Why is peanut sauce not vegan?

Most peanut sauce recipes are not vegan because they contain cow's milk, fish sauce and/or honey. This particular recipe for peanut sauce is completely vegan. We're using nondairy milk or water to make the sauce and maple syrup as the sweetener.

What does Thai peanut sauce taste like?

Peanut sauce is typically salty, sweet, acidic and bold — a truly unique flavor. If you like spicy, you can also add a little heat with sriracha sauce, red pepper flakes or a dash of cayenne pepper.

Can this recipe be made gluten free?

This dish is really easy to make 100% gluten free. Simply, use gluten free tamari instead of soy sauce.

Peanut Sauce Tofu

Name: Peanut Sauce Tofu
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 35 min
Cuisine: Thai
Ingredients: 15oz block of firm or extra-firm tofu, drained, pressed, and cut into bit sized piece; 1 tablespoon of olive oil; ½ cup of peanut butter (creamy of chunky work here but a natural drippy peanut is best); 2 tablespoons of soy sauce; 1 clove of garlic; ½ cup of milk or water (I like the extra creaminess that milk adds); 1 teaspoon of maple syrup; 1 tablespoon of lime juice; 1/2 inch of fresh ginger (or 1/2 teaspoon of dried ginger); 1 bell pepper, thinly sliced or chopped; 1 heaping cup of broccoli, chopped into bite sized pieces; 1 cup of cabbage, shredded or cut into bite sized pieces; Optional for serving: chopped green onion, sesame seeds

Description

This recipe for Thai Peanut Sauce Tofu is a quick and easy vegan stir fry with seared tofu and colorful vegetables, all covered in a homemade peanut sauce. Serve it with a side of rice for a complete meal that’s ready in less than 30 minutes!

Ingredients

Units Scale

15oz block of firm or extra-firm tofu, drained, pressed, and cut into bit sized piece
1 tablespoon of olive oil
1/2 cup of peanut butter (creamy of chunky work here but a natural drippy peanut is best)
2 tablespoons of soy sauce
1 clove of garlic
1/2 cup of milk or water (I like the extra creaminess that milk adds)
1 teaspoon of maple syrup
1 tablespoon of lime juice
1/2 inch of fresh ginger (or 1/2 teaspoon of dried ginger)
1 bell pepper, thinly sliced or chopped
1 heaping cup of broccoli, chopped into bite sized pieces
1 cup of cabbage, shredded or cut into bite sized pieces
Optional for serving: chopped green onion, sesame seeds

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Instructions

Drain and press the tofu and then cut into bite sized pieces.
Heat the oil in a large skillet and once hot, add in the bell pepper, broccoli, and cabbage. Sauté until the veggies begin to soften, about 8 minutes. Set aside.
Meanwhile, make the sauce by adding all of the ingredients to a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. You can also simply whisk everything together, you just need to finely mince the garlic and ginger beforehand.
In the same skillet, add in the tofu. Sauté for about 10 minutes, turning every few minutes, so that it gets golden brown on most of the sides. You can also cook the veggies and tofu in 2 separate skillets, if you’d like the meal to be ready faster.
Turning the heat down to low, pour half of the peanut sauce over the tofu and cook, stirring constantly for 2 minutes. As desired, you can toss the veggies in the skillet as well but I like to serve them separately and simply drizzle some of the peanut sauce over the veggies.
Serve the tofu and veggies together with an extra drizzle of peanut sauce, green onion, and a nice sprinkle of sesame seeds. ENJOY!

Notes

Add any leftovers to an airtight container and place it in the fridge for up to 2-3 days. Rewarm in a skillet on the stovetop or pop it in the microwave to reheat. Reheating tofu in the skillet will crisp it up the best.

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Category: Dinner
Method: Stovetop
Cuisine: Thai

Nutrition

Serving Size:
Calories: 370
Sugar: 9.6 g
Sodium: 386.4 mg
Fat: 25.5 g
Carbohydrates: 19.5 g
Protein: 20.2 g
Cholesterol: 0.6 mg

Keywords: peanut tofu, peanut sauce, pan-fried tofu