Lemongrass Tofu

Lemongrass tofu is a popular Vietnamese side dish that is an easy and delicious way to enjoy tofu. With a few simple yet punchy ingredients, you can transform a plain block of bland tofu into something quite remarkable.

Serve it with rice, noodles, or a salad, add it to a curry, or to a noodle bowl. This Vietnamese lemongrass tofu recipe will be yet another reason to love the versatility of tofu!

How long should I marinate the tofu?

For this recipe, marinate the tofu for at least 1 hour and up to 24 hours before use. The longer you leave it, the bolder the flavours will be.

Lemongrass tofu recipes that I’ve seen are generally not marinated before being pan-fried. I have tried both methods, and I find that marinating first deepens the flavour, and gives you a tastier overall dish.

Yes, it’s more time-consuming, but the results are worth it. You can prepare it the night before and let it sit in your refrigerator until you’re ready to use it.

I wouldn’t recommend using fried tofu or tofu puffs for this recipe, as the skin formed on the outside won’t let the flavour penetrate as well as a raw one.

The best tofu to use for this recipe

Here’s an example of the two types of tofu I generally buy (unless I need silken tofu for something) – medium-firm or firm. You can see that the one on the left is softer and will melt in your mouth rather than be chewy. The one on the right is great for so many other uses. It’s perfect for shaving, on skewers, or in curries. It holds its shape better and is generally the more popular option.

The tofu we’re using for this recipe, however, hasn’t had all the liquid pressed out of it, so it is lighter and bouncier. Once it’s infused with aromatics, it turns into a flavour sensation.

How to trim and prepare lemongrass

Lemongrass can be a little intimidating. So, to give you some reassurance and confidence that you’ll get this right, here are a few things to remember when using it.

The stalk’s soft, inner, white part will be used for the marinade. The rest is super hard and fibrous and not ideal for eating. It’s great added to stock or used in tea with some fresh ginger.

Cut down the lemongrass to about a 3-4 inch long piece. This part has the most flavour and is softer than the rest. Trim off the hard base and peel back a layer or two, which is pretty tough and woody.

Now all you have to do is chop it finely (essentially mince it as fine as you can) and add it to the other ingredients with the marinade. If you’re finding it hard to cut, you haven’t trimmed it back enough.

Tips for making this lemongrass tofu recipe

• Tofu Firmness: Use medium-firm tofu, not firm or extra firm, as the texture and overall flavour won’t be the same.
• Fresh is Best: Use fresh lemongrass, chilli, and garlic for the best results. The jarred product won’t yield the same delicious flavour.
• Equipment Suggestions: You can use a mortar and pestle, a small food processor, or chop it all finely by hand. I find that I get the best results with the latter two. I like some small chunks in the tofu marinade, but if you want to create more of a paste, use the mortar and pestle method. You will still have to chop it before turning it into a paste to speed up the process.
• Marination Time: The longer you leave it to marinade, the more intense the flavour. I like to leave it for at least two hours.
• Be Gentle: Toss the tofu gently when covering it with the marinade and pan-frying. Don’t be rough with it, as the tofu will fall apart.
• Size of Tofu Pieces: The smaller the pieces of tofu, the more flavour will go into it. Each piece will become a flavour bomb.
• Lemongrass: If you struggle to find lemongrass and manage to get some, buy a few stalks of it and freeze some. Chop it up finely and keep it handy whenever you want to use it at a later date. Want other uses for lemongrass? Try my laksa recipe!

What can you serve with lemongrass tofu?

It can be used in so many different ways. Here are a few suggestions:

• Curries
• Stir fry
• Spring rolls or rice paper rolls
• Tossed through a salad
• Part of a Buddha bowl
• In a laksa
• With rice noodles
• Fried or plain rice
• Vietnamese noodle salad bowl (bún chay)

Other recipes you’ll love:

1. Vegan Noodle Bowl (Gluten-Free)
2. Summer Kelp Noodle Salad
3. Vegan Gado Gado (Indonesian Salad with Peanut Sauce)
4. Vegan Laksa
5. 30-Minute Vegan Buddha Bowls (Three Ways)
6. Vegan Yaki Udon

If you try this recipe, let me know. We’d love for you to leave a comment and rating below. If you want to go that extra mile, tag us on Instagram or share your photo of the recipe on Pinterest. 

Print