This Post May Contain Affiliate Links. Please Read Our Disclosure Policy.
Inspired by a famous dish at a beloved local Vietnamese restaurant, this lemongrass tofu is rich with flavor and is one of my family’s very favorite ways to eat tofu. Made with fresh lemongrass or lemongrass paste, chiles, and fish sauce, this savory dish is delicious!
What Makes This Recipe So Good
- There’s this famous little Vietnamese joint in midtown Memphis called Pho Hoa Binh, which offers a cheap and painfully delicious (and equally generous) buffet for lunch. Their lemongrass tofu is known city-wide as being one of the most delicious things, ever. This recipe successfully recreates that incredible dish right in the comfort of your kitchen.
- This recipe is full of aromatic lemongrass and pungent onion and garlic, and fiery with Thai red chili peppers! Seriously, this stuff is hot. You can reduce the amount in the recipe, but I really enjoyed how intense the slow burn was.
- A touch of agave gives the lemongrass tofu this sweetness that compliments the saltiness of the fish sauce and soy sauce and the heat of the peppers and chili flakes in this mouth-watering, mind-blowing way that you just can’t get enough of. It’s the ultimate sweet-meets-salty dish.
Key Ingredients
Tofu – Both firm and extra-firm will work well here, so use your favorite!
Lemongrass Stalks – Not only does lemongrass taste amazing, it’s good for you, too! It’s full of antioxidants, and it’s anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, and anti-fungal. If you can’t find lemongrass stalks, you could try using powdered lemongrass instead. I’d start with 2 ½ tablespoons and adjust from there as needed. Lemongrass paste would also work – use roughly 1 teaspoon paste in place of 1 lemongrass stalk.
Thai Red Chili Peppers – If you’re new to red chili peppers, definitely cut the quantity you use at first. They’re much hotter than peppers like jalapeños, and it’s not easy to walk that heat back if you use too much. You can always add more, though!
Fish Sauce – If you’re vegan or vegetarian, skip the fish sauce and use extra soy sauce in its place.
Chef’s Tips
- Make sure to drain your tofu for at least 30 minutes prior to cooking, so you get the perfect lemongrass tofu texture. Wrap the block of tofu in a paper towel and set a heavy frying pan on top of it to press out as much excess liquid as possible.
- You can totally enjoy lemongrass tofu all on its own, but a simple helping of steamed rice compliments it nicely. Noodles would also work, or you could do some stir-fried veggies.
- Both the fish sauce and the soy sauce are salty, so if you’re sensitive to salt, use less than the recipe calls for and add more to taste. I’m a huge lover of all things salty, so I tend to be really heavy handed with my fish sauce, using even more than the 2 teaspoons called for here. I know that doesn’t work for everyone, though!
Love Tofu? Try These Recipes Next!
- Vegan Fried “Chicken” (Made with Tofu)
- Crispy Baked Tofu
- Tofu and Broccoli
- Delicious Baked Tofu
- Air Fryer Tofu
- Tofu Sofritas Bowl
Lemongrass Tofu
Equipment
- Large bowl
- Large non-stick skillet
- Plate
- Paper towels
Ingredients
- 2 stalks lemongrass finely minced
- 2 teaspoons fish sauce
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce
- 2 Thai red chili peppers chopped, see Notes
- ¼ teaspoon dried red chili flakes
- ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
- 2 teaspoons agave
- 1 large pinch salt use more or less to taste
- 1 pound firm or extra-firm tofu cubed
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil or other neutral oil, divided
- ½ of one onion sliced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- ¼ cup chopped peanuts divided
- 1 cup steamed rice optional, to serve
- 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro optional, for garnish
Instructions
- In large bowl, combine lemongrass, fish sauce, soy sauce, diced chili peppers, chili flakes, ground turmeric, agave, and salt. Once combined, add cubed tofu and stir to coat tofu evenly. Set aside and let tofu marinate in mixture for 30 minutes.
- Heat 1 tablespoon oil in large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic to hot oil and stir until fragrant, approximately 1 minute. Reduce to low heat and cook until onions are soft, approximately 3 minutes. Transfer onions and garlic to plate and keep warm.
- Quickly wipe out skillet with paper towels. Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil to skillet and heat over medium heat. Once oil is hot, add tofu and marinade to skillet. Turn tofu regularly to ensure cubes cook evenly on all sides, cooking approximately 4 to 5 minutes.
- Return onions and garlic to skillet. Cook, uncovered, 2 to 3 minutes, then add ⅛ cup (2 tablespoons) chopped peanuts to skillet. Stir to incorporate.
