Baked Tofu in Thai Peanut Sauce

By
Jolinda Hackett
Jolinda Hackett
Jolinda Hackett has written five books about plant-based cooking and has developed hundreds of vegan and vegetarian recipes.
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Updated on 01/6/23
Baked tofu triangles in Thai peanut sauce served with rice

The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack

Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 30 mins
Total: 40 mins
Servings: 4 servings

Like Thai or Indonesian-style satays? Then you're going to love this super easy vegetarian and vegan version of tofu baked in a delicious Thai-inspired peanut sauce. We love just about any kind of baked tofu, but this has got to be one of our favorites.

Serve it over rice and go ahead and add the leftovers to a vegetable stir-fry with noodles for a second meal. It turned out something a little similar to this tofu and broccoli stir-fry with peanut sauce.

This baked tofu makes for a simple main dish, or add it to salads, stir-fries, or noodles. It's vegetarian, vegan and if you use a gluten-free soy sauce such as tamari, it's gluten-free as well.

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Ingredients

  • 1 (12- to 14-ounce) block of tofu, firm or extra firm

  • 1/4 cup peanut butter, creamy or natural peanut butter is best (no chunks)

  • 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

  • 2 tablespoons lime juice, or orange juice

  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce

  • 2 tablespoons sesame oil (olive oil can be used if you're in a pinch)

  • 3 tablespoons maple syrup, honey, or agave nectar

  • 1 tablespoon sweet chili sauce

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Ingredients for baked tofu in Thai peanut sauce recipe gathered

    The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack

  2. First, press your tofu.

    Pressed tofu on a wooden cutting board

    The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack

  3. Once your tofu is well-pressed, cut it into your desired shapes. Thin slabs, triangles or even small bite-sized shapes will work.

    Tofu cut into triangles on a wooden cutting board

    The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack

  4. Once your tofu is ready to go, pre-heat the oven to 400 F. Line a baking tray with aluminum foil if you can since baked tofu sometimes gets a bit sticky, and the foil makes clean up super easy.

    Baking tray lined with aluminum foil

    The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack

  5. Next, prepare the sauce. Whisk together the peanut butter (melt it slightly in the microwave for just a few seconds to make this easier) with the ginger, lime juice or orange juice, soy sauce, sesame oil, maple syrup, and sweet chili sauce. Before you bake your tofu, give the sauce a quick taste. It should be delicious. If not, adjust the seasonings to taste.

    Thick peanut sauce in a bowl with a fork

    The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack

  6. Coat the tofu with the peanut sauce on all sides. You can transfer the sauce to a wide shallow bowl or dish and dip it in, or use a pastry brush to coat each piece by hand if you're working with larger pieces of tofu. We like to dip it, then brush on extra sauce.

    Tofu triangles coated with peanut sauce on the foil-lined baking sheet

    The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack

  7. Bake the tofu in the oven for about 15 to 17 minutes, keeping an eye on them so they don't burn. Turn pieces over, and bake another 10 to 15 minutes. (Note: The sauce on the aluminum foil will burn a bit, don't worry. You just don't want to see the coated tofu burn.)

    Dark brown baked tofu triangles on foil-lined baking sheet

    The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack

  8. Serve and enjoy!

    Baked tofu with peanut sauce served with rice and a lime half

    The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack

Glass Bakeware Warning

Do not use glass bakeware when broiling or when a recipe calls to add liquid to a hot pan, as glass may explode. Even if it states oven-safe or heat resistant, tempered glass products can, and do, break occasionally.

Tips

  • Don't be tempted to skimp on the sweet ingredients—the maple syrup (or honey or agave nectar, if you prefer) is needed in order to caramelize and get the tofu nice and crispy. Go ahead, it's delicious, so make a double batch.
  • Add even more sauce after your tofu pieces come out of the oven for more flavor.

Recipe Variation

  • Add a bit of hot sauce or cayenne pepper for a spicer dish if you'd like.
  • In a hurry? This tofu can also be broiled in the oven for about 3 to 4 minutes per side. Keep an eye on it so it doesn't burn.

 

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
302 Calories
21g Fat
18g Carbs
15g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 302
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 21g 27%
Saturated Fat 4g 18%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 303mg 13%
Total Carbohydrate 18g 7%
Dietary Fiber 2g 8%
Total Sugars 13g
Protein 15g
Vitamin C 2mg 12%
Calcium 347mg 27%
Iron 3mg 16%
Potassium 305mg 6%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)