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5 from 10 votes

Tofu Lettuce Wraps with Peanut Sauce

A delicious and healthy meal option that everyone will love! These tofu lettuce wraps are perfect for a quick and easy lunch or dinner and can be served as an appetizer or main course. They are also a great option for meal prep, as the filling and sauce can be made in advance and stored in the refrigerator for later.
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Servings: 4
Author: Sam Turnbull

Ingredients

For the Tofu Filling:

  • 1 12.3oz/ 350g block extra-firm or firm tofu drained and pressed (see step 1)
  • 1 oz dried shiitake mushrooms softened and sliced (see step 1)
  • 1 tablespoon sesame oil
  • 1 medium carrot peeled and diced
  • 1 yellow onion chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic minced or pressed
  • 1 tablespoon fresh ginger minced or grated
  • ¼ cup hoisin sauce (gluten-free if preferred)
  • 1 - 2 teaspoons chili garlic sauce (or to taste)
  • 1 teaspoon rice vinegar or lime juice

For the Peanut Sauce:

To serve:

  • 1 head butter lettuce leaves separated
  • 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro chopped
  • ¼ cup roasted salted peanuts roughly chopped

Instructions

  • To prep the tofu: Prepare the tofu by draining it, and then pressing it for 15 to 30 minutes. I love using my Tofuture tofu press, but you can also follow these instructions for a DIY tofu pressing method. Pressing the tofu squeezes excess water out so that the tofu can suck up more of the marinade and become more flavourful. 
    To prep the dried shiitake mushrooms: put the mushrooms in a small heat-proof bowl or measuring glass. Cover with boiling water. Let the mushrooms soak and soften in the water until tender, about 10 minutes. Drain the mushrooms and squeeze out the excess water. Slice.
  • Make the sauce: while the tofu presses and the mushrooms soak, prepare the peanut sauce. Simply add all of the peanut sauce ingredients to a small bowl and whisk to combine. Add more or less hot sauce as desired, I like it spicy. If the sauce is too thick, stir in a few teaspoons of water at a time until you reach the desired consistency. Set aside.
  • Prepare the filling: Once the tofu is pressed and the mushrooms are softened and sliced. Heat the sesame oil in a large skillet or non-stick pan over medium-high heat. Add the carrot, onion, ginger, and garlic. Sauté for about 5 minutes until the onions turn translucent and begin to brown.
  • Reduce the heat to medium and use your hands to crumble the tofu into the pan. Cook for about 5 - 10 minutes until the tofu begins to brown. Tip: don't stir the tofu too much, let it cook for a couple of minutes without stirring so that the bottom can brown. Stirring too often will make it difficult for the tofu to brown. Now add the mushrooms, hoisin, chili garlic sauce to taste, and rice vinegar. Stir and heat through for 1 - 2 minutes more. Remove from the heat.
  • Assemble the lettuce wraps: Spoon a couple of tablespoons of the tofu filling into each lettuce leaf. Drizzle with a couple of tablespoons of peanut sauce, then serve the rest of the peanut sauce on the side. Garnish with cilantro and roasted peanuts. Enjoy right away.

Notes

Dried Shiitake Mushrooms: I love dried shiitake mushrooms in this recipe as they are extra chewy and meaty in texture. If you prefer you can sub 3.5oz fresh shiitake mushrooms or another kind of mushroom such as button or cremini. If you do not like mushrooms, simply omit them.
Meal prep/ make ahead: prepared and cooled tofu mixture can be stored in an air-tight container in the fridge for 2 -4 days. Assemble the lettuce wraps just before serving. The filling is delicious served hot or cold.
Oil-free: to make oil-free omit the oil when sautéing the veggies and instead do a water or broth sauté.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving (recipe makes 4 servings) | Calories: 419kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 23g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 1mg | Sodium: 1154mg | Potassium: 670mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 3916IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 133mg | Iron: 4mg

Find it online:

https://itdoesnttastelikechicken.com/tofu-lettuce-wraps-with-peanut-sauce/