Tofu can either be incredibly bland or the ultimate ingredient for soaking up flavor. Which do you choose?
If you’re anything like us, you’ll take the tofu with all the FLAVOR! And when it comes to flavor, this recipe delivers.
As an added bonus, it’s simple to make and requires just 8 ingredients.
What is Tofu?
Tofu is a soy-based food that is made from curdling soy milk. It has a mild taste, making it perfect for soaking up flavor in a variety of dishes. It’s also rich in calcium, manganese, copper, selenium, protein, phosphorous, omega-3 fats, iron, magnesium, zinc, and vitamin B1.
Origin of Tofu
It’s believed that tofu originated in China during the Han dynasty (202 BC – 8 AD). Then about 500 years later, it’s thought to have spread to neighboring countries such as Japan, Korea, and Vietnam. It’s now consumed and enjoyed throughout the world.
You can take a deeper dive into the history of tofu here.
How to Make Crispy Peanut Tofu
After marinating the tofu in tamari, chili garlic sauce, sesame oil, and maple syrup, it gets coated in cornstarch to help it crisp up in the oven.
The tofu comes out lightly browned and perfectly crispy. All that’s left to do is give it a sweet & spicy peanutty flavor.
The peanut sauce comes together in less than 5 minutes by whisking tamari, chili garlic sauce, lime juice, maple syrup, and sesame oil in a bowl. Learn more about the origin of this delicious sauce here.
Crispy tofu and delicious peanut sauce combine to make a FLAVORFUL and protein-packed vegan dish.
We think you’re going to love this recipe. It’s:
Extremely flavorful
Perfectly sweet
Not-too-spicy
Simple
Versatile
Super delicious
Enjoy this recipe as is or with any Asian-inspired dish. We love it with our Mango Curry, Noodle-Free Pad Thai, or these Thai Noodle Bowls!
For other flavorful tofu recipes, check out our Almond Butter Tofu Stir Fry, Sesame Eggplant Almond Butter Tofu Bowls, and General Tso’s Tofu Stir Fry.
If you try this recipe let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo #minimalistbaker on Instagram so we can see what you came up with. Cheers, friends!
Baked Crispy Peanut Tofu
Ingredients
TOFU
- 14 oz extra firm tofu (preferably organic, non-GMO)
- 3 Tbsp tamari or soy sauce (or coconut aminos)
- 1 tsp chili garlic sauce
- 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
- 1 Tbsp maple syrup
- 4-5 Tbsp cornstarch (for crispy tofu! You can try subbing arrowroot, but we haven’t tested it and can’t guarantee the results)
PEANUT SAUCE
- 2 ½ Tbsp creamy peanut butter (or other nut or seed butter)
- 2 Tbsp tamari (or coconut aminos, but add more to taste as it’s less salty)
- 1 Tbsp chili garlic sauce
- 1 Tbsp lime juice
- 2 Tbsp maple syrup
- 2 tsp sesame oil
FOR SERVING optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (204 C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Start pressing tofu using a tofu press, or wrap in clean, absorbent towel and set something heavy — like a cast iron skillet or books — on top to press out the moisture. Press for about 15-20 minutes.
- In the meantime, prepare peanut sauce by combining peanut butter, tamari, chili garlic sauce, lime juice, maple syrup, and sesame oil in a small mixing bowl and whisking thoroughly to combine. Set aside.
- Cut pressed tofu into 3/4-inch cubes and add to a large plate. Top with tamari or soy sauce, chili garlic sauce, sesame oil, and maple syrup. Gently toss to combine using hands or a spoon. Let marinate 2-3 minutes, stirring/tossing occasionally.
- Use a slotted spoon or your hands to transfer tofu to a quart-size or large freezer bag. Add cornstarch 1 Tbsp at a time and toss to coat. Continue adding more cornstarch and tossing until tofu is coated in a gummy, white layer (amount as original recipe is written // adjust if altering batch size).
- Transfer tofu to the prepared baking sheet and bake for about 20-25 minutes, flipping at the 18-minute mark to encourage even baking. It should be firm to the touch, firm on the edges, and slightly browned on the exterior once removed from the oven. Bake slightly longer if needed.
- Heat a large metal or cast iron skillet (12 inch) over medium heat. Once hot, add tofu and the peanut sauce. Toss to coat. Stirring frequently, sauté the tofu for about 2 minutes, or until the tofu is hot and well coated with peanut sauce.
- At this point it’s ready to eat! Enjoy as is or with any Asian-inspired dish. We love it with our Mango Curry, Noodle-Free Pad Thai, or these Thai Noodle Bowls!
