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baked peanut tofu with broccolini and edamame on top of brown rice on a ceramic plate.
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Baked Peanut Tofu

Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time35 minutes
Total Time55 minutes
Servings: 4
Calories: 575kcal
Author: Nisha Vora

Ingredients

Tofu

  • 1 (~14 oz/400g) block of extra-firm tofu, drained
  • 1 ½ tablespoons neutral-flavored oil or olive oil
  • Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons potato starch (or arrowroot powder)
  • 1 tablespoon roasted sesame seeds

Peanut Sauce

  • ¼ cup (56g) creamy peanut butter (preferably unsalted) (see Note 1)
  • 1 fat garlic clove, grated or crushed with a press
  • 1 tablespoon (20g) tamarind paste or tamarind concentrate (see Note 2)
  • 1 large lime zested
  • 1 ½ tablespoons (25g) tamari or soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon (15g) sambal oelek or chili-garlic sauce (see Note 3)
  • 1 tablespoon (8g) coconut sugar (or organic cane/brown sugar; see Note 4)
  • ½ teaspoon ground coriander
  • ⅛ teaspoon ground cinnamon

Veggies

  • 2 to 3 bunches broccolini (~14 oz / 400g) , thick ends trimmed (see Note 5)
  • 6 ounces (170g) shelled edamame
  • 1 ½ teaspoons toasted sesame oil

For serving

  • 3 to 4 cups 450 to 600g cooked rice (brown or white)
  • ⅓ cup (45g) roasted cashews (or peanuts) (see Note 6)
  • 1 big handful (14g) cilantro leaves and tender stems
  • A few squeezes of lime juice

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 425ºF/220ºC. Line a rimmed sheet pan with parchment paper.
  • Prep the tofu. Slice the block of tofu lengthwise into four slabs; wrap them in a thin dish towel, then weigh them down with your heaviest cookbook(s). Press for 10 to 15 minutes (no more than 15 min). Alternatively, use a tofu press if you have one (but don’t slice the tofu into slabs first).
  • Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil for the broccolini and edamame.
  • While the tofu presses, make the Peanut Sauce. In a bowl, combine the peanut butter, garlic, tamarind, lime zest, tamari or soy sauce, chili sauce, sugar, coriander, and cinnamon. Whisk well to combine.
    Taste and adjust to your preference, adding more tamari for extra savory saltiness, more sugar for sweetness, more tamarind or lime juice for tang, or more chili sauce for heat.
  • Bake the tofu. Slice tofu into ½” to ¾” (~1.5 cm) cubes. In a large bowl, combine tofu with 1 ½ tablespoons oil, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and pepper to taste, tossing to coat with a silicone spatula. Add the potato starch and gently toss to coat. Spread tofu out on the lined pan so they don’t touch. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes.
    Wipe out the large bowl and fill it up with ice and cold water (for an ice bath).
  • Blanch the veggies. Once the water is boiling, add a generous tablespoon of kosher salt, followed by the broccolini and edamame. Partially cover to help bring back to a boil, and cook for about 3 minutes, until broccolini is crisp tender with a bite. Drain in a colander, then transfer to the ice bath to chill.
    Drain and dry the veggies well with a towel. Transfer back to the large bowl and season with a few pinches of salt and drizzle with the toasted sesame oil. Toss, and set aside.
  • Make the peanut tofu. After 20 minutes in the oven, reduce the temperature to 350ºF / 175ºC. Transfer baked tofu and half of the Peanut Sauce (¼ cup or ~70g) to a bowl. Toss with a silicone spatula to coat, then sprinkle with the 1 tablespoon sesame seeds.
    Spread the tofu out on the lined pan. Bake at 350ºF / 175ºC for 10 minutes, until the peanut sauce has dried out a bit.
  • While the peanut tofu bakes, prep the serving ingredients. Whisk a few teaspoons of water into the remaining half of the Peanut Sauce until pourable. Roughly chop the cashews (or peanuts) and chop the cilantro. Reheat your rice, as needed.
  • Assemble. Squeeze a bit of lime juice on top of the warm baked peanut tofu. Divide cooked rice between four bowls. Top with broccolini & edamame, then drizzle some Peanut Sauce on top of each. Top with baked peanut tofu, cilantro, and chopped nuts. Spoon more Peanut Sauce on top.

Notes

  1. If you have salted peanut butter, start with 1 tablespoon of tamari and add more as needed. Peanut allergy? Use almond butter. Nut allergy? Use sunflower seed butter.
  2. If you don’t have tamarind paste, juice the lime after zesting it, and use 1 to 1 ½ tablespoons lime juice (or to taste).
  3. Use less chili sauce as needed. If you need to sub with sriracha, use less sugar.
  4. If your nut/seed butter contains sugar, start with just 2 teaspoons of sugar, then taste and adjust as needed.
  5. If any broccolini stems are very thick, slice the spears in half, lengthwise. If desired, slice the stems crosswise into 3” to 4” (7.5 to 10 cm) pieces (for more bite-sized pieces). If using regular broccoli, cut into-medium sized florets.
  6. Nut allergy? Omit the nut topping (or use 2 TBSP roasted sesame seeds).