Crispy Tofu with Peanut Sauce
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Originally published 3/28/2018. Last updated 3/12/2019
I’ve mentioned before that my kids are very picky eaters. If my son could have it his way he would live on candy alone. He loves candy so much that in the past couple of months he’s created an imaginary world called Candyland where he takes magical adventures with his best friend, Lollipop. Despite not being able to get to Candyland myself (it takes 11 plans, googol elevators, and 1 escalator), I love hearing all about his wonderful adventures.
But, I digress.
Because I won’t feed my son candy for dinner (or breakfast, or lunch, or midday snack), I am always on the lookout for healthy meals that my kids will eat without putting up a fight. Fortunately, right next to the candy, my children’s favorite food is tofu. And we eat a lot of tofu at my house.
We enjoy tofu scrambles for breakfast, crispy tofu in lunches, and a lot of tofu stir fries for dinner. And these days, we are loving this Crispy Tofu with Peanut Sauce.
Why I love this Peanut Tofu and Rice
- It is easy to make. This peanut tofu and rice can be made in under 30 minutes with just a handful of ingredients
- This meal is wildly versatile. Vegetables can be swapped out to make a different meal every time.
- It’s good for you. This tofu with peanut sauce recipe is packed with veggies, protein, and healthy fats and is easily made vegan and gluten-free
- It is a meal even the most novice of cooks can master and make 100% delicious!
How to make Tofu with Peanut Sauce
As I said, this tofu with peanut sauce is very straight forward. It’s a matter of cooking your rice, sautéing your vegetables, and slathering it all in a rich and creamy sauce.
We’re going to break this down.
Step one – Get the rice cooking
I recommend brown rice because it has more protein and is much lower on the glycemic index than white rice. Brown rice also has great benefits such as being anti-inflammatory and high in important minerals such as magnesium and manganese. For these reasons (and more), I almost always choose brown rice.
Step two – Sauté the tofu
To start, make a 1 batch of the Thai Peanut Sauce. If you would rather use storebought sauce, that’s no problem. You want about 1/2 cup of peanut sauce total for this vegan stir fry recipe.
Now, we can cut the tofu into 1/2″ cubes. Add them to a hot skillet and sauté for 5-7 minutes until golden brown on all sides. For detailed instructions on making the perfectly crispy tofu, head over here.
Best tofu for Peanut Tofu and Rice
When making crispy tofu for this recipe, high quality, extra firm tofu is a must. Look for tofu that is not water packed, such as Trader Joe’s High-Protein Tofu or Wildwood’s Super Firm or Sprouted Tofu. These types of tofu do not have excess water and do not need to be pressed. If you have to use water-packed tofu make sure to press as much water as you can out of it first by using a tofu press or a weighted, towel-lined cutting board. Press the tofu for at least 1 hour.
Whether you had to press the tofu or not, dab it dry with a kitchen towel. Place it on your cutting board and with a sharp knife, cube the tofu as evenly as possible. This will ensure an even fry.
Step three – Add Peanut Sauce
Add one half of the peanut sauce to the tofu and mix it until the tofu is fully coated. Some of the peanut sauce will stick to the pan – that’s okay.
Step four – Sauté veggies
Add oil to a separate pan and sauté broccolini or veggies of choice until cooked all the way through and slightly charred on the outside. Season with salt and pepper.
Assemble the Tofu with Peanut Sauce by dividing the rice evenly between 4 plates. Top with peanut tofu, broccolini, green onions, peanuts, and extra peanut sauce and serve! So easy!
Variations of Tofu Stir Fry
To add greens to this meal, I often sauté up some broccolini. However many other vegetables that go with this Tofu with Peanut Sauce, such as:
- Kale
- Brussels Sprouts
- Broccoli
- Green Beans
- Zucchini
Is this Tofu Stir Fry recipe gluten-Free?
As it is written, the recipe is not gluten-free because the peanut sauce contains soy sauce. However, you can easily make this recipe gluten-free by using Tamari – a wheat-free alternative to soy sauce.
Also, for a grain-free option, consider swapping out the rice with cauliflower rice.
Serving and Storing Tofu Stir Fry
For best results, eat this peanut tofu shortly after it’s made. However, if you have leftovers you can store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. To eat leftovers, gently reheat the stir fry over the stove or in the microwave.
Serve this tofu with peanut sauce over rice, noodles, quinoa, cauliflower rice, or omit the grain all together for a low-carb vegan meal.
Serve this Tofu with Peanut Sauce with broccolini and rice for a delicious, hearty, and healthy vegan and gluten-free dinner.
Cuisine: American, Asian
Keyword: Tofu with Peanut Sauce
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 557 kcal
Author: Sarah McMinn
- 1 cup uncooked rice
- 14 ounces extra firm tofu, drained and pressed
- 2 tbsp oil, divided
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 small bunch broccolini, stems chopped 1-2"
- 1 batch Thai Peanut Sauce
- 1-2 green onions, sliced thin
- 1/4 cup roasted peanuts
- a few sprigs of cilantro
Start by making rice according to package instructions. While rice cooks, prepare everything else.
In a small blender combine all the ingredients for the Peanut Ginger Sauce. Blend until smooth and set aside.
In a large cast iron skillet heat 1 tbsp of oil over medium heat. Cube tofu into 1/2" inch pieces. Once the oil is hot (it should sizzle when tofu hits the pan) add tofu and salt. Pan-fry for 5-7 minutes stirring frequently until tofu is golden brown on all sides.
Add 1/2 of the peanut sauce to the tofu and stir until tofu is completely coated. Some of the sauce may stick to the pan; that's okay. Once the tofu has caramelized on the edges (another 5 minutes) remove from heat and set aside.
Add remaining oil to a separate pan. Sauté the broccolini (or vegetable of choice) for 5 minutes until the broccolini has wilted and is tender.
To serve, spoon rice in the bottoms of each bowl. Evenly divide the tofu and broccolini and top with extra sauce and topping of choice. Serve immediately.
Kimberly says
May 21, 2018 at 1:43 AMWoah! These look AMAZING!
Sarah says
May 21, 2018 at 7:27 AMThanks so much!