It’s 2020, and I don’t know about you, but my body is screaming for healthy food! This is a great kick-starter recipe for your healthy resolutions, Tofu Collard Wraps with Peanut Sauce. Incredibly flavorful, gluten-free, and vegetarian!
Vibrant and healthy Tofu Collard Wraps are filled with crispy tofu strips and broccoli slaw, topped with a spicy peanut sauce with a slight kick to boost your metabolism!
HOW TO PREP THE TOFU
- Make sure to use extra-firm tofu for this recipe so the tofu doesn’t fall apart. They will crisp up nicely with the cornstarch coating (low fat too!).
- You can purchase extra firm tofu at just about any grocery store. I get mine at Trader Joe’s because I like the consistency of their tofu. And it’s always in stock! For this recipe, cut the tofu into even strips as shown above.
- Dry the tofu with a kitchen towel or paper towels to remove as much moisture as possible. You may need to let it sit in the towel for 30 minutes to absorb the liquid.
- Cut the tofu into thick strips, about 3/4 inches thick.
5. Dredge the extra firm tofu in cornstarch. Add salt, pepper and cayenne pepper to the cornstarch dredge for extra flavoring.
6. Fry up the tofu in a heavy cast iron pan or heavy skillet using just two tablespoons of canola oil. Cook on all sides to get a beautiful golden-brown crust. Remove the tofu from the pan and place on paper towels to soak up the extra oil.
These golden-brown tofu strips are crispy and delicious. You can eat these all by themselves!
WHY EAT COLLARD GREENS? THE HEALTH BENEFITS
- Collard greens are highly nutritious, “cabbage-like flavored” leafy green vegetables. Wonderfully nutritious collard leaves are very low in calories (provide only 32 calories per 100 g) and contain no cholesterol. However, its green leaves contain a good amount of soluble and insoluble dietary fiber that helps control LDL cholesterol levels and offer protection against hemorrhoids, constipation as well as colon cancer diseases.
- Widely considered to be a wholesome food; collards are rich sources of phytonutrients with potent anti-cancer properties that have proven benefits against prostate, breast, cervical, colon, ovarian cancers by virtue of their cancer-cell growth inhibition and cytotoxic effects on cancer cells.
- Fresh collard green leaves are also rich in vitamins C, A and K with powerful natural antioxidants.
[Ref: Nutrition and You]
What’s inside the collard wrap? All good things: broccoli slaw, thinly sliced red onions, chopped peanuts, fresh mint leaves, and black sesame seeds, drizzled with a flavorful and slightly spicy peanut sauce. Yum!
Wrap these collards like you would a burrito. Fold in the sides first and then roll them up real tight. Eat these wraps sliced in half or whole. And, make sure to spoon over some more dipping sauce!
This sauce is killer! It adds a tremendous amount of flavor to these Tofu Collard Wraps! The sauce is super easy to make: In a blender combine soy sauce, rice vinegar, fresh ginger, creamy peanut butter, sambal oelek, lime juice, and honey.
These gluten-free Tofu Collard Wraps with Peanut Sauce are a great start to detoxing after the holiday feasting!
TIPS & TRICKS
- Steam the collard green leaves to make them more pliable. Once steamed, put them in an ice bath to keep their beautiful green coloring.
- I placed each collard green leaf in between paper towels to dry them off before wrapping them.
- Make sure to use extra-firm tofu for this recipe so the tofu doesn’t fall apart.
- Dry the tofu with a kitchen towel or paper towels to remove as much moisture as possible. You may need to let it sit in the towel for 30 minutes to absorb the liquid.
WANT MORE?
If you like this recipe, you’re going to want these recipes:
- Crispy Sesame Seared Tofu Strips
- Crispy Salt and Pepper Tofu
- Easy Tofu Pad Thai
- Healthy Vegetarian Sweet and Sour Tofu
Tofu Collard Wraps with Peanut Sauce
- Prep Time: 40 min
- Cook Time: 6 min
- Total Time: 46 min
- Yield: 6 wraps 1x
- Category: Appetizer - Gluten-Free
- Method: Stove-top
- Cuisine: Asian Fusion
Description
Vibrant and healthy Tofu Collard Wraps are filled with crispy tofu strips and broccoli slaw, topped with a spicy peanut sauce. The perfect wrap to start a healthy new year!
Ingredients
For the Wrap:
- 6 large collard green leaves
- 1 14-ounce package extra-firm tofu
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 small bag of raw broccoli slaw
- ¼ cup thinly sliced red onion
- Handful fresh mint leaves
- ¼ cup chopped roasted peanuts
- 2 tablespoons black sesame seeds
For the Peanut Sauce:
- ¼ cup gluten-free soy sauce (or tamari)
- ¼ cup rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
- 2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
- 1 tablespoon sambal oelek (red chili paste)
- 1 tablespoon honey
- Juice from one lime
Instructions
Trim the thick end stems of the collard greens. In a large pot, steam the collards just slightly to make them more pliable. Quickly remove them and place them in a shock bath (bowl of ice water) to cool. Remove after one minute and layer the leaves in between paper towels to dry. Set aside.
