This Asparagus Stir Fry with Orange Miso Sauce is a vibrant, quick-cooking dish that brings together crisp-tender veggies and a bold, citrusy glaze. Sweet, tangy orange juice meets the savory depth of white miso in a sauce that clings perfectly to asparagus, mushrooms and pre-marinated tofu. It’s light yet satisfying, ideal for weeknight dinners or elegant plant-based meals with an Asian-inspired twist.
This Asparagus Stir Fry with Orange Miso Sauce is a delicious balance of crisp seasonal vegetables and bold, Asian-inspired flavor. The star of the show is the sauce—a bright blend of orange juice, mellow white miso, ginger, and tamari or soy sauce. This sauce creates a sweet-salty umami glaze that coats each bite beautifully.
Perfect over a bed of steamed jasmine rice, soba noodles, quinoa or even spaghetti noodles, this stir-fry makes a quick, satisfying weeknight dinner. It’s naturally vegan and customized to other proteins. If it’s not feeling like a tofu night, edamame and cashews are a great substitute.
Ingredient Notes for Asparagus Stir Fry with Orange Miso Sauce
- Asparagus: With its delicate flavor, tender texture, and impressive nutrient profile, asparagus is a superstar vegetable. It is high in folate, rich in vitamins A, C, E, and K. It’s also a good source of fiber and antioxidants. I prefer using asparagus with thin stalks in stir-fry as they cook faster and more evenly.
- Mushrooms: I recommend Baby Bella mushrooms, also known as cremini mushrooms, for this recipe. Baby Bellas are a younger version of portobello mushrooms and a slightly more mature form of white button mushrooms. They offer a deeper, more robust flavor than their white counterparts and a firm, meaty texture that holds up well to cooking.
- Baked Tofu (or not): I am a big fan of pre-marinated, baked tofu. It has a firm, meaty texture and it’s already cooked and ready to go. You can find this in some regular grocery stores, but you may need to go to a specialty store like Trader Joe’s, Sprouts, or Whole Foods. I used Nasoya Sesame Ginger Tofu for this recipe. You can also ditch the tofu altogether and substitute edamame and raw cashews as a protein source.
- Miso: Miso is a traditional Japanese seasoning made by fermenting soybeans using a mold called koji (Aspergillus oryzae). The result is a thick, flavorful paste that’s rich in umami, the savory “fifth taste.” It is used in a wide range of Asian dishes—most famously, miso soup. Many regular grocery stores carry miso these days, usually in the Asian food section or the refrigerated area.
- Ginger: Ginger root contains gingerol, a bioactive compound with potent anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. It also imparts a unique flavor that is slightly spicy and peppery and also sweet. The addition of this superfood gives the Orange Miso Sauce a little extra punch.
- Leafy greens: Here is another great opportunity to get your greens today. Dark leafy greens are full of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Research has shown that eating 2 to 3 servings of green leafy vegetables per week may lower the risk of breast, skin, and stomach cancer and decrease the risk of heart disease. I used spinach in this recipe but you could opt for kale or chard as well.
Preparation Notes
- Snap, don’t cut the woody ends of the asparagus—hold each stalk and bend gently; it naturally breaks at the right spot. Once you have removed the ends, cut into 1/2 inche pieces
- After you have sauteed the asparagus for a minute or two, I highly recommend placing a lid on your pan for no more than two minutes. This will help the asparagus to cook all the way through.
- When making the sauce, be sure to add the cornstarch slowly as the last step. If you add too much too fast, it will become irreversibly clumpy.
Asparagus Stir Fry with Orange Miso Sauce
Course: DinnerDifficulty: Moderate4
servings20
minutes15
minutesIngredients
1 bunch of asparagus, cut into 1/2″ pieces
8 oz whole mushrooms, roughly chopped
1 package of Sesame Ginger Baked Tofu, diced small (or sub 3/4 cup of raw cashews and 3/4 cup of shelled edamame)
1 cup chopped spinach
2-3 tsp sesame oil
Salt and Pepper to taste
1-2 tsp red pepper flakes
Sesame seeds (optional)
Orange Miso Sauce:
1 cup orange juice
2 tbsp soy sauce (or tamari)
2 tbsp agave syrup
3 tbsp white miso
2 tbsp rice wine vinegar
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp corn starch
Thumb-sized piece of ginger, grated
Directions
- Heat the sesame oil in a sauté pan on medium-high heat. Add the asparagus and cook for a minute or two, getting some char on the veggies.
- Place a lid on the asparagus for about 2 minutes. This will ensure that the spears get cooked through.
- Remove the lid and add the diced tofu (or cashews and edamame if substituting); cook for about 2 minutes.
- Add the mushrooms and cook for another 3-4 minutes until everything is cooked through. Add salt, pepper and red pepper flakes.
- In the meantime, make the sauce. Whisk all of the ingredients together except the cornstarch. Once the mixture is complete, slowly tap in a small amount of cornstarch at a time while whisking continuously.
- Once the veggies and tofu are cooked through, mix in the chopped spinach. Slowly pour the sauce into the saute pan while on medium heat. Cook the sauce for about 2-3 minutes. You will see the sauce bubble up a little and begin to thicken.
- Once the sauce has reached the desired consistency, turn off the heat. Serve over rice, noodles or quinoa. Add a sprinkle of sesame seeds if desired.
