Spicy Peanut Tofu
Spicy Peanut Tofu
By: Jenn Alberts
Do you want to cook a meal that tastes even better then Thai takeout? This is the perfect recipe! There are no fancy ingredients and it comes out perfect every time I make it. You can switch up the vegetables and have it with or without the rice. I know a lot of people have trouble cooking tofu so I’ve put together some good tips here and created a blog post entirely about cooking tofu. If you buy the right kind of tofu, cook it in the right pan, and serve it with a flavorful sauce tofu can be amazing!
This dish has everything and is a perfect way to spice up your menu this week! The best part is that it’s even better leftover so you might want to double it. I rarely end up with any leftovers with this one and when I do they are gone quickly. If you have a sugar sensitivity or are watching calories you can reduce the sugar here and it will still be delicious. Let me know if you tried it and how it worked out for you.
Step 1
Press water out of tofu by placing several paper towels or a cloth towel around block of tofu and putting a weight on top. I usually use a few heavy bowls or my cast iron pan as a weight. You don’t want to press all the water out or you will have a tough chewy tofu, so just leave your weight on for 5-10 min.
Step 2
In a small saucepan place all your sauce ingredients and whisk together until combined. Taste and adjust flavor as needed. This base recipe has 1/2 teaspoon of chili garlic sauce and it’s very mild. Depending on the brand of chili sauce and your tastebuds you may need more!
Step 3
Check out my “How to cook tofu” blog post for a more in-depth look at this process. Heat a large non-stick or cast iron skillet over medium to medium-high heat with 1 Tablespoon of oil. Add your tofu to the pan and spread in an even layers so all or most of the tofu is touching the pan. Gently stir to coat your tofu with the oil and then let it cook! Restrain the urge to stir. Let the tofu cook and brown for several minutes without stirring. Tofu will stick to your pan but if you let it cook it will shrink up away from the pan and be ready to turn. I usually cook my tofu for about 15 min stirring about 3-4 times total.
Step 4
Once your tofu is looking crispy and brown add a few spoonfuls of the sauce to coat. I usually add about half the sauce here. Cook, stirring frequently for a few minutes until browned. It will stick to the pan a bit, but don’t worry, just don’t let it burn. Remove from pan and set aside and cover to keep warm.
Step 5
Rinse pan well with hot water and towel dry and return to heat or use a new pan. Add all chopped vegetables to med heat and let cook to your desired crunch level. I like my vegetables to have a little crunch in them still but a nice hint of char on the edges.
Step 6
Serve with brown rice and top with green onion, peanuts, lime, and more sauce if desired. I added a bowl of my golden noodle soup on the side with this tofu and it was perfection!
Spicy Peanut Tofu
Ingredients
- 1 block 14 oz of firm tofu
- 1 Tbsp vegetable oil
Sauce
- 2 teaspoons sesame oil
- 1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/2-3 tsp chili garlic sauce season to taste
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2 teaspoons fresh ginger
- 3 Tbsp peanut butter
Veggies:
- baby bok choy green onion, carrots, broccoli
Garnish (toppings)
- fresh lime, cilantro, sriracha, green onion, peanuts
Instructions
- Press water out of tofu by placing several paper towels or a cloth towel around block of tofu and putting a weight on top. I usually use a few heavy bowls or my cast iron pan as a weight. You don’t want to press all the water out or you will have a tough chewy tofu, so just leave your weight on for 5-10 min.
- In a small saucepan place all your sauce ingredients and whisk together until combined. Taste and adjust flavor as needed. This base recipe has 1/2 teaspoon of chili garlic sauce and it’s very mild. Depending on the brand of chili sauce and your tastebuds you may need more!
- Heat a large non-stick or cast iron skillet over medium to medium-high heat with 1 Tablespoon of oil. Add your tofu to the pan and spread in an even layers so all or most of the tofu is touching the pan. Gently stir to coat your tofu with the oil and then let it cook! Restrain the urge to stir. Let the tofu cook and brown for several minutes without stirring. Tofu will stick to your pan but if you let it cook it will shrink up away from the pan and be ready to turn. I usually cook my tofu for about 15 min stirring about 3-4 times total.
- Once your tofu is looking crispy and brown add a few spoonfuls of the sauce to coat. I usually add about half the sauce here. Cook, stirring frequently for a few minutes until browned. It will stick to the pan a bit, but don’t worry, just don’t let it burn. Remove from pan and set aside and cover to keep warm.
- Rinse pan well with hot water and towel dry and return to heat or use a new pan. Add all chopped vegetables to med heat and let cook to your desired crunch level. I like my vegetables to have a little crunch in them still but a nice hint of char on the edges.
- Serve with brown rice and top with green onion, peanuts, lime, and more sauce if desired. I added a bowl of my golden noodle soup on the side with this tofu and it was perfection!
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