This spicy baked peanut butter tofu is baked to crispy perfection and then tossed in a spicy peanut butter sauce. Top it off with some green onions and cilantro and serve it with rice or noodles!

a bowl of noodles topped with peanut butte tofu, sesame seeds and green onions

Baked tofu in peanut sauce

I’m not sure if there is anything I love more in the world than peanut butter. It’s one of my favourite ingredients to cook with for one reason: It’s great in both sweet and savoury dishes.

Seriously, it’s so versatile you can make anything from peanut butter and jelly smoothies to peanut butter cookies, to peanut butter noodles.

This tofu recipe is easy to make, healthy, vegan and is great for kids! (Though I would just leave out the spice if you’re making it for kids.)

I buy organic tofu for this recipe because soy can be a highly sprayed crop. Some people question if tofu is healthy, or if tofu is good for you. Tofu has many health benefits and is a great source of protein if you’re vegan. My rule of thumb for soy products is to always buy organic and to enjoy soy in moderation. (i.e. I don’t eat tofu every single day, but once or twice a week is totally fine!)

two bowls of peanut butter tofu on a marble table with a napkin on the side

Why you’ll love this recipe

  • This tofu recipe is baked rather than fried so it has much less oil and fat in it than a pan-fried tofu dish.
  • It’s naturally vegan, gluten-free and high in protein!
  • This is a tofu recipe everyone will love!

How to make crispy baked tofu

There are a few key things to know about cooking tofu in the oven.

  1. Use firm or extra-firm tofu. Soft tofu has more water in it, and we want as little water as possible when baking tofu. This is what will help it get extra crispy!
  2. Squeeze out as much water as possible from your tofu. I like to cut my tofu in half lengthwise, and then squeeze it between two paper towels. Another option is to place the tofu between a few paper towels and set a heavy object on top of it, and let it sit for 10 minutes. This will help press out as much liquid as possible from the tofu.
  3. Add cornstarch. This gives the tofu a nice coating that will help it crisp up.
a bowl of peanut butter tofu with rice noodles

How to Bake Spicy Baked Peanut Butter Tofu

Bake the prepared tofu in the oven until crispy. While the tofu is cooking, prepare the peanut butter sauce.

Add a touch of oil to a pan on medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic and saute for 2 minutes, then add the peanut butter sauce and tofu and toss everything together until evenly coated.

Serve over rice or noodles and top with some fresh cilantro and crushed peanuts.

two bowls of peanut butter tofu with a side of sesame seeds

Tips for making this recipe perfectly

  • Make sure to use firm or extra-firm tofu if you want crispy tofu cubes! Also don’t skip out on the cornstarch. This is an essential ingredient to coat the tofu and make it even crispier.
  • Use parchment paper on your baking sheet. This will prevent the tofu cubes from sticking to the pan and make cleanup much easier and faster!

More tofu recipes to try

peanut butter tofu and noodles in a bowl with chopsticks on top

If you tried this Spicy Baked Peanut Butter Tofu or any other recipe on the blog let me know how you liked it by leaving a comment/rating below! Be sure to follow along on Pinterest, Instagram and Facebook for even more deliciousness!

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a bowl of noodles topped with peanut butte tofu, sesame seeds and green onions

Spicy Baked Peanut Butter Tofu

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 12 reviews
  • Author: Jessica Hoffman
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 35 minutes
  • Total Time: 50 minutes
  • Yield: 4 servings 1x
  • Category: Main
  • Method: Bake
  • Cuisine: Asian
Print Recipe

Description

This tofu is baked to crispy perfection and topped with a creamy & spicy peanut butter sauce. Serve over noodles or rice.

Ingredients

Scale

Tofu

  • 1 pack extra-firm tofu
  • 1 tsp tamari
  • 2 tsp olive oil
  • 1 tbsp cornstarch (can sub arrowroot powder)

Peanut butter sauce

Other

  • 1/2 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • 2 green onion, finely chopped
  • rice noodles or rice to serve
  • Cilantro, green onion, and peanuts to top (optional)

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and line a baking pan with parchment paper.
  2. Using a couple paper towels, press down on the tofu and squeeze out as much water as possible. (*This step is important to help get the tofu crispy!)
  3. Chop the tofu into cubes then toss in a bowl with the tamari and olive oil and then the cornstarch until all the pieces are evenly coated.
  4. Spread out the tofu on the baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes, flipping the tofu cubes halfway through.
  5. Mix the sauce ingredients together. Set aside.
  6. Heat the vegetable oil in a pan and add the garlic and green onion cooking on medium heat for 1-2 minutes. Add the tofu and the peanut butter sauce tossing everything together until evenly coated.
  7. Serve with rice or noodls and top with cilantro and crushed peanuts.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1/4 of recipe
  • Calories: 220
  • Sugar: 5g
  • Fat: 12g
  • Carbohydrates: 20g
  • Fiber: 2g
  • Protein: 8g