Crunchy Vegan Lettuce Wraps
Ingredients
Tofu
- 1 14-ounce block of extra firm tofu
- 2 Tbsp coconut aminos
- 1 Tbsp tamari or liquid aminos
- 1 tsp sriracha
- 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
- 1 garlic clove minced
- 5 Tbsp cornstarch
- Vegetable oil for frying
Sauce
- ½ cup sesame tahini paste
- 3 Tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice
- 2 Tbsp coconut aminos
- 1 Tbsp tamari or liquid aminos
- 1 tsp sriracha optional
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- 3 Tbsp water for thinning
Vegetables and Nuts
- 10 crisp outer butter lettuce leaves washed and dried (bibb lettuce)
- ½ cup thinly sliced or shredded purple cabbage
- ½ cup julienned or shredded carrots
- ½ cup thinly sliced red radishes
- ¼ cup chopped dry-roasted peanuts
- Fresh cilantro leaves for serving
Instructions
- All ingredients ready? Let's begin!
Tofu
- Drain the tofu. Wrap it in a clean kitchen towel and place it on a plate. Place a heavy weight, such as a frying pan with soup cans in it, on top of the tofu to press it. Set the tofu aside for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare your lettuce, vegetable, and peanuts.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the coconut aminos, tamari, sriracha, sesame oil, and garlic. Drain any excess moisture away from the tofu and dry it with paper towels.
- Slice the tofu into 3/4-inch cubes. Place them in the marinade and toss carefully to coat well. Set this aside for 15 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
- In a large non-stick or cast iron skillet over medium heat, warm enough oil to generously coat the bottom of the pan.
- Place the cornstarch in a shallow bowl. Gently toss the tofu cubes in the cornstarch until well coated. When the oil is hot, sear the tofu on all sides in small batches, for about 6 minutes. You will need to use a fork or small spatula to turn them. Once the tofu is golden brown, transfer the cubes to the lined baking sheet. Continue until all the tofu is seared.
- Place the pan with the tofu in the preheated oven and bake for about 12 minutes until the texture is firm and the surface is crisp.
Sauce
- While the tofu is baking, prepare the sauce. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the tahini paste, lime juice, coconut aminos, tamari, sriracha, sesame oil, and garlic powder. Add the water, one tablespoon at a time, to the sauce until you have reached the desired sauce consistency for drizzling over the lettuce wraps. Set this aside.
- Remove the tofu from the oven.
Assembly and Serving
- Arrange the lettuce leaves on a large serving platter. Place about 5 tofu cubes inside each leaf. Top with prepared vegetables. Drizzle with sauce. Top the sauce with peanuts and cilantro.
- Serve the filled lettuce cups with plenty of napkins and encourage everyone to gently wrap the lettuce around the filling and eat with their hands.
Video
Nutrition
Calories: 308kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 8g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 0.004g | Sodium: 825mg | Potassium: 465mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 2883IU | Vitamin C: 13mg | Calcium: 89mg | Iron: 3mg