Family PantryGood food for everyday evenings.
Hoisin Tofu Lettuce Cups — serving inspiration
Illustrative serving idea.

Kitchen notes · a little help before you start

Hoisin Tofu Lettuce Cups

Sweet, savory hoisin tofu inside a crisp lettuce leaf makes a very enjoyable handful. Rice catches the sauce underneath, with peanuts adding crunch above the soft tofu. The carrot and green onion keep each cup feeling fresh as you work through the filling.

Prep
45 min
Cook
10 min
Total
55 min
Original yield
Serves 4
Ingredients
10 listed

Make it part of your week

Estimating…
DinnerMain courseAsianTofu & tempehPrep: over 30 minutesTotal: 31–60 minutes
Recipe categories & planning details
Meal type
Dinner · Main course
Primary protein
Tofu & tempeh
Cuisine
Asian
Preparation & total time
Prep: over 30 minutes · Total: 31–60 minutes

A few quick notes

1. Press out moisture

Weigh the tofu down between plates, then pour off the released liquid and pat the block dry.

2. Coat in two stages

Fold in the cornstarch in two additions so the irregular tofu pieces get an even coating.

3. Brown before stirring

Let the tofu turn golden underneath before stirring, repeating until most pieces have crisp edges.

Get to know the ingredients

Tofu

Use extra firm tofu and chop it into small irregular pieces after pressing and drying.

Lettuce

Bibb, romaine or iceberg can provide sturdy leaves for holding the rice, tofu and toppings.

Peanuts

Roughly chop the peanuts before finishing the cups so their crunchy pieces scatter over the filling.

Let’s make it

Choose your servings, then check things off as you go.

MAKE IT YOURS

Ingredients

Original recipe: Serves 4. Original quantities shown.

Estimating…

Check ingredients as you prepare them. These checks stay on this page.

How to make it

0 of 5 steps complete

Make room for Hoisin Tofu Lettuce Cups

Review ingredients in your pantry before anything is added. Meal plans use your household size; grocery-only additions use the servings selected above.

The last little job

Build the lettuce cups

Spoon rice into each leaf, add hoisin tofu and finish with green onion, shredded carrot and peanuts.

A little more help as you go

Sauce off the heat

Remove the crisp tofu from heat before stirring hoisin sauce through it to coat.

Prepare fresh toppings

Slice green onion and shred carrot after the tofu cooks so they are ready for assembly.

A few questions you might have

Does the rice need cooking first?

Yes, use cooked rice as the first layer inside each lettuce leaf before adding tofu.

Is the tofu cut into even cubes?

Roughly chop it into small irregular shapes so the edges can crisp as it cooks.

Do the carrots cook in the tofu pan?

Keep the shredded carrot raw as a fresh topping over the sauced tofu and rice.

Can I use romaine?

Yes, romaine is one of the sturdy lettuce options alongside bibb and iceberg for the cups.

When is the salt added?

Sprinkle it over the chopped tofu with the first cornstarch addition before frying the pieces.

Any more cooking tips?

I used bibb lettuce, but any sturdy lettuce, like Romaine or even ice berg can be used.

Storage & reheating safety

For cooked, perishable leftovers, refrigerate within 2 hours (1 hour above 90°F), using shallow containers for prompt cooling. Keep the refrigerator at 40°F or below, use refrigerated leftovers within 3–4 days, and reheat hot leftovers to 165°F, checked with a food thermometer. Follow any shorter package limit.

These are general safety limits, not a tested storage or freezing recommendation for this particular dish. USDA leftovers guidance · Safe cooking temperatures

Recipe source: budgetbytes.com. Ingredient names and quantities may be adapted for the pantry.

Preparation notes follow the recipe shown here.

How did this dish turn out?

Be the first to rate this dish.

Loading your rating…