Braised Tofu and Sweet Potatoes with Mushrooms
By Annie PetitoPublished on March 4, 2026
Time
45 minutes
Yield
Serves 4
Ingredients
8 ounces cremini mushrooms, trimmed and sliced ¼ inch thick2¼ cups water, divided1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon vegetable oil, divided4 scallions, white parts sliced thin, green parts cut into 1-inch lengths4 garlic cloves, minced1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger 1 pound sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into ½-inch pieces⅓ cup soy sauce 2 tablespoons hoisin 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil 4 teaspoons cornstarch 1 pound soft tofu, cut into ½-inch cubes2 teaspoons unseasoned rice vinegar
Before You Begin
Serve over steamed white rice. Garnish with chili crisp or your favorite hot sauce.
Instructions
- Cook 8 ounces cremini mushrooms, sliced ¼ inch thick, and 2 tablespoons water in Dutch oven over high heat, stirring occasionally, until pot is almost dry and mushrooms begin to sizzle, 5 to 7 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-high. Add 1 teaspoon vegetable oil and toss until mushrooms are evenly coated. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms are well browned, 4 to 6 minutes longer. Reduce heat to medium.
- Push mushrooms to sides of pot. Add remaining 1 tablespoon vegetable oil to center along with thinly sliced whites of 4 scallions, 4 minced garlic cloves, and 1 tablespoon grated ginger and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- Add 1 pound sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into ½-inch pieces; ⅓ cup soy sauce; and 2 cups water. Increase heat to medium-high and bring to simmer. Cover; adjust heat to maintain simmer; and cook, stirring occasionally, until sweet potatoes are just tender, about 10 minutes.
- Uncover, stir in 2 tablespoons hoisin, 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil, and greens of 4 scallions cut into 1-inch lengths, and return to simmer. Whisk 4 teaspoons cornstarch and remaining 2 tablespoons water together in small bowl. Add cornstarch mixture and cook, stirring frequently, until thickened, 1 to 2 minutes. Gently stir in 1 pound soft tofu, cut into ½-inch cubes, and cook until warmed through, about 1 minute. Off heat, stir in 2 teaspoons unseasoned rice vinegar. Serve.
Time
45 minutesYield
Serves 4Ingredients
8 ounces cremini mushrooms, trimmed and sliced ¼ inch thick
2¼ cups water, divided
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon vegetable oil, divided
4 scallions, white parts sliced thin, green parts cut into 1-inch lengths
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
1 pound sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into ½-inch pieces
⅓ cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons hoisin
2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
4 teaspoons cornstarch
1 pound soft tofu, cut into ½-inch cubes
2 teaspoons unseasoned rice vinegar
Ingredients
8 ounces cremini mushrooms, trimmed and sliced ¼ inch thick
2¼ cups water, divided
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon vegetable oil, divided
4 scallions, white parts sliced thin, green parts cut into 1-inch lengths
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
1 pound sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into ½-inch pieces
⅓ cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons hoisin
2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
4 teaspoons cornstarch
1 pound soft tofu, cut into ½-inch cubes
2 teaspoons unseasoned rice vinegar
Ingredients
8 ounces cremini mushrooms, trimmed and sliced ¼ inch thick
2¼ cups water, divided
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon vegetable oil, divided
4 scallions, white parts sliced thin, green parts cut into 1-inch lengths
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
1 pound sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into ½-inch pieces
⅓ cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons hoisin
2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
4 teaspoons cornstarch
1 pound soft tofu, cut into ½-inch cubes
2 teaspoons unseasoned rice vinegar
Why This Recipe Works
This dish of creamy tofu simmered with chunks of tender sweet potatoes in a velvety sauce has some of the same soothing comfort of Sichuan’s mapo tofu, but it’s weeknight and vegetarian. To create savoriness, we steam mushrooms in a little water in a Dutch oven, which quickly releases their moisture, then brown them in just a teaspoon of oil. Ginger, garlic, and scallion whites contribute more flavor notes. We add water and soy sauce and then simmer sweet potatoes in the liquid. Hoisin (sweet but with an underlying savoriness) and toasted sesame oil stirred in once the potatoes are tender add more complexity. A cornstarch slurry turns the sauce silky. We gently stir in the tofu last so that it remains intact. Rice vinegar added off heat and a generous helping of chili crisp at the table complete this satisfying meal.
Before You Begin
Serve over steamed white rice. Garnish with chili crisp or your favorite hot sauce.
Instructions
- Cook 8 ounces cremini mushrooms, sliced ¼ inch thick, and 2 tablespoons water in Dutch oven over high heat, stirring occasionally, until pot is almost dry and mushrooms begin to sizzle, 5 to 7 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-high. Add 1 teaspoon vegetable oil and toss until mushrooms are evenly coated. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms are well browned, 4 to 6 minutes longer. Reduce heat to medium.
- Push mushrooms to sides of pot. Add remaining 1 tablespoon vegetable oil to center along with thinly sliced whites of 4 scallions, 4 minced garlic cloves, and 1 tablespoon grated ginger and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- Add 1 pound sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into ½-inch pieces; ⅓ cup soy sauce; and 2 cups water. Increase heat to medium-high and bring to simmer. Cover; adjust heat to maintain simmer; and cook, stirring occasionally, until sweet potatoes are just tender, about 10 minutes.
- Uncover, stir in 2 tablespoons hoisin, 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil, and greens of 4 scallions cut into 1-inch lengths, and return to simmer. Whisk 4 teaspoons cornstarch and remaining 2 tablespoons water together in small bowl. Add cornstarch mixture and cook, stirring frequently, until thickened, 1 to 2 minutes. Gently stir in 1 pound soft tofu, cut into ½-inch cubes, and cook until warmed through, about 1 minute. Off heat, stir in 2 teaspoons unseasoned rice vinegar. Serve.
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