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Painting With A Green Palate...100% Vegan & 80% Gluten-Free Cooking

Painting With A Green Palate...100% Vegan, & Gluten-Free Cooking

Easy Thai Pra Ram Tofu (Peanut Butter Sauce)

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Make your favorite Thai dishes at home, starting with this Pra Ram Tofu recipe! Whisk together a easy Thai peanut sauce and grab one-pot…20 minutes later and you have yourself a delicious healthy, vegan, gluten-free meal your entire family will love!

Pra Ram Tofu with Easy Thai Peanut Sauce! #vegan #glutenfree | vegetariangastronomy.com

It’s no surprise that one of my favorite cuisines is Thai food.  I was fortunate to have been introduced to Thai Food quite early in my life, with my parents frequently taking us our local Thai restaurants.  My mom even started to experiment with Thai flavors at home. From store-bought curry paste, to making her own from scratch, she soon had a few staple dishes under her belt and Thai food became a weekly rotation in our home.  She made curries, noodles, and appetizers with her own unique twist, but they always tasted delicious!

I owe my hand in cooking Thai food to my mom.   Even now, I frequently ask her how she created a sauce to achieve the perfect balance of Thai flavors in her dishes.  Even though we still love going out to eat at Thai restaurants, when you enjoy a cuisine that much, it’s nice to be able to easily recreate your favorites at home.  Also, I’ve been finding out that more and more Thai restaurants are unable to make a dish vegetarian or vegan (especially curries) due to the use of fish sauce and oyster sauce in their cooking.  And sometimes when they attempt to make the dishes vegan, the flavors can be off (especially for noodle dishes).

The key to cooking Thai food is finding the right balance of these 5 flavors:

Sour
Sweet
Salty
Spicy
Bitter

Knowing what ingredients contribute to these flavors, and experimenting with different combinations will allow you to create your own Thai dishes at home.  With a stocked pantry and few attempts at flavor combinations, you will learn how easy it is to cook Thai food. Whether it’s a quick stir-fry, eggplant dish, tofu dish, fried rice, spring rolls, or curry, this cuisine is a frequent go-to in our home.

So, if you’ve been wanting to try cooking Thai food at home, but are still skeptical on whether you can easily recreate your favorites without a recipe, don’t worry… that’s where I come in to help! Meet one of our FAVORITES, Easy Thai Pra Ram Tofu! This recipe is made up of a one-bowl easy Thai peanut sauce using peanut butter as the base. Simply pan-fry the tofu while you’re mixing all the sauce ingredients together, pour the peanut sauce over the tofu, add loads of fresh spinach, and cook for 5-10 minutes. The easy thai peanut sauce is quick to throw together and tastes similar to Thai Pra Ram at restaurants.  You can find all the ingredients at your local grocery store, it requires only one pan, and takes only 20 minutes to make.  Serve it over some cooked quinoa or brown rice and you have yourself a complete meal the entire family will love!

Pra Ram Tofu with Easy Thai Peanut Sauce! #vegan #glutenfree | vegetariangastronomy.com

This is also my husband’s go-to recipe when he makes dinner for the family.  He typically makes this dish for us at least once every 2 weeks and doubles or triples the recipe so we have enough leftovers for lunch the following day.

If you’re looking to start cooking Thai food, an easy tofu recipe or peanut sauce, a quick family meal, or another school lunch idea, this Easy Thai Pra Ram Tofu (Peanut Butter Sauce) recipe is the one to try! If you do, I would love to hear from you or see it on Facebook or Instagram, @vegetariangastronomy #vegetariangastronomy .

What’s your favorite Thai dish you’d like to re-create at home? Tell me in the comments below!

Pra Ram Tofu with Easy Thai Peanut Sauce! #vegan #glutenfree | vegetariangastronomy.com

5 from 10 votes
Pra Ram Tofu with Easy Thai Peanut Sauce! #vegan #glutenfree | vegetariangastronomy.com
Print
Easy Thai Pra Ram Tofu (Peanut Butter Sauce)
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
20 mins
Total Time
30 mins
 

Whisk together a easy Thai peanut sauce and grab one-pot…20 minutes later and you have yourself a delicious healthy, vegan, gluten-free meal your entire family will love!

Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Gluten-Free, Thai, Vegan
Keyword: peanut butter sauce, thai pra ram
Servings: 5 servings
Calories: 278 kcal
Author: Anjali Lalani
Ingredients
  • 1.5 cups fresh spinach leaves , roughly chopped
  • 14 oz firm tofu
For the Sauce:
  • 1/2 cup + 2 tbsp natural creamy peanut butter I used the natural one from Trader Joes, no added sugar
  • 3-4 teasp pure maple syrup
  • 1/4 cup rice vinegar
  • 2 tbsp fresh cilantro , finely chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic , minced
  • 1-2 tbsp tamari , or soy sauce
  • 1 teasp red crushed pepper
  • 1/4-1/2 cup warm water
US Customary - Metric
Instructions
To Prepare the Tofu.

  1. Cut the block of tofu in half. Place each half in 2 clean paper towels one at a time and gently press/squeeze to remove excess stored liquid (without breaking up the tofu).

  2. Cut the tofu into 1/2-inch cubes and pan fry on medium-high heat with 1 1/2 tbsp cooking oil. Mix and turn frequently until all the water is burned off and the tofu is lightly golden brown on most sides (be sure not to burn the tofu). If you find that the tofu is sticking to the pan, add a little more oil. Set aside.

  3. While the tofu is cooking, continue on to prepare the peanut sauce.
To Prepare Peanut Sauce.
  1. Whisk all the ingredients listed for peanut sauce, adding the warm water last. Combine with a spoon until the peanut butter is well blended.
  2. In a wok or large non-stick skillet, combine pan fried tofu, chopped spinach, and prepared peanut sauce. Mix together on low-medium heat for 5-10min until the spinach is slightly cooked and the tofu has time to marinate in the sauce.
  3. Be careful not to let the sauce simmer and start to thicken too much. You can stir in a small amount of water if needed.

  4. Serve hot over cooked rice, quinoa, or fresh spinach for a lighter version.

Recipe Notes

Gluten-Free - use San-J gluten-free tamari sauce.

Nutrition Facts
Easy Thai Pra Ram Tofu (Peanut Butter Sauce)
Amount Per Serving
Calories 278 Calories from Fat 171
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 19g 29%
Saturated Fat 3g 15%
Sodium 366mg 15%
Potassium 291mg 8%
Total Carbohydrates 12g 4%
Dietary Fiber 2g 8%
Sugars 5g
Protein 15g 30%
Vitamin A 19.5%
Vitamin C 3.7%
Calcium 13%
Iron 10.9%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Looking for more Easy Thai Recipes?

Make your favorite Thai dishes at home, starting with this Pra Ram Tofu recipe! Easy Thai peanut sauce, one-pot, and 20 minutes is all you need! #vegan #glutenfree | vegetariangastronomy.com

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Comments

  2. Tina P says

    August 28, 2014 at 10:50 PM

    I made this a few nights ago. It was super easy and tasted great with some rice. The sauce is just prefect over tofu. I didnt have cilantro but I threw in some basil and it was just fine. Also love that there is spinach in it for the kiddos along with the protein of the peanut butter!
    Reply

    • anjali says

      August 31, 2014 at 5:22 AM

      Everything you love about this dish is exactly why I love it so much! Thanks Tina, and glad you enjoyed it. It's a sauce to quickly whip up on any given night.
      Reply

  3. Arpita says

    February 4, 2015 at 11:54 PM

    Just finished making this and absolutely love the sauce! It's sweet and creamy and compliments the tofu so well. I added broccoli and some soba noodles and the whole dish just tastes perfect!
    Reply

    • anjali says

      February 6, 2015 at 2:27 AM

      Love hearing that! So glad you enjoyed the dish...The sauce is nice and creamy because of the peanut butter...and a great quick sauce to top over any veggies or tofu! I'll have to try them over noodles next time! Thanks again! And thanks for following and the comment!
      Reply

