Crispy Thai Tofu with Peanut Sauce

Tasty marinated oil-free tofu roasted to perfection and featuring a light and tangy peanut sauce – great on its own, as an appetizer, or delicious served alongside rice, tabbouleh, couscous, fried rice, salad, or veggies.

I really enjoy the flavors of Thai cuisine.

And I’ll take any excuse to enjoy a side of peanut sauce. I think these are two of the reasons I like making this Crispy Thai Tofu with Peanut Sauce. Plus, it’s protein-packed, is super easy to make, and looks pretty awesome, too.

This Crispy Thai Tofu with Peanut Sauce is really a two in one – there’s the crispy tofu and its tasty sidekick, the incredibly edible smooth peanut sauce. And what I love is that the peanut sauce starts out as a marinade for the tofu . Then the peanuts are added to make it a tasty dipping sauce for the roasted tofu. Pretty cool, right?

Essentially, you blend the marinade ingredients together in a high-speed blender. Start by adding fresh or canned pineapple – both are fantastic in this marinade. The pineapple adds a complex sweet and sour balance to the sauce. Some soy sauce or gluten-free tamari, maple syrup, and rice wine vinegar are added to the mix. And fresh garlic, ginger, and sriracha round it out.

What I find interesting is this marinade is quite potent by itself. In other words, it’s bold and tart. And it makes an incredible marinade for the tofu. But it needs to be thickened on the stove first. The thicker marinade helps it to stick to the tofu cubes and ensures that the tofu is evenly coated.

It may not look like much, but this pineapple-soy concoction is used to make some of the tastiest and crispiest roasted tofu cubes on the planet!!

Now that we have the marinade, it’s time to consider the type of tofu used. Super Firm tofu is perfect for this Crispy Thai Tofu with Peanut Sauce dish. But I can’t always find it. And when I can’t, it’s okay. I just use Extra Firm Tofu and drain it by gently pressing it in a clean towel or paper towels over the sink.  You can also use a tofu press or DIY plate press by placing the tofu in between two plates and stacking some heavy weight on top for 5-10 minutes.  

This recipe uses one whole package, which might range between 14 and 16 ounces. All work just fine. Various brands and packages vary in size.  I find that this is the perfect amount when I’m serving it as a light appetizer or as a side dish. If you are feeding a crowd or serving it as an entree, I would double the amount of tofu used. But don’t worry, you should still have plenty of marinade and peanut sauce.

Before we continue, let’s consider tofu for a moment. Originating in China over 2000 years ago, tofu is made by pressing condensed soy milk into solid white blocks. Since a lot of soy crops are modified, I recommend sticking to non-GMO blocks of organic tofu.

One 3.5 ounce serving of tofu contains 8 grams of plant protein, 4 grams of fat, and 1 gram of fiber. It also contains manganese, calcium, selenium, phosphorous, copper, magnesium, iron, and zinc. Better still, tofu contains all of the essential amino acids our bodies need. (Healthline) Huge win!!

Once the tofu is pressed, place it on a cutting board. Using a large sharp knife, cut the tofu into one-inch blocks and place them into a shallow dish with an air-tight lid or ziploc bag. Pour about one-half cup of the marinade over the tofu cubes and turnover gently to evenly coat. Refrigerate the tofu for at least 30 minutes or overnight.

Meanwhile, the remaining marinade is blended with some roasted peanuts. And voila!! A delicious peanut dipping sauce is born – perfect for dipping these roasted cubes of tofu into. The peanuts do a really nice job at mellowing the tangy sweet and sour marinade. The result is smooth, creamy, and perfectly balanced. Transfer the peanut sauce to a covered container and store in the refrigerator for up to five days.

To make the Crispy Thai Tofu, remove the marinated tofu from the refrigerator.  Toss it lightly in a bowl with arrowroot starch or cornstarch. Spread the tofu blocks evenly onto a parchment-lined baking sheet and for 15 minutes or so, then flip over and continue baking for another 15 minutes.

I love using my air fryer to make this Crispy Tofu. You essentially cook it the same way, I just like flipping or turning over the pieces after about 8 minutes, then cooking for another five to eight minutes. I then turn them again to make sure they’re browning evenly on all sides, then cook once more for about five more minutes, until crisp and golden. 

