These vegan tofu lettuce wraps are packed with flavor and make an easy lunch or dinner. This is one of my favorite ways to enjoy tofu without much effort!

Recipe Snapshot

  • Prep time: 10 minutes
  • Cook time: 15 minutes
  • Total time: 40 minutes
  • Yield: 4
  • Category: Appetizer
  • Cuisine: Asian

Ingredients

  • 15 oz tofu (extra-firm)
  • 2 tablespoons oil (I used avocado oil)
  • 4 tablespoons soy sauce (60 ml, use tamari to make the recipe gluten-free)
  • 4 tablespoons hoisin sauce (60 ml)
  • 2 tablespoons rice vinegar (30 ml)
  • 2 teaspoons sambal oelek (adjust to preferred spice levels)
  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil (5 ml)
  • 1 & 1/2 tablespoon brown sugar (add more to taste)
  • 1-2 whole dried red chili
  • 7-8 large garlic cloves (finely chopped)
  • 2 inch ginger (finely chopped)
  • 1/2 cup chestnuts (finely chopped)
  • salt (to taste)
  • black pepper (to taste)
  • chopped green onion (to serve)
  • roasted peanuts (to serve)
  • 1 head butter lettuce

Method

  1. Start by pressing your extra-firm tofu. Place 15 oz of tofu on a flat surface and then place a heavy object on top of it. I placed a cast iron skillet on top, you can also use a tofu press if you have one. Press the tofu for 15 minutes, this is important to drain all the excess moisture from the tofu so that it absorbs the flavors better, so do not skip this step.
  2. While the tofu is being pressed, make the sauce. In a bowl or measuring jar, add the following: soy sauce, hoisin sauce, rice vinegar, sambal oelek or any chili sauce of choice, sesame oil & brown sugar Using a wire whisk, mix it all until well combined.
  3. Once the tofu has been pressed, heat a cast-iron skillet (or any other pan) on medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons oil to it and then crumble the tofu with your hands and add it to the skillet
  4. Cook the tofu, stirring often until the crumbs get browned. It takes anywhere between 8 to 10 minutes on medium heat. Time may vary depending on the type/thickness of the pan you are using and the intensity of heat.
  5. Once browned, add the dried red chili, chopped garlic, ginger and chopped sliced chestunuts. Cook for 3 more minutes until garlic, and ginger gets cooked and lightly browned.
  6. Now, add the prepared sauce to the pan. Stir and mix the sauce with the tofu. Add salt and pepper to taste.
  7. Let the tofu cook with the sauce for 2 to 3 minutes until the sauce is well absorbed by the tofu and it's heated through. Remove the pan from heat.
  8. To make the lettuce wraps, separate the lettuce leaves carefully. I have used butter lettuce here. Add the prepared tofu to the lettuce. Top with chopped green onion and roasted peanuts. Serve immediately.

Kiyaan Singh’s Kitchen Note

Keep this recipe as a working base: cook once as written, then adjust spice, texture, and serving style for your own table.