One of my first “viral” recipes back was Coconut Chicken with Sweet Chili Dipping Sauce back in 2010. I was about to remake that recipe and give it the beautiful photographs that it deserves (and maybe upgrade the recipe since I’ve learned a thing or two) when I realized that I had a block of tofu in the fridge that needed to be used up. I immediately knew that I had to make some coconut crusted tofu instead. I’m so happy I did! These cute little coconut crusted tofu triangles are not only good for dipping in the sweet chili sauce as a snack, but I ended up throwing them together with a few other leftovers in my fridge for a seriously epic bowl meal. NOM!
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To Marinate or Not to Marinate Your Tofu
The first time I tested this recipe I marinated half of the tofu in a basic teriyaki-like mixture and left the other half unmarinated. If you know tofu then you know it has virtually no flavor on its own, so marinating is usually pretty important. As it turns out, I actually preferred the unmarinated tofu for this recipe. The marinade totally overpowered the subtle coconut flavors and made them undetectable.
The unmarinated tofu had a subtle sweetness and coconut flavor that was the perfect base for the tangy sweet chili sauce. The marinated tofu just had too much going on. So, just know that on their own these little coconut crusted tofu triangles are pretty subtle, but paired with the chili sauce they’re absolutely perfect.
Want to try making your own Sweet Chili Sauce? Check out my Easy Sweet Chili Sauce Recipe!
Coconut Crusted Tofu with Sweet Chili Dipping Sauce
Servings 4 3 pieces eachIngredients
- 14oz. block extra firm tofu ($1.99)
- 1 large egg ($0.27)
- 2 Tbsp cornstarch ($0.08)
- 1 Tbsp water ($0.00)
- Pinch Salt and pepper ($0.03)
- 1 cup unsweetened coconut flakes ($1.57)
- 2 Tbsp virgin coconut oil* ($0.05)
- 3 oz sweet chili sauce, for dipping
Instructions
- Remove the tofu from the liquid filled package and place it between multiple layers of paper towel or a clean, lint-free dish towel. Place the wrapped tofu between two plates, cutting boards, or baking sheets and place something heavy on top (I use a kettle or pot full of water). Press the tofu for 30 minutes.
- Once the tofu has been pressed, cut the block in half. Cut each piece into three 1/4-inch thick rectangles (cut the “thickness” of the block into three). Cut each rectangle into two triangles. You should now have 12 1/4-inch thick triangles.
- Prepare two bowls for the coconut crust. In the first bowl whisk together the egg, cornstarch, water, and a pinch of salt and pepper until a smooth mixture forms. Place the unsweetened coconut in the second bowl.
- Dip each tofu triangle into the egg mixture first, making sure it is fully coated, then into the coconut flakes. Place the coconut coated triangles on the cutting board until all pieces are coated.
- Heat one tablespoon of the coconut oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat. Once the skillet and oil are hot, add half of the coconut coated tofu triangles and cook on each side until brown and crispy. Remove the cooked tofu to a paper towel lined plate, add more coconut oil, and cook the second batch.
- Serve the crispy coconut crusted tofu with sweet chili sauce for dipping.
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Notes
Nutrition
Have you tried this recipe?Mention @budgetbytes or tag #budgetbytes on Instagram!How to Make Coconut Crusted Tofu – Step by Step Photos
This is the tofu that I used. It’s packed in water and acts kind of like a sponge, so you need to press it before cooking it. TIP: Trader Joe’s usually has tofu for super cheap.
To press the tofu, take it out of the package and place it between multiple layers of paper towel or a clean, lint-free dish towel (I prefer a dish towel because I hate wasting those paper towels). Place the wrapped tofu between two rigid flat objects (plates, cutting boards, baking sheets, etc.). Place something heavy on top, like a pot or kettle full of water. I used two baking sheets and my tea kettle full of water to press. Press the tofu for at least 30 minutes.
You want the tofu triangles to be fairly thin, so we’ll need to slice the block into three thinner pieces. It’s kind of hard to tell from the photo, but I first cut the block into two smaller pieces to make cutting them evenly a bit easier. Then I cut each of the two pieces into three thinner 1/4-thick pieces (the piece on the left is turned to sit on its side so you can see how I sliced the thickness of the block into three).
After that you should have 6 rectangles. Cut each rectangle into two triangles.
Prepare two bowls for dipping the tofu. In the first bowl, whisk together 1 large egg, 2 Tbsp cornstarch, 1 Tbsp water, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Place 1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut in the second bowl. Dip each piece of tofu into the egg mixture first, then into the coconut. Place the coated triangles on a cutting board until they’re all coated.
This is the coconut oil that I used. It has a super coconutty flavor, which adds to the flavor of the tofu triangles. You can use regular cooking oil, but you won’t have as much coconut flavor. When shopping for your coconut oil, try to get “virgin” because it will be more likely to have a strong coconut flavor than a refined coconut oil.
Place one tablespoon of the coconut oil in a large non-stick skillet and heat over medium. Once the skillet and oil are hot, add half of the tofu triangles and cook them on each side until they are brown and crispy (3-5 minutes each side).
Place the cooked tofu on a paper towel lined plate to drain. Add more coconut oil to the skillet and cook the second batch in the same manner.
Serve the crispy coconut crusted tofu with sweet chili sauce for dipping!
