Easy Pan-Seared Tofu Satay with Peanut Sauce

This easy tofu satay is marinated in a rich coconut curry sauce then pan seared to crisp perfection without any binders! Served with a 5 minute creamy peanut sauce that makes this tofu satay SO dippable and hard to resist! The perfect simple weeknight dinner or even easy appetizer for a crowd!

My family’s favorite easy weeknight meal:

Okay, so when I posted that I’ve been making this tofu satay on REPEAT for my family on Instagram stories, you went nuts, begging for the recipe.

And of course, I don’t gate keep, so I need to let you in on this because we are downright obsessed. It’s the meal that’s so easy, you feel like you’re doing something wrong because of how freaking good it tastes.

The best part is that it’s entirely vegan and plant based. Inspired by everyone’s favorite chicken satay, this tofu version takes it to a whole other level- it’s rich, deep in flavor, and dipped in a creamy savory peanut sauce that you could easily drink.

I don’t judge, I’ve been tempted myself!

Between my teriyaki tofu, tofu stir fry, crispy sweet potato tofu bowls, and this?! I mean, there’s not one reason to not love tofu (and see its range!).

The entire family is going to love this one. Mine already does!

Simple key ingredients:

• Extra firm or super firm tofu: My family personally likes this with super firm tofu (which is the firmest variety) because it’s a bit chewier in texture. But I actually also find it’s much easier to stay on the skewer! If you’re using extra firm, it will still work, but don’t use firm, as it will be too soft to remain on the skewer. Unless you just sauté the tofu, which is also possible! You can also do a soy-free tofu (yes, I’m serious!!) using a pumpkin seed tofu!
• Canned coconut milk: You’ll want a true, heavy fat coconut milk from a can rather than the refrigerated version. I find this yields the best flavor!
• All-natural peanut butter: It’s super important that your peanut butter is runny and JUST made with peanuts, rather than an oil as well. A thicker peanut butter will change the consistency of the dipping sauce, requiring more coconut milk, which alters the flavor.
• Teriyaki sauce: I really like that this adds a bit of extra sweetness to the marinade. If you’re keeping this recipe soy-free, then use the coconut aminos-based teriyaki sauce!

Overview: how to make tofu satay:

For the full written instructions and ingredient measurements, see the bottom of this post in the recipe card. You can also hit the “jump to recipe” button at the top of this post! Here, we’ll go over a brief overview of the steps, along with providing visuals for a better understanding of the recipe.

Now, many people say they don’t like tofu because it’s “flavorless,” but you wouldn’t eat bland chicken, would you? So the key here is to MARINATE the tofu, much like you would any other protein.

Authentic chicken satay recipes can sometimes use coconut milk as part of the marinade, which I personally think is PERFECT here for tofu as well because it locks in even more flavor.

For marinating the tofu satay, you simply whisk together all marinade ingredients, tear the tofu into 1-inch sized chunks, toss and let sit. Personally, I find that marinating the tofu for as long as possible (preferably overnight!) will yield the best flavor. But in the spur of the moment dinner rush (I know that all too well haha), 20-30 minutes will do just fine.

We cook the tofu in the sauce as well for even more flavor, so that helps too.

The best part about this tofu satay is that it can be griddled or pan-seared. Either works! You could even use a grill plate! You’ll see that this is why I really recommend super firm tofu, as this will last beautifully on the grill.

For the peanut sauce, you can either whisk everything together or, if you’re like me and sometimes get lazy (lol), blend until smooth and creamy!

What to serve with tofu satay:

You can serve it simply here, like I did with steamed rice and sautéed Bok Choy. Or you can also serve with roasted veggies (loveee this roasted red cabbage – the peanut sauce actually goes great on this too!).

But it’s also great as an appetizer for parties too! This recipe makes 4 dinner portions (about 12-16 skewers), so size up if you need more!

Want to save this recipe for later? Add it to your favorite recipe board on Pinterest!

If you make this recipe, please be sure to leave a comment and a rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ below. This helps others to find the recipes! As always, I absolutely love to see your beautiful creations on Instagram and Pinterest, so be sure to tag me there as well!

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