To make the tofu strips:
- Drain the tofu blocks and tightly wrap with paper towels or a kitchen towel to remove excess liquid. Let sit for at least 30 minutes. Place on a cutting board and slice the tofu into ¾-inch thick strips.
- Place the cornstarch into a shallow dish (like a pie pan) Dredge the tofu strips into the cornstarch on all sides. Set aside on a plate.
- Heat a large cast iron pan or heavy skillet or over medium heat with the canola oil, brush or tilt the pan to coat evenly. Add the tofu strips to the pan and fry for about 3 minutes on each side, or until tofu is nicely golden brown and crispy. Remove the tofu from the pan and place on paper towels to blot the oil.
To make the peanut sauce:
Add all of the ingredients into a blender (or whisk by hand). Blend until thoroughly combined with no chunks.
To assemble wraps:
Lay a collard green leaf down flat on a large cutting board or flat surface. Layer with tofu, broccoli slaw, red onions, mint, peanuts, and sesame seeds. Drizzle the peanut sauce on top. Fold in the ends of the collard leaf and roll the rest up while keeping everything tucked in tightly (roll like a burrito). Cut the wraps in half, or leave them whole, using the peanut sauce as a dip on the side.
Notes
- Steam the collard green leaves to make them more pliable. Once steamed, put them in an ice bath to keep their beautiful green coloring.
- I placed each collard green leaf in between paper towels to dry them off before wrapping them.
- Make sure to use extra-firm tofu for this recipe so the tofu doesn’t fall apart.
- Dry the tofu with a kitchen towel or paper towels to remove as much moisture as possible. You may need to let it sit in the towel for 30 minutes to absorb the liquid.
Keywords: healthy vegetarian lettuce wraps, gluten-free wraps, tofu lettuce wraps, cabbage tofu wraps, collard green wraps, tofu recipes
Spicy peanut sauce!! Wow, I really must try that – I love a good peanut sauce despite not being the biggest peanut butter fan but a fab peanut sauce like this really appeals to me. Saving this recipe now 😉
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I love peanut sauce too! BUT, I could honestly eat spoonfuls of peanut butter out of the jar! 🙂
Such a delicious way to enjoy tofu + collard greens! Thanks for tips for getting the tofu prepared just right!
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Thanks, Emily! It’s a delish dish and so healthy too! Eat your greens!
The peanut sauce sounds so tasty!!
I have never tried collard greens before, but definitely going on my shopping list!!
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You have to wilt the collards first to make them pliable. I think you’ll love these wraps, Cathleen!
These tofu collard wraps look so healthy and simple to put together, I absolutely love that they’re stuffed with broccoli slaw and mint for extra flavor and the peanut sauce looks delightful!
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Thank you, Jenni! These wraps come together quickly and are perfect for a healthy meal!
I’m a bit of a tofu newbie so I was so happy to come across your recipe! It was such a delicious way to have it, and a wonderful change from the stir fry rut I was stuck in. That peanut sauce is killer!
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If you’re a tofu newbie, I suggest you try this recipe because even tofu-deniers love this one! It’s one of my most popular recipes on the blog! https://www.asiancaucasian.com/crispy-salt-pepper-tofu-3/
Wow, this is such a healthy, easy and delicious dish to make for my husband. I am sure that he will like it as he loves eating tofu a lot. Thank you, because by sharing this you are giving me a new dish to make for him.
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You’re so welcome, Amy! I’m a tofu freak too! 🙂
I have yet to experiment collard greens, and on seeing a complete vegetarian recipe and seeing your pics. I bookmarked it first. The recipe looks absolutely easy to make and looks like a great idea for my lunch.
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This would be a perfect, healthy lunch! It travels well too!
This is perfect for lunch and a great way to stay on track this new year. I am going to add this to my lunch menu for next week. That dipping sauce sounds fantastic!
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It’s a perfect lunch, should travel well too! I ate this for leftovers the next day. Enjoy!
What a delicious and healthy meal. So fresh and flavorful – especially with that spicy peanut dipping sauce!
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The sauce is everything! These wraps are so festive, healthy, and delish!
Peanut sauce is addictive to me! I am like you, by January I am just craving veggies and salad! I love that these look so light and healthy, but also delicious!
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Thank you, Jacqui! I really enjoyed these wraps, and it makes me feel so healthy!
Sometimes I just want peanut sauce on everything! 😜 These wraps look so healthy and delicious!
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This spicy peanut sauce is the best on so many things! Or, just drink it straight up 😂!!
These wraps look so vibrant and beautiful! I cannot wait make this recipe for my healthy eating menu!
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You’re going to love these for your healthy goals! These collard wraps are delish!