Cashew Vegetable Stir-Fry with Hoisin Sauce

Name: Cashew Vegetable Stir-Fry with Hoisin Sauce
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Chinese
Ingredients: 3 tbsp (54 g) hoisin sauce; 2 tbsp (30 ml) low-sodium soy sauce; 1 tbsp (15 ml) unseasoned rice vinegar; 1 tsp (5 ml) toasted sesame oil; 2 tsp (6 g) cornstarch; ⅓ cup (80 ml) cold water; 1 cup (140 g) raw unsalted whole cashews; 8 oz (225 g) cremini mushrooms, wiped clean, stems trimmed, sliced ¼ inch (6 mm) thick; 2 medium (about 14 oz total) (400 g) medium zucchini, halved lengthwise, cut into ½-inch (1.25 cm) thick half-moons; 3 stalks (about 7 oz total) (200 g) celery stalks, sliced diagonally ¼ inch (6 mm) thick; 3 cloves (9 g) garlic, minced; 1 tbsp (6 g) fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated; 3 whole (45 g) scallions, thinly sliced, white and green parts kept separate; 3 tbsp (45 ml) neutral high-heat oil (avocado, peanut, or canola), divided: 1 tbsp for the mushrooms, 1 tbsp for the zucchini and celery, 1 tbsp in reserve; 3 cups (555 g) cooked jasmine or white rice, hot (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Toasted cashews, browned mushrooms, and crisp-tender zucchini and celery are tossed in a glossy, sweet-savory hoisin sauce. It's a quick vegetarian dinner that comes together in about 35 minutes in one pan.

Prep: 20 min
Cook: 15 min
Total: 35 min
Makes: 4 servings (about 6 cups stir-fry, plus rice)

Save to My Kitchen Jump to recipe

Ingredients

4 servings

For the sauce
3 tbsp (54 g) hoisin sauce
2 tbsp (30 ml) low-sodium soy sauce
1 tbsp (15 ml) unseasoned rice vinegar
1 tsp (5 ml) toasted sesame oil
2 tsp (6 g) cornstarch
⅓ cup (80 ml) cold water
For the stir-fry
1 cup (140 g) raw unsalted whole cashews
8 oz (225 g) cremini mushrooms, wiped clean, stems trimmed, sliced ¼ inch (6 mm) thick
2 medium (about 14 oz total) (400 g) medium zucchini, halved lengthwise, cut into ½-inch (1.25 cm) thick half-moons
3 stalks (about 7 oz total) (200 g) celery stalks, sliced diagonally ¼ inch (6 mm) thick
3 cloves (9 g) garlic, minced
1 tbsp (6 g) fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated
3 whole (45 g) scallions, thinly sliced, white and green parts kept separate
3 tbsp (45 ml) neutral high-heat oil (avocado, peanut, or canola), divided: 1 tbsp for the mushrooms, 1 tbsp for the zucchini and celery, 1 tbsp in reserve
To serve
3 cups (555 g) cooked jasmine or white rice, hot (optional)

Equipment (5)

14-inch (35 cm) flat-bottomed wok or 12-inch (30 cm) large heavy skillet
Wooden spoon or wok spatula
Chef's knife and cutting board
Small bowl or liquid measuring cup for the sauce
Plate for the toasted cashews

Steps

Before you start

Stir-frying moves fast. Cut all the vegetables and mix the sauce before you turn on the heat.
If you're serving rice, cook it first or use leftover rice, and keep it warm.
Use raw, unsalted cashews. Roasted, salted ones will over-brown and make the dish too salty.
Pat the mushrooms and zucchini dry after washing. Excess water makes them steam instead of sear.