Paige says
Made this recipe the second time with arrowroot. Not as good, but the first time with cornstarch was delicious!!
Thank you for sharing your experience, Paige!
B says
Reading the directions before you start to cook is very important.
I love this Site and everything it stands for..wise choices, listening to your body and what it needs , finding the ingredients that bring the vitamins and minerals to your body that it requires and needs.
I’m very proud of this site and
recommend it often
I have been following Minimalistbaker site for 32 years. I’m very thankful for all I have learned
Thanks so much for the kind words and support, B! We appreciate it!
Jess says
This is so delicious and the first time I’ve ever enjoyed tofu I cooked myself – thank you!!
As the sauce doesn’t have much liquid I did burn the ass out of my pot but I think that was a mr issue
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Jess! Sorry it burned your pot! What type of pan was it?
Jess says
A saucepan, maybe the wok would be better? I had it again with avocado toast and eggs! Was so good I’ve invested in a tofu press
Yay, we’re so glad you’re still enjoying it! That could be worth a try. Other things to consider would be the material of the saucepan (stainless steel is more prone to sticking than cast iron) or if the tofu gets added before the pan is hot, it will be more prone to sticking.
Charlotte says
It was awful, but I’ve never been able to make tofu the way I like it.
We’re so sorry you didn’t enjoy it, Charlotte. Would you mind sharing what you disliked about it? We’d love to help troubleshoot, if possible!
Meetal says
This has become a firm favourite in our household!
I add garlic and ginger to the marinade and leave it overnight. The flavours are amazing. 😋
I was wondering, do you have any tips on how to loosen up the peanut sauce, as it becomes quite thick.
Thanks again for a fab recipe!
Hi Meetal! So glad you love it, water should loosen it!
Liliana Dias says
I really didn’t like it at all.
Sorry to hear that, Liliana. Could you give us some feedback on what you disliked about it?
Julie says
This recipe has become one of my go-tos over the years and I have recommended it to many friends. I don’t eat exclusively vegan or gluten-free, but I have enough friends who do that having this in my back pocket has been very helpful. I make it for myself frequently even if I’m not feeding anyone else.
I find that making the tofu in my air fryer works well and results in a nice crispy exterior. I tend to omit the corn starch and just mist lightly with oil, then bake them according to the oven instructions, shaking halfway through and keeping a close eye (and nose) for burning.
I also often use jarred garlic and chili oil instead of the “chili garlic sauce” since it helps me adjust the spice level more precisely. The ratios of the recipe are very forgiving for the sauce, so I usually start with the recipe amounts and then adjust according to taste.
Bok choy is my favorite veggie to use, but I use a frozen bag of mixed stir fry veggies the last time I made it since it’s what I had on hand. It turned out great. I’ve used broccoli and fresh green beans as well, and both turned out fantastic. I often double the sauce amount because it’s just so good.
I usually keep a pressed block of tofu frozen so I can easily make this recipe whenever I like. It’s a great way to use up the tail end of a jar of peanut butter since you can prep the sauce in the jar and not have to dirty another dish. Thanks for the great recipe, it’s become a huge favorite for me!
Amazing! We’re so glad you and your friends enjoy it, Julie. Thank you so much for sharing! xo
B says
You are a cook..Mix and match to taste.. thats what its all about
Trinity says
Delicious! I added grated garlic and grated ginger to the marinate and sauce, and I had it with broccoli and rice, and it was very good! I recommend adding the garlic and ginger because it had a good depth of flavor, but I feel like it would have been good without too!
We’re so glad you enjoyed it. Thank you for sharing, Trinity! xo
Alex says
Can this be made to snack on later or is best to serve straight away? I’m looking for savoury things to make as snacks when I don’t have time to cook
Hi Alex, the texture is best when fresh, but it is still tasty reheated!
Jenny says
Very bland. The crispy didn’t hold up once the sauce was added so really no point in the effort.
So sorry you didn’t enjoy this one, Jenny! Did you make any modifications? This one is usually a reader favorite.
Bhairavi says
I made this and my bf who is such a carnivore said he hates to admit he loved my tofu and has asked to have it again!!!- This dish is amazing and thank you so much for sharing it!!
Whoop! Major success! Thank you for sharing, Bhairavi! xo
Nathalie says
These are absolutely delicious! I put them in the One-Pot Massaman Curry recipe, and they are perfection!
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Nathalie! Thank you for sharing! xo
Sue Cooper says
This tofu recipe is sooo good! Even the extended family members who are adamantly opposed to tofu, really liked it! Thank you.
Amazing! We’re so glad you and your family enjoy it, Sue. Thank you for the lovely review! xo