Tofu satay skewers, a delicious vegan recipe with an easy peanut dipping sauce, made with peanut butter, coconut milk and leftover marinade.
It is a dish that can be prepared up to a day in advance, the prep takes around 10 minutes and then it cooks in just 10 minutes!
Veggie Satay
Tofu gets a bit of stick, and not least from me in the past, but I love the stuff now.
It is endlessly versatile and whilst it may not be blessed with great flavour, it is a great vehicle for flavour and I genuinely enjoy the texture!
I use it in everything from this Korean-inspired gochujang tofu stew and a tofu noodle salad to tofu katsu curry and a miso glazed tofu recipe with Japanese leanings. I've even got a very European tofu pasta recipe.
It also lasts longer in the fridge than meat so long as you keep it in its original packaging. As a result, I've almost always got a block in the fridge and I transfer it to the freezer if it gets close to the use-by date.
These tofu satay skewers tweak the ingredients in my pork satay recipe a little to create a vegetarian and vegan version of this South-East Asian inspired dish.
Just like most of my tofu recipes, this dish uses ingredients that I consider to be store cupboard ingredients.
This makes this recipe a perfect meal to cook when I have got nothing planned for dinner.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to press the tofu?
I've never felt the need to do so for this particular recipe, however, that will very much depend on the tofu you use.
If your tofu seems particularly wet, wrap it in some kitchen paper and press it under a weight for an hour or two.
Do I have to marinate the tofu?
Yes, and the longer you leave it the better the flavour of the dish.
Do I have to use the spice?
Nope, I love a bit of chilli heat, but this recipe is great served without them!
Can I use crunchy peanut butter?
Yes, of course!
One final suggestion!
If you are not keeping this dish vegan make then substitute the light soy sauce for fish sauce. It adds a remarkable amount of flavour.
Serving Suggestions
These tofu satay skewers are pictured here with a simple egg noodle salad and some toasted peanuts. You could of course rustle up a rice noodle salad or soba noodle salad (featured in the video) too!
I also like to serve satay with my lightly "pickled" cucumber salad. The flavours work really well as a contrast to the peanut dipping sauce.
As I have mentioned pickles, they work really well too, you could serve them with either pickled daikon or pickled cucumber.
Returning to noodles, because I think they work particularly well. I have a recipe for sweet and sour noodles that is also great with these vegan tofu skewers!
Equipment Used
I do not recommend specific brands of equipment unless I believe that it makes a material difference to a recipe. But if you have any questions, feel free to ask them in the comments section below the recipe.
- Stovetop.
- Griddle pan, although this will cook just as well on a BBQ.
- Measuring scales and or measuring cups and spoons.
- Mixing bowls.
- Skewers, I use bamboo skewers but metal skewers are fine. Try not to use skewers with a round profile because food tends to spin on them and is more difficult to turn in the pan.
- Sharp kitchen knife.
- Chopping board.
Tofu Satay Step-by-Step Photos
- Toss the ginger, chillies, shallots, lemon grass and cumin seeds into a mini blender and blend to form a paste.
- Add the paste to a large bowl, then add the Light Soy Sauce, Dark Soy Sauce, Light Brown Sugar, Lime Juice and Coconut Milk and mix well.
- Chop the tofu, add it to the marinade and marinate for at least 1 hour (up to 24 hours).
- Mix all of the ingredients for the dipping sauce and set aside.
- Thread the tofu on the soaked skewers any leftover marinate should be added to the dipping sauce, and mix well.
- Heat a griddle pan on high once hot add brush a little oil to the pan, add the tofu skewers to the pan and sear on all sides for about 5 minutes.
- Serve immediately with spring onions, toasted crushed peanuts, your favourite side salad, and the dipping sauce.
Tofu Satay & Peanut Dipping Sauce Recipe
A quick and easy tofu satay served with the simplest of peanut dipping sauces, a wonderful veggie and vegan dinner that takes bean curd to a new level!
Ingredients
For the Tofu:
- 350g (12 oz) Extra Firm Tofu
- 1 (35g) Shallot
- 15g (Half of a Thumb Sized Piece) Ginger
- 1-2 Thai Red Chilli Peppers
- 1 Stick of Lemongrass
- 1 teaspoon Cumin Seeds
- 1 tablespoon Light Soy Sauce
- ½ tablespoon Dark Soy Sauce
- ½ tablespoon Light Brown Sugar
- 1 tablespoon Lime Juice
- 75ml (3 tablespoon + 1 Tsp) Coconut Milk
For the Peanut Sauce:
- 125ml (½ Cup) Coconut Milk
- 3 tablespoon Smooth Peanut Butter
- 2 teaspoon Brown Sugar
- 1 tablespoon Dark Soy Sauce
- 1 tablespoon Light Soy Sauce
- 1 tablespoon Lime Juice
- ¼ teaspoon Tabasco Sauce
Instructions
- Peel and roughly chop the ginger and add it to a mini blender.
- Peel and roughly chop the shallot and add it to ginger.
- Remove the stems from the red chillies and chuck them into the blender.
- Roughly chop the lemongrass and toss it into the blender.
- Peel the garlic cloves and add them to the blender with the cumin seeds then blitz to form a paste and transfer this to a bowl.
- Pour the soy sauces, brown sugar, lime juice and coconut milk for the tofu into the paste and mix to combine.
- Dry the tofu on kitchen paper, then cut it into cubes around 30-35mm (1½) square and 20mm (¾") thick and add it to the marinade and allow it to marinate for at least 1 hour and up to 24 hours.
- Mix together all of the ingredients for the dipping sauce and set aside.
- If you are using bamboo skewers soak them for 30 minutes before cooking.
- Thread the tofu onto the skewers, then scrape any leftover marinade into the sauce and mix.
- Heat a griddle pan as hot as you can and when it is hot, brush with some neutral oil then sear the tofu skewers for 5 minutes on each side and serve immediately.
If you like visual guides when you are cooking, I have step-by-step process photos just above this recipe and a video just below the recipe.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
2Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 664Total Fat: 55gSaturated Fat: 34gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 17gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 2237mgCarbohydrates: 27gFiber: 4gSugar: 12gProtein: 29g
Calorific details are provided by a third-party application and are to be used as indicative figures only.