Back in the pan or bowl, toss the crispy tofu with about one-quarter cup sauce, until it is evenly coated. Pile the coated crispy tofu on a plate and serve hot with a bowl of peanut sauce. Sprinkle with chopped fresh cilantro and chopped peanuts. Serve the tofu with fresh lime wedges and sliced jalapeños or peppers.

This Crispy Thai Tofu with Peanut Sauce is best served immediately but can be stored in the refrigerator for two to three days. To reheat, place back in the air fryer or oven for about five minutes, until warm.

I hope you enjoy this Crispy Thai Tofu with Peanut Sauce as much as I do.  

I would love to see your results! Please leave a comment and rate it down below, tag a picture @pebblesandtoast and #pebblesandtoast on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook!   Enjoy!!   

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Marinated Tofu Ingredients

• 14-16 ounce super firm or extra-firm tofu, pressed*
• 2 cups pineapple, drained/cubed**
• ½ cup reduced sodium soy sauce or tamari
• ¼-½ cup maple syrup*** (optional)
• 2 Tbsp rice wine vinegar (if using canned pineapple)
• 1 Tbsp arrowroot starch (or cornstarch)
• 1 Tbsp Worcestershire Sauce****
• 1-2 inch piece of fresh ginger
• 3 cloves of garlic
• ½-1 tsp chili-garlic sauce or sriracha (use more for spicy, less for mild)
• salt and pepper to taste (optional)

Peanut Sauce Ingredients

• reserved pineapple marinade
• ½ cup peanuts

Crispy Tofu Ingredients

• Marinated tofu (above)
• 2-3 Tbsp cornstarch or arrowroot starch or flour

Garnish Ingredients

• peanut sauce (above)
• cilantro
• fresh lime, cut into wedges
• jalapenos or peppers, seeded and sliced
• roasted peanuts, roughly chopped

Instructions

• Drain the tofu and gently press it in a clean towel or paper towels over the sink.  You can also use a tofu press or DIY plate press by placing the tofu in between two plates and stacking some heavy weight on top for 5-10 minutes.

• Once the excess liquid is released, remove the tofu and cut the super-firm tofu into 1-inch blocks and place in a pan with an air-tight lid or ziploc bag.
• For me, it’s best to cut the tofu in three columns, then in four rows. Then I turn it onto its side and cut in half. This should result in 24 1-inch cubes.

• Make the marinade by adding all of the remaining ingredients to a high-speed blender and blend until smooth. Taste it and adjust seasonings, acidity, sweetness to your preference.
• Pour the marinade in a small saucepan and simmer over medium heat until thickened.  Set aside.

• Pour ½ cup of the marinade over the tofu; toss to evenly coat. Refrigerate the tofu for at least 30 minutes or overnight.

• Meanwhile, make the Peanut Sauce.  Transfer the remaining sauce back into the blender and add the peanuts. Blend until very smooth.  Transfer the Peanut Sauce to a serving bowl and store covered in the refrigerator until ready to use, up to 5 days.

• When ready to serve, make the Crispy Tofu. Preheat the oven or air fryer to 400° F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Remove the marinated tofu from the refrigerator. Shake any excess marinade from the tofu and toss lightly in a bowl with arrowroot starch or cornstarch. Spread the tofu evenly onto the lined baking sheet.

• If using an oven, bake 25-30 minutes, or until golden, flipping after 15 minutes. If using an air fryer, cook for 5-8 minutes and then shake gently or flip. Cook for another 5-8 minutes, turn once again, and cook 5-8 more minutes, until crisp and golden.

• Remove the tofu from the oven or air fryer and toss in about 1/2 cup of the peanut sauce.
• Serve warm with the remaining peanut sauce, fresh cilantro, lime wedges, sliced or chopped jalapeños or peppers, and chopped roasted peanuts.

Notes

* 14-16 ounce super-firm tofu (or extra-firm tofu or firm tofu, pressed).  Brands and packages vary in size.  Use the entire package.

** Cut the fresh pineapple in cubes.  If using canned, be sure to drain the juice or water.  Approximately 2 cups are in one 20 ounce can. 

*** Adjust the amount of maple syrup to your desired level of sweetness.

**** Lord Sandy makes a vegan Worcestershire Sauce, available at my local grocer.