Creamy, rich peanut tofu is a savory dish that’s perfect for quick weeknight meals. The peanut sauce is made using just 7 ingredients and is so delicious that you’ll want to eat it on more than just tofu!
If you’re a regular on Cozy Peach Kitchen, you have probably noticed that I can’t stop sharing tofu recipes. Last week I shared my favorite method to make crispy tofu in preparation for my new favorite recipe:
Peanut Tofu!
So simple, but so rich, flavorful, and filling. Thanks to light coconut milk, this peanut tofu is extra smooth and creamy without adding too much fat. This is sure to be a new regular in your house!
The best part of this peanut tofu is that you don’t have to use tofu. Try cauliflower or chickpeas, or save the sauce as a dressing for veggie bowls and salads. You’ll want to coat everything in this peanut sauce!
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Ingredients and customization
This vegan peanut sauce is made with just 7 flavorful ingredients:
Peanut butter. Choose creamy peanut butter for easy mixing. If you want a little extra something, try chunky peanut butter but beware that it may be more difficult to mix. When choosing peanut butter, choose one with the shortest ingredient list. The best choices will have only peanuts or peanuts and salt.
Light coconut milk. Peanut butter and lite coconut milk make a super rich and creamy sauce. Because peanut butter is already a high fat food, I use light instead of full-fat to cut down on saturated fats in the recipe.
Soy sauce. This umami seasoning is an important complement to sweet peanut butter.
Rice vinegar. This adds a little tang to the smooth sauce.
Ginger and garlic. Choose fresh if possible – the smell of garlic and ginger sauteing is just heavenly! If fresh garlic or ginger are not available, skip the sauteing and add 1 teaspoon garlic power or 1 teaspoon ginger when other ingredients are added.
Sriracha. The first time I tested this recipe without sriracha, I felt that it was missing something. It turns out that sriracha is that little extra “oomph” – bold, warm flavors and a little spice!
Step by step instructions
Step one: Start by sauteing ginger and garlic in sesame or peanut oil over medium heat until lightly browned and aromatic. Canola or olive oil can also be used (image one).
Step two: Add the peanut butter, lite coconut milk, soy sauce, rice vinegar, and sriracha. Stir with a whisk to combine (image two)
Step three: Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce to simmer over low, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. (image three).
Step four: The peanut sauce is ready when thickened and a deep brown, about 15 minutes (image four). Add the tofu and stir to combine.
Baked Tofu
The remainder of the cook time is spent cooking the crispy tofu, which can be done while the peanut sauce is cooking. All you need is corn starch, oil, and two blocks of tofu.
The result is crispy, golden brown tofu!
Tips & Tricks
- Choose reduced sodium soy sauce to cut down on salt or use tamari if you are gluten-free.
- Try chickpeas, steamed cauliflower, or tempeh for something different. To do this, simply toss in the sauce and serve when warmed.
- For a complete meal, serve with basmati or brown rice and steamed broccoli or green beans.
- Leftovers will keep for up to 5 days in the refrigerator. Otherwise, you can easily freeze the entire recipe or just the sauce and use within 3 months.
If you like this tofu recipe then you’ll love my General Tso’s tofu recipe. You might also want to check out crispy baked tofu nuggets and these BBQ tofu sandwiches.
Happy cooking!
Baked Peanut Tofu
Ingredients
- 2 servings Simple Baked Tofu (two blocks of tofu)
- 1 teaspoon peanut oil
- 1 tablespoon minced ginger
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
- 1 can (14 ounces) light coconut milk
- 2 tablespoon reduced sodium soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon sriracha
- fresh chopped cilantro for serving
Instructions
- Prepare two servings, or two blocks of tofu, according to Simple Baked Tofu recipe. This will take about 30 minutes in the oven. Meanwhile, prepare the peanut sauce on the stove.
- Heat peanut oil in a large sauce pan over medium heat. Once hot, add ginger and garlic. Saute until lightly browned and aromatic, about 1 minute.
- Add the peanut butter, lite coconut milk, soy sauce, rice vinegar, and sriracha. Whisk to combine.
- Bring to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, reduce to simmer over low, whisking occasionally to prevent sticking. Once thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon without sliding off, add the baked tofu. Stir to coat the tofu.
- Serve immediately, or continue cooking if you prefer a thicker sauce. Garnish with fresh chopped cilantro (optional). Enjoy!
Aidan
Holy cow, I made this tonight and my family flipped. It was so amazingly good. Will definitely go in my regular rotation. Even my husband (sadly an avowed carnivore and not a tofu fan) devoured it with gusto. My daughters and I (vegetarians all) were in heaven. Brava!
Cassidy Reeser, RDN, LD
That is great to hear! Thanks for sharing.