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.
Equipment
- oven or air fryer
- high speed blender
Ingredients
Marinated Tofu Ingredients
- 14-16 ounce extra-firm tofu pressed* (or super-firm tofu)
- 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.
- 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, or flour. 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.