This vegan Tofu Satay with Peanut Sauce recipe captures all the flavors and textures of classic Thai-style satay, with bright lime juice, creamy coconut milk and pungent red curry. Your guests will love this recipe so much you should probably send them home with a little bottle of the sauce and a copy of the recipe.
It seems nearly every cuisine has a simple meat-on-a-stick recipe. Marinated in bold flavors, thin slices of meat are typically skewered then grilled over an open fire. Think mouthwatering street food that has long, long lines of hungry guests waiting to devour that crispy and juicy meat!
For our version, I wanted to capture those flavors in a vegan-friendly recipe that even die-hard meat eats would enjoy. So whether you are looking for your next Meatless Monday dinner, or you are hosting a get-together with friends who don’t eat meat, this is the recipe for you!
As a professional recipe developer and food writer, I can certainly whip together a tasty meal for my family, but the truth is I’m always short in time. That is why I love the fact most of this recipe can be made ahead of time. Plus it goes so well with our Coconut Cilantro Rice, Purple Cabbage Slaw and Charred Broccolini with Chili and Garlic. Put these recipes all together and you have one heck of a dinner party!
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Ingredients that Matter
This recipe calls for a handful of pantry staples and fresh ingredients. Here are the ingredients you’ll need to make this recipe:
- Tofu. Reach for a 14-16 ounce block of extra-firm tofu. You want to use a firmer tofu so it will hold together when roasted and skewered.
- Peanut Butter. The sauce is made with creamy natural peanut butter. You could use chunky peanut butter if that’s what you have on hand and you don’t mind a chunkier consistency to the sauce.
- Red Curry Pasta. You will likely find Thai-style red curry paste in the Asian section of your local grocery store. If you are making this recipe vegan, be sure to read the label as some products contain anchovies or other fish products. You can certainly swap in a chili garlic sauce instead or chili crisp.
- Coconut Milk. Both the sauce and the marinade for the tofu use unsweetened full-fat coconut milk. It provide richness and a slight sweetness that make for delicious tofu and a delectable peanut sauce.
- Garlic. Garlic is used in both the marinade and the sauce.
- Herbs. The dish is finished with a combination of fresh cilantro leaves and thinly sliced scallions.
- Lime. Use fresh lime juice in the marinade and serve wedges with the tofu as a garnish. A splash of lime juice also brightens up the peanut sauce.
- Peanuts. Chopped roasted peanuts are used as a garnish for the peanut sauce and the platter of tofu satay.
- Soy Sauce. A splash of soy sauce helps provide a touch of saltiness and sweetness to the marinade. I typically use reduced sodium soy sauce.
- Oil. Use a neutral oil like vegetable, canola, peanut or olive oil to cook the garlic.
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
This recipe comes together fairly quickly and is easy to make ahead. Here is how to put this recipe together:
Start by drying the tofu well. I like to wrap the tofu in a clean kitchen towel and place a plate on top for about 10 minutes. If I’m in a hurry, I’ll just wrap it in a towel and gently press on all sides until the tofu feels mostly dry.
Make the marinade by stirring together a grated clove of garlic, red curry paste, soy sauce, coconut milk and lime juice in a small container.
Cut the tofu into 8 pieces. I like to cut it in quarters, flip each quarter and cut it in half for 8 equal pieces. Add those to the marinade and coat well. Cover and refrigerate for at least 10 minutes (preferably 1 hour), or up to overnight.
When ready to cook, preheat an oven to 450F (or preferably use the convection setting at 425F) and lay the tofu pieces on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Reserve leftover marinade. Roast in then oven for 20 minutes. Flip halfway through and brush with reserved marinade. The tofu should be slightly crispy and dry to the touch. The sugars will caramelize and the edges may even darken.
To make the peanut sauce, heat oil in a small saucepan and cook the garlic until golden brown.
Add the curry paste, peanut butter and coconut milk and whisk well to combine. Cook until the sauce thickens slightly.
