Lemongrass Tofu Cutlets
These lemongrass tofu cutlets are packed with protein and have the best bright and refreshing taste. Served with a citrusy veggie slaw to create the ultimate satisfying meal.
Why You’ll Love These Lemongrass Tofu Cutlets
- Packed with refreshing flavor. Lemongrass adds such a lovely bright flavor to meals, which makes it the perfect ingredient to use as we head into warmer months.
- Customizable. Change up the veggies and adjust the seasonings more to your liking with some of the tips below.
- Nourishing. This bowl includes a good source of protein from the tofu and lots of colorful veggies packed with antioxidants and fiber. Filling and satisfying all at once.
Key Ingredients and Substitutions
- Tofu: I used extra firm tofu. If using this type of tofu, make sure to drain and press accordingly to remove as much excess water as possible. If you need a quicker option, use super firm tofu or a tofu that is sold in a vacuum sealed package, so you can skip pressing it.
- Lemongrass: A lot of stores may carry some form of lemongrass. Ethnic stores may carry the full long stalks of lemongrass, local grocery stores may have smaller containers with trimmed lemongrass stalks sitting in the same area as regular herbs, and you can also find minced shelf stable or frozen minced lemongrass as well. Use what is easily available to you. If you have no lemongrass available at all, try this recipe with some grated ginger instead. The flavor will be different, but still delicious.
- Cornstarch: Feel free to also use potato starch as an alternative.
- Nutritional Yeast: Adds some extra umami to our dish. Do note that you can skip and just use more cornstarch as needed.
- Lime: Fresh is best as we need both the lime zest and juice.
- Tamari: To keep this meal gluten-free, I used tamari, but feel free to use regular soy sauce or coconut aminos. For lower sodium, feel free to use a low-sodium soy sauce instead.
- Maple Syrup: You can swap the maple syrup with some sugar.
- Veggies: I used a combination of cabbage and carrots.
- Seasonings: For the coating of the tofu I used garlic powder and thyme to infuse a little more flavor into the crust.
- Cilantro: If not a fan of cilantro, swap with some fresh minced chives instead.
How to Make Lemongrass Tofu Cutlets
Make the Side Slaw
To a medium sized bowl add the cabbage, carrots, cilantro, juice of 1/2 a lime, sesame oil, maple syrup and a pinch of salt. With clean hands massage the ingredients together and place in the fridge to set.
Preparing the Lemongrass and Tofu
Place your tofu on it’s side on a cutting board and cut it into 3-4 equal slabs. This step is optional, but I like to diagonally score the top surface of the tofu, only scoring it about a 1/3 of the way through.
Place the tofu into a shallow dish and drizzle with 2 tablespoons of tamari. Smash the stalks of lemongrass with the flat of your blade a few times then mince. Add 1 minced stalk of lemongrass on top of the tofu then squeeze the juice of half a lime on top. Allow that to marinade for about 10-15 minutes.
In a separate shallow dish, whisk together the cornstarch, nutritional yeast, zest of half a lime, garlic and thyme together. Take the tofu slabs and dredge in the cornstarch mixture and set aside.
Heat a large non-stick skillet with your oil over medium heat. When hot, place the tofu slabs in the pan score side down and sear for 5 minutes. Flip the tofu and cook for an additional 5 minutes or until both sides are golden.
Coating the Tofu in Sauce
As the tofu cooks, whisk together 2 tablespoons of tamari, the maple syrup, and vegetable broth in a small bowl then set aside.
Remove the tofu from the pan, then add the shallots and sauté for a minute. Add the remaining minced lemongrass and garlic, and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute. Lower the heat to low, then return the tofu cutlets to the pan and pour the sauce over the tofu. Allow the sauce to bubble in the pan. Flip the tofu in the pan to coat in the sauce then remove the pan from the stovetop.
Assemble
To assemble, portion the noodles and cabbage slaw between three bowls. Cut the tofu cutlet into strips then serve overtop the noodles. If you’d like more sauce to serve overtop, deglaze the pan with the lemongrass with 2-3 tbsp of water and stir well, then spoon that over the tofu.
Expert Tips
- Score the top of your tofu. I like to diagonally score the tofu slabs a 1/3 of the way through to allow more of the teriyaki sauce to adhere to the tofu. More ridges more places for the flavorful sauce to stick to.
- Save time with the slaw by using pre-shredded veggies. This means less chopping for you and you can dump them straight to a bowl to begin the slaw making process right away.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! Prepare your baking tray by spraying or spreading some oil on the bottom of your pan. After dredging your tofu, place on the pan and make sure to spray both sides of the tofu with enough oil to properly coat before cooking in the oven. Bake for 15 minutes, flip and bake for another 10-15 minutes until golden.