- Portion lemongrass tofu into serving bowls over steamed rice (optional) and garnish with remaining peanuts and chopped cilantro (optional).
- The Thai red chili peppers are really hot, especially if you’re not used to them, so feel free to lower the quantity used. You can always add more if you need more kick.
- Make it Vegetarian/Vegan: Skip the fish sauce and use additional soy sauce in its place.
Approximate Information for One Serving
Nutrition Disclaimers
Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.
Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.
To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.
Did You Make This Recipe?
Tag @40aprons on Instagram and be sure to leave a review on the blog post!
Never Miss A Meal!
New Recipes Straight To Your Inbox
A curated selection of our most recent recipes, delivered straight to your inbox once a week.
Leave A Review
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
Oh my, this looks absolutely DELICIOUS!!!!! I am drooling from across the world for this one. Even though I am currently visiting Thailand, the photos and recipe still makes me hungry. 🙂
P.S. You are such a wonderful friend for doing all that. I bet those cupcakes were gone in no time 🙂
That’s pretty much the best compliment ever!! Thanks Pang!
This dish is stunning! I love lemongrass. Can’t wait to try this out!
Thanks! I love it too. Hope you try it and love it!
This lemongrass tofu looks amazing and simple to make! I’ve always been hesitant to cook tofu at home, but am planning to try this. Pinned! Glad you are back!
Thanks Mira! And we used to eat tofu like 4 times a week.. soooo good. Especially this recipe! So aromatic and spicy – fiery at its best! I hope you try it!
Good Grief, Cheryl! Welcome home! You’ve been all over the place, smuggling your sweet treats across the boarder! I’m sure the cuppies received rave reviews… So glad you’re back! I missed you for sure. I love how you were able to recreate a favorite recipe – a triumph, indeed! How did you celebrate!? I can’t wait to try this… tofu in the freezer, lemon grass… well, I have a few places in mind that might have it.. I’ll be on the lookout! Is the thai red chili dried or fresh? Thank you for this wonderful dish!
Ha! Traci, you’re the best. And pretty sure I celebrated by basically eating the entire dish.. soooo much tofuuuu.. ha! And I used fresh red chili, and it was so painfully and beautifully spicy. Yum! Thanks as always, Traci!
This looks and sounds delicious. Any idea if subbing powdered lemongrass would work and, if so, the approximate measurements? I always find it kind of difficult to find lemongrass in the supermarkets near me, so I’ve got powdered dried in the cupboard…
I would think that would work, yes! I’d try reconstituting some in water and using aboooooout.. 2 1/2 – 3 tablespoons. Maybe start with 2 1/2 and go from there! Let me know how that works for you.. hope you love it. Thanks Rachael!
wow, I think I have found another way to enjoy tofu – with lemongrass! looks incredible and your pictures are stunning!
Thanks Manali! It really is tasty, and such a great, slightly different way to make tofu. But then again, I usually fry it up and make gravy to smother it with.. we’re in the South, baby! Hahah 🙂
How GORGEOUS is this tofu!?! I love it! I have never cooked with lemon grass before but after seeing this recipe it looks like I need to 🙂 Hope you had a blast at the baby shower!! I am sure your muffins were a hit!!!
Lemongrass is so incredible! Truly adds such a perfect aromatic quality to any dish – hope you make this! And yes, the baby shower was awesome! I made like 50 cupcakes and we only had room for about 16, so, as always, I overdid it a little. But isn’t that what makes it fun?! Thanks Ceara!
My boyfriend is a huge fan of homemade stir fries and tofu. Totally emailing this to him right now. You know, so he can make it for me. Score!
Um, I wish emailing my husband recipes worked.. he’d just be like, “looks great, make it tomorrow.” Ha! Hope he does make it and you guys love it 🙂
This is an absolutely stunning dish and mouthwatering recipe! I love turmeric in South Asian inspired recipes. I’ve been trying to grow my own lemongrass, so perhaps if I succeed I will have to make this! I have had mango lemongrass tofu on my list of recipe ideas for a while but it just hasn’t come to fruition yet. Oh also – a Vietnamese lunch buffet? That might sound even better than the vegetarian southern food buffet…
The Vietnamese lunch buffet is basically the greatest thing *of all time*. No hyperbole there, either. You’re growing lemongrass?! You amaze me! I can’t even grow succulents.. it’s a major sadness. And yes to turmeric! I pretty much love everything about it – talk about wonder root, eh? Thanks Shannon!
Happy you’re back – and with a show stopper! This tofu looks absolutely delicious. Loving the colour of it too 🙂