Chipotle Red Pepper Tofu

I’m trying to build up my repertoire of published tofu recipes, and I knew this chipotle red pepper tofu had to make the list! It’s the perfect mixture of spicy, sweet, creamy and tangy, and it even gets a five star rating from my executive chef friend, which for me as a humble home-cook, is the highest honor. I have it on rotation in my kitchen often, which is credit to how delicious it is. I’m thinking about the leftovers as we speak!

I also love how unique this tofu is as a dinner recipe. It starts with crisping up your tofu, cooking down some vegetables, and then adding in your chipotle red pepper sauce and a heaping helping of coconut milk. It has a few special ingredients in the mix, but once you have them on hand, this turns into one of the simplest vegetarian dinners that I have on my blog! You can serve it with rice, flatbreads, or even by itself. This recipe calls for wild rice in the preparation, but even without it, it’s a fabulous weeknight tofu dinner recipe.

First, let’s talk about pan-frying the tofu

I used to hate crisping up tofu, but it makes such a difference in a recipe! I have a full guide on how to make crispy tofu here, but you really don’t need to be all that intense with this preparation.

The one huge misconception is that pan-frying tofu is an unhealthy preparation. But actually, when done right, it is one of the driest cooking methods out there! I start with 1/4 cup of oil for the tofu frying, and I usually only lose about 1 tbsp during the process. This is because I keep my pan at an even heat, only flip my tofu once, and don’t add it back in repeat batches. So crisp on with no fear, it’s very similar to baking your tofu in a drizzle of olive oil!

Ingredients you will need for this chipotle red pepper tofu

Making this chipotle red pepper tofu requires a few specialty ingredients you may not already have on hand, but once they’re in your pantry, you’ll be glad they are there. Here’s the full list:

• 1 cup uncooked wild rice
• 1 15 oz. pack of extra firm tofu
• 1 cup roasted red peppers, drained
• 1 chipotle pepper packed in adobo sauce, I like the La Morena brand
• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• 1 & 1/2 tbsp soy sauce
• 1/3 cup red wine vinegar
• 1/2 13 oz. can of coconut milk
• 1 medium yellow onion
• 3 large carrots
• 1/4 cup avocado oil
• 6-7 sprigs cilantro, for garnish

Let’s talk a bit about chipotle peppers in adobo sauce

If you’ve never cooked with chipotle peppers in adobo sauce before, you’re in for a real treat. This one ingredient quickly elevates the flavor profile of whatever you add them to, bringing a complex combination of smokey, sweet, and slightly spicy flavors all at once.

Commonly used in Mexican cuisine, chipotle peppers in adobo sauce are smoked jalapeños marinated and preserved in a sauce made from tomatoes, garlic, vinegar, and spices. While the specific spices used will vary, generally several kinds of peppers, cumin, and oregano are included in the ingredients list. My favorite brand to use is La Morena, but you may find other brands at your local grocery store and they’ll work just as well.

Since these peppers come in a small can, you may be tempted to use more than this recipe calls for to finish them quickly, but proceed with caution. The adobo sauce is slightly sweet and smokey—almost giving barbecue vibes—but the heat really can sneak up on you. One pepper is a comfortable heat for most, especially once the coconut milk is added, but adding too many more might be overkill. Just a warning.

How to prepare this easy tofu dinner

The best thing about this recipe, aside from how delicious it is, is that it’s both fast and easy to make. Here’s what you do.

First, make your rice. Add the wild rice to a rice cooker or pot and cook per package instructions.

Next, prepare your tofu. Drain and lightly press any moisture out with a paper towel. Cut it into 1″ thick triangles—I like to do this by cutting it into six slices horizontally, cutting those rectangle slices into two squares, and then slicing those squares in half to create triangles. Spread the tofu out evenly on a paper towel-lined cutting board or baking sheet, cover with paper towels and another cutting board or baking sheet. Lightly press out any moisture and set this aside. The tofu will continue to drain as you prepare the other ingredients.

In a small blender, add the roasted red peppers, chipotle pepper, brown sugar, soy sauce, and red wine vinegar. Blend until smooth. Taste and adjust, if it’s too hot for you, add another tablespoon of brown sugar and soy sauce. Blend and taste again, but know that the sauce will later be diluted with coconut milk, so a little heat is ok!

Finely slice the yellow onion. Peel the carrots, discard the outside peel, and continue to peel the carrot into strips, see blog post for reference.

Put a high-sided sauté pan on medium heat. Add in the 1/4 cup of avocado oil. Uncover the tofu and pan-fry for 4 minutes on each side, or until the tofu is crisp and golden. Do this in batches and set the tofu aside, it should take about 3 rounds of cooking.

Using the oil remaining in the pan, add in the onion and cook for 3-4 minutes to let it soften. Season with a pinch of kosher salt. Cook another 2-3 minutes and then add in the carrots. Cook, stirring often, to let the carrots soften slightly, another 2 minutes.

Pour in the chipotle sauce. Stir to coat the onion and carrots. Add in the coconut milk and stir to create a bright orange, creamy sauce. Cook another 2-3 minutes to let everything combine.

Add in the tofu and stir to get everything coated and combined. This is just to marry the ingredients together, no need to let it simmer or reduce! Remove the pan from the heat.

Serving suggestions for this chipotle red pepper tofu

By the time you finish cooking the tofu, sauce, and veggies, the rice should be ready for serving.

To serve, just add a scoop of rice to each plate, then pile the tofu and sauce on top. Tear up a few sprigs of cilantro to add to each bowl, and give each serving a lime wedge for squeezing.

Serve warm!

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And that’s it for this chipotle red pepper tofu! Here’s to many more tofu recipes on the blog soon!

If you make it, please tag me on Pinterest or Instagram so I can see! It’s my favorite thing to scroll through stories and see what you all are making.

And of course feel free to leave any questions, comments or reviews! This is the best place to reach me, and I’d love to hear from you.