Adjust the consistency by adding ¼ cup of water, if desired. Remove from heat and stir in 2 teaspoons of lime juice. The sauce may be made up to 4 days in advance. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. The sauce will thicken as it sits, so you may want to add a bit of water before serving.
By this time the tofu should be just about done. Check that the edges are starting to darken. Some of the marinade may even burn, but that’s why we use a sheet of parchment paper for easy cleaning.
Skewer each piece of tofu with a wooden skewer.
Transfer the skewers to a platter and drizzle with some of the peanut sauce. Garnish with cilantro, scallions, lime wedges and chopped peanuts. Serve with more sauce.
Hint: If you want to make this recipe for a larger party, double the marinade and tofu. There should be plenty of room to cook all the tofu on one baking sheet and there is likely enough sauce, as well.
Substitutions
This vegetarian satay recipe can be made vegan (if using plant-based curry paste), but there are plenty of substitution you can make to this recipe based on your dietary restrictions or flavor preferences. Consider these substitutions:
- Red Curry Paste – A lot of red curry paste has fish product, so you’ll have to read labels to ensure you are using a vegan option. Consider using a sombal oelek, chili garlic sauce or even chili crisp. You can even leave this ingredient out all together, but you’ll miss some delicious flavors!
- Coconut Milk – You can use a light coconut milk if preferred. If you don’t want to use coconut milk at all, simply swap in water in the marinade and peanut sauce.
- Garlic – You don’t have to use fresh garlic in this recipe. You can use garlic powder if that’s all you have on hand, or you can even leave it out if you are allergic or sensitive to garlic.
- Peanut Butter – You can use chunky peanut butter and even the sweetened kind of peanut butter with added sugar, if you’d like. I always recommend using peanut butter with two simple ingredients: peanuts and salt.
- Vietnamese-Style Peanut Sauce – If you like a slightly sweeter and tangier peanut sauce, try using our recipe for Vietnamese Peanut Sauce instead.
Serving Suggestions
Try serving this recipe as an appetizer for your next dinner party. Or, you can use it as a main by adding a bowl of rice or rice noodles, a side salad or even summer rolls. Try serving alongside our Summer Roll and Peanut Tofu Bowls recipe.
To make this recipe a little kid friendly, I recommend leaving out the red curry paste. My kids will actually eat this recipe as written on most days, but if I want to guarantee they’ll enjoy it, I leave out that bold curry paste.
Equipment
For this recipe you’ll need a baking sheet like this 3 Piece set of Nordic Ware Baking Sheets. You’ll also want to use skewers, either wooden like these 10-inch Bamboo Skewers from Comfy Package. Or you can use these 12-Inch Blue Donuts Metal Skewers.
Storage
Leftover tofu satay is so delicious for lunch the next day on a salad or even in a wrap! Store leftover tofu in an airtight container for up to 4 days. I recommend storing the garnishes and sauce separately, all for up to 4 days in the refrigerator.
Do you want to make this recipe ahead of time? You can totally do that! Your options include marinating the tofu up to 1 day in advance, making the sauce up to 4 days in advance, or even cooking the tofu up to 1 day ahead of time and reheating in the oven.
Air Fryer
Yes, you can definitely cook the tofu in an air fryer! Preheat an air fryer to 400F and spray the basket with cooking spray. Be sure to blot the tofu slightly before adding to the basket then cook for 10-12 minutes, flipping and basting halfway through. Continue to cook the tofu until the edges turn golden brown and slightly crispy.
FAQ
The easiest and most consistent way to cook tofu satay is on a parchment-lined baking sheet in a 425F oven set to the convection setting. You can also roast at 450F (without the convection) or in an air fryer at 400F for about 10 minutes. Be sure to flip the tofu halfway and baste with more marinade.
Enjoy tofu satay hot out of the oven or warm. You can also eat tofu satay with peanut sauce at room temperature but be sure not to leave it out for more than 2 hours to avoid food safety concerns.
