Sweet and savory with lots of crisp texture, this Cashew Stir Fry with Mango and Tofu is a quick dinner that almost never leaves leftovers. Tofu cubes are fried in a skillet for crisp edges and then tossed with cashews, celery, water chestnuts, and sweet mango for a perfect combination. An easy stir fry sauce with optional spice coats the stir fry for a main dish that pairs well with rice or noodles. This recipe is an easy addition to your family's meal plan rotation!
Adding nuts to a stir fry gives a crunchy texture and heartier meal. A cashew nut stir fry is popular in many Asian cuisines and this recipe is inspired by a Thai stir fry I used to get all the time at a favorite Bay Area restaurant. It took a long time for me to achieve the balance of flavors in the sauce and stir fry to taste just how I remembered it, but now the recipe is ready for you to enjoy!
A sweet addition to savory meals means dinner gets even more delicious and kid-friendly. Mango is our go-to for adding a touch of sweetness to dinner dishes. Try this salmon with mango and peach salsa or these beef tacos with mango and cucumber salad next!
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Cashew Stir Fry Ingredients
I include ingredient notes here when I think they'll be helpful, including ways to source, any preparation tips, or why I've chosen a particular ingredient. Be sure to check out the recipe card below for the full list of ingredients and their quantities!
- Firm Tofu - A 14-ounce block of firm tofu should be pressed to remove the excess moisture and then it can be cubed up for the stir fry. Using firm tofu is important so that it won't crumble while frying up. You'll find tofu in the produce department of your supermarket.
- Vegetable Oil - Any neutral oil will work for this stir fry, like avocado oil, corn oil, canola oil, or vegetable oil.
- Celery - Choose firm and bright green stalks of celery for the stir fry. They keep their crunch even after being cooked.
- Water Chestnuts - Canned sliced water chestnuts can be found in the international foods aisle of your large supermarket. Water chestnuts are firm in texture and have a mild and slightly sweet flavor. They will remain crisp even after cooking.
- Mango - Choose a fresh mango that is soft to the touch for ripe and sweet fruit. The ones pictured in this post are Ataulfo mangoes, and they are so sweet and juicy. You can also use frozen mango chunks in the recipe, just allow them to thaw slightly while you prepare the other ingredients. I find that frozen mango chunks are a bit too big for the stir fry and need to be cut in half or quarters before adding to the recipe.
- Cashews - Use raw or roasted cashews, but avoid salted nuts if possible. If you only have salted cashews on hand, reduce the soy sauce that you add to the recipe so that the dish isn't too salty.
Stir Fry Sauce Ingredients
- Brown Sugar - This is my favorite sweetener for stir frys or any marinade.
- Fish Sauce - Fish sauce was key to getting the authentic flavor in this stir fry. For most recipes I use the Three Crabs brand, which I buy at my local Asian market. You can also use a fancier Red Boat brand which I often see in the International section of the supermarket. Red Boat fish sauce can be a bit stronger, though, so adjust quantities in the recipe to suit your taste.
- Light Soy Sauce - A low-sodium soy sauce is lighter in flavor and salt levels than other soy sauces.
- Cornstarch - Cornstarch helps to thicken the stir fry sauce. Only add it to cold liquids to get a smooth sauce.
- Chili Garlic Sauce - This flavorful combination of chilis, salt, garlic, and vinegar is a bit spicy but also has a bright acidity that adds to the stir fry sauce. You can also use sambal oelek (or sambal ulek) or omit the spice altogether. We find sambal oelek and chili garlic sauce at our Asian market or in well-stocked supermarkets.
Instructions
Remove the tofu from the packaging and wrap it well in a clean kitchen towel or layers of paper towel.
Press the wrapped tofu between two plates. You can add additional weight to the top the the bundle with a canned food item. Press the tofu for 10 minutes.
While the tofu is being pressed, whisk together the stir fry sauce ingredients in a small bowl.
Prepare the celery by slicing the clean stalks into ½-inch pieces at an angle. Cut the mango halves into a grid and then scoop out the cubed fruit from the skin. Open your can of water chestnuts and drain them.
Cut the tofu in half so that you get two thinner rectangles. Cut each of those into strips about 1-inch wide and then cut the strips into cubes.
Heat a skillet over medium-high heat for a couple of minutes. Add the oil to the skillet and swirl the pan to completely coat the bottom of the skillet.
Add the tofu cubes to the pan and don't mess with them for about 5 minutes. With a stainless steel skillet, you'll need to let the first side of the cubes brown up completely without touching them so that they release from the pan.
Flip all of the tofu cubes over to allow them to brown completely on the second side for crispy tofu. Remove the fried tofu to a plate.
Add the water chestnuts and the celery to the skillet and stir fry the vegetables for 3 minutes or so, until the celery gets a bit tender.
Add the mango, cashews, cooked tofu, and stir fry sauce to the skillet.
Stir fry the ingredients until the sauce is thickened and glossy and coats everything equally. The stir fry should be well mixed and is ready to serve.
Make a Vegetarian Cashew Stir Fry
We love the texture of tofu in this stir fry, but the recipe uses fish sauce so it's not vegetarian. If you'd like a vegetarian version of this recipe, source a vegan fish sauce at your local Asian market.
Substitutions and Variations
The substitutions listed below have been tested in this recipe and work well. If you successfully make any other ingredient substitutions, let us know in the comments!
- Chicken Cashew Stir Fry - We make this stir fry often using boneless, skinless chicken thighs trimmed and cut into bite-sized pieces. The chicken should be cooked thoroughly in oil and transferred to a separate plate, just like the process for the tofu. The chicken will take less time than the tofu!
