Any dish with the word ‘peanut’ in it is guaranteed to pique my interest. In case there are others out there like me, I thought I’d post an easy recipe for low FODMAP peanut tofu. It’s a simple recipe that combines the best elements of my low FODMAP chilli oil noodles with, you guessed it, peanut butter. Serve it with some rice and Asian greens and you have yourself a simple and delicious meal.
Low FODMAP peanut tofu
This peanut tofu is comprised of two simple components. First, we pan fry some firm tofu for golden, crispy edges. Personally, I like to use frozen and defrosted tofu for that spongy, chewy texture.
Second, we cook up a simple mix of ginger, spring onion greens, chilli flakes and oil. Once fragrant, we add in some Tamari, rice vinegar and maple syrup to add flavour and complexity. Finally, the most important ingredient: peanut butter. I like to use smooth peanut butter here, and natural (no sugar added). Bonus points if you can get dark roasted.
In terms of dietaries: this easy low FODMAP peanut tofu is gluten free, low FODMAP and vegan.
Recipe notes for your low FODMAP peanut tofu
You could probably skip this step, but I like to pan fry my tofu cubes prior to tossing them in the peanut sauce. This gives them a crunchy, textured outer edge which holds up nicely in the rich peanut butter sauce.
Another optional step is freezing and then defrosting the tofu. This gives the tofu a spongy, meaty texture and expels excess liquid from the tofu itself, making it lighter.
I like to keep a few blocks of tofu in the freezer for when the mood strikes. The best method for defrosting I have found is to remove the packaging and boil the tofu in salted water. Not only does this add flavour, it also furthers the spongy texture. Another bonus: it’s also the quickest way to defrost your frozen tofu.
The peanut sauce might look a little seized up to begin with. Add water to suit/make a smooth-ish sauce before adding the tofu.
FODMAP notes for your peanut tofu
First off, the peanut butter. Peanut butter has a low FODMAP threshold of 50g or 2 tablespoons per serve. US brands of peanut butter (whether this is some brands or all brands, they don’t say) are low FODMAP in 32g serves.
Monash currently doesn’t have upper limits for peanut butter on their app. Previously, they specified that peanut butter became moderate in fructose in 140g serves.
Firm tofu is low FODMAP in 170g serves per person, according to Monash.
This recipe uses spring onion greens as opposed to whites to keep the FODMAP content down. Spring onion greens are low FODMAP in 75g serves. In serves of 97g or more, they contain moderate amounts of fructose.
Ingredient notes for your low FODMAP peanut tofu
I use smooth, natural peanut butter for this recipe (and all my peanut butter recipes). There’s no need for peanut butter to contain anything other than peanuts and salt. Dark roasted is delicious if you can find it.
Tamari and gluten free soy sauce (dark or light) are suitable here. The recipe only contains 1 tablespoon, so despite their differing salinities it should not make the dish overly salty.
If you are catering to sesame allergies or don’t have/enjoy sesame seeds, omit them. They’re a bonus but not required.
Personally, I use Korean red chilli flakes for all my recipes. They have a light, floral spice that is much less abrasive than regular chilli flakes. I buy a large pack at my local Asian grocer and it lasts me a solid year (I’m a chilli wimp). Because Korean chilli flakes are less spicy than regular ones, you’ll need to use less if you use regular chilli flakes (or at least to taste).
Substitution options
As above: omit the sesame seeds for any sesame allergies.
On the contrary, though: you could try using tahini instead of peanut butter for a twist or to cater to peanut allergies.
If you have black rice vinegar or hand, you can use that to taste instead of white rice vinegar.
For those who don’t have Korean red chilli flakes, you can use whatever variety you have on hand (even chopped red chilli). Be sure to add them to taste, though. If you are low FODMAP, check the Monash app to ensure you are staying within low FODMAP serves.
Serving suggestions
As you can see, I have served my low FODMAP peanut tofu with chopped peanuts, chopped coriander, white rice and stir fried Asian greens. This is my ideal dinner: simple, quick and works well for my digestive system.
You can serve your tofu with whatever you prefer. I daresay it would go well in my gluten free bao bun recipe, but the sky is the limit really.
More low FODMAP vegan recipes
- Low FODMAP vegan tofu bolognese
- Easy sweet and sticky ginger tofu
- Low FODMAP vegan Vietnamese coleslaw with tofu
- Vegan lemon tofu
- Low FODMAP chilli oil tofu
Low FODMAP peanut tofu
Ingredients
For the tofu:
- 20-40 ml (1-2 tablespoons)* neutral oil for pan frying the tofu (optional)
- 500 g firm tofu ideally frozen the night before then boiled, see notes cubed into bite sized pieces
- 20-40 ml (1-2 tablespoons)* neutral oil see notes
- 50g spring onion greens washed and finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon (4 US, NZ and Canadian teaspoons) freshly micro-planed ginger
- 5 makrut lime leaves stems removed and finely chopped
- 2 teaspoons sesame seeds optional, see notes
- 2 teaspoons Korean red chilli flakes see notes
- 20 ml (1 tablespoon)* Tamari or gluten free dark soy sauce
- 20 ml (1 tablespoon)* white rice vinegar
- 20 ml (1 tablespoon)* maple syrup
- 40-60 ml (2-3 tablespoons)* smooth natural peanut butter
- Salt and pepper as necessary and to taste
- Water to thin the sauce to your desired consistency
To serve:
- Chopped toasted peanuts optional
- Chopped coriander or extra spring onion greens optional
Instructions
- As the optional first step, heat a large skillet or frypan over a medium heat. Once hot, add the cubed tofu in 2 batches and cook on all sides until golden. Repeat with the remaining batch.
- In a different pan, heat the oil over a low-medium heat. Add the spring onion greens, ginger, lime leaves, sesame seeds and chilli flakes. Cook for 3-5 minutes until soft and fragrant. Add a splash of water if it begins to stick or looks too dry.
- Take the mixture off the heat and stir in the remaining ingredients. The sauce will look thick and might begin to seize when you stir in the peanut butter, but don’t worry. Add water until it thins to your desired consistency and then stir through the cubed tofu. Garnish with the optional toppings and serve.
Notes
- Pan frying the cubed tofu is optional but adds texture and a nice contrast to the soft inner tofu cubes.
- See the notes in the body of the post on freezing and boiling tofu. It’s optional, but it creates a lovely airy texture.
- You can use 1 tablespoon oil and the rest water to fry the aromatic ingredients in this dish if you want to keep the oil content down.
- The sesame seeds are optional and can be removed for a sesame free dish.
My first full FODMAP friendly meal since being put on this diet. It’s so full of flavour and super easy to make. I used crunchy peanut butter (because I was hungry and that’s all I had!) and it makes it crunchy and fun. This meal has made me happy. Thanks!