Spicy Thai Basil Tofu | Easy, Simple, Stir-fry

Name: Spicy Thai Basil Tofu
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 25 min
Ingredients: 14 oz [397g] firm tofu (pressed); 1 large shallot (chopped (about 3 tablespoons)); 6 cloves garlic (finely chopped (about 2 tablespoons)); 2 Thai chilies (chopped); 1 cup packed Thai Basil leaves; oil for cooking (salt to taste); ½ teaspoon dark soy sauce (thick); 2 tablespoons soy sauce; ⅓ cup vegan 'fish' sauce (homemade or store-bought (see notes)); 1 teaspoon sugar; 1 teaspoon cornstarch; ⅓ cup water (or vegetable broth)

July 20, 2020 by woonheng 31 Comments

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This Spicy Thai Basil Tofu is one of my go-to meals when I need an easy dinner for my family. The recipe is quick, delicious, vegan, and flavorful.

This is a version of Pad KraPao that I made with homegrown Thai Basil. Have you tried Pad KraPao before? It’s a very popular stir-fry dish that you may have seen on the menu of most Thai restaurants here in the States.

Pad translates to stir-fry and KraPao is Holy Basil. Just by the name of it, you’ll know it’s an aromatic and flavorful dish with this fragrant herb, Holy Basil. I tried Holy Basil when I was in Chiangmai last year and fell in love.

I must admit, it’s not easy for me to find fresh Holy Basil here but I love to use Thai basil in a lot of my dishes such as in this delicious Three-cup or San Bei Tofu.

My family is fond of Thai Basil so we have started to grow them in our garden which is the best decision ever! That being said, this recipe is similar to Pad KraPao but since I am using Thai basil, I’ve named it Spicy Thai Basil Tofu.

How to make Spicy Basil Tofu

Step 1: Mix all the sauces ingredients together in a bowl and set aside.

Step 2: Heat a non-stick pan and mash tofu until crumbly. Stir continuously until the tofu is slightly dry. Then, add 1 tablespoon of oil and continue to cook until the tofu turns golden brown. At this point, tofu crumbles will start to bounce from the pan, which shows that they are dry enough.

Step 3: Push tofu aside, add the chopped shallots, and sauté until translucent. Then add garlic and chili to the shallots, mix with the tofu, and toss until well combined.

Step 4: Slowly pour in the sauce and season with sugar if needed. Add the Thai Basil and give the mixture a final toss until all ingredients are incorporated. Turn off the heat and serve warm.

Key ingredients

1. Basil – as mentioned above, I used Thai Basil, but if you can find Holy Basil, definitely use that. If you can’t find either, sweet Basil will be a great substitute for this dish.

2. Chili – I used Thai chili in this recipe but any chili will work; for a less spicy dish, please omit this ingredient.

3. Fish sauce – Store-bought or homemade version works great in this recipe. As the saltiness varies by brands, please adjust other sauces accordingly or use this simple Easy 5-minute Vegan ‘Fish’ Sauce.

It is one of my go-to sauces especially when I need to add that umami punch in a lot of my Thai and Vietnamese dishes. So, give it a try and I highly recommend making a big batch of it and save for later use.

4. Spices – Shallots and garlic play a big part in this dish to give it a touch of sweetness. I love to use fresh spices in my cooking but you can use the dry version if you prefer such as onion granules and garlic powder.

How to serve Spicy Thai Basil Tofu

I make this recipe often and love it as one of the dishes for our dinner that I normally serve with rice. Other options include sandwich filling or as a side dish for this Steamed Buns.

Cooking Tips and Variations

How to prepare the tofu? I mashed the tofu in a non-stick pan without any oil, then, cook it until slightly dry, by stirring continuously. This step is to remove as much moisture as possible from the tofu which in return makes it more absorbent for the sauces later. Then, add some oil to the pan and continue to cook tofu until golden brown.

What if I can’t have tofu? You can always substitute it with seitan, or mashed chickpeas, or tofu made from pumpkin seeds or chickpeas. These are great alternatives that complement the sauce perfectly. For chickpeas, just replace the tofu in the recipe with a can of 15.5oz chickpeas or preferred amount of seitan.

Can I make this dish gluten-free? Definitely! Just replace the soy sauce and other sauces to a gluten-free one.

This Spicy Thai Basil Tofu is

Super easy to make
Flavorful
Vegan and dairy-free
Easily customizable
Great as sandwich’s filling or side dish for Steamed Buns
all done in 1-pan
DELISH!

If you try this recipe, I would love to hear your feedback and see your beautiful re-creation. Leave me a comment, rate it, and tag @woon.heng and #woonheng to your photos on Instagram or Facebook. Happy cooking, friends!