsp cornflour
- 4 tbsp neutral oil
- 3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 3 cm fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated
- 3 tbsp soy sauceuse tamari for a gluten-free version
- 2 tbsp toasted sesame oil
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- ½ tsp chilli flakes
- 2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds (optional)
- 3 spring onions, finely sliced (optional)
Contains: cereals gluten, sesame, soya, sulphites.
Method
- Pat the tofu cubes completely dry with kitchen paper, then toss in the cornflour until evenly coated. Set aside on a plate.About 3 min
- Mix together the soy sauce, sesame oil, rice vinegar and chilli flakes in a small bowl and set aside.About 1 min
- Heat 3 tablespoons of the neutral oil in a large wok or wide frying pan over a high heat until smoking. Add the tofu in a single layer and cook without moving for 3 minutes until a golden crust forms. Turn and cook for a further 2 minutes, then transfer to a plate.About 6 min
- Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the same wok over a high heat. Add the French beans and stir-fry vigorously for 3 minutes until they blister in spots and turn bright green with some char.About 3 min
- Push the beans to the side, add the garlic and ginger to the centre of the wok and cook for 30 seconds, stirring constantly, until fragrant.About 1 min
- Return the tofu to the wok, pour over the sauce and toss everything together over the heat for 1 minute until the sauce coats everything and reduces slightly.About 1 min
- Divide between bowls over steamed rice, scatter with sesame seeds and spring onions if using, and serve immediately.
Tips
- Pressing the tofu for at least 20 minutes before you start (wrap in a clean tea towel and weigh it down with a heavy pan) makes a real difference to how crispy it gets.
- Your wok must be properly smoking hot before the beans go in — that high heat is what gives them those blistered, slightly charred edges rather than a steamed texture.
- Don't overcrowd the wok with the tofu or it will steam instead of fry. If your pan is on the smaller side, fry the tofu in two batches.
Ring the changes
- Swap the tofu for 400g of raw king prawns (note: this adds crustacean allergen and removes vegan/vegetarian tags); cook them for 2 minutes per side before setting aside.
- Add 1 tablespoon of black bean paste to the sauce for a deeper, more savoury flavour.
Keeping it
Best eaten immediately. If you have leftovers, store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days and reheat quickly in a hot pan. The tofu will soften but the flavour holds well.
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