Red Curry Tofu

If you love the flavors of red curry but are looking for more of a stand-alone tofu cutlet that you can add to bowls and salads or just eat right from the fridge as a high-protein snack, this red curry tofu recipe is going to be a game changer for you.

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With a deep umami, savory richness, this easy tofu recipe brings that restaurant-quality taste to homemade meals.

Now, I want to clarify this is not a traditional Thai red curry recipe. 

It is inspired by the flavors of the red curry tofu at my favorite Thai restaurant, but those flavors are fused with our Tofu Freezer Trick method to create the meatiest tofu cutlet that tastes like and has the mouthfeel of curried chicken!

If you don’t already know, our Tofu Freezer Trick is a method thousands of people have used to revolutionize the texture of their tofu, and this curry version lives up to the hype. 

Anyone you serve this to will be shocked it’s tofu, and it might just change a few minds about tofu being tasteless! 

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Why You’ll Love Red Curry Tofu

• Just 5 simple pantry staples and so flavorful. No bland and boring tofu here!
• The texture is perfectly meaty thanks to our Tofu Freezer Trick. 
• A deliciously convenient plant-based protein to add to bowls and salads or just eat right outta the fridge as a high-protein snack.

Red Curry Tofu Recipe Ingredients

This easy tofu recipe only requires 5 ingredients commonly found in any vegan kitchen.

Extra firm tofu – Frozen and thawed according to our Tofu Freezer Trick

Olive oil – Use a quality olive oil for the best flavor.

Vegan chicken bouillon powder – You can use store bought or make a batch of our Easy 7-Ingredient Vegan Chicken Bouillon

Red curry paste – Be sure to check the ingredients as some curry pastes contain fish sauce or shrimp paste.

Yellow curry powder – Make sure it’s fresh so it’s at its most flavorful.

Substitutions & Alterations

For the tofu: You might be able to use non-soy tofu like chickpea tofu, but we have not tried them with the tofu freezer trick.

For the curry paste: Feel free to vary the kind of curry paste you use – green curry paste and yellow curry paste will add different flavors, so have fun experimenting

For the bouillon powder: Bouillon paste can be used instead of bouillon powder, but I would cut the amount in half

Coconut Curry Tofu Variation: This recipe makes a red curry tofu without coconut milk, but you can add 2-3 Tbsp of coconut milk with the marinade ingredients for a coconut curry tofu marinade. I recommend using unsweetened coconut milk.

Oil-Free Note: If you want to make these cutlets oil-free, you could sub water for the olive oil, but remember this will add liquid to the tofu and affect the overall texture. This could be remedied by adjusting the baking time, but keep that in mind!

How to Make Curried Tofu

This is a very abbreviated version of the complete instructions found in the recipe card at the bottom of this post. 

Step 1: Prep the tofu

1. First, freeze and defrost your tofu, leaving the package unopened.
2. When the tofu is thawed, squeeze it gently over the sink and press it with a tofu press or over paper towels to remove any excess liquid.
3. Place your tofu on a cutting board and slice it into 8 equal “cutlets”.

Step 2: Marinate the tofu

1. Mix all the ingredients for the red curry tofu marinade.
2. Pour the curry tofu marinade over your tofu cutlets, making sure each cutlet is coated.
3. Place the marinated cutlets in your fridge for at least 30 minutes or overnight. You can also re-freeze the tofu in the marinade and defrost when you’re ready to cook and eat!

Step 3: Bake the tofu

1. Preheat your oven to 350F and line a large baking sheet with tin foil. 
2. Place the cutlets on the prepared baking sheet, not touching.
3. For extra flavor, you can brush the tofu cutlets with more marinade before baking and after flipping.
4. Bake at 350F for 60-75 minutes, flipping them halfway through.

Tips & Tricks for the Best Red Curry Tofu Cutlets

• Follow our Freezer Tofu Method to achieve the meatiest texture to your tofu. 
• Let the tofu marinate for at least 30 minutes in the fridge so the flavors really develop. Overnight is ideal.
• Reserve some of the marinade so you can brush the tofu again before baking it.
• If your marinade is too thick to brush onto the cutlets, add 1 Tbsp water and mix it around. Be careful not to add too much water though or it will affect the texture.
• Use a tofu press or heavy cutting board and some paper towels to remove excess water from the tofu before marinating.
• If you love this tofu cooking method, always keep a block of tofu in the freezer so it’s halfway ready when you need it!

How to Serve Curried Tofu

Serve this vegan curry tofu over basmati, white, or brown rice. It’s also a great addition to any Thai dish like vegan Pad Thai, Khao Pad, or some simple spring rolls.

We’ve enjoyed them as a side with roasted seasoned potatoes and mashed potatoes, on top of a big salad with tahini sauce, or stuffed into a variety of sandwiches.

