Vegan Sweet Chili Tofu Cups (Printable)

Crispy sweet chili tofu in lettuce leaves with vibrant shredded veggie slaw, perfect for a light, colorful meal.

# What You Need:

→ Tofu

01 - 14 oz firm tofu, pressed and cubed
02 - 2 tablespoons cornstarch
03 - 1 tablespoon neutral oil

→ Sweet Chili Glaze

04 - 1/3 cup vegan sweet chili sauce
05 - 1 tablespoon soy sauce or tamari
06 - 1 teaspoon rice vinegar
07 - 1 teaspoon sesame oil

→ Veggie Slaw

08 - 1 cup red cabbage, finely shredded
09 - 1 cup carrot, julienned or grated
10 - 1/2 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
11 - 2 green onions, thinly sliced
12 - 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
13 - 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
14 - 1 teaspoon maple syrup or agave
15 - 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
16 - Pinch of salt

→ For Serving

17 - 12 large butter or romaine lettuce leaves
18 - 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
19 - Lime wedges

# How-To Steps:

01 - Pat tofu dry with paper towels and cut into bite-sized cubes. Toss cubes gently with cornstarch until evenly coated.
02 - Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add tofu cubes and cook, turning occasionally, until golden and crispy on all sides, approximately 8 to 10 minutes.
03 - While tofu cooks, whisk together sweet chili sauce, soy sauce or tamari, rice vinegar, and sesame oil in a small bowl until well combined.
04 - In a large bowl, combine red cabbage, carrot, bell pepper, green onions, cilantro, rice vinegar, maple syrup or agave, sesame oil, and salt. Toss thoroughly to coat and set aside.
05 - Once tofu is crisp, reduce heat to medium. Pour sweet chili glaze into the skillet, stirring to coat tofu evenly. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes until sauce thickens and tofu develops a glossy finish.
06 - Lay out lettuce leaves on a serving platter. Add a generous spoonful of veggie slaw to each leaf, top with sweet chili tofu, and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Serve immediately with lime wedges.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • These come together faster than you'd think, making them perfect for weeknight dinners when you want something that tastes like you tried harder than you actually did.
  • The contrast between crispy tofu, cool lettuce, and crunchy slaw creates this textural experience that somehow feels more exciting than traditional cooked meals.
  • They're naturally vegan and gluten-free, which means you can serve them to almost anyone without stress or substitutions.
02 -
  • Pressing tofu really isn't optional if you want crispiness, and it takes maybe ten minutes of hands-off time that's genuinely worth investing.
  • Assemble these right before eating because the lettuce will start to wilt and the slaw will continue releasing moisture, so timing matters more than it seems like it should.
03 -
  • Toast your sesame seeds in a dry skillet for a minute before sprinkling them on top, because the flavor difference between raw and toasted is genuinely significant and totally worth the thirty seconds of effort.
  • If your sweet chili sauce is too thick, thin it with a tiny splash of water or rice vinegar before mixing it with the soy sauce, because you want something that coats the tofu, not something that clumps.
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