This is the sweet chili sauce that I use. You can find it at most major supermarkets. If you can make it to an Asian grocer, you can probably find it for MUCH cheaper.
I had some leftover rice and avocado in my fridge, so I ended up building this super yummy bowl meal with my coconut crusted tofu! It’s just rice, the tofu, avocado, red bell pepper, and sweet chili sauce drizzled over top.
As with anything fried, leftovers don’t stay crispy, but they’re still super delish. I reheated a few triangles today as a snack by placing them in a dry skillet (they have enough oil soaked into the crust) and heating them for a few minutes on each side. Still so good!
I used sweetened coconut because that’s all I had on hand, and it was delicious! I also froze and thawed my tofu three times in the days prior to create a “meatier” texture. What a delightful meal.
I actually found this ok but bland. I know Beth said that a marinade overpowered the dish but that’s what I will try next time. Maybe if I had a side that was really spicy and flavorful, it would have been better. But alas, we are it with plain white rice.
Has anyone ever tried air frying this?
Loved it! Bought sweetened coconut flakes accidentally, but I think I probably would like it better this way instead of unsweetened (sweet tooth).
This was so delicious! I made this and the coconut chicken tenders recipe for dinner because we have both vegetarians and omnivores in our house. Hands down, it was the best thing I have made in a while. Thank you for your awesome website with easy to follow recipes that taste great!
Not sure if somebody has already suggested this, but “flax egg” would almost certainly work as a vegan binder for anyone who didn’t have aquafaba on hand. It’s simple to make and consists of just ground flaxseed and water. Minimalist baker has a recipe that will make one egg worth; probably just enough for this recipe.
Could you use bread crumbs or panko instead of coconut?
Yes, but it won’t have as much flavor.
What about adding additional spices to it such as chili flakes?
How would you suggest I prep this for a party? I don’t want to be cooking in front of my guests. Could I bake it?
You definitely won’t get the same crispyness if you bake as you would frying. This dish is definitely best when eaten right away, so I’m not sure it’s a good option for cook-ahead party food.
This is delicious! To veganise i only used water salt and pepper and cornflour. No issue with the coconut sticking. I did cut it into bite size pieces though so probably a thinner coat but still good tofu to coconut ratio
Delicious! I ended up using just sriracha as a dip (to cut down on the carbs) and was perfectly satisfied by it. Very spicy, haha .
Love your recipes as always! I made this yesterday using chickpea aquafaba and although it turned out great, the coconut did not stick as well to the tofu as I would have liked, maybe would next time try not adding the cornstarch to the egg. The Sweet Chili sauce really makes the meal complete I found. :)
Whipped aquafaba would be a good vegan egg replacement!
I love the tofu…i wan’t a fan of the sweet chili sauce though. Would like to make this again, but any suggestions for another type of sauce? I did the bowl with the red peppers and avocado…was feeling like the sauce just didn’t match up for me. I think i was looking for something with a kick, rather than a sweet. It may have been the type of sweet chili sauce i used too…..
Maybe a sriracha mayo?
But the problem is there is no such tofu available here. What else can i use instead of The tofu you have mentioned.
You can also do this with chicken. :)
Made the bowl version last night! It was a hit, even with the toddler. I got my coconut flakes from the bulk section and ended up having to put them in my food processor a bit.
I tried this for dinner tonight and the tofu with the dipping sauce was great! I made the bowl though to make it more a meal and I wish I hadn’t. I thought the flavors were odd together, mainly the avocado with the Asian-flare of the coconut and sauce.
Made this last night as a bowl (stole your idea of red pepper and avocado). It was great, as always. We couldn’t find unsweetened coconut (only medium sweet), so it was a bit on the sugary side when you added the chili sauce, but that was our “fault”. Thanks for another winner!
Wow this looks amazing!
I just made this, and it’s SOOOO good. I didn’t want to believe you that it would only take 1 egg, but you were right. You’re always right :)
Can’t wait to try this! I have found aquafaba (chickpea brine) to be a great vegan substitute for eggs! It really mimics an egg white. Whenever I bread eggplant slices, I always use aquafaba and it works beautifully!
Great idea!!
Great vegan substitutions suggestions! I will try it with either of those! Looking forward to making this.
The marinated version might be delicious breaded with panko crumbs for those who don’t love coconut–hard to imagine, as DH and I are all about the coconut version! And thanks for the tips about tofu presses! I see that they come in a nicely economical price range, although with my kitchen storage space at a premium I am going to make do the clutzy way for the time being.
I think aquafaba would work beautifully here and it fits well in the Budget Bytes theme. ;) I would second a tofu press if you really love tofu. I love mine!
this looks amazing!! we’ve got some tofu that is in need of a proper destination, and this should do quite nicely.
i have found a mix of 1 tablespoon ground flax seed + about 3 tablespoons water (mix and let sit about 5 minutes) a great non-egg binder for situations like this. also, we eat tofu enough to have found a tofu press on amazon to be indispensable. fully pressed out in about 15 minutes and no balancing act with books and pots. thanks for all the amazing ideas on your blog. we are frequent flyers over here and are loving everything we’ve found.
I’m not vegan, but very familiar with subbing things in a pinch. In place of egg for similar recipes, I’ve used full fat coconut milk, but flax gel works the most like egg! (soak some flax seed in a little water and use the corner of a dish towel to squeeze out the egg-white textured liquid.)