These tofu tacos with vegan peanut sauce are a great grilled option for a Summer BBQ when you’re entertaining friends who are vegetarian.
I know when we think about Summer grilled foods, we tend to automatically think meat. Specifically, we think hot dogs and hamburgers (side note: which side are you on?) Well, with so many people going plant-based, if you’re enjoying a socially distanced outdoor meal this Summer, you’ll want to put these tofu tacos with vegan peanut sauce on the menu.
Key Ingredients for these Tofu Tacos and this killer tofu marinade
This tofu marinade is so delicious, you’ll use it all the time (and not just when making vegan tacos).
Rice Vinegar – I like using “seasoned” rice vinegar for a little extra flavour, but in a pinch you can also use any rice vinegar, or white wine vinegar.
Low Sodium Tamari – Soy sauce or even coconut aminos work here too, but if you are serving anyone who is gluten free, gluten free tamari is a safe choice.
Sesame Oil – I love a good toasted sesame oil, but again, any sesame oil works.
Coconut Sugar – I love the flavour of coconut sugar in this because it has a bit of a tropical aroma, but in a pinch, just go with brown sugar or maple syrup.
Light olive oil – I do prefer a light olive oil to a rich extra virgin olive oil because I don’t want to compete with the big flavour of extra virgin. You can also use any mild grapeseed, avocado oil or vegetable oil.
Garlic– Key in most things, really.
Sriracha – If you like a good kick
Extra Firm Tofu– I do prefer to use extra firm tofu so that it stays together on the grill.
Tortillas– I love authentic corn tortillas (and it keeps this recipe gluten free) but of course, use whole wheat flour if that’s what you like.
Key Ingredients for Peanut Sauce
Creamy Peanut Butter – Sure you can use the chunky stuff, but the creamy makes it easier to serve in my opinion.
Tamari– Same rationale as above.
Rice Vinegar – Adds a nice acidity and again, you can swap in another mild vinegar or even lime juice here.
Agave or Maple – Gotta balance out that richness!
Ginger & Garlic – Classic aromatics – you can’t really leave these out and in my opinion, dried do NOT do these two ingredients justice. You want some good punchy flavour.
Sriracha – Again, for more heat so you can use at your discretion.
What else can I put the peanut sauce on?
I’m obsessed with peanut sauce because it’s kind of sweet, savoury and super rich and creamy. It’s ideal on naturally lean foods like tofu, chicken breasts, veggies, and sweet potatoes.
What should I serve these tacos with?
Literally any kind of slaw or salad would work well here. I also love this with baked beans (vegan style of course.) Here are some great suggestions:
Roasted Broccoli Salad with Tahini
FAQ ABOUT THIS RECIPE
Here are some of the most commonly asked questions about this recipe.
is this kid friendly?
What kiddo doesn’t love tacos? Of course this can be kid-friendly and mine loves peanut sauce! If your children are sensitive to spice, I suggest cutting back on the sriracha (you can always add it to your tacos when you serve them).
can i bake or pan-fry the tofu instead of bbq or grill?
Absolutely. To bake the tofu, preheat the oven to 400 F. I recommend brushing the marinade on and baking for 30-35 minutes until crispy. If you want it extra crispy, pop it under the broiler.
To pan-fry, heat a tablespoon of oil in a large skillet (ideally cast iron) over medium high heat. Marinate the tofu and then pan-fry until golden brown on each side.
can i make the sauce with nut-free sunbutter or soybutter?
Yes, this is very versatile so feel free to use whatever nut butter (or no nut butter) you like.
can i make this meal low carb?
Absolutely. If you want to make this more keto friendly or low carb, you can swap out any of the sugars for a non-caloric sweetener, and use lettuce wraps instead of corn tortillas.
do you have any other taco recipes?
Yep! We love tacos around here so check out these super tasty taco options for Taco Tuesday.
Vegan Buffalo Cauliflower Chickpea Hard Tacos
Vegan Walnut Meat Cauliflower Tacos
Maple Sausage and Brussel Sprout Tacos
What are you making for Taco Tuesday? Leave me a comment below if you tried these tofu tacos or the vegan peanut sauce!
Tofu Tacos with Vegan Peanut Sauce
Ingredients
Marinade:
- 5 tbsp seasoned rice vinegar
- 5 tbsp low sodium tamari gluten free if needed
- 1 ½ tsp toasted sesame oil
- 1 tsp coconut sugar
- 1 ½ tbsp light olive oil
- 1 clove garlic finely grated
- 1 tsp sriracha or more to taste
- 1 block extra firm tofu cut into 1/4" thick triangles
Peanut Sauce:
- ½ cup creamy peanut butter
- ¼ cup reduced sodium tamari gluten free if needed or reduced-sodium soy sauce
- 3 tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar
- 3 tablespoons water
- 2 tablespoons agave nectar or maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
- 2 cloves garlic pressed or very finely minced
- 1 tsp sriracha or more to taste
For serving:
- 8 small corn tortillas for serving
- Shredded red cabbage
- Shredded carrot
- Avocado thinly sliced
- Lime
- Thinly sliced green onion
- Sesame seeds
- Crushed peanuts
Instructions
- To a large plastic bag, add in the marinade ingredients and the tofu. Allow to marinate for at least an hour, up to overnight.
- Meanwhile, in a bowl mix together the peanut sauce ingredients.
- Preheat the grill to medium high and add the corn tortillas. Toast on each side just for 30-60 seconds, and keep warm.
- Add the tofu and cook for 3-4 minutes per side until grill marks appear.
- To serve, add the tofu to the tortilla shell, top with cabbage, carrots, avocado, lime, green onion, sesame, peanuts and a generous spoonful of the peanut sauce. Enjoy!
Abbey Sharp is a Registered Dietitian (RD), regulated by the Ontario College of Dietitians. She is a mom, YouTuber, Blogger, award winning cookbook author, media coach specializing in food and nutrition influencers, and a frequent contributor to national publications like Healthline and on national broadcast TV shows.
Yumna says
Hi Abby, this sounds delicious but why marinate the tofu in a plastic bag? I suggest marinating anything in reusable container. Let’s try to reduce single use items as much as possible. Wishing all the best 🙂
Abbey Sharp says
Thats a great tip! Will definitely try to do that more often. Thanks Yumna 🙂