Asian Sautéed Tofu + Peanut Sauce

with Black Rice + Greens

MAINS

By far, this has been our FAVORITE meal all summer.

(Plus it's not just for summer.)

I've made it every week . . . and it never gets old.

The fun thing about it is that it's so versatile. The consistent parts that never change are the tamari-sautéed super firm tofu and the peanut sauce. Other than that, it's all about mixing and matching based on your mood, what's in the fridge or pantry, or whatever.

Options for greens? I love arugula with radicchio. Sautéed beet greens and stems work nicely, too. Any variety of kale? Yes. Swiss chard? Pourquoi pas?

Other veg options? Broccolini (or baby broccoli) has been my favorite thus far, but you could do conventional broccoli, cauliflower, sweet potato (orange or purple), heck even onions and bell peppers, snow peas, snap peas, carrots . . . whatever you fancy. Mushrooms and water chestnuts could be fun additions, too.

Grain options? I typically opt for gorgeous, nutty black rice (aka "forbidden rice"). I've also used leftover millet from a breakfast bowl. I bet buckwheat could be super fun (even consider trying soba noodles for a quick-cooking option).

Really, this meal is so versatile. No matter your greens, veg, and grains, the tofu shines as the central source of protein and the peanut sauce nicely ties it all together.

If you're a "stick to the recipe" kind of person, I hope this recipe will help to stretch you a bit. The ingredients and amounts I provide are not quite exact because that's now how I cook this dish. I vary how I cook this dish depending on what looks fresh in the produce section, how hungry we're feeling, how much sauce I decide to make on a given night, and so forth. But don't let that scare you! There is certainly enough guidance for all the recipe followers out there. :)

. . . If you already question and change recipes nightly, then you'll be right at home here.

When I say this serves "3 to 4," it depends on who's eating and how much they eat. My husband and I get four servings out of this: a dinner and a lunch of leftovers. Scale things as needed! This truly is so adaptable to adjustments.

For the tofu and veg:

  • 1 pack (16 0z) super firm tofu

  • 1 T. tamari or soy sauce for cooking

  • 1 cup uncooked black rice or your grain of choice + water and salt for cooking

  • 1 lb. broccolini or your veg of choice

  • Arugula or your greens of choice

  • Radicchio (optional)

For the peanut sauce:

  • 1/4 cup+* Creamy peanut butter (natural, at room temperature)

  • 1 T.+ Tamari or soy sauce

  • 1 T.+ Rice vinegar

  • Water to thin, as needed

*I add a plus sign here for each ingredient of the sauce as you'll want to taste and adjust yours to your liking. See recipe for tips on adjusting for taste.

To serve:

  • Thai basil

  • Chili crisp (our favorites include Fly By Jing XTRA Spicy or Yellow Bird Serrano hot sauce)

Ingredients

Asian Sautéed Tofu + Peanut Sauce
  1. Cook the rice. Prepare your rice (or other grain of choice) according to package instructions or general cooking time (if purchased bulk). The black rice I purchase calls for 1 and 3/4 cups of water for 1 cup of rice. Add 1/2 tsp. of salt for 1 cup of dried grain. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer, cover, and cook (~30 min. for black rice) until all water absorbed. Don't stir or otherwise disturb your grains as they cook. Once your timer goes off, turn off the heat and let it sit about 5 minutes before fluffing with a fork.

  2. Prep the veg. While your grains cook, prep your veg. If using broccolini, wash the broccolini, cut off the dry ends of the stems, and set aside to cook after the tofu. Arrange beds of arugula directly on plates as the base layer of the dish. If using, wash, dry, and chop a few radicchio leaves into thin ribbons. Arrange on top of arugula.

  3. Make the peanut sauce. In a clean glass jar (or a nearly empty peanut butter jar), add about 1/4 cup peanut butter, 1 T. tamari, 1 T. rice vinegar, and then screw on the lid tightly and shake to mix. It will be quite thick. Add water about 1 tsp. at a time and shake again, as needed to thin. Taste the sauce and adjust as needed to your preferences. Too thin? Add peanut butter. Too thick? Add a touch of water. Not salty enough? Add more tamari. Too salty? No more tamari; add other things. Does it need more "pop"? Add rice vinegar.

  4. Cook the tofu. Begin heating a non-stick pan over medium heat and slice open your package of super firm tofu. Pat it dry on a clean cotton kitchen towel, and slice into cubes. (I like to do this by slicing the brick into 8 slabs the short way, and then slicing each of those into thirds the long way and fifths the short way so I get 15 cubes per slab. You can stack up 2 or 3 slabs to shorten cutting time. Add the tofu to the heated pan, pouring 1 T. tamari on top, and stirring to coat. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes, stir, and cook another 3 to 5 minutes or until nicely browned. If the bottom of the pan begins to scorch, turn down your heat and add a small amount of water to deglaze the bottom.

  5. Cook the veg. If using broccolini or some other quick-cooking veg like Bok choy, kale, or beet greens, cook these after the tofu is done. Remove the tofu from the pan to its own plate or bowl. Cover or stash in the microwave (off) to keep warm. Sauté or lightly steam your delicate veg for 2 to 4 minutes. Look for peak green, if working with a green vegetable. For broccolini, I like to toss a splash of water into the pan and cover for about 3 minutes to lightly steam until bright green. The stems should be tender enough to cut easily but still a bit firm.

  6. Arrange: Add the other cooked veg on top of the bed of greens, rice on top of that, and tofu last. Drizzle over peanut sauce, chili crisp or hot sauce, and Thai basil.

Serves 3 t0 4

Instructions

A note on calorie density:

Piling greens and non-starchy vegetables high on a plate topped with whole grains and tofu can look like a massive mound of food. Because it is. But most components of this meal are not high in caloric density. Once you get through chewing and enjoying each bite, you'll likely feel quite satisfied. For those looking to lose weight, meals like this can be a great strategy as they provide a lot of satisfying food with a more moderate amount of caloric density. If weight loss is your goal, go easy on the peanut sauce and any oil-based condiments like chili crisps.

If you're looking to maintain weight, you likely don't have to be shy about the sauce. You might also consider sweet potato or squash in addition to or in lieu of the non-starchy veg.

If you're looking to gain weight, especially muscle, consider adding additional tofu or beans if you're looking for more protein, perhaps go heavier on the peanut butter sauce or grains, add a starchy vegetable like sweet potato . . . you get the picture.

At the end of the day, this meal is customizable both to your unique goals and taste preferences.

Last updated: September 15, 2024

with Black Rice + Greens