If you are looking for a tasty recipe packed full of plant protein, look no further. These Tofu Skewers with Spicy Peanut Sauce is a recipe you must try. Pair this tofu with rice, noodles, or veggies for a complete meal. Just 8 ingredients required, including the dipping sauce!
PRESSING YOUR TOFU
For this recipe it is very important that you use pressed tofu. In order to get the tofu crispy on the outside you don’t want a ton of moisture in your tofu.
To press my tofu I simply removed it from the package and drained the water. Then place a clean kitchen towel or a couple paper towels down on a large plate. Next, put something heavy on top of the tofu, I like to stack 2-3 ceramic bowls on top of one another. Just make sure not to put too much weight on the tofu, otherwise it will crack. I let the bowls sit on the tofu for 15-20 minutes letting the tofu release all of the extra moisture. You will be surprised at how much liquid will actually come out of the tofu.
I then cut my Tofu into large cubes, see photo above. By cutting my tofu into large cubes I was able to get 6 skewers. However, if you are looking to make more than 6 skewers you can cut the cubes into smaller pieces. Just make sure they are not too thin otherwise they will tear when putting them on the wood skewer.
Lastly, toss or brush the marinade on the tofu. I tossed my tofu instead of brushing them. I recommend using your hands to toss the tofu. Since the tofu is slightly soft I didn’t want to risk breaking off small pieces tossing the tofu with a large spoon.
INGREDIENT SWAPS
Here are some ingredients that you can swap out with what you already have in your pantry.
You can also easily make this recipe gluten-free by substituting specific ingredients as well. Just make sure to double check the back of the labels to make sure they do not include wheat.
SOY SAUCE– If you are gluten-free you can either use gluten-free soy sauce or gluten-free tamari.
MAPLE SYRUP– I prefer using maple syrup but if you do not have that I recommend using agave syrup or brown sugar instead. If you use brown sugar just make sure to really mix it well.
GARLIC POWDER– Swap garlic powder for fresh minced garlic. Just make sure to really chop up the pieces really small so when you eat the tofu you don’t get large amounts of garlic.
CREAMY PEANUT BUTTER- You can use almond butter or sunflower butter in place of the peanut butter. Just make sure that the nut butter is creamy and not chunky.
The spicy peanut sauce that I used for this dip is from one of my most popular recipes, Creamy Pad Thai Noodles. It is super creamy and flavorful and does not require a ton of ingredients.
Simply combine all of them into a medium bowl and mix until smooth and creamy. If you do not want the sauce to be as thick just add additional soy sauce. If you want it to be even spicier add more sriracha.
You can serve these Tofu Skewers as an appetizer or as a main course.
I paired my Tofu Skewers with rice, sesame seeds, and fresh chopped cilantro to serve it for dinner.
The options of sides and garnishes to pair these tofu skewers are endless. Here are some great ingredients to pair it with.
QUINOA
COUSCOUS
RICE NOODLES
STIR FRY VEGGIES
GRILLED VEGGIES
CHOPPED GREEN ONIONS
CHOPPED PEANUTS
If you make this tofu I would love it if you would snap a photo of your food and share it with me on instagram @itsallgoodvegan.com. I can’t wait to see how you like it!
These Tofu Skewers with Spicy Peanut Sauce are:
Satisfying
Flavorful
Family Friendly
Easy to Assemble Protein Packed
Tofu Skewers with Spicy Peanut Sauce
Tofu
- 8 wood skewers, soaked in warm water for 20-30 minutes
- 1 package of extra firm or high protein tofu, pressed with the water removed
- 1 Tbsp oil, this is for the pan
Tofu Marinade
- 2 Tbsp soy sauce, gluten free
- ½ Tbsp maple syrup
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- 2 tsp sriracha
- 1 tsp rice vinegar
Spicy Peanut Sauce
- 2 Tbsp creamy peanut butter
- 1/2 small lime, juiced
- 1 Tbsp of soy sauce, gluten free
- 1 tsp maple syrup
- 1 tsp sriracha, add more for a spicy sauce
- ½ tsp rice wine vinegar
Directions
- Combine all the spicy peanut sauce ingredients in a medium bowl and mix. Set aside.
- Cut your pressed tofu into 1 inch by 1 inch cubes.
- Mix the tofu marinade ingredients in a medium bowl and whisk. Toss or brush the marinade onto your tofu cubes. Save the leftover marinade to spoon onto your tofu as you cook it.
- Skewer your tofu leaving a little space between each piece.
- Preheat your pan or grill pan to medium heat. Once warm, add the oil and tofu skewers to the pan and cook for 5 minutes. Brush additional marinade on top of the skewers, flip, and cook for 5 minutes or until the outside of the tofu is slightly crispy.
- Remove skewers from the heat. Serve with the spicy peanut sauce, sesame seeds, fresh chopped cilantro, and rice.
Make it Your Own
- This recipe will make 6 tofu skewers depending on how big or small you cut your tofu. The amount of skewers will also depend on how long your wood skewers are. I used a smaller size so they would fit in a medium bowl.
- You can use a large pan to fry these tofu skewers or if you have a grill pan you can cook them that way. Just make sure to add oil to your pan before cooking them so they get that crispy outside.
- Double the marinade sauce for extra flavorful tofu.
This looks so good! Love a peanut sauce.
I made this today, but I used tahini instead of peanut butter. I ate the entire block of tofu, and I could have eaten even more. I posted a photo on Instagram and tagged you.
Hi Jodi! I am so happy you liked it! Using tahini sounds abssoutley amazing. Thank you for making and sharing my recipe 🙂
Is there a way to freeze these at all? Thank you!
Yes! If its for leftovers you can freeze it and then reheat it by frying it.
I can’t eat spicy stuff. What can I substitute for the sriracha? Thanks!
Hi Holly, you can skip the sriracha altogether!
Hi! Can I cook these on a real barbecue grill ?
Hi Renata! Yes, I would just be cautious when flipping it so it does not fall through.