Crispy Tofu with Peanut Sauce! This vegan and gluten free meal is rich, creamy, and so good! Serve it with green veggies and rice for a delicious weeknight dinner. Made in under 30 minutes for a family friendly recipe everyone will love!
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This post was originally published on March 28, 2018
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. 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.
These days, we are loving this Peanut Tofu. This recipe is healthy, filled with protein and fiber, super versatile, and kid-approved. Best of all? This recipe can be made in just 30 minutes! That means it's the perfect weeknight meal that the whole family will enjoy.
And this peanut tofu makes a great leftover lunch!
Recommended Ingredients & Equipment
This crispy tofu with peanut sauce is made with easy to find ingredients that you likely already have on hand. Best of all, it's super versatile! Feel free to swap different veggies, grain, and toppings as you please.
Here is everything you need.
Ingredient Notes
- Rice - You can use either white or brown rice. Also feel free to use quinoa, couscous, or cauliflower rice.
- Extra-Firm Tofu - Look for high-protein extra-firm tofu. This particular tofu does not need to be pressed. If you can only find water-packed tofu, make sure to thoroughly press out the water with a tofu press. Softer tofu will crumble and not give you the same chewy texture.
- Oil - Any high heat oil will do. I recommend coconut or avocado oil.
- Thai Peanut Sauce - Either homemade or store bought will work.
- Veggie of Choice - Broccolini, kale, and asparagus are my go-to choices to pair with this meal. Feel free to use your favorite green vegetable.
Recommended Equipment
For this recipe, you will need basic cooking equipment including a saucepot, a sauté pan, and kitchen utensils. (<<affiliate links)
How to make Tofu with Peanut Sauce
Step One - Cook the Rice
Bring the rice, along with 2 cups of water, to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to simmer until all the water has evaporated. Set aside. Note: If using white rice, your cooking times will be much faster. Follow the instructions on the package for exact cooking times.
Pro Tip: 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.
Step Two – Make the Peanut Sauce
Mix together the ingredients for Thai Peanut Sauce. I do recommend making your own. This recipe can be whipped together in 5 minutes and is highly versatile. However, if you would rather use store bought sauce, that’s no problem. You want about ½ cup of peanut sauce total for this vegan stir fry recipe.
Step Three - Cook the Tofu
Drain any water out of the tofu and pat it dry. Place it on a cutting board and with a sharp knife, cube the tofu into ½" cubes. Cut the tofu as evenly as possible to ensure an even fry.
Add the tofu to the hot oil. Rather than stirring with a spoon, I find that shaking the tofu in the pan allows for more even frying. This also prevents the tofu from sticking to the bottom of the pan or the stirring spoon. Grab the handle and shake, while still over the heat, for 10 seconds at a time, shaking hard enough so that the tofu is popping around and getting cooked on all sides. Do this every 30 seconds or so.
Once the tofu is brown on all sides, 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 (Optional)
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.
Serving and Storing
Serving - Serve this meal shortly after it's made. Assemble by dividing the rice evenly between 4 plates. Top with peanut tofu, broccolini, green onions, peanuts, and extra peanut sauce and serve.
Storing - Store leftovers 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. I don't recommend freezing this meal.
Tips and Tricks
- Feel free to use any type of rice you would like. I opt for brown jasmine rice but any kind of rice will work. Just follow the package's instructions for cooking times.
- Look for high-protein extra-firm tofu. This particular tofu does not need to be pressed. If you can only find water-packed tofu, make sure to thoroughly press out the water with a tofu press. Softer tofu will crumble and not give you the same chewy texture.
- Heat the sauté pan so that it’s hot before adding the tofu. The tofu should sizzle when it hits the pan. This is to ensure the tofu does not stick to the pan.
- Shake the tofu frequently when cooking to prevent the tofu from sticking to the bottom and allowing the tofu to cook evenly.
- Save on time and use store bought peanut sauce. You will need about ½ cup total for this recipe.
Frequently Asked Questions
Use high-protein extra-firm tofu. This particular tofu does not need to be pressed. If you can only find water-packed tofu, make sure to thoroughly press out the water with a tofu press. Softer tofu will crumble and not give you the same chewy texture.
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. For a grain-free option, consider swapping out the rice with cauliflower rice.
Broccolini, kale, and asparagus are my go-to choices to pair with this meal. You can also add carrots, eggplant, or bell peppers.
More Vegan Tofu Recipes
- Hawaiian Teriyaki Tofu Skewers
- Vegan Kung Pao with Tofu
- BBQ Tofu with Grilled Pineapple Salsa
- Tofu Banh Mi Sandwich
- Vegetable Fried Rice with Tofu
Tofu with Peanut Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 cup uncooked rice
- 14 ounces extra firm tofu, drained and pressed
- 2 tablespoon oil, divided
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 small bunch broccolini, stems chopped 1-2"
- 1 batch Thai Peanut Sauce
- 1-2 green onions, sliced thin
- ¼ cup roasted peanuts
- a few sprigs of cilantro
Instructions
- Start by making rice according to package instructions. Note, cooking times will change depending on the type of rice. While rice cooks, prepare everything else.
- Add ½ 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 the 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.
Notes
- Look for high-protein extra-firm tofu. This particular tofu does not need to be pressed. If you can only find water-packed tofu, make sure to thoroughly press out the water with a tofu press. Softer tofu will crumble and not give you the same chewy texture.
- Heat the sauté pan so that it’s hot before adding the tofu. The tofu should sizzle when it hits the pan. This is to ensure the tofu does not stick to the pan.
- Shake the tofu frequently when cooking to prevent the tofu from sticking to the bottom and allowing the tofu to cook evenly.
- Save on time and use store bought peanut sauce. You will need about ½ cup total for this recipe.
Hi, I’m Sarah. I’m a 14-year (and counting) vegan, professionally trained photographer, former pastry chef, founder of My Darling Vegan, and author of the
Mikayla Souza says
this recipe is delicious! i could drink the peanut sauce.
Allison R. says
This is SO GOOD. We even were really low on sesame oil for the sauce and subbed sesame seeds and olive oil and it was still amazing! My 8 year old liked it a lot too!
Kimberly says
Woah! These look AMAZING!
Sarah says
Thanks so much!