Vegan Coconut Lemongrass Tofu
Hello & Happy Monday!!
When it comes to tofu, I can absolutely see why some find it very off-putting or challenging to work with. I’ve been eating tofu for roughly 18 years and I find that the final result is all in removing the water content and making a fab sauce. If you can nail those 2 things then you’re more likely to have enjoy this plant based staple.
What I love about tofu, is that there is so much you can do with it. You can make a sauce, sauté it, fry it, bake it, make desserts with it and the list goes on. Bonus, it’s affordable, packs plant protein, and will outlive any traditional proteins in the fridge.
If you’ve ever tried my Coconut Lemongrass Soup, it’s one of my favorite dishes. With brainstorming for the next tofu dish, I just knew that you could recapture those same flavors, but with a tofu/rice dish and perhaps thicken the texture.
and just like that, the Vegan Coconut Lemongrass Tofu was born!
What’s fab about this dish? Everything! It’s quick, easy, packs plant protein, tons of flavor, can easily be made in bulk, you can skip the cashews if desired, it’s perfect for any season, packs a lil sweet with a lil heat, great for meal prep, you can switch up the protein if you like, and if you like Thai Coconut Soup, you’re going to love this dish!
Whether you’re a seasoned tofu lover or a just getting familiar with it, you have to try this new Coconut Lemongrass Tofu!
Why this recipe is great:
Quick
Easy
Affordable
Perfect for any season
Packs plant protein
Packs flavor
Vegan Coconut Lemongrass Tofu
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 2-4 servings 1x
Ingredients
Sauce:
- 1 tbsp coconut oil
- 2 tbsp fresh ginger
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 2 tsp brown sugar or coconut sugar
- 3 tsp lemongrass paste
- 1 can coconut milk
- 1/4 cup raw cashews (optional)
- Juice of 1/2 lime
- 1 tbsp thai red curry paste
- 1 block extra firm tofu
- 1 cup red bell pepper, thinly sliced
- Salt/pepper as desired
Garnish:
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, finely chopped
- 1 lime (wedges, garnish)
Instructions
- Soak cashews in boiling water.
- Drain water from tofu with paper towels. Slice into cubes.
- Heat coconut oil in large saucepan or stock pot over medium heat.
- Add ginger, garlic, lemongrass paste, thai red curry paste, and sautee for about two minutes.
- Add the sliced red bell pepper and sauce until soft, about 5-7 minutes
- Add the coconut milk and soaked cashews to a high power blender. Blend until smooth. Add to the pan with the red bell pepper and add brown sugar, red pepper flakes, and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer. Cook for 5 mins.
- Add in the tofu, gently tossing and coating. Remove from heat, stir in the lime juice.
- Serve with jasmine rice and top with fresh cilantro and lime wedges.
- Prep Time: 5
- Cook Time: 15
