If you love peanut sauce and tofu, this baked peanut tofu recipe will become a go-to. Extra-firm tofu is baked until lightly crisp, tossed in a deeply savory, sweet-and-tart peanut sauce, then baked briefly again so the sauce caramelizes and clings to the tofu.
Serve the tofu with blanched broccolini and edamame over rice for a satisfying, balanced meal that feels indulgent but is built from wholesome plant-based staples.
Table of Contents
1. Why you’ll love this recipe
2. Ingredient notes
3. Tips for making this recipe
4. Frequently Asked Questions
Why you’ll love this recipe
Tofu gets a fun makeover
This method makes tofu the star. Pressing and par-baking the tofu creates a firm, slightly crispy exterior that soaks up the peanut sauce. It’s an easy way to win over anyone who might be skeptical about tofu: the texture is appealing and the flavor is bold.
A serious flavor bomb
The peanut sauce is the heart of this dish. Creamy peanut butter provides the nutty base, while soy sauce brings savory depth. Tamarind paste or a bit of lime juice gives a bright, tangy contrast, coconut sugar adds balanced sweetness, and sambal oelek (or another chile paste) lends gentle heat. Lime zest and fresh garlic round everything out. The result is complex, balanced, and crave-worthy.
Indulgent but wholesome
Though the sauce feels rich, the meal relies on nutritious plant-forward ingredients: tofu, peanut butter, edamame, brown rice, and broccolini. The sauce is used twice: some coats the tofu before the final bake to caramelize, and the remainder is thinned and drizzled over the assembled bowls so every bite carries that sweet-savory-spicy punch.
Ingredient Notes
Extra-firm tofu
Use extra-firm tofu so it holds its shape when pressed and baked. Tossing the tofu with a little oil, seasoning, and potato starch (or arrowroot) before baking gives the best texture—crispy outside, tender inside.
Peanut butter
Choose smooth, creamy peanut butter without added sugar or oils for the cleanest flavor. If your peanut butter is salted, reduce the soy sauce slightly and adjust to taste.
Substitutes: Almond butter works well for those avoiding peanuts. For nut-free diets, sunflower seed butter can be used—taste as you go, since many varieties include added sugar.
Tamarind paste
Tamarind paste adds a distinctive tang that elevates the peanut sauce. If you don’t have tamarind, using fresh lime juice (from the zested lime) is a reliable substitute—the sauce will still be delicious, though slightly different in character.
Soy sauce
Soy sauce provides essential umami. For a gluten-free version, use tamari. Adjust saltiness to taste, especially if your peanut butter is salted.
Sambal oelek (chili paste)
This simple chili paste adds clean heat. If you only have a sweeter hot sauce like sriracha, reduce the sugar slightly so the sauce stays balanced.
Broccolini and edamame
Blanch broccolini and edamame until crisp-tender, then shock in an ice bath to keep vibrant color and texture. Finish with a drizzle of toasted sesame oil and a pinch of salt. If broccolini is unavailable, regular broccoli florets work fine—cut into medium pieces.
Tips for making this recipe
Make a double batch of the peanut sauce
The sauce keeps in the refrigerator for about a week and is great on noodles, as a dressing for salads, in summer rolls, or for another batch of baked tofu. Doubling the sauce saves time and makes quick lunches and dinners more flavorful.
Seek out tamarind if you can
Tamarind adds an appealing, hard-to-replicate tang. Beyond this recipe, use tamarind to add brightness to curries, pad Thai, chutneys, or a tangy drizzle for Indian-style dishes.
Multitask to save time
Press the tofu while you assemble the sauce and trim the broccolini. Bring a pot of water to boil for blanching, start your rice, and bake the tofu while you finish the other components. After the tofu’s initial bake, toss it with part of the sauce and return it to the oven while you thin the remaining sauce and prep garnishes.
Serve however you like
This dish is flexible: swap broccolini for green beans or snap peas, serve over noodles instead of rice, or use the peanut sauce as a bold dressing for grain bowls. A quick version is to serve the baked tofu over leftover rice with shredded carrot, cilantro, chopped nuts, and a squeeze of lime.
Weeknight-friendly strategies
Prep components ahead: make the peanut sauce in advance, press and cut tofu the night before, or blanch and chill the vegetables so assembly is fast on busy evenings.
