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Fresh, crisp broccoli and tender cashews pair perfectly in this healthy Broccoli Cashew Stir-Fry! It's a lightened-up stir-fry made with simple ingredients, but so full of flavor! (Vegan, gluten-free, oil-free.)
This Cashew Broccoli Stir Fry recipe is so quick and easy! It requires just 7 simple ingredients and 30 minutes to prepare. (But it's surprisingly so full of flavor!)
My idea was to recreate a lightened-up, whole food, plant-based version of chicken and broccoli stir fry.
Using tender, crunchy cashews in place of chicken brings such great texture and flavor. Plus it's filled with healthy plant-based protein and fiber. Pair this stir-fry with your favorite rice, quinoa, or noodles to complete your meal!
Ingredients for Cashew Stir Fry
For this recipe, you'll toss together in a large pan or skillet:
- Yellow onion: Or you can substitute red onion, white onion, or sweet onion instead. Shallot could work too.
- Garlic cloves: I use about 3 to 4 large cloves garlic. But add even more if you really enjoy the taste!
- Fresh ginger: I find fresh garlic and ginger provide the best flavor for this recipe.
- Fresh broccoli florets: You'll need one large head broccoli for this recipe, or about 4 cups (or 10 ounces) fresh broccoli florets.
- Roasted cashews: I use organic dry roasted nuts. I don't recommend raw cashew nuts for this recipe. I've tested this with raw, and for my preference, it's not nearly the same. Roasted adds another beautiful layer of flavor! To roast your own from raw, simply place them on a sheet pan and bake at 350°F (176°C) for about 10-15 minutes. Stir them every few minutes to prevent burning.
- Tamari: Or you can substitute soy sauce or coconut aminos. Be sure to use tamari or coconut aminos for a gluten-free option however.
- Sesame seeds: Use toasted if desired. (These are for sprinkling on top before serving.)
Customizing
Reduce the cashews: This recipe is heavy on the cashews, but you can easily reduce them to make room for other veggies instead.
Other vegetables: Try it with mushrooms, zucchini, snow peas, sugar snap peas, baby bok choy, carrots, red bell pepper, tofu, green onions/scallions, water chestnuts, etc.
Oil & vinegar: Add other flavors as you see fit. For a more classic stir-fry, include a swirl of toasted sesame oil in the pan or wok. Or add rice vinegar for a slightly sweet, acidic taste.
Stir-fry sauce: If you have a favorite stir fry sauce, then by all means adapt the recipe to include it! There are similar flavors in this easy Asian-style Teriyaki Sauceif you would like to give that a try as well. (This is a thicker sauce because it includes cornstarch.)
Serving
Quinoa: This is a great pairing with this cashew stir fry because it cooks in about the same time as the stir fry.
Rice: Either brown rice, cauliflower rice, white rice, or jasmine rice is also a lovely pairing. But brown rice typically takes longer to cook. So feel free to cook it in advance or start it a bit earlier than the stir fry.
Noodles: Serve it with rice noodles, ramen noodles, or your own favorite.
Storing
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator. I find they keep for about 3 days, however I do prefer this recipe when fresh.
For more inspiration, browse all easy vegan dinner recipes or cashew recipes.
Broccoli Cashew Stir-Fry
Crisp broccoli and tender cashews pair perfectly in this healthy, oil-free stir-fry. It's made with simple ingredients, but is full of satisfying flavor!
4.86 from 67 votes
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Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes minutes
Author: Kaitlin - The Garden Grazer
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Asian-Inspired, Gluten-Free, Oil-Free, Vegan
Servings: 3
Ingredients
- 1 small yellow onion
- 3-4 cloves garlic
- 1 large head broccoli (10 oz. florets, about 4 cups)
- 1 Tbsp. freshly grated ginger (about a 1 inch piece)
- 1 cup roasted cashews*
- 2-3 Tbsp. tamari
- 1 tsp. sesame seeds (or more)
For serving (optional):
- Brown rice, quinoa, noodles, etc.
Instructions
Begin cooking your rice or quinoa if using. (Or do this ahead of time so it’s ready to go.)
Meanwhile, thinly slice onion.
In a large skillet over medium-high heat, sauté onion for 8-10 minutes. (I use about 3 Tbsp. water/broth for no-oil sauté method, adding more as needed.)
Meanwhile, mince garlic and grate ginger. (I use a microplane grater for ginger.) Cut broccoli into bite-sized florets.
When onion is translucent, add garlic, ginger, and broccoli. Stir.
Add 1/4 cup water (or vegetable broth), cover, and let broccoli steam for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Be sure to keep an eye on it and add more water/broth as needed to keep the pan from drying out.
Add cashews, tamari, and sesame seeds. (Start with 2 Tbsp. tamari and add more as desired.)
Stir well and heat another 2-3 minutes or until broccoli is desired tenderness.
Serve over a warm bed of rice or quinoa.
Notes
*Cashews: I use dry roasted cashews. I don’t recommend raw cashews for this recipe. Roasted adds another beautiful layer of flavor!
Garlic & ginger: I love these flavors, so I usually add a little more than what’s noted. Feel free to do the same if you're similar.
Vegetables: The recipe is cashew-heavy, but you could easily reduce them and include other additions. Mushrooms, zucchini, snow peas, bok choy, carrots, bell pepper, tofu, green onions, etc.
Nutrition: Estimated nutritional content is calculated without the rice/quinoa/noodles for serving.
Nutrition Per Serving (Estimate)
Nutrition Facts
Broccoli Cashew Stir-Fry
Amount per Serving
Calories
332
% Daily Value*
Fat
22
g
34
%
Saturated Fat
4
g
25
%
Polyunsaturated Fat
Monounsaturated Fat
12
g
Potassium
742
mg
21
%
Carbohydrates
28
g
9
%
Fiber
5
g
21
%
Sugar
6
g
7
%
Protein
12
g
24
%
Vitamin A
757
IU
15
%
Vitamin C
112
mg
136
%
Calcium
94
mg
9
%
Iron
4
mg
22
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Sodium content: This is omitted as I cannot provide an accurate number. I encourage you to calculate your own to provide a much more precise reading based on the exact ingredients, brands, and amounts you're using.
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If you are enjoying this vegan broccoli cashew stir fry, also check out:
- Teriyaki Vegetable Stir Fry
- Orange Tofu
- Teriyaki Noodles
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