Crispy tofu meets a velvety blend of peanut butter, ginger, and garlic, thickened with coconut cream. Inspired by satay, sans the skewers, it’s an enormously satisfying weeknight dinner. The tofu absorbs all the savory goodness, becoming flavorful from the inside out. Be sure to use firm tofu so it can hold up to the thick sauce—anything softer will break apart. Serve with rice for a filling meal.
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What you’ll need
Large Skillet
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Microplane
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Wooden Spoon
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Recipe information
Total Time
30 minutes
Yield
4 servings
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Heat 1 Tbsp. vegetable oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high. Cook one 14-oz. package firm tofu, drained, patted dry, cut into ½" cubes, turning once, until golden brown, 5–7 minutes. Transfer tofu to a plate.
Step 2
Heat remaining 2 Tbsp. vegetable oil in same skillet over medium. Cook 1 large shallot, finely chopped, one 2" piece ginger, peeled, finely grated, and 5 garlic cloves, finely grated, stirring often, until shallot is translucent and starting to brown around the edges, 5–7 minutes. Add 1 tsp. ground cumin, 1 tsp. red chile powder or crushed red pepper flakes, and ½ tsp. ground turmeric and cook, stirring, until spices are fragrant, about 1 minute. Add one 5.4-oz. can unsweetened coconut cream, 2 Tbsp. smooth natural peanut butter, and 1 Tbsp. honey; stir to combine. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until sauce is thickened, about 5 minutes. Whisk in ½ cup water and 1 tsp. Diamond Crystal or ½ tsp. Morton kosher salt. Return tofu to skillet and simmer until heated through, about 2 minutes. Thin sauce with up to ¼ cup water if needed, stirring to combine. Taste and season with more salt if needed. Remove from heat and stir in 1 Tbsp. fresh lime juice.
Step 3
Scatter cilantro leaves and thinly sliced jalapeños over saucy tofu. Serve with steamed white rice and lime wedges.
Do Ahead: Saucy tofu (without cilantro) can be made 1 day ahead. Let cool; cover and chill.
Leave a Review
Reviews (14)
Back to TopThis was good but not great. I will probably make again, but is not something I would serve to guests. I think the sauce could be improved on. I am thinking maybe less cumin next time with fenugreek powder but not sure.
Anonymous
Michigan
1/14/2024
A solid 4 stars—easy and tasty. The combination of flavors is nothing revelatory, but the dish is a great comfort food that is substantial, satisfying, and cozy. I had a smaller, 10oz block of extra firm tofu, so I filled out the dish with a bunch of roasted broccoli. There was sufficient sauce to coat everything—though not enough to have much extra for the rice to sop up, but that was fine for us. The only other modifications I made were to use Momofuku chili crisp in lieu of the red pepper flakes, and after tasting the finished sauce, I doubled the peanut butter because I found the flavor to be a bit too subtle for a "peanut" sauce. The kids and adults happily cleaned their bowls and we'll be glad to add this to the repertoire as it's especially good when the fridge is looking bare and/or on busy/tired weeknights when I can't muster too much.
andreayung23
Northern California
1/6/2024
Instead of adding water, I added a little more coconut cream! I wanted the sauce to stay thick. Agree with the other comments, the tofu needed more time to cook.
Tassj
Portland, OR
2/27/2024
Tastes overly peanutty despite adding extra seasoning.
Anonymous
2/25/2024
Tofu takes way longer to cook and sauce is pretty bland.
Christy B
2/20/2024
Delicious and easy. Took note of previous comments about the sauce needing more depth of flavor. A tablespoon of Thai red curry paste definitely provided depth. The tofu definitely needs more cook time than indicated to get the golden exterior needed. I’m watching the carbs, so I served over roasted broccoli. Will be making regularly
Anonymous
Madison, WI
2/18/2024
So simple yet delicious. I sometimes sub in chicken for tofu when my kids want. Fast one pot meal for weeknights.
Taylor B.
Santa Cruz, CA
1/20/2024
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