Frequently Asked Questions
You can use almond butter with good results. For nut-free diets, try sunflower seed butter—but many brands have added sugar, so start with less sugar and adjust. If you must avoid nuts, skip the chopped nut garnish or use roasted sesame seeds instead.
The recipe calls for 6 ounces of shelled edamame, which balances the bowls nicely. If you prefer more, feel free to use a full 12-ounce bag to make the meal heartier.
Store the broccolini and edamame separately from the peanut tofu for best texture; both keep about 3–4 days in the refrigerator. Reheat the tofu in a skillet with a little oil to restore crispness, or enjoy it at room temperature. Reheat the vegetables gently in the microwave or in a pan. Finish with fresh cilantro, chopped nuts, and a squeeze of lime before serving.
If you make this Baked Peanut Tofu, please rate and leave a review—home cooks’ feedback helps others find this recipe and improves it over time.
Baked Peanut Tofu
By Nisha Vora
Prep: 20 mins Cook: 35 mins Total: 55 mins Servings: 4
Ingredients
Tofu
- 1 (~14 oz / 400 g) block extra-firm tofu, drained
- 1 ½ tablespoons neutral 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 (56 g) creamy peanut butter (preferably unsalted)
- 1 large garlic clove, grated or crushed
- 1 tablespoon (20 g) tamarind paste or concentrate (or 1–1½ tbsp lime juice)
- Zest of 1 large lime
- 1½ tablespoons tamari or soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon (15 g) sambal oelek or chili-garlic sauce
- 1 tablespoon (8 g) coconut sugar (or organic cane/brown sugar)
- ½ teaspoon ground coriander
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Veggies
- 2 to 3 bunches broccolini (~14 oz / 400 g), thick ends trimmed
- 6 ounces (170 g) shelled edamame
- 1½ teaspoons toasted sesame oil
For serving
- 3 to 4 cups cooked rice (450–600 g), brown or white
- ⅓ cup (45 g) roasted cashews or peanuts, chopped
- 1 big handful cilantro leaves and tender stems, roughly chopped
- Fresh lime juice
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Line a rimmed sheet pan with parchment.
- Prep the tofu: slice lengthwise into four slabs, wrap in a thin towel, and press under weight for 10–15 minutes. Alternatively, use a tofu press.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil for the broccolini and edamame.
- Make the peanut sauce: whisk together peanut butter, garlic, tamarind, lime zest, tamari, chili sauce, sugar, coriander, and cinnamon. Taste and adjust seasoning.
- Cube the pressed tofu into ½–¾” pieces. Toss with oil, 1 tsp kosher salt, pepper, then coat with potato starch. Arrange on the lined pan so pieces don’t touch. Bake 20 minutes.
- While tofu bakes, blanch broccolini and edamame in the boiling water with 1 tablespoon salt for about 3 minutes until broccolini is crisp-tender. Drain and transfer to an ice bath, then dry and toss with toasted sesame oil and a pinch of salt.
- After the tofu’s first bake, reduce oven temperature to 350°F (175°C). Toss the baked tofu with half the peanut sauce (about ¼ cup / ~70 g) and the sesame seeds, spreading the tofu back on the pan. Bake 10 minutes until the sauce dries and clings.
- Thin the remaining peanut sauce with a few teaspoons of water until drizzleable. Chop the cashews and cilantro; reheat rice if needed.
- Assemble bowls: divide rice, top with broccolini and edamame, drizzle some thinned sauce, add the baked peanut tofu, then finish with cilantro, chopped nuts, and a squeeze of lime.
Notes
- If your peanut butter is salted, start with 1 tablespoon tamari and adjust. For peanut allergy, use almond butter; for nut-free, try sunflower seed butter but taste and adjust sugar.
- No tamarind? Use 1–1½ tablespoons fresh lime juice (after zesting) to add acidity.
- Reduce chili paste to suit your heat preference. If substituting sriracha, use less sugar.
- If your nut or seed butter contains sugar, begin with 2 teaspoons sugar and adjust.
- Trim or halve very thick broccolini stems for even cooking. If using broccoli, cut into medium florets.
- For nut allergies, skip the nut topping or use 2 tablespoons roasted sesame seeds instead.
Nutrition
Calories: 575 kcal | Carbohydrates: 67 g | Protein: 25.25 g | Fat: 26 g | Fiber: 9 g. Nutrition is an approximation.
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