Crispy Baked Peanut Tofu with Pickled Shallots and Fresh Herbs

Take your peanut tofu to the next level! Bake your tofu to crispy perfection, drizzle it with peanut sauce, and top it with tangy pickled shallots and fresh herbs.

Recipe by Yup, it's Vegan on April 10, 2018

Prep time: PT25M

Cook time: PT45M

Total time: PT70M

Rating

4.84 stars (6 reviews)

Keywords

peanut tofu, tofu with peanut sauce

Ingredients

16 oz extra-firm tofu
1 tbsp peanut oil ((or other neutral oil))
4 cloves garlic
3 tbsp toasted sesame oil
1/4 cup water
3 tbsp coconut sugar ((or brown sugar))
3 tbsp hoisin sauce
2 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
2 tbsp rice vinegar
1 tbsp sriracha ((or other chili sauce such as gochujang))
1/3 cup peanut butter
salt (to taste)
3 large shallots (thinly sliced)
1/2 cup rice vinegar
2 tsp coconut sugar ((or other sweetener of choice))
salt (to taste)
3 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro ((packed))
3 tbsp chopped fresh basil ((packed))
3 tbsp chopped fresh mint ((packed))
4 scallions (thinly sliced)
3 tbsp chopped roasted peanuts
2 tsp freshly-squeezed lime juice ((or use rice vinegar))
cooked white rice ((or use another type of rice, quinoa, cauliflower rice, wilted greens, etc.))
stir-fried vegetables of choice ((I used carrots, turnips and baby kale))

Cuisine

Asian
dairy-free
gluten-free
soy
vegan
vegetarian

Steps

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit, and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Open and drain the package of tofu, then press excess liquid from it, either using a tofu press, or by wrapping it in a clean towel and stacking a heavy object on top of it.
Cut the tofu into cubes and arrange them on the baking sheet. Bake for 30-40 minutes, flipping halfway through, or until crisped up and chewy.
Meanwhile, make the pickled shallots. Combine the shallots, rice vinegar, and sugar in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a steady simmer. Simmer for about 5 more minutes, stirring occasionally and then turn off the heat and set the mixture aside, seasoning to taste with salt once cool enough to handle.
Prepare the peanut sauce. In a bowl, stir together the coconut sugar and water until the sugar is dissolved.
In a small saucepan, add the peanut oil and warm it over medium-low heat. Add the minced garlic. Cook, stirring constantly, until the garlic is fragrant, 30 to 60 seconds. Immediately transfer the oil and garlic into the bowl with the sugar mixture.
Add the rest of the peanut sauce ingredients and stir until combined into a smooth sauce. Add more water if a thinner texture is desired. If needed, season with salt and add more sugar or vinegar to taste.
Prepare the peanut herb topping by stirring all of the ingredients together.
Once the tofu is finished cooking, add it to a bowl and drizzle with a few tablespoons of the peanut sauce, gently tossing to combine. Serve warm with cooked rice, vegetables of choice, additional peanut sauce drizzled over the top, and plenty of the herb and peanut topping.

Nutitrion

Serving Size: 1 fourth recipe
Calories: 345 kcal
Carbohydrates: 22 g
Protein: 15 g
Fat: 21 g
Saturated Fat: 3 g
Sodium: 376 mg
Sugar: 13 g
Unsaturated Fat: 18 g

Reviews

Lisa on 2019-10-11 (5 stars):
Hello Shannon! I am heading toward 40, and I just don’t have the appetite for meat anymore- I love to cook and usually just create as I go, but I am in a new meatless world now! I tried this recipe last night. We LOVED it. I am a complete food snob, so I had to write and give you some props!! Delicious! (I had added some fresh ginger and green onions into the peanut sauce at the very end! Only because my father is Hawaiian and he would say, “ehhhh you forget the gin-jah and green onion?” 😂) Thank you for the recipes! You are brilliant! 🤩
Melissa on 2019-06-07 (5 stars):
I *love* the Tofu Brah. So happy to find a recreation of it for when I can't get to Ekiben! <3
Kelly on 2019-02-10 (5 stars):
I made this, although I did not use the pickled vegetables and herbs, but the tofu and peanut sauce were great!
Susan Iseman on 2018-05-31 (4 stars):
Hi Shannon: I have you ever used Peanut Powder? It's basically dried peanut that has been reduced to a powder- almost like flour. You simply add water to create a liquid or pasty consistency. The great thing for me is that it has much less fat- so I use it to make spicy peanut sauce. Planters makes one, as does Stop & Shop (Nature's Promise line) markets, and I'm sure it can be found in lots of places. Some contain sugar, etc but I like the plain ones. Bon appetit!
Katie on 2018-04-24 (5 stars):
I live in Maryland and I"ll have to check out Ekiben next time I'm in the city. This sounds awesome!