  4. Avani says

    February 13, 2016 at 7:28 AM

    Suggestions on what to do if you don't have rice vinegar? Don't want to buy it because I don't know when else I'll use ig
    Reply

    • anjali says

      February 13, 2016 at 3:29 PM

      The best substitute for rice vinegar is probably cider vinegar if you have that. The other ones (white vinegar or others) will leave you with a different taste. Do you have cider vinegar? They also have small bottles of rice vinegar available, and this dish is one of our favorites! I'm sure you will love it, in which case you'll use up that bottle of rice vinegar in no time (it stays well in the fridge for a long time). Let me know if you try it!
      Reply

  5. Ami V says

    February 26, 2016 at 4:25 PM

    I made this a couple of nights ago to take to work. Working 12 hour night shifts I usually don't have time to cook meals. I usually prepare a few dishes the night before. This was so easy to make and not time consuming at all. This is absolutely delicious...even a few of my coworkers who are not big fans of tofu loved it.
    Reply

    • anjali says

      February 28, 2016 at 8:02 AM

      Thanks Ami! So glad you enjoyed it...especially after a 12 hour shift I'm sure you just want to sit down to some good food! This is a staple in our house also and we love it every time! Thanks for trying it out!
      Reply

  7. Natalie | Feasting on Fruit says

    November 1, 2016 at 9:53 AM

    Another cuisine I am totally intimidated by making at home, but really enjoy eating out. And you just made it look/sound so easy! That's so true about the balance of all 5 flavors, no wonder Thai sauces are always so delicious. And it's a helpful simplified way to think about it too :)
    Reply

    • anjali says

      November 1, 2016 at 4:16 PM

      Super easy cuisine Natalie to cook at home. It's just a matter of stalking your pantry with a few ingredients and letting your taste buds go from there! Especially if thai food is one of your favorites...I have a few great recipes including my thai basil eggplant, garlic pepper tofu, etc. where the sauces are super easy. Hope you try it sometime at home! Thanks Natalie!
      Reply

  8. Reshana says

    November 1, 2016 at 12:13 PM

    This dish looks incredibky delcious! I must be honest here, I dont eat much thai food but everyone that i know, raves about it.. and i havent had much thai food anyway but i am going to change that :) I am actually going to Thailand for my honeymoon :) and i plan on trying authentic thai food so i cant wait for the experience.. I will be sure to take loads to pics of my food and share with you xx
    Reply

    • anjali says

      November 1, 2016 at 4:13 PM

      Oh wow! That's awesome Reshana! I went to Thailand awhile back with my husband...I totally have tons of recs if you want them! Just email me and i'll send you a few depending on where you are going. Especially if in chiang mai, i have a great elephant sanctuary you guys should book and visit where they don't harm elephants and are trying to create awareness...the food there is awesome too! Yes...you'll love thai food, most Indian people do =) Email me!
      Reply

    • anjali says

      November 1, 2016 at 4:14 PM

      yes!! We've done it over noodles as well and love the sauce! It's also a great dipping sauce! This is my husbands go-to so I leave it up to him =)
      Reply

    • anjali says

      November 7, 2016 at 4:00 PM

      I've actually used this sauce over noodles as well...and yes, the sauce itself is delicious. My favorite is in this dish especially served over cooked brown rice or quinoa so that it soaks up the sauce!
      Reply

    • anjali says

      November 7, 2016 at 3:57 PM

      I typically serve this over some cooked quinoa or brown rice to soak up some of the sauce, but i'm sure it'd go well with anything or even by itself! Let me know if you try it out!
      Reply

    • anjali says

      November 17, 2016 at 6:54 PM

      Ha that's ok! I figured it out :) Yes absolutely! We make double and even triple of this dish to serve leftovers the next day since my family loves it. Simply reheat in microwave or stovetop. If it gets too thick, just add a tiny bit of water to heat, but usually it's perfect as is once you heat it up so that the sauce gets mixed in again! Hopefully your son will LOVE it just as much as we do! Let me know! Another fav. of my kids is my Tofu Lettuce Wraps dish (I just tear up the pieces of lettuce in a bowl with the mix so it's mess-free for them). Happy thanksgiving!
      Reply