Appetizers
Looking for more appetizer recipes like this? Try these:
Vegetarian
These are some of my other favorite vegetarian recipes:
PrintRecipe
Tofu Satay with Peanut Sauce
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 8 pieces tofu, ¾ cup sauce 1x
Description
This vegan Tofu Satay with Peanut Sauce recipe captures all the flavors and textures of classic Thai-style satay, with bright lime juice, creamy coconut milk and pungent red curry. Your guests will love this recipe so much you should probably send them home with a little bottle of the sauce and a copy of the recipe.
Ingredients
Tofu Marinade
- ¼ cup coconut milk (from a 14.5 oz. can unsweetened coconut milk, stirred well)
- 2 Tbsp. reduced sodium soy sauce
- 1 Tbsp. lime juice
- 1 clove garlic, finely grated
- 1 tsp. red curry paste
- 1 14-16 oz. block extra firm tofu, drained and rinsed
- 8 wooden or metal skewers
Peanut Sauce
- 1 Tbsp. neautral oil, such as vegetable, canola, peanut or olive
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 2 tsp. red curry paste
- ½ cup coconut milk (from a 14.5 oz. can unsweetened coconut milk, stirred well)
- ¼ cup creamy natural peanut butter
- ¼ cup water
- 1 Tbsp. lime juice
- cilantro leaves, thinly sliced scallions, chopped peanuts, lime wedges, for serving
Instructions
Tofu Marinade
- Stir together the coconut milk, soy sauce, lime juice, garlic and curry paste in a medium storage container until well combined.
- Dry the tofu well. Wrap in a clean kitchen towel and top with a plate for about 10 minutes, if desired. Or, simply dry well on all sides with a clean kitchen towel. Cut the tofu into 8 equal pieces. Cut into quarters, and cut each quarter in half. Add the tofu pieces to the marinade and toss well to combine. Marinate the tofu for at least 30 minutes or up to overnight.
- When ready to cook, preheat the oven to 450F or convection oven to 425F or air fryer to 400F. Place tofu pieces on a parchment-lined baking sheet (reserve leftover marinade) and roast until dried well, slightly browned on the edges and starting to turn crispy, about 20 minutes. Be sure to flip halfway through and brush with reserved marinade. If cooking in an air fryer, blot the tofu pieces dry, then transfer to the basket and cook about 12 minutes, flipping and basting with reserved marinade halfway through. Remove from the oven, cool for about 2 minutes, then skewer each piece of tofu.
Peanut Sauce
- While the tofu cooks, make the sauce by heating the oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant and starting to turn golden brown. Stir in the the curry paste then pour in the coconut milk, peanut butter and water and whisk until smooth. Continue to cook until the sauce thicken slightly, 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the lime juice. Adjust the consistency with more water, as needed.Â
- To serve, place the tofu skewers on a platter, drizzle with some of the peanut sauce and garnish with cilantro, scallions, peanuts and lime wedges. Serve with more sauce on the side.
Notes
- Be sure to use extra-firm tofu as regular firm or silken tofu will break apart as it cooks and when you try to skewer it.
- You can marinate the tofu up to 1 day ahead of time.
- You can make the peanut sauce up to 4 days ahead of time.
- If you want this recipe to be vegan, be sure to purchase a plant-based red curry paste (many have anchovies) or use sombal oelek, chili garlic sauce or even chili crisp.
- You can use a light coconut milk instead of the full-fat version, just be sure it is unsweetened.
- Reach for creamy natural peanut butter, or use chunky, if desired. You can, in a pinch, use peanut butter with added palm oil and sugar.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days. I recommend storing the sauce and garnishes separately.
- As the sauce sits in the refrigerator it will thicken. When ready to serve, thin the sauce with a bit of water. Leftover sauce tastes great on a side salad, grain bowl, rice, etc.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: appetizers
- Method: Roasting
- Cuisine: Thai/American
Jen
I can’t wait to make this! Sounds super easy and, of course, delicious! p.s. I appreciate all of the thought you put into giving alternatives, all of my questions were answered before I even had a chance to ask (i.e. modifying for kiddos, coconut milk substitute, etc.). Bravo!
Adam Dolge
Wonderful!! I hope you give it a try! 😀