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Vegan Spicy Peanut Tofu Lettuce Wraps

Amanda
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Another lettuce wrap recipe?! I know, I know.  I have a thing for them.  I love how much flavor, sauce and toppings you can pack into one little lettuce leaf, not to mention we get to eat with our hands!  Oh and p.s. these are vegan!  I’ve shared a few vegetarian and vegan recipes lately and, while that’s not the diet I stick to, I’m all about finding delicious ways to eat less meat and more vegetables.As long as we don’t have to sacrifice flavor to eat healthier, I’m all for it.  And these are spicy little flavor bombs packed with protein from tofu and a saucy little peanut number that you can drizzle all over everything.  (I eat this stuff straight up with just a spoon because it’s bomb.) High protein, gluten-free, low carb and vegan-check, check, check and check.I got this recipe from Pinch of Yum, which is my go-to not-vegan food blog for all things vegetarian, vegan, easy and noodle/saucy because Lindsay over there knows what she’s doing!  It’s similar to these peanut noodles with crispy tofu, which are AH-MAZINGGGG, so why not put them in a lettuce wrap, right?!The perfect peanut sauce is used in three ways in this recipe: as a sauce for rice noodles, as a sauce for tofu (which gets crispy and caramelized-SO GOOD), and as a sauce for the lettuce wraps to drizzle…are you sensing a theme here?  Noodles in lettuce wraps seemed weird to me until I had them at The Cheesecake Factory, where they serve chicken lettuce wraps with creamy coconut noodles.  I have yet to perfectly recreate these, but it’s on my list!  After having both of these versions, I’m now a convert.These are great as leftovers too; just reheat with a little extra water mixed into the noodle situation so they stay nice and creamy.You will most definitely need plenty of napkins to eat these, but sometimes you have to get down and dirty with your food.  There’s no other way to eat lettuce wraps!

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Vegan Spicy Peanut Tofu Lettuce Wraps

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  • Author: Amanda
  • Yield: 4 servings 1x
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Description

Creamy peanut sauce does triple-work in these gluten-free, vegan lettuce wraps: as the sauce for rice noodles and to sauce up, crisp and caramelize tofu and as a drizzle or dipping sauce for the finished lettuce wraps!

Ingredients

Scale

SPICY PEANUT SAUCE:

  • 1 cup peanut butter
  • 2/3 cup low-sodium soy sauce (preferably gluten-free)
  • 1/2 cup sesame oil
  • 1/2 cup rice wine vinegar
  • 3 to 4 tablespoons chili-garlic paste (OR sambal oelek + a couple garlic cloves), to taste
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1-inch knob of fresh ginger, peeled and coarsely chopped

LETTUCE WRAPS:

  • 4 ounces brown rice noodles
  • One 14-ounce container extra-firm tofu, drained
  • 1 to 2 tablespoons grapeseed or peanut oil
  • One head of Butter lettuce, leaves removed from core
  • Chopped green onions, for serving
  • Chopped peanuts, for serving
  • Cilantro leaves, for serving
  • Sesame seeds, for sprinkling
  • Lime wedges, for serving
  • Sriracha, if desired

Instructions

  1. Place your rice noodles in a large bowl of lukewarm tap water and soak for at least 30 minutes while you prepare the rest of the recipe.  Soaking for at least 30 minutes is crucial or the noodles will be too sticky and form a big blob when combined with sauce.
  2. For the Spicy Peanut Sauce: Combine all of the ingredients in a blender or food processor and process until completely smooth.  Taste and adjust for seasonings, if necessary.
  3. Cut the tofu into small, 1/2-inch cubes.  Transfer to a sheet pan lined with paper towels and dry as much as possible.  Preheat a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Once hot, add a little grapeseed oil and the tofu cubes.  Try to get the tofu in a single layer in the pan.  Cook, stirring occasionally, until golden-brown and crisp on all sides, at least 15 minutes.  Add about 1/4 of the sauce to the pan, tossing to coat the tofu.  Continue to cook for about 4 to 5 minutes, until the sauce has reduced and starts to brown and form crispy bits.  Transfer the tofu to a bowl.
  4. Drain your noodles after 30 minutes.  In the same skillet, add the noodles and enough sauce to coat; reduce the heat to medium-low and toss the noodles and sauce until combined.  The noodles should be creamy and luscious; if the sauce is too thick, add enough water to get to your desired consistency.  Remove from the heat and add the tofu.
  5. Fill the butter lettuce leaves with some of the noodle-tofu mixture and top with green onions, chopped peanuts, cilantro and sesame seeds.  Serve with lime wedges and Sriracha for squeezing.

Notes

Inspiration: Firecracker Vegan Lettuce Wraps on pinchofyum.com

  • Category: Vegan

 

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