Seared tofu is piled into crisp lettuce leaves, then topped with crunchy veggies and a silky, peanutty, umami-packed sauce. These tofu lettuce wraps are an easy weeknight dinner favorite!
With every bite of these Tofu Lettuce Wraps, you’ll get a delicious contrast of warm and crispy, umami-seasoned tofu cradled in cool, crunchy lettuce leaves. It’s all topped off with a drizzle of savory-sweet peanut sauce that hits all of the flavor notes!
At first I designed this recipe to fully coat the roasted tofu cubes in the sauce, but I found that those delicious oven-crisp edges of the tofu were totally lost in the sauce. So I tried again, this time saving the peanut sauce for topping just before serving, and was rewarded with the perfect balance of textures: crispy, melt-in-your-mouth bites of tofu and silky peanut sauce that will have you licking the tips of your fingers.
These Tofu Lettuce Wraps make a regular appearance on our meal rotation each week. Once you make these, they’ll quickly earn a permanent spot in your weekly dinner lineup too!
Ingredient Notes
- Firm tofu – Using firm or extra firm tofu here is a must in order for your tofu cubes to hold their shape. You’ll really notice the difference when your tofu comes out crisp from the oven and is satisfying to take a bite of, as opposed to soft tofu which doesn’t have enough structure for these lettuce wraps.
- Sweet chilli sauce – This sweet n’ spicy condiment will bring a ton of flavor to your roasted tofu, while the sugar content will help to give it a caramelized exterior. Almost every grocery store has a few different brands of sweet chili sauce to choose from, just make sure to check to see if they’re vegan. Chili garlic sauce is another common condiment which will work perfectly here too. Â
- Cornstarch – A light dusting works to absorb some of the surface moisture from your cubed tofu, helping it to get nice and crispy in the oven.Â
- Peanut butter – This forms the base of your peanut sauce, so opt for creamy or smooth peanut butter for the most cohesive and silky sauce. Some natural peanut butters have a tendency to separate into oils and solids as they sit, so make sure to stir and reincorporate before measuring if this is the case with yours.
- Maple syrup – Another ingredient for your peanut sauce, and though it might sound odd, stay with me! The woodsy, heavily caramelized flavors of maple syrup pair so beautifully with nutty peanut and pungent soy sauce. One taste and you’ll see how it all comes together!Â
- Lettuce – You need a nice sturdy lettuce leaf for lettuce wraps. Large leaves of iceberg lettuce work nicely for larger wraps or use romaine lettuce for longer, more boat shaped wraps. My personal favorite is any variety of butterhead lettuce (such as Boston or bibb lettuce) because they have a great crunch, bowl-shaped lettuce leaves, and a soft yet sturdy texture. Avoid thin or bitter tasting greens like frisée or radicchio.Â
- Radishes and shallots – These are my toppings of choice as they add great flavor and extra crunch to our tofu lettuce wraps. Other great options would be green onions, red bell pepper, or shredded carrots.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Press and slice. Don’t skip pressing the tofu, it’s important to squeeze out the excess water so that it will crisp nicely in the oven! Just wrap the tofu block in a clean kitchen towel and set it on a cutting board, then place a heavy pan (such as a cast iron skillet) on top of the tofu and let it sit for 20-30 minutes. You’ll be amazed how much water comes out! Remove and pan and towel and preheat the oven to 400℉. Slice the pressed tofu into cubes, then add them to a bowl along with the sesame oil, soy sauce, sweet chili sauce, and cornstarch.
- Toss. Stir the tofu and other ingredients until well-mixed. You’ll see the powdery cornstarch melt into the liquid ingredients, creating a lightly thickened coating. This is what will help your tofu pieces have a nice crispy exterior after roasting.Â
- Arrange. Spread the tofu in a single layer on a parchment paper lined baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes.Â
- Flip. Halfway through baking, carefully give each piece of tofu a flip and continue baking for another 8-10 minutes until darkly caramelized and crisply textured. Remove from the oven and set aside.Â
- Combine ingredients. In the meantime, combine all of the peanut sauce ingredients in a small mixing bowl.Â
- Mix sauce. Use a whisk to stir the sauce until thick and cohesive. If it seems too thick, add a few drops of warm water to loosen it up. You’ll appreciate the thickness of the sauce when you go to eat your lettuce wraps through, as it stays put in the lettuce wraps instead of running out all over the place!
- Assemble and serve. Divide your lettuce cups between plates and fill them with your perfectly crispy tofu. Top with your crunchy veggies like sliced shallots and radishes, then drizzle with silky peanut sauce just before eating!
How To Store
Refrigerating I don’t recommend storing tofu lettuce wraps that are fully assembled; instead, store each component on its own. For the tofu cubes: allow to cool, then pack into an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days. For the lettuce leaves: wash the leaves and dry them well, then wrap in paper towels or a clean kitchen towel and seal in a zip-top bag or container and refrigerate for up to 3 days. For the peanut sauce: pour into a jar or other container with a lid and refrigerate for up to 5 days.Â
Reheating Gently reheat the tofu cubes in a skillet over medium heat until warmed, then assemble your lettuce wraps and serve as desired.
Tofu Lettuce Wraps Recipe
Ingredients
For the Crispy Tofu:
- 1 lb. firm tofu
- 1 Tbsp sesame oil
- 1 Tbsp soy sauce
- 1 Tbsp sweet chili sauce
- 2 tsp cornstarch
For the Peanut Sauce:
- 1/3 cup smooth peanut butter
- 1 Tbsp sweet chili sauce
- 1 Tbsp maple syrup
- 1 Tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tsp sesame oil
- 1 Tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tsp garlic powder
For Assembling:
- 8 lettuce leaves, such as butter lettuce or iceberg
- Thinly sliced radishes, as desired
- Thinly sliced shallots, as desired
Instructions
- Press the tofu by wrapping the whole block in a clean kitchen towel, setting it on a cutting board, and topping it with a heavy pan. Let sit for 20-30 minutes to drain excess water then preheat the oven to 400℉. Slice the pressed tofu into cubes, then add them to a bowl along with the sesame oil, soy sauce, sweet chili sauce, and cornstarch.
- Stir the tofu and other ingredients until the tofu is evenly coated. This is what will help your tofu pieces have a nice crispy exterior after roasting.
- Spread the tofu in a single layer on a parchment paper lined baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes.
- Halfway through baking, flip each piece of tofu and continue baking for another 8-10 minutes until dark and crisp. Remove from the oven and set aside.
- In the meantime, combine all of the peanut sauce ingredients in a small mixing bowl.
- Use a whisk to stir the sauce until thick and cohesive. If it seems too thick, add a few drops of warm water to loosen it up to your desired texture.
- Divide the lettuce leaves between plates and fill them with the cooked tofu. Top with sliced veggies and then drizzle with peanut sauce just before serving.
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