Vegan Cashew Chicken

Craving your favorite Chinese Takeout? Then check out my Vegan Cashew Chicken! It tastes BETTER than the original plus it's OIL-FREE!

We were out of town several weeks ago and stopped at a Chinese Restaurant to have dinner. We had just found a new lunch spot where they served an incredible Vegan BBQ Chicken Sandwich, so I asked the waitress here if we could order my wife's favorite, Cashew Chicken, but make it vegan & oil-free.

They did! And it was incredible! So hats off to you Dynasty Chinese, Sequim, WA for being so versatile!

vegan cashew chicken from dynasty Chinese in Sequim, wa

I KNEW when we got home I'd have to try and recreate that recipe, and I think I came pretty darn close!

Enjoy!

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Why You're Going To Love This Recipe!

❤️ 100% Vegan AND Oil-Free!

❤️ Simple ingredients you probably already have in your pantry!

❤️ Comfort Food made vegan! Who doesn't LOVE Chinese takeout?

❤️ Easy to prepare!

Ingredients & Substitutions

ingredients to make vegan cashew chicken

The "Chicken"

I'm using super-firm tofu but anything other than silken will work. If you're not a fan of Tofu, you could try substituting it with Butler Soy Curls, Seitan, or maybe just add some beefy Portobello Mushrooms!

The Veggies

I'm using red bell pepper, a few scallions, some garlic, a rib of celery, and for a little crunch ... water chestnuts. The restaurant added carrots. I think this is one of those recipes you can add whatever veggies you like! Clean out the fridge time!

Cashews

We have David Leong from Springfield, Missouri to thank for this signature dish he created in the 1960s. So cashews are a key ingredient but you could probably get away with using peanuts instead (unless you have a nut allergy of course).

The Sauce

The sauce is a simple brown sauce. Soy Sauce (or Tamari if you're gluten-free), Hoisin, Maple Syrup, Rice Vinegar, a little Sriracha, and to keep it simple: powdered ginger.

Make sure your Hoisin is vegan (or gluten-free), so read those labels! If you can't find it, you could try adding a little miso, molasses, or if you don't mind a little heat, some Korean gochujang.

*See the recipe card at the bottom of the page for exact quantities and detailed cooking directions.

How To Make Vegan Cashew Chicken

Nail this recipe by following these step-by-step photos with helpful tips. Or scroll down to the bottom of this page for the easy-to-print recipe card.

Step 1

Tofu Prep

Press your tofu to remove as much liquid as possible. I'm using a Tofu Bud tofu press but paper towels and a cutting board will work too.

Step 2

Boiling The Tofu

Now place 4 cups of water and 1 tablespoon of salt into a large pan and bring to a boil. Dry off your tofu after pressing, cut it into 2 thin slabs, then into bite-sized triangles. Boil the tofu for 10 minutes then turn out onto paper towels to dry.

triangles of tofu that have been air fried

Step 3

Air Fry or Bake the Tofu

After boiling and then drying the tofu, air fry or bake the tofu at 400° F for 10 min or until slightly browned. This process makes the tofu incredibly meat-like and chewy with a firmer texture, perfect for stir-frying.

Step 4

Make The Sauce

Add all of the sauce ingredients to a small measuring cup and whisk to combine. Set aside for now but we're almost there!

veggies prepped for vegan cashew chicken

Step 5

Prep the Veggies

Dice, mince, or chop all of the veggies and have them ready to go

roasting cashews for vegan cashew chicken

Step 6

Toasty Nuts!

Place the cashews into a dry skillet over medium heat and roast them gently until they get a little color on them. Place the roasted nuts into a small dish and set aside.

adding no-chicken broth to a vegan cashew chicken stir fry

Step 7

Finally! The Stir Fry

Stir fry the mushrooms first as they will release a little liquid on their own to saute the onions and garlic with. Then add the rest of the veggies with a little water or veggie broth as needed to stir fry the veggies just until crisp-tender.

adding the sauce to vegan cashew chicken stir fry

Step 8

Add the Sauce, Tofu, and Cashews

Pour in the sauce and stir as it will thicken immediately. Add the tofu and cashews and stir until everything is well coated with that sauce.

The only thing left to do is grab those chopsticks and dig in!

Serving Ideas

In the restaurant, they served their Vegan Cashew Chicken on a large serving plate with a side of rice.

Personally, I like it on top of the rice with a dash of sesame seeds and a dollop of Sriracha or Chile Garlic Sauce.

If you like a little more heat, add some thin strips of Fresno chiles to your veggie list, or add a tablespoon of Gochujang to your sauce mix. Yum!

Recipe FAQs

Help! I can't have Cashews!

You can try peanuts as long as you don't have a nut allergy. Or you can certainly leave them out altogether, but then it won't be "cashew chicken" anymore 😄

Help! I can't have Tofu!

Although you could probably get away with not using tofu, there is still soy in the sauce whether you use soy sauce or tamari. So this may not be the recipe for you. If you're ok with the sauce, try using seitan or Butler soy curls for your "meat" in this recipe. Just add the seitan at the same time you add the cashews. For soy curls, rehydrate them first then wring them dry. Then add them with your veggies to cook.

How long does this keep?

In the fridge, probably no longer than 4 or 5 days.

How many servings does this make?

The safe answer is probably 3-4, although it depends on how much rice you eat along with it.

More Stir Fry Recipes

Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:

Vegan Cashew Chicken
Vegan Kimchi Fried Rice (oil-free)
Vegan Pepper Steak
Vegan Kung Pao Cauliflower - Brand New Vegan