Extra-firm tofu and rice take center stage with a peanut-focused, satay-inspired tofu skewer playing the main role. The sauce is notable in its own right, but the whole dish is a triumph.–Cassy Joy Garcia

A white pottery bowl filled with tofu satay bowls garnished with cilantro, extra dressing, a serving bowl, and a glass of water beside it.

Tofu Satay Bowls

5 from 1 vote
You can find prepared peanut sauce in the Asian food section of the grocery store if you don't want to make your own. That's also where you can find sambal oelek, a bright red Indonesian chile paste that gives this recipe its spicy kick.
David Leite
CourseMains
CuisineAsian
Servings3 to 4 servings
Calories592 kcal
Prep Time25 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Total Time2 hours 50 minutes

Equipment

  • Metal or pre-soaked wooden skewers

Ingredients 

For the tofu kabobs

  • 1 block (14 ounce) extra-firm tofu*
  • 1/2 cup full-fat coconut milk
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice (from 1 lime)
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon fish sauce
  • 2 garlic cloves, grated
  • 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
  • 1 teaspoon store-bought or homemade sambal oelek (Indonesian chile paste)
  • 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon ground turmeric

For the peanut sauce

  • 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
  • 2 tablespoons coconut aminos or soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
  • 2 teaspoons dark brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
  • Pinch of red pepper flakes
  • 2 tablespoons water

To serve

  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, for cooking the kabobs
  • 3 cups (17 oz) cooked white rice
  • 1 (4 oz) cucumber, thinly sliced
  • 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, for garnish
  • 2 tablespoons crushed salted peanuts, for garnish
  • 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes, for garnish
  • 1 lime, cut into wedges, for serving

Instructions 

Make the tofu kabobs

  • If you have a tofu press, press the tofu for at least 10 minutes. Otherwise, wrap tofu in a clean kitchen towel, set it on a plate, and top with a heavy pan (or another plate weighted down with a few cans), and let stand for 10 minutes to press the tofu. Cut tofu into 1-inch (2.5 cm) cubes.
  • In a large bowl, whisk together coconut milk, lime juice, soy sauce, fish sauce, garlic, ginger, sambal oelek, brown sugar, and turmeric until smooth. Add tofu and toss to combine. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to 12 hours.

Make the peanut sauce

  • In a blender, combine peanut butter, coconut aminos or soy sauce, lime juice, brown sugar, sesame oil, and red pepper flakes. Add 2 tablespoons of water and blend until smooth. (If you won’t be serving the sauce right away, it will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.)

Cook the tofu

  • Thread 5 or 6 pieces of tofu onto metal or wooden skewers.
  • In a large skillet or grill pan over medium heat, warm the olive oil. Working in batches, add tofu kabobs and sear until they darken in color, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Don't let them burn. Move to a large plate and repeat with the remaining kabobs.
  • Divvy rice among four bowls. Top with tofu kabobs, then drizzle with peanut sauce. Garnish with cucumber, cilantro, peanuts, and red pepper flakes and serve, with lime wedges alongside for squeezing over the top.

Notes

*How do I make extra-firm tofu crispy?

If you feel like this dish would benefit from a bit of a crisp, brown edge on those tofu cubes, here’s a tip. The best way to get crispy tofu is to make sure that it’s fully drained of water.
If you have time, follow the instructions in step 1 to press the tofu, then wrap it in a fresh kitchen towel, set it on a plate, and store it in the refrigerator until ready to use. Sear until crisp and serve.
Cook Once Dinner Fix

Adapted From

Cook Once Dinner Fix

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Nutrition

Serving: 1 servingCalories: 592 kcalCarbohydrates: 67 gProtein: 20 gFat: 28 gSaturated Fat: 10 gPolyunsaturated Fat: 7 gMonounsaturated Fat: 11 gSodium: 884 mgPotassium: 335 mgFiber: 4 gSugar: 12 gVitamin A: 311 IUVitamin C: 13 mgCalcium: 226 mgIron: 4 mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Tried this recipe?Mention @leitesculinaria or tag #leitesculinaria!
Recipe © 2021 Cassy Joy Garcia. Photo © 2021 Kristen Kilpatrick. All rights reserved.

Recipe Testers’ Reviews

Don’t throw out the marinade! This tofu satay bowl recipe is a flavor bomb, so keep the tofu marinade and use it to add extra flavor to the cooked rice or your side of choice. I drizzled it over a cucumber and spring onion salad as well as stirring it through the rice, and it was divine.

I only had very long wooden skewers and a small frying pan on hand so I simply put the tofu chunks in the pan and cooked and turned them individually, which worked very well. As for servings, I got only 4 or 5 chunks of tofu per person so if you’re serving four people it’s going to be a smaller, lighter meal.

These tofu satay bowls turned out to be not only an excellent dish for a meat-free dinner, they even yielded a second satay for the carnivores. The tofu kabob method works as a main or side, and because the marinade is a bit generous, you could either scale up the tofu a bit or save the excess marinade for a second meal.

Low-salt soy worked really well (use coconut aminos if your taste veers to the sweet). I was probably most generous with the ginger. Using shorter skewers (maybe 7-8 inches) would be the easiest. I used longer ones, but since I was cooking on a flat griddle pan they didn’t awkwardly interfere with the edge of the pan.

This was a very satisfying meal (we actually eat tofu nearly as often as beef in our kitchen). With rice, cucumbers, etc, it was a complete light dinner.




About David Leite

David Leite has received three James Beard Awards for his writing as well as for Leite’s Culinaria. His work has appeared in The New York Times, Martha Stewart Living, Saveur, Bon Appétit, Gourmet, Food & Wine, Yankee, Los Angeles Times, Chicago Tribune, The Washington Post, and more.


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