This cold tofu recipe is quick and easy to throw together with no cooking at all. It’s perfect during the warmest days of summer when the thought of turning on the oven or stove just isn’t appealing. It’s also a great option if you don’t have access to a proper kitchen for whatever reason. Give it a try if you’re looking for simple plant-based meal ideas, like this creamy raw vegan soup, which is another tasty no-cook option.
Ingredients and Substitutions
I like to use medium-firm tofu when making this recipe, but soft or silken tofu work too. Firmer varieties of tofu aren’t quite as appetizing in raw form, in my opinion.
Creamy peanut butter helps thicken the sauce. You can substitute almond butter if you prefer, or omit it altogether if necessary. In that case the sauce will be a bit runnier, but still tasty.
Chili crisp adds a nice crunch and some heat to the sauce. You can substitute chili oil or any type of chili sauce you like. Or you can admit it if you prefer a milder version of this dish.
Sesame oil adds a warm, earthy richness to the sauce. You can substitute a teaspoon of sesame seeds, or omit it if necessary.
I like to lightly sweeten the sauce with pure maple syrup. You can substitute a sugar-free liquid sweetener such as monk fruit extract (to taste) if you prefer to keep the sauce lower in carbohydrates.
A little acidity from the rice vinegar balances the richness and sweetness of the sauce nicely. You can substitute any other type of vinegar you prefer. Or lime juice works too.
How to Make Cold Tofu
Add the soy sauce or tamari, creamy natural peanut butter, chili crisp, pure maple syrup, rice vinegar, sesame oil, garlic, and ginger to a small bowl. Mix well.
Place the tofu in a serving dish or large shallow bowl. If using medium-firm tofu, you can slice it into pieces. For silken or soft tofu, you can leave the block whole. Or stab several holes in it using chopsticks to let the sauce seep in (that step is optional but kind of fun!).
Pour the sauce over the tofu, then serve right away.
Cold Tofu Recipe (No-Cook)
Equipment
- Serving dish or large shallow bowl
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce or tamari
- 1 tablespoon creamy natural peanut butter
- 2 teaspoons chili crisp (or substitute chili oil or chili sauce)
- 2 teaspoons pure maple syrup (optional, or substitute a sugar-free liquid sweetener such as monk fruit extract, to taste)
- 1 teaspoon rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1/2 teaspoon finely chopped garlic (or substitute 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder)
- 1/2 teaspoon minced ginger (or substitute 1/8 teaspoon ground ginger)
- 1 block medium-firm, soft, or silken tofu (approximately 14 oz or 396 g)
Instructions
- Add 1 tablespoon soy sauce or tamari, 1 tablespoon creamy natural peanut butter, 2 teaspoons chili crisp, 2 teaspoons pure maple syrup, 1 teaspoon rice vinegar, 1 teaspoon sesame oil, 1/2 teaspoon finely chopped garlic, and 1/2 teaspoon minced ginger to a small bowl.
- Mix well.
- Place 1 block medium-firm, soft, or silken tofu in a serving dish or large shallow bowl. If using medium-firm tofu, you can slice it into pieces. For silken or soft tofu, you can leave the block whole. Or stab several holes in it using chopsticks to let the sauce seep in (that step is optional but kind of fun!).
- Pour the sauce over the tofu, then serve right away.
Notes
-
You can make the sauce ahead of time and store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days, then pour over the tofu right before serving.