1
Mix the sauce
- In a small bowl or liquid measuring cup, whisk together the hoisin sauce, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, cornstarch, and cold water until completely smooth with no cornstarch lumps.
- Set it next to the stove.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Sauce is uniformly brown and smooth, with no streaks of hoisin or cornstarch clumps.
Tip: Cornstarch settles quickly, so give the sauce a quick re-stir right before you pour it in.
2
Prep the vegetables
- Slice the mushrooms, zucchini, and celery as described in the ingredient list, so the pieces cook at the same pace.
- Mince the garlic, grate the ginger, and slice the scallions, keeping the whites separate from the greens.
- Put the garlic, ginger, and scallion whites together in a small pile.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Vegetables are cut into even pieces and arranged in separate piles within easy reach of the stove.
Tip: Pat the zucchini and mushrooms dry with a towel so they brown instead of steaming.
3
Toast the cashews
- Heat a dry 14-inch (35 cm) wok or 12-inch (30 cm) skillet over medium heat for 1 minute.
- Add the cashews and toast, stirring or shaking the pan often, for 4 to 5 minutes.
- Tip them onto a plate right away.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Cashews are golden brown in spots, smell nutty and toasty, and look slightly darker than when they went in.
Tip: Cashews go from golden to burnt in seconds and keep cooking in a hot pan, so always move them to a plate.
4
Sear the mushrooms
- Return the pan to the stove over high heat and add 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of the oil.
- When the oil shimmers, add the mushrooms in a single layer.
- Leave them untouched for 2 minutes to brown, then stir and cook another 2 to 3 minutes.
- Transfer to the plate with the cashews.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Mushrooms are deep golden brown at the edges, have released their liquid, and look glossy and shrunken by about a third.
Tip: Don't crowd the pan. If your skillet is smaller than 12 inches, sear the mushrooms in two batches.
5
Stir-fry zucchini and celery
- Keep the heat on high and add the second tablespoon (15 ml) of oil.
- Add the celery and zucchini and stir-fry, tossing every 30 seconds or so, for 3 to 4 minutes.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Zucchini has light golden-brown spots on the edges and is crisp-tender, giving slightly when pierced with a fork but still holding its shape. Celery is bright green.
Tip: Stop while the zucchini still has some bite. It continues to soften in the sauce and turns mushy if overcooked.
6
Add the aromatics
- Push the vegetables to the sides of the pan to clear a space in the center.
- Add the final tablespoon (15 ml) of oil, then the garlic, ginger, and scallion whites.
- Stir in the center for 20 to 30 seconds, then toss everything together.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: The garlic and ginger smell fragrant and pale golden. They should not turn dark brown.
Tip: Lower the heat a notch if the garlic starts to darken, as burnt garlic tastes bitter.
7
Thicken with the sauce
- Return the mushrooms to the pan.
- Re-whisk the sauce and pour it over the vegetables.
- Cook, stirring constantly, for 1 to 2 minutes.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: The sauce bubbles, turns glossy, and thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon and cling to the vegetables.
Tip: If the sauce gets too thick, stir in 1 to 2 tablespoons of water.
8
Finish and serve
- Turn off the heat.
- Fold in the toasted cashews and half of the scallion greens.
- Taste and add a splash of soy sauce if you'd like it saltier.
- Spoon over hot rice, if using, and top with the remaining scallion greens.
- Serve immediately.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Cashews are evenly distributed and the vegetables are glossy and steaming hot.
Tip: Add the cashews at the very end so they stay crunchy instead of absorbing the sauce.

Good to know

Tips

Use the largest pan you have and get it properly hot. Space and heat are what give you browned, not steamed, vegetables.
Cut the zucchini thicker (½ inch) than the celery and mushrooms (¼ inch). Zucchini cooks fast and softens quickly in a sauce.
Keep the cashews out of the pan until the very end so they stay crisp.
For extra heat, add 1 teaspoon of chili garlic sauce to the sauce mixture.

Make ahead

Slice the vegetables, mince the garlic and ginger, and whisk the sauce up to 1 day ahead. Store each in separate airtight containers in the refrigerator. Whisk the sauce again before using. Toast the cashews up to 2 days ahead and keep them in an airtight container at room temperature.

Storage & reheating

Room temperature: up to 2 hours. Refrigerator: store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Freezer: not recommended, as the zucchini and celery turn watery when thawed. Reheat in a skillet over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes with a splash of water, stirring often, or microwave in 1-minute bursts until hot. Cashews will soften in storage.

Substitutions

raw unsalted whole cashews → roasted peanuts or sliced almonds. Toast almonds for 2 to 3 minutes only. If using salted roasted peanuts, skip the toasting step and add them at the end.
hoisin sauce → 2 tbsp (30 ml) tamari plus 1 tbsp (20 g) honey or maple syrup. Use a gluten-free hoisin or this substitute, and swap tamari for the soy sauce, to make the dish gluten-free. The flavor will be less complex.
cremini mushrooms → shiitake mushrooms with stems removed. Gives a deeper, more savory flavor. Slice them the same thickness.
unseasoned rice vinegar → apple cider vinegar or fresh lime juice. Use the same amount. The flavor will be slightly sharper.