Coconut Crusted Tofu with Habanero Pineapple Sauce and Ginger Coconut Rice

Coconut Crusted Tofu with Habanero Pineapple Sauce and Ginger Coconut Rice is a healthy recipe that's loaded with flavor and texture! The coconut crusted tofu is cooked to golden brown perfection, drizzled with a sweet and spicy sauce, and then served atop fragrant rice. Plus, this dish is vegan and gluten free!

This Coconut Crusted Tofu recipe stems straight from my childhood love of coconut shrimp. In fact, my mom, sister, and I were all (coco)nuts for the stuff. If we were out at a restaurant and coconut shrimp was on the menu, you can bet your bottom dollar that at least one of the Cornwell girls ordered this dish. You can also bet that the other two stole a bite or two right off their plate.

Who can resist that golden brown coconut crunch and sticky sweet dipping sauce?

This Coconut Crusted Tofu is my plant-based spin on the nostalgic appetizer. It has all the crunch, all the coconut flavor, and that sweet dipping sauce? CHECK!

Normally, coconut shrimp is served as an appetizer, and you can do the same with our Coconut Crusted Tofu, but since I love this dish so much, I usually want to enjoy it as a meal.

You can easily adapt this recipe into an appetizer by making the Coconut Crusted Tofu and Habanero Pineapple Sauce while skipping the rice. Pop a few toothpicks in the golden tofu and get to dipping.

If you do opt to make our lovely Coconut Crusted Tofu into a meal, you will not regret making the Ginger Coconut Rice. It is slightly creamy, filled with sweet ginger flavor, and perfect for soaking up some extra Habanero Pineapple Sauce.

Then, if you want to add some veggies to your bowl, may I suggest some Charred Tamari Broccoli?

The recipe for this Coconut Crusted Tofu was looking mighty long as is, so I opted not to include the broccoli. BUT, it is easy as pie to make. Just place broccoli florets on a baking tray. Drizzle with avocado oil and bake at 450 for 12-15 minutes, or until the edges get crispy. Remove the broccoli from the oven and hit it with a few dashes of tamari while its still hot.

Dinner is served!

Coconut Tofu with Habanero Pineapple Sauce and Ginger Coconut Rice

★★★★★ 5 from 1 review

• Author: Laurel
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 60 minutes
• Total Time: 70 minutes
• Yield: 6 servings 1x
• Category: Entree
• Method: Oven
• Cuisine: Caribbean

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Description

Coconut Crusted Tofu with Habanero Pineapple Sauce and Ginger Coconut Rice is a healthy recipe thats loaded with flavor. The coconut crusted tofu is cooked to golden brown perfection, drizzled with a sweet and spicy sauce, and then served atop fragrant rice. And this dish is vegan and gluten free!

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

For the sauce:

• 2 teaspoons avocado oil
• ½ yellow onion, diced
• 2 cups chopped pineapple
• 1 clove garlic, chopped
• 1 tablespoon habanero hot sauce
• 1 cup orange juice
• 2 tablespoons honey OR maple syrup
• ¼ teaspoon salt

For the rice:

• 2 teaspoons avocado oil
• ¼ cup diced ginger
• 1 cup rice
• 1 cup canned coconut milk
• 1 cup water
• ½ teaspoon salt

For the tofu:

• 1 block extra firm tofu, cut into cubes (Trader Joe's is best! If not using TJ's then press your tofu overnight to remove the excess moisture)
• ½ cup garbanzo bean flour
• 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
• 2 teaspoons habanero hot sauce
• 1 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
• ½ teaspoon dried ginger, divided
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder, divided
• ¼ teaspoon salt, divided
• ¼ cup avocado oil

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Instructions

For the sauce:

1. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add in the onion, pineapple, and salt. Sauté until the onion is translucent and the pineapple has softened, about 10-12 minutes. Add in the garlic and sauté for another minute. Remove from the heat and add the mixture to a high speed blender. Add the remaining sauce ingredients and blend until smooth. Set aside.

For the rice:

1. Heat the oil in a medium pot over medium heat. Add in the ginger and sauté, stirring occasionally, until the ginger has caramelized and turned a light golden brown, about 10 minutes. Add in the rice and stir to combine. Add in the remaining ingredients and bring the mixture to a boil. Lover the heat to medium low and cover. Simmer until the rice has absorbed all the water, about 15-20 minutes. Remove the rice from the heat and place a clean dish towel between the pot and the lid. Let sit covered until you are ready to serve.

For the tofu:

1. Grab 3 bowls for your breading station. Add the chickpea flour, ¼ teaspoon ginger, ¼ teaspoon garlic powder, and ¼ teaspoon salt to the first bowl. Stir to combine.
2. In the second bowl add the almond milk and hot sauce, whisk to combine.
3. In the last bowl, add the coconut and remaining ginger, garlic, and salt. Stir to combine.
4. Take one piece of tofu at a time and coat it in the chickpea flower mixture. Shake off the excess and dip it onto the almond milk mixture, making sure all sides are coated. Last, place it in the coconut bowl and cover all sides with coconut. Place your finished tofu on a baking rack or plate. Repeat with the remaining tofu.
5. Once the tofu is breaded, heat the avocado oil over medium heat in a skillet. Once the oil is hot, add in the tofu, making sure there is room between the pieces so you can easily flip them, you may have to cook the tofu in batches. Cook on each side until the coconut crust is golden brown. Check the tofu often to prevent the coconut from burning. Serve with rice, sauce, and broccoli, if desired.

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Nutrition

• Serving Size: 6
• Calories: 334
• Sugar: 20g
• Sodium: 362g
• Fat: 15g
• Saturated Fat: 11g
• Carbohydrates: 54g
• Fiber: 4g
• Protein: 6g

Keywords: gluten free, vegan, soy, bean, garbanzo, chickpea, garlic, coconut milk, coconut flakes, unsweetened coconut, spicy, tropical, rice, Caribbean, healthy, baked