Vegan Tofu Satay

Are you drooling yet? One photo should be enough to make that happen. I know I am even thinking about how delicious this dish was.

I’m always looking for new ways to cook up tofu and this seemed like a no brainer. I used to love chicken satay and sometimes Thai restaurants have tofu satay. It’s one of my favorite Thai dishes! How had I not made it at home yet?

Well, that situation has been rectified thanks to this amazing meal. This serves two. Feel free to double if you’re having lots of people over (or if the two of you are particularly hungry).

Tofu:

• 1 package firm or extra firm tofu
• 1 clove of garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon sriracha hot sauce
• 3 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp coconut oil
• 2 tbsp sesame oil
• 1 tsp agave nectar

Skewers, soaked in water for up to an hour.

Satay Sauce:

• 2 tbsp coconut oil
• half an onion, chopped
• 1 tbsp sriracha hot sauce
• 1 clove of garlic, minced
• 2/3 c smooth peanut butter
• 1 tsp agave nectar
• 1/2 can coconut milk

Prep your tofu. Cut the block into four big sections, wrap in paper towels, and press with weight for an hour to an hour and a half.

Once the tofu is pressed and nice and dry, cut it into smaller pieces. The size you’re going to want to skewer them.

Mix all of the marinade ingredients together in a dish (I used a loaf pan because it’s what I had on hand). Add the tofu and toss it around a bit. You’re going to end up only really coating one side of the tofu. That’s okay. Let it sit for 30 minutes, come back to it, and flip it to the other side. It’s going to real real slimy. Just prepare yourself for that.

While the tofu is marinading, go ahead and move into sauce land.

Add your coconut oil to a pan over medium heat. When that’s good and hot, toss in your onions, sriracha, and garlic. Sauté until everything is soft and starting to color. I’d give it 7-10 minutes for good measure.

Next, add in the peanut butter and agave and melt the peanut butter. Keep stirring constantly while you do this so the peanut butter doesn’t burn on the pan. That’s not good eats.

Be warned. At this point in the process, any peanut butter loving dogs in the neighborhood might come round for a sniff. After all, everything is going to smell like peanut butter at this point.

Take the mixture and, being VERY CAREFUL, transfer it to a blender.  Blitz while adding your coconut milk until you get a good dipping sauce consistency. Feel free to add more coconut milk if it seems too thick.

Now, back to this tofu. Preheat your oven to 450F. While that’s happening, take your skewers and add the tofu to it. Drape these over the edges of a baking sheet. They may touch the sheet because of soggy skewers but don’t worry about it. As long as they have some way to get into the oven, you’re good.

Bake the tofu for 10-15 minutes until everything is sizzling happily and the tofu is cooked. This is honestly going to depend on your oven. I ended up doing mine for about 12. Eyeball it and trust yourself.

Now, pour that amazing sauce into some little bowls for dipping, plate your tofu, and garnish with some chopped cilantro or chives. Totally optional but definitely delicious.

Take a moment to admire your handiwork. Maybe snap an Instagram photo. Then dig in! Be warned, this stuff is highly addictive. You’re going to want to eat it for every single meal for the rest of your life after this. Enjoy!