Satay Tofu with Creamy Peanut Sauce

🍴 Why You Will Love This Recipe

These satay tofu skewers are wonderfully crisp on the outside, tender inside, and full of bold, savory flavor. They are easy enough for a weeknight meal but impressive enough to serve at a BBQ, party, or relaxed dinner with friends.

The recipe uses simple shortcut ingredients, including ready-made Thai curry paste, to create maximum flavor with minimal effort. The tofu can be cooked in the oven, finished on the BBQ, or made quickly in the air fryer, making it a flexible vegan recipe for any season.

Satay tofu is also very versatile. Serve the skewers as a starter with peanut dipping sauce, add them to a light lunch with salad, or make them the centerpiece of a vegan barbecue spread. The tofu and peanut butter both bring plant-based protein, while the lime, chilli, coconut milk, and curry paste create a sauce that is creamy, spicy, tangy, and satisfying.

📝 What You Need

Ingredients

Extra-firm tofu is essential for this recipe. Softer tofu will not hold its shape well on skewers and may break apart during cooking. If your tofu is very wet, press it first, then pat it dry thoroughly with kitchen paper before marinating.

Peanut butter gives the satay sauce its rich, nutty base. Use smooth peanut butter for a silkier sauce or crunchy peanut butter if you prefer extra texture. A peanut butter with fewer added ingredients works best.

Thai curry paste adds depth, spice, and aromatic flavor with very little effort. Red or green curry paste can be used. If you are cooking for vegans or vegetarians, check the label carefully, as some curry pastes contain fish sauce.

Coconut milk, lime, chilli, soy sauce, and brown sugar balance the sauce and marinade. Together they create the sweet, salty, creamy, spicy, and tangy flavors that make tofu satay so moreish.

Equipment

You will need:

• 9 wooden skewers
• A tub or dish for marinating
• A frying pan
• A baking tray
• Kitchen paper for drying the tofu

👩🏽‍🍳 How to Make Satay Tofu

For the full printable recipe with exact ingredients and detailed instructions, see the recipe card below.

Start by drying the tofu as much as possible. Slice the tofu block into three rectangles, then cut each rectangle into three long fingers. Pat each piece dry again. Mix the marinade ingredients in a large tub, add the tofu fingers, and turn them gently until every side is coated. Chill for at least 30 minutes, or leave overnight for a deeper flavor.

To make the peanut sauce, finely chop the onion and slice the chilli. Fry them gently in oil until softened, then stir in the Thai curry paste. Add coconut milk and sugar, simmer briefly, then stir through the peanut butter until the sauce becomes smooth and glossy. Finish with fresh lime juice and adjust the consistency with a splash of water if needed.

Arrange the marinated tofu pieces on an oiled baking tray, leaving a little space between them. Bake until golden and crisp, turning occasionally and brushing with extra marinade as they cook. Once baked, carefully slide a wooden skewer through each tofu finger and serve immediately with the warm peanut dipping sauce.

🔪 Top Tips & FAQs

Dry the tofu well. Removing excess moisture helps the tofu absorb more marinade and become crispier during cooking.

Marinate for as long as possible. Thirty minutes is enough, but overnight marinating gives the tofu a stronger satay flavor.

Cook until deeply golden. Baking time can vary depending on your tofu and oven. Turn the tofu a few times and keep brushing it with marinade until the edges are crisp and lightly charred.

Adjust the peanut sauce. If the sauce is too thick, add lime juice or a small splash of water. If it is too thin, simmer it for another minute until it thickens.

Use leftover sauce creatively. Extra peanut sauce is delicious with noodles, stir fries, rice bowls, or roasted vegetables.

• 450 g extra-firm tofu

For the marinade:

• 2 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon Thai curry paste red or green
• 1 teaspoon dark brown sugar
• 4 tablespoon coconut milk from a tin

For the peanut sauce:

• 1 tablespoon rapeseed or sunflower oil
• ½ onion
• 1 red chilli
• 1 tablespoon Thai curry paste red or green
• 100 ml coconut milk from a tin
• 1 teaspoon dark brown sugar
• 75 g peanut butter crunchy or smooth
• 1 lime

Optional garnishes:

• fresh coriander
• sesame seeds
• chopped peanuts

Marinate the tofu:

• Squeeze any excess liquid from the tofu and pat it dry with kitchen paper. Slice the block into three large rectangles, then slice each rectangle into three long tofu fingers. Pat dry again.
• Mix the marinade ingredients in a large tub. Add the tofu fingers and turn them gently until fully coated. Chill for at least 30 minutes, or overnight if you have time.
• Preheat the oven to 200°C fan / 400°F / Gas Mark 6.

Make the peanut sauce:

• Peel and finely chop the onion. Deseed and slice the chilli.
• Heat the oil in a frying pan and gently fry the onion and chilli. After 3-4 minutes, add the Thai curry paste and cook for another 2 minutes.
• Add the coconut milk and sugar. Simmer until the sauce begins to thicken, then stir in the peanut butter.
• Cook gently until the peanut butter has melted into the sauce, then add the lime juice.
• Bring the sauce back to a gentle simmer. If it is too thick, add a little water until it reaches a glossy dipping consistency. Remove from the heat and set aside.

Bake the tofu:

• Oil a large baking tray and arrange the tofu fingers on it, leaving a little space between each piece. Keep the remaining marinade.
• Bake for 25-30 minutes, turning occasionally, until the tofu is browned and crisp on the outside. Brush with extra marinade each time you turn the pieces.
• Remove from the oven and carefully insert a wooden skewer through each tofu finger. Reheat the peanut sauce if needed and serve immediately.

To cook satay tofu in an air fryer: Cook at 180°C for 10-12 minutes. Turn halfway through and brush with a little more marinade.