Vegetarian Lettuce Wrap (Asian tofu and cashew lettuce wraps)
Wondering what to make for dinner, night after night? These Asian-inspired lettuce leaf wraps made with tofu and cashew are a great weeknight staple. The lettuce wraps require minimal prep and taste amazing. They also make wonderful leftovers for work week lunches.
In this Asian lettuce wraps recipe, we stir fry tofu and cashew in a simple peanut sauce and dollop the mixture into lettuce cups. That’s it!
How do I make vegetarian lettuce wraps with tofu taste good?
Tofu is basically a sponge for flavor. Our first tip to getting yummy tasting tofu is to let as much excess liquid strain from the tofu as you can. This is often called “pressing” the tofu. We like to do this by wrapping it in a clean dish towel and placing something heavy (like a cookbook) on top for at least 20 minutes. When you remove the book and unwrap the tofu, you will feel how much liquid the towel absorbed – this makes room for lots of flavor!
Now that your tofu has been strained, it can fully absorb whichever flavors or marinade you decide to add to it.
We recommend using firm tofu for this lettuce wraps recipe as it will hold up the best to the stir frying process and will be easier to strain than a looser tofu.
It’s all in the sauce
The second factor that ensures our tofu tastes delicious is our peanut sauce! Our sauce ingredients include sesame oil, soy sauce, peanut butter, hot sauce, and honey for a delicious sweet, spicy, and savory dressing for our stir fry.
Another important thing to remember when eating tofu is texture! Because we didn’t go for a crispy crust on our tofu, we decided to add cashews for a crunchy and interesting texture in each bite. Alternatively, you could use peanuts, water chestnuts, or crispy onions.
If you decide to make this in advance, store your tofu mixture separately so that you can warm it up and top your lettuce cups for a quick and easy lunch or dinner.
Not a tofu person? That’s fine! You can forego the tofu mixture in this lettuce wraps recipe for chicken, ground meat/turkey, or fish. However, if you’re trying to step out of your comfort zone or have been thinking about trying tofu for a while, we think this sauce will seal the deal.
Made with butter lettuce, these vegetarian lettuce wraps with tofu and cashew are fresh, crisp, and filling. They are simple to make and are a great meal prep option too! We hope you enjoy these delicious lettuce wraps!
Vegetarian Lettuce Wrap (Asian tofu and cashew lettuce wraps)
A low-carb, high-protein weeknight meal inspired by Asian flavors
Ingredients
- 1 package of firm tofu
- 2 tbsp smooth peanut butter
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 2 tsp reduced sodium soy sauce (or coconut aminos)
- 1 tsp honey (maple or agave will also work)
- 1 juice of lime
- 1 tbsp of toasted sesame
- 1-2 tsp hot sauce (like sriracha)
- 2-3 tbsp hot water to thin out to desired consistency
- handful of cashews
- 8-10 pieces of butter lettuce
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Press tofu in a clean towel under a heavy item (like a cookbook) for at least 20 minutes to remove excess liquid
- While tofu is pressing, mix the rest of the ingredients (except cashews, lettuce, salt and pepper) in a bowl
- Once tofu has been strained, dice into cubes and sprinkle salt and pepper to taste
- Heat a large skillet on the stove on medium heat and add neutral oil (like avocado oil)
- Once the pan is hot, add in the tofu and let brown, flipping occasionally. Add in cashews mid way through browning process
- Once all the tofu is browned, add sauce and stir for 2-3 minutes and lower flame to low heat
- Remove from the heat and place a helping of the mixture into each cup of lettuce leaf
- Optional: top with more hot sauce
Nutrition
Calories: 161kcalCarbohydrates: 8gProtein: 4gFat: 14gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 5gMonounsaturated Fat: 6gSodium: 377mgPotassium: 134mgFiber: 1gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 139IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 14mgIron: 0.5mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
