I came up with this recipe because I wanted to add a ton of flavor to my tofu (had to please some non-believers). Don’t get my wrong eating meat is something I do regularly, but because of its ease, price (super cheap), and flexibility (you can use this recipe for about anything) down the road, think Salad’s, Wraps, and an entree for lunch or dinner, or Breakfast even! (for many of the other recipes I make just the base marinade and skip the sauce. Because of that this recipe is designed to have half left over, to serve this all sauced up at once, just double the sauce ingredients!
Crispy Marinated Tofu With Peanut Sauce
Course: Entree, Breakfast, Lunch, DinnerDifficulty: Easy4
servings30
minutes40
minutes300
kcalIngredients
- Crispy Marinated Tofu
1/2 Cup Olive Oil
1/2 Cup Balsamic Vinegar
1/4 Cup Soy Sauce (you can substitute Tamari)
4 Cloves Garlic
2 tsp Fish Sauce (optional, but encouraged!)
2 16oz Blocks Firm or Extra Firm Tofu (pressed between clean kitchen towels)
1/4 cup corn starch
- Peanut Sauce
1/4 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup coconut milk (full fat ideally, but any will do)
1 tablespoons soy sauce (tamari can be substituted)
1 tablespoons maple syrup
1 teaspoons fresh grated ginger
1 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoons fresh lime juice (about 1 lime)
- To Serve
I like to serve this over rice, quinoa or even noodles!
Optionally top with finely sliced green onion.
Directions
- Crispy Marinated Tofu
- To press the Tofu, slice into 1/2 inch thick slices fold a kitchen towel in half then lay the slices out on the kitchen towel, cover with another kitchen towel folded in half and lay some cutting boards on top for an hour or two.
- While the tofu is pressing add the oil, vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, and fish sauce to a large one gallon bag and shake very well to combine.
- Once the tofu has pressed cut into 1/2 inch cubes then add to the marinade, it needs to marinade a minimum of an hour, and up to 24 hours.
- preheat an oven or air fryer to 400 degrees.
- Once the tofu has marinated drain it well and place into a clean dry bowl (I like to save the marinade as it makes an awesome salad dressing, or if you’re reheating the tofu in a pan makes a nice impromptu pan/serving sauce).
- Sprinkle about half of the 1/4 cup of corn starch and mix well, the repeat with the remaining corn starch.
- Cover a cookie sheet with Parchment paper and spray with a neutral oil. Then spread the tofu in a single layer on the parchment paper and spray the top of the tofu with more oil.
- Air fry for 10 minutes then flip the tofu and spray with more oil. After another 10 minutes check to see if the tofu is crispy, if not repeating tossing and continue to cook in 5 minute increments.
- Coconut Peanut Sauce
- Combine all of the sauce ingredients in a small or medium pot (something big enough to fit it all).
- Stir over medium heat until the sauce becomes smooth and incorporated.
- To Serve
- Once the sauce is smooth and hot and the tofu is crispy, combine half of the tofu with the sauce (unless you’ve doubled the sauce recipe, then add all of it).
- Fold from the bottom to gently combine and coat the tofu then serve over rice, quinoa, or noodles.
- Optionally top with Finely sliced green onion.
*The nutrition information above assumes that about half of the marinade is soaked in and consumed in the recipe*