Take meatless Monday to the next level with this scrumptious vegan tofu sandwich, filled with cucumber slices, spinach leaves, grated beetroot and creamy guacamole. It features thin slabs of pan-seared tofu, doused in the best tofu marinade: peanut butter, Sriracha hot sauce, garlic, and soy sauce whizzed together to create a flavour-packed tofu recipe — that’s healthy and unbelievably easy to pull off. Throw into sandwiches, salads, stir-fries, or dig in ‘as is.’
Folks!!! This tofu sandwich recipe knocked our socks off! It received lots of attention from my four taste testers at home. Especially Miss R. She went as far as to say that it’s the best tofu marinade she’s ever tried. Quite frankly, it’s exactly the sort of tofu salad sandwich that makes meal planning a breeze.
Considering my last tofu achievement – the Scramble – I was adamant about experimenting again. I think tofu truly is a blank canvas that lends itself to immense creativity. Everything is done quickly, plus I wanted to create a tofu sandwich recipe that’s easy and healthy. Besides that, the recipe calls for a short ingredient list and is an excellent gateway to use up your salad and vegetables as sandwich fillers. There’s so much to love about this recipe; it’s packed with flavour, plant-powered and couldn’t be simpler. So, if you’re on the hunt for tofu sandwich ideas – this will certainly transport you to bliss.
Looking for tips on how to bake tofu? Here’s a good place to start.
Tips For Creating The Best Tofu That’s Packed With Flavour
- Prepare the tofu. Before you do anything to the tofu, squeeze out the excess fluid and use a clean tea towel to soak up the dripping liquid. Additionally, you could place a heavy pot on top of the covered tofu to drain further. There are no hard and fast rules on preparing tofu; however, I’ve found that cutting into small slabs (or cubes) ensures it’s packed with flavour.
- Marinate it. The longer, the better; however, if you’re strapped for time, 30 minutes is better than no time. Remember, strong, rich and bold marinades work really well, so don’t be shy to experiment.
- Turn up the heat. When pan-searing tofu, you certainly want to turn up that heat. High heat, coupled with some fat, will give you that lovely crispy coating and prevent the tofu from sticking to the pan.
- Talking of pans, choose non-stick every time. You can’t ignore this. Despite your best efforts in prepping it, the tofu slabs stick to the pan and fall apart. Prepare for success with a good quality non-stick pan; it’s definitely worth it.
- Make it crispier by coating it. This is a simple method to achieve crispy tofu. I use either arrowroot flour or corn starch to dust the tofu pieces before searing them in the pan.
What Is The Best Type Of Tofu For Cooking?
You want to make sure that you use the right type of tofu for the dish you’re creating. Here’s what you need to know about the different types:
- Silken soft: ideal for soups, smoothies and delicate desserts – a great way to add creaminess to recipes.
- Medium block: firmer than the softer variety, this will crumble if you fiddle with it a bit too much – it’s a good baking option.
- Firm/Extra firm block: This will keep its shape when under pressure – it’s ideal for stir-fries.
How To Cook Tofu For Sandwiches – Step By Step
- Drain and dry tofu, and cut it into thin slabs: 3-4 mm thick (Images 1-2). You should end up with about 35 tofu slabs.
- Prepare the easy tofu marinade by combining peanut butter, soy sauce, water, garlic, and Sriracha hot sauce in a medium container (Images 3-4).
- Next, add the tofu slabs to the spicy tofu marinate, place the lid and shake the container gently to coat the pieces (Images 5-6). Marinate for 30 minutes.
- I pan fry the tofu slabs (Image 7) in three batches, using a teaspoon of oil every time. Fry the tofu slabs over medium-high heat until golden brown and charred on both sides. Use tongs to turn the slabs gently. Remove from pan, set aside while you prepare the tofu sandwich salad ingredients.
- Start by dividing the tofu slabs into three portions. Toast your bread and assemble your sandwich as you wish (Images 8-10). Here’s how I like it: slather a thick layer of guacamole on two slices of bread to make one sandwich. Arrange nine cucumber rounds on one of the bread slices. Pile on one portion of the tofu slabs, top with 1/3 cup of spinach leaves and a third of the grated beetroot. Place the second bread slice on top and enjoy. Repeat to make two more sandwiches.
Ways to Use These Vegan Peanut Butter Tofu Slabs
This quick and easy tofu marinade makes this sandwich taste incredible. However, you could use the tofu slabs in the following ways:
- Throw over salads (what a protein kick!)