The only ingredient to be mindful of is the tamari. While tamari should be gluten-free, some brands still use wheat. Just make sure to check the ingredients to ensure you are using a 100% gluten-free tamari.
You can! Freezing tofu will make the tofu more spongy in texture, which will also help the tofu absorb more flavor as it sits. Do take into account that you will need to allot enough time to freeze and thaw your tofu before starting this recipe.
I recommend making and enjoying this recipe fresh when possible. You can store leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days. To help improve its texture, try reheating your tofu in the air fryer for 5 minutes at 400F to properly heat it through.
How to Serve
When ready to serve, portion out your noodles into your bowls then divide the slaw evenly between them. Cut the tofu cutlets into strips and serve overtop of your bowl with some fresh cilantro as desired. For more protein, consider also including some thawed edamame to your bowl.
More Tofu Dishes to Try
- Creamy Tomato Orzo with Crispy Tofu Cutlet
- Cabbage Rolls with Tofu Cashew Stuffing
- Easy Baked Peanut Tofu
- Lemon Garlic Marinated Tofu
- Orange Chipotle Shredded Tofu Tacos
If you tried this recipe or any other recipe on the blog, then let me know what you thought in the comments below! And if you loved it, don’t forget to rate it too. Feel free to follow on Instagram, Pinterest, and TikTok for the latest nutrition tips and recipe videos.
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Lemongrass Tofu Cutlets
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 3 servings 1x
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Stove Top
- Cuisine: Vietnamese Inspired
- Diet: Vegan
Description
These lemongrass tofu cutlets are packed with protein and have the best bright and refreshing taste. Served with a citrusy veggie slaw to create the ultimate satisfying meal.
Ingredients
- 1, 14 oz block of extra firm tofu, pressed and drained
- 4 tbsp tamari
- 2 stalks lemongrass, trimmed and dry outer layers removed
- 1 lime, zested and cut in half
- 1/4 cup cornstarch or potato starch
- 2 tbsp nutritional yeast, optional
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp dry thyme
- 2 tbsp avocado oil
- 1 shallot, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, grated
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- 2 tbsp vegetable broth or water
For the Bowls
- 6 oz vermicelli, cooked according to package instructions
- 2 cups shredded red cabbage
- 1 cup shredded carrots
- Juice of 1 lime
- 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
- 1 tsp maple syrup
- Pinch of salt
- 1/4 cup cilantro, minced (optional)
Instructions
- To a medium sized bowl add the cabbage, carrots, cilantro, juice of 1/2 a lime, sesame oil, maple syrup and a pinch of salt. With clean hands massage the ingredients together and place in the fridge to set.
- Place your tofu on it’s side on a cutting board and cut it into 3-4 equal slabs. This step is optional, but I like to diagonally score the top surface of the tofu, only scoring it about a 1/3 of the way through.
- Place the tofu into a shallow dish and drizzle with 2 tablespoons of tamari. Smash the stalks of lemongrass with the flat of your blade a few times then mince. Add 1 minced stalk of lemongrass on top of the tofu then squeeze the juice of half a lime on top. Allow that to marinade for about 10-15 minutes.
- In a separate shallow dish, whisk together the cornstarch, nutritional yeast, zest of half a lime, garlic and thyme together. Take the tofu slabs and dredge in the cornstarch mixture and set aside.
- Heat a large non-stick skillet with your oil over medium heat. When hot, place the tofu slabs in the pan score side down and sear for 5 minutes. Flip the tofu and cook for an additional 5 minutes or until both sides are golden.
- As the tofu cooks, whisk together 2 tablespoons of tamari, the maple syrup, and vegetable broth in a small bowl then set aside.
- Remove the tofu from the pan, then add the shallots and sauté for a minute. Add the remaining minced lemongrass and garlic, and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute. Lower the heat to low, then return the tofu cutlets to the pan and pour the sauce over the tofu. Allow the sauce to bubble in the pan. Flip the tofu in the pan to coat in the sauce then remove the pan from the stovetop.
- To assemble, portion the noodles and cabbage slaw between three bowls. Cut the tofu cutlet into strips then serve overtop the noodles. If you’d like more sauce to serve overtop, deglaze the pan with the lemongrass with 2-3 tbsp of water and stir well, then spoon that over the tofu.
Notes
Score the top of your tofu. I like to diagonally score the tofu slabs a 1/3 of the way through to allow more of the teriyaki sauce to adhere to the tofu. More ridges more places for the flavorful sauce to stick to.
Save time with the slaw by using pre-shredded veggies. This means less chopping for you and you can dump them straight to a bowl to begin the slaw making process right away.
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