  22. Amee says

    January 2, 2017 at 9:59 PM

    Made this today for my mum who is visiting from London- loved it! It's fast, easy and delicious! I served this with spaghetti squash and to my surprise, the kids devoured it! Will definitely be making this again!
    Reply

    • anjali says

      January 4, 2017 at 10:40 AM

      So great to hear! This is one of my FAVORITE recipes! I've never thought to serve it with spaghetti squash, only quinoa or brown rice, but what a great idea to get more veggies in! Plus, I'm always down for any spaghetti squash dish. So glad you guys loved it. Another similar one-pot easy recipe is the tofu peanut lettuce wraps! you should definitely try them...I usually just piece in the lettuce for the kids so it's easier for them to eat! Thanks again Amee!
      Reply

    • anjali says

      January 13, 2017 at 9:50 AM

      That's so great to hear Avani! Thank you!! One of our favs also! You can even try the sauce over noodles and it's delicious. Try my lettuce wraps next time!
      Reply

    • anjali says

      January 31, 2017 at 4:23 PM

      Awesome to hear Cathy!! Especially since my family loves this recipe also...it's one of our go-to! Thanks so much for the comment and trying out the recipe!!
      Reply

    • anjali says

      April 20, 2017 at 1:21 PM

      I love sambal olek!! So glad you loved it! Thanks so much for trying it out and letting me know! Haha totally random but I'm enjoying this right now for lunch as I work =)
      Reply

  27. Gabrielle says

    May 1, 2017 at 1:41 PM

    Hi! Just wondering if you can substitute the peanut butter for some other nut butter (almond, cashew)?
    Reply

    • anjali says

      May 3, 2017 at 11:29 AM

      Yes absolutely! I've had a few readers sub in almond butter with great results! Let me know what you think! Cashew butter would also be great, just may need to adjust the sweetness a little since cashew butter is on the sweeter side!
      Reply

    • anjali says

      May 3, 2017 at 11:25 AM

      So awesome to hear! And thanks for sending me the picture of it...made my day! Another awesome favorite is my garlic pepper tofu or sweet chili lime tofu. They have some spice so you'll have to check if it's also for your kids. Or the Tofu Stir-Fry recipe is a go-to!
      Reply

  29. Kristen says

    July 24, 2017 at 4:29 PM

    Love this vegan thai option! Made this last night with my boyfriend (who's a meateater!) and we both loved it. Thanks for sharing :) Didn't have rice vinegar so subbed some apple cider vinegar. So easy to make!
    ★★★★★
    Reply

    • anjali says

      July 28, 2017 at 3:04 PM

      Oh awesome!! thank you for trying it and glad you guys loved it! Thai is a forte...try my tofu teriyaki, black pepper tofu, and thai basil eggplant next!
      Reply

  30. DonnaLouWho says

    July 27, 2017 at 4:15 AM

    Oh my...this recipe is amazing! My husband is in the "conversion" stage of going vegan so I've been trying to make recipes that have lots of flavor and voila...this one has been his favorite I've made so far. Thank you so much for sharing it with us!!
    ★★★★★
    Reply

    • anjali says

      July 28, 2017 at 3:03 PM

      Thank you for the great review! Glad you loved it! Please let me know if you have any other questions about going vegan...i went vegan about 5 years ago and feel like i have a great grasp on all the vegan products out there that taste great, and replacements for my non-vegan favorites! You can contact me or email me too!
      Reply

  32. Dean says

    September 4, 2017 at 6:06 PM

    Impressed! First recipe that I have made on the list of "25 Healthy Plant Based Recipe the whole family will love" and it did not disappoint. I did not have the chili flakes for this recipe so I bought some Thai Red Chili Paste. Unfortunately, that is a Anchovie/Fish Sauce based paste. It made the dish taste great but not vegan for sure.
    ★★★★★
    Reply

  33. Jasmine says

    October 6, 2017 at 8:58 PM

    This looks amazing and I can’t wait to try it! Do you have any recipes for a massaman curry that’s vegetarian? It’s one of my favourite dishes !!
    ★★★★★
    Reply