- Enjoy on toast with a base of hummus or guacamole.
- Add to veggie curries.
- Roll them up in a roti or wrap filled with your favourite vegetables and chutney.
- Fill up those warm tacos with these delicious spicy slabs.
- Use in your Buddha bowl creations.
Desi~licious Top Tips and Variations
- Prepare the tofu the night before to minimize prep time.
- Adjust the spiciness by adding more or less Sriracha hot sauce.
- Use low sodium soy sauce to reduce salt intake.
- The tofu will store well in the fridge or freezer.
Nutrition Highlights:
One serving* of this tofu sandwich is:
- An excellent source of fibre
- A very high source of iron
- An excellent source of vitamin A
- An excellent of calcium
- A very high source of potassium
- Plus, it’s packed with plant-powered protein (21 g per sandwich)
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
More Plant Based Lunch Recipes You Might Like:
- Easy Curry With Zucchini Noodles
- Creamy Vegan Pasta
- Indian Eggplant Curry
- The Best Chili Recipe
- Tikka Masala With Asparagus
Have you tried tofu in a sandwich before? Let me know what you think of my peanut butter tofu sandwich. 
If you try this tofu sandwich recipe, I would love to hear from you! Leave a comment, rate it, or share a photo and hashtag with #desiliciousrd on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter! Can’t wait to see your photos.
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Pan-Seared Peanut Butter Tofu Sandwich | Easy And Healthy Recipes
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Ingredients
- 425 g tofu extra firm, drained
- 2 tbsp peanut butter all-natural, smooth
- 1 tbsp soy sauce dark
- 2 tbsp water
- 4 cloves garlic large, crushed
- 1 tbsp Sriracha sauce adjust to taste
- 3 tsp olive oil extra virgin
- 6 bread wholewheat, sliced, toasted
- 3 tbsp guacamole one tbsp for each sandwich
- ½ cucumber large, washed, cut into rounds, medium thickness
- 1 cup spinach salad, ⅓ cup for each sandwich
- ½ beetroot large, washed, peeled, grated, ⅓ portion for each sandwich
Instructions
-
Drain tofu: Use a clean kitchen towel to soak up the excess liquid, and pat it dry.
-
Cut the tofu block into thin slabs: 3-4 mm thick. You should end up with about 35 tofu slabs
-
Prepare the tofu marinade by combining peanut butter, soy sauce, water, garlic, and Sriracha hot sauce in a medium container.
-
Add the tofu slabs to the spicy tofu marinade, place the lid and shake the container gently to coat the pieces. Marinate for 30 minutes.
-
Fry the tofu in three batches — Heat 1 tsp of oil in a large pan. Fry tofu slabs for 5 minutes, on medium/high heat, until golden brown on both sides. Use tongs to turn pieces gently. Remove from the pan and repeat with the remaining two batches of tofu.
-
Now assemble the tofu sandwich. Divide the cooked tofu slabs into three portions. Slather a thick layer of guacamole on two slices of bread to make one sandwich. Arrange nine cucumber rounds on one bread slice. Pile one potion of the spicy tofu slabs. Top with ⅓ cup of spinach leaves and a ⅓ of the grated beetroot. Place the second bread slice on top and enjoy. Repeat to make two more sandwiches.
Notes
- Prepare the tofu. Before you do anything to the tofu, squeeze out the excess fluid and use a clean tea towel to soak up the dripping liquid. You could place a heavy pot on top of the covered tofu to drain the excess fluid. There are no hard and fast rules on preparing tofu. Cut into small slabs so that it’s packed with flavour.
- Marinate it. The longer, the better; however, if you’re strapped for time, 30 minutes is better than no time. Remember, strong, rich and bold marinades work really well – don’t be shy to experiment.
- Turn up the heat. When pan-searing tofu, you certainly want to turn up that heat. High heat, coupled with some fat, will give you that lovely crispy coating and prevent the tofu from sticking to the pan.
- Talking of pans, choose non-stick every time. You can’t ignore this. Despite your best efforts in prepping it, the pieces will fall apart by sticking to the pan. Prepare for success with a good quality non-stick pan; it’s definitely worth it.
- Make it crispier by coating it. This is a simple method to achieve crispy tofu. I use either arrowroot flour or corn starch to dust the tofu pieces before searing them in the pan.
- Prepare the tofu the night before to minimize prep time.
- Adjust the spiciness by adding more or less sriracha.
- Use low sodium soy sauce to reduce salt intake.
- The tofu will store well in the fridge or freezer.
Nutrition