- Omit Fish Sauce - If fish sauce isn't a staple in your kitchen, I urge you to reconsider! You can, however, make this cashew stir fry using only light low-sodium soy sauce. Increase the soy sauce in the stir fry sauce to 2 tablespoons.
Equipment
Choose your favorite kitchen tools for the prep of this stir fry! Here are three tools/methods for frying up the tofu cubes:
- Air Fryer - If frying the tofu in a skillet looks like it will be too tricky, you can air fry the tofu cubes! Toss or spray them with oil and cook them in a tray-style air fryer for 20 minutes at 425F. Cooking times will vary depending on your model or style of air fryer. Prepare the rest of the stir fry in the skillet and add your cooked tofu at the end.
- Stainless Steel Skillet - A large and sturdy stainless steel skillet is great for developing crisp edges on your tofu cubes. It's essential that you let the tofu completely brown on one side before trying to flip the cubes or they will stick and break apart.
- Non-Stick Skillet - You can also use a non-stick skillet to fry up the cubes of tofu for a less error-prone method. Use tools for flipping and stir frying that won't scratch the surface!
Serving Suggestions
Transfer the stir fry to a serving bowl and bring it to the table along with extra chili garlic sauce and cooked rice or noodles.
Make This Recipe Kid-Friendly
This stir fry is great for the whole family. I have one kid that won't eat fruit with savory things, but it's easy to pick out those pieces and still have a stir fry they enjoy. The ingredients are easy to see and nothing is "hidden" here, so kids are confident they know what they are putting on their plates.
Storage
Store any leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days in the refrigerator. This cashew stir fry reheats well, but the tofu won't be crisp after reheating. It still makes a great lunch for later in the week!
Make Ahead Options
You can press your tofu between two plates and keep it in the refrigerator ahead of time to save on prep right before dinner. You can also slice the mango and celery to have everything set for a speedy prep! Your rice or noodles are likely to take longer than the stir fry with these steps, so start any sides right away.
FAQ
Yes, feel free to use salted cashews in your stir fry. Adjust the salt levels by reducing the amount of soy sauce you add to the stir fry sauce.
Fruit in a stir fry is a great way to balance salty and sweet flavors in your dinner. Use mangoes, pineapple, or mandarin orange sections.
Use small whole chiles like a Thai birds-eye chili and cook them along with the celery and water chestnuts. You can also serve your stir fry with sriracha, chili garlic sauce, or sambal oelek.
Kid Favorite Recipes
This stir fry has been in our rotation of kid-requested dinners for years now! Here are some other great options for recipes that your pickiest eaters will enjoy:
Quick Skillet Dinners
This tasty cashew stir fry is ready in 30 minutes, a lifesaver on busy nights. Here are some other great options for quick skillet dinners:
Try It and Share
I hope you try this Cashew Stir Fry with Mango and Tofu and enjoy the recipe as much as I do. I want to see your results! Tag your photo with #planeatpostrepeat and mention me @planeatpostrepeat on Instagram or Facebook. I can give you a virtual high five and thank you for cooking one of my recipes! Comment below with any questions and please leave a review so others can find this recipe more easily.
This post was originally titled Cashew Nut Mango (just like at the restaurant that inspired the recipe). The post was updated in August of 2025 to change the title and provide much more prep detail along with process photos. The original recipe from October of 2020 has only been changed to increase the soy sauce amount from 1 ½ teaspoons and to add more cashews.
Recipe
Cashew Stir Fry with Mango and Tofu
Ingredients
Cashew Stir Fry
- 14 oz firm tofu
- 2 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 3 stalks celery
- 8 oz water chestnuts (sliced)
- 1½ cups mango (diced, fresh or frozen and thawed)
- ⅓ cup cashews (raw or roasted)
Sauce
- ¼ cup water
- 2 tablespoon brown sugar (packed)
- 3 tablespoon fish sauce
- 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
- 1½ teaspoon cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon chili garlic sauce (optional, add to taste)
Instructions
- Remove the tofu from the packaging and wrap it in a clean kitchen towel or layers of paper towel. Place the bundle between two plates and let the tofu press for 10 minutes.
- Slice the celery stalks on an angle in ½-inch pieces. Cut two halves of the mango away from the pit and then cut a grid into the mango halves. Use a spoon to scoop the cubes from the mango skin. Open and drain the sliced water chestnuts.
- If you are using frozen mango chunks, thaw them for 10 minutes or so and then cut the chunks into small (1-inch) cubes.
- Unwrap the pressed tofu. Cut it in half to get two thinner rectangles. Cut those rectangles into strips that are about 1-inch wide and then cut the strips into tofu cubes.
- Combine all sauce ingredients in a small bowl and whisk to dissolve the cornstarch.
- Heat skillet on medium-high heat for 2-3 minutes. Add the oil and swirl the skillet to coat it evenly. Add the tofu to the skillet and cook for 5 minutes per side, letting the tofu brown to a crisp completely before trying to flip the cubes. This will prevent them from sticking and crumbling. Remove the tofu to a separate plate.
- Add water chestnuts and celery to the skillet and stir fry for 3 minutes or so, until the celery starts to get tender.
- Add stir-fry sauce, mangoes, cashews, and the tofu you set aside earlier to the skillet.
- Stir fry for 1-2 minutes longer, heating the sauce until it boils and thickens. Mix the stir fry ingredients well until they are evenly coated with the glossy sauce.
- Serve the stir fry over rice or noodles.
Nutrition facts are sometimes provided below and are calculated using an online calculator. With specific brands of ingredients and additions, omissions, or substitutions the nutrition facts may change. We encourage you to use your own nutrition facts calculator to obtain the most accurate nutrition facts for your meal.
Cassie Waltman says
We love the sweet mango, cashews, and crisp water chestnuts in this easy stir fry!