Curry tofu is also great alongside any vegetable curry dish or traditional Indian dishes like curried potatoes and chickpeas (chana aloo) or potatoes and cauliflower (aloo gobhi).

How to Store Vegan Curry Tofu

You can store these cutlets in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to 7 days. 

You can also freeze them – before or after cooking – for up to 8 weeks! Just be sure cooked cutlets are completely cool before storing.

How to Reheat

Reheat cutlets in the microwave on high for 1 minute or until heated through. 

I usually find the microwave does just fine, but if the tofu could use some extra crispiness, feel free to reheat in the air fryer or oven.

But honestly, they’re also really good cold straight from the fridge!

FAQs

How do you thaw frozen tofu?

To thaw frozen tofu, leave the frozen tofu in the package and place in the fridge. A slow defrost is best and will allow for the greatest texture transformation. If you have the time, I would transfer the tofu to the fridge to fully defrost over 24-48 hours. 

If you want it to defrost in 1 day, you can transfer it to a dish and set it on your counter. This way, the tofu should defrost in 12-24 hours. Once defrosted, move the tofu immediately to your fridge until you’re ready to cook with it.

How do you defrost frozen tofu quickly?

If you forgot to take the tofu from the freezer and you don’t have 12-24 hours (been there), put the unopened container in a large container of tepid water. Done this way, the tofu should defrost in about 5-7 hours. 

More Tofu Cutlet Recipes

• Breaded Vegan Chicken Cutlets
• Vegan Honey Garlic Tofu Cutlets
• Lemon Pepper Tofu Cutlets
• Sweet Chile Tofu Cutlets

We’d love to hear what you think of this Red Curry Tofu recipe or if you’ve tried any of our other Tofu Freezer Trick recipes. 

Leave a comment and star rating in the section below so can cheer on your kitchen successes! This also helps other people find our recipes; we appreciate your support!

Red Curry Tofu

Brittany Roche

If you love the flavors of red curry but are looking for more of a stand-alone tofu cutlet that you can add to bowls and salads or just eat right from the fridge as a high-protein snack, this red curry tofu recipe is going to be a game changer for you.

No ratings yet

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr 15 minutes mins

Resting Time 1 day d

Course Entrees, Main Course

Cuisine Baked, tofu

Servings 8 cutlets

Calories 119 kcal

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 16 oz block extra firm tofu

For the red curry tofu marinade:

• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 2 Tbsp vegan chicken bouillon powder
• 2 Tbsp red curry paste
• 1 tsp yellow curry powder

Instructions

 

Step 1: Prep the tofu

• First, freeze and defrost your tofu. Place the whole container (do not open it) in the freezer overnight. In the morning, remove it from the freezer and set it in a shallow dish on your counter to thaw. This will take several hours.
• When the tofu is thawed, squeeze it gently over the sink and press it with a tofu press or on paper towels to remove any excess liquid.
• Place your tofu on a cutting board and slice it into 8 equal “cutlets”. I do this by slicing it in half, then slicing those halves in half, then cutting each of those slices in half.

Step 2: Marinate the tofu.

• Mix all the ingredients for the marinade.
• Pour the marinade over your tofu cutlets, making sure they are all nice and coated.
• Place them in your fridge for at least 30 minutes or overnight.

Step 3: Bake the tofu

• When you’re ready to bake your cutlets, preheat your oven to 350F and line a large baking sheet with tin foil.
• Place the cutlets on this baking sheet, about an inch or so apart.
• For extra flavor, you can brush the tofu cutlets with more marinade before baking. If the marinade has become too thick, feel free to add a drop or two of water to loosen it up.
• Bake at 350F for 60-75 minutes, flipping them halfway through.

Step 4: Serve and store

• Serve this red curry tofu over rice or potatoes, on a salad, or alongside any vegetable curry.
• You can store them in an air-tight container in the fridge or freeze them for up to 8 weeks!

Notes

• Follow our Tofu Freezer Trick method to achieve the meatiest texture to your tofu. 
• Let the tofu marinate for at least 30 minutes in the fridge so the flavors really develop. Overnight is ideal.
• Reserve some of the marinade so you can brush the tofu again before baking it.
• If your marinade is too thick to brush onto the cutlets, add 1 Tbsp water and mix it around. Be careful not to add too much water though or it will affect the texture.
• Use a tofu press or heavy cutting board and some paper towels to remove excess water from the tofu before marinating.
• If you love this tofu cooking method, always keep a block of tofu in the freezer so it’s halfway ready when you need it!

Nutrition

Calories: 119kcalCarbohydrates: 2gProtein: 4gFat: 10gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 7gSodium: 361mgPotassium: 97mgFiber: 0.3gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 593IUVitamin C: 0.3mgCalcium: 25mgIron: 1mg

Keyword baked tofu, easy tofu recipes, red curry, tofu recipes

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