    • anjali says

      October 8, 2017 at 11:43 AM

      Thanks Jasmine! You'll LOVE this dish...it's one of my most popular recipes! I don't have a specific massaman curry recipe but i have a Red Thai Curry that's slightly on the sweeter side and DELICIOUS!! It's an old but amazing recipe. Here's the link for it Thai Red Curry . It uses a thai curry paste that i easily make at home and freeze for use when I need. Try it out you'll love it!
      Reply

  34. Heather says

    December 12, 2017 at 10:47 AM

    We are vegans. I made this a few nights ago with 14 ounces tofu and half the sauce (to save some calories). It was delicious with brown rice. I would have bought lite tofu if I found it and used that. It's a little on the caloric side but good for a not too frequent treat. It has a vegetable, protein, "good" fat and starch with the rice. Easy to make and the tofu browned well. I will make this again.
    ★★★★★
    Reply

    • anjali says

      December 13, 2017 at 12:29 PM

      Awesome glad you loved it Heather! Yes...that's exactly why i love it so much...vegetable, protein, good fat, and grains if you add in the rice or cooked quinoa! This dish is definitely over sauced, so i'm sure half the amount would've been fine as well. If you want another low calorie option, sometimes instead of serving it with a bed of rice, I serve it on top of even more fresh raw spinach and it tastes great! Thanks for the review...glad you liked it. Try the teriyaki tofu next!
      Reply

  35. Amanda says

    April 17, 2018 at 8:38 AM

    Do you know the calories and fat per serving on your dish? Would love to make it tonight but on a strict calorie intake. Thanks
    Reply

    • anjali says

      April 17, 2018 at 9:30 AM

      I just updated the recipe card to my new plugin that has an automatic nutrition calculator so the nutrition label is there now if you check again. Please note that there's no way for me to 100% verify the calculator and all the ingredients and their nutrition facts in their database, but it's as close as I can get. Also, I often serve this dish over a bed of fresh baby spinach leaves and love it (instead of rice or quinoa). let me know if you try it!
      Reply

  36. Cindy says

    April 23, 2018 at 5:50 PM

    My 16 year old and I have been having a standoff...he refuses to eat vegan anything...until tonight! He assumed it was chicken. I never said a word. He loved it! Thank you for this delicious recipe 👍
    ★★★★★
    Reply

    • anjali says

      April 25, 2018 at 12:24 PM

      You MADE my day!! I'm soo happy he loved the tofu dish, and a vegan dish! If he likes tofu, i've found that it's all about getting the right texture for the tofu and pan-frying or baking before marinating in some sauce! The garlic pepper tofu and chili lime tofu are another two of my favorites! also, if you like lasagna, try making my tofu basil ricotta and using that in lasagna...i bet he wouldn't even notice the difference! Thanks so much for the awesome review!
      Reply

  38. Richard says

    July 6, 2018 at 7:48 PM

    I had a taste for spinach with peanut sauce all day, and I was happy to find your recipe. It was so delicious! I used lite coconut milk in the peanut sauce, and I put the tofu in the air fryer for 5-minutes. This is a keeper!
    ★★★★★
    Reply

    • anjali says

      July 9, 2018 at 11:49 AM

      Awesome! So glad you loved it...I have yet to use an air fryer so I'm sure that turned out great. Yes this recipe will definitely satisfy your spinach and peanut sauce needs :) thanks for the comment!
      Reply

  39. Susan says

    July 26, 2018 at 4:55 AM

    I made this dish last night. I was nervous about the peanut butter. I like peanut butter, but I love it on everything. I was thrilled after we ate it. This dish feels like you are cheating on a diet. So rich it's decadent. Love it! Thank you for sharing it.
    ★★★★★
    Reply

  40. Jane says

    September 1, 2018 at 2:48 AM

    Delicious. I had kale in the fridge and used it instead of spinach. 1 & 3 yr olds loved it. Next time I’ll try it with baby corn & carrots. Thanks so much.
    ★★★★★
    Reply

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