Vegan Sweet Chili Tofu Cups (Printable)

Crispy tofu in sweet chili, nestled in lettuce with a fresh veggie slaw for a light, colorful meal.

# What You'll Need:

→ Tofu

01 - 14 oz firm tofu, pressed and cubed
02 - 2 tablespoons cornstarch
03 - 1 tablespoon neutral oil

→ Sweet Chili Glaze

04 - 1/3 cup sweet chili sauce, vegan
05 - 1 tablespoon soy sauce or tamari
06 - 1 teaspoon rice vinegar
07 - 1 teaspoon sesame oil

→ Veggie Slaw

08 - 1 cup red cabbage, finely shredded
09 - 1 cup carrot, julienned or grated
10 - 1/2 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
11 - 2 green onions, thinly sliced
12 - 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
13 - 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
14 - 1 teaspoon maple syrup or agave
15 - 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
16 - Pinch of salt

→ For Serving

17 - 12 large butter or romaine lettuce leaves
18 - 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
19 - Lime wedges

# How-To Steps:

01 - Pat the tofu dry with paper towels and cut into bite-sized cubes. Toss cubes gently with cornstarch until evenly coated.
02 - Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add tofu cubes and cook, turning occasionally, until golden and crispy on all sides, approximately 8 to 10 minutes.
03 - While tofu cooks, combine sweet chili sauce, soy sauce or tamari, rice vinegar, and sesame oil in a small bowl. Whisk until well blended.
04 - In a large bowl, combine shredded red cabbage, julienned carrot, sliced red bell pepper, green onions, cilantro, rice vinegar, maple syrup or agave, sesame oil, and salt. Toss thoroughly to coat and set aside.
05 - Once tofu is crisp, reduce heat to medium. Pour sweet chili glaze over tofu, stirring constantly to coat evenly. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes until sauce thickens and tofu becomes glossy.
06 - Lay out lettuce leaves on a serving platter. Add a generous spoonful of veggie slaw to each leaf, top with sweet chili glazed tofu, and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Serve immediately with lime wedges.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The tofu gets genuinely crispy and caramelized, not sad or rubbery like so many vegan mains tend to be.
  • Everything comes together in under an hour, which means you can make this on a random Tuesday night without stress.
  • It's naturally vegan and gluten-free, so you're not compromising flavor to accommodate dietary needs.
  • The hands-on assembly feels interactive and fun, especially if you're cooking with someone else.
02 -
  • Pressing your tofu is absolutely essential and not a step you can skip; wet tofu will steam instead of crisping, and the entire dish suffers for it.
  • Assemble these cups right before serving because the crispy tofu softens quickly once it touches the wet vegetables and lettuce leaf.
  • Don't be timid with the cornstarch coating; it's what creates that irresistible texture that makes people forget they're eating plant-based protein.
03 -
  • Cut your tofu into uniform cubes so everything crisps at the same rate and you don't end up with some pieces undercooked and others overdone.
  • Don't wash the bowl you used for the slaw immediately; let it sit for a few minutes so the acid can continue softening the vegetables slightly, which improves the texture and flavor absorption.
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