Celery Free Vegan Tofu Larb
Bright, herby, and packed with bold Southeast Asian flavors, this plant-based larb delivers everything you want from the classic Thai dish — tangy lime, fresh mint, fragrant cilantro, and a satisfying heat from chilies. The secret weapon is the toasted jasmine rice powder, which gets ground to a coarse, nutty dust and stirred right into the salad for a texture that no store-bought shortcut can replicate. Crumbled extra-firm tofu stands in beautifully for meat, crisped up in a hot skillet until golden and dry so it soaks up every drop of the tamari-lime dressing. Lemongrass and shallots round out the aromatics, giving the whole bowl a layered complexity that tastes like it took far more effort than it actually did. The entire dressing comes together from pantry staples — lime juice, tamari, sugar, and red pepper flakes — with zero hidden additives to worry about. Serve it piled into butter lettuce cups for a light, fresh bite, or spoon it over steamed jasmine rice when you want something more substantial. It's the kind of dish that disappears fast, so you might want to double the batch.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
For the toasted rice powder
- ¼ cup raw jasmine rice
For the tofu
- 1 block (14 oz) extra-firm tofu, drained and pressed
- 1 tbsp neutral oil
For the dressing
- 3 tbsp fresh lime juice (from about 2 limes)
- 2 tbsp tamari
- 1 tsp sugar
- ½ tsp red pepper flakes, or more to taste
For the salad
- 3 medium shallots, thinly sliced
- ½ cup fresh mint leaves, roughly torn
- ½ cup fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems
- 3 green onions, thinly sliced
- 1 stalk lemongrass, outer layers removed, tender inner core finely minced
- 4 fresh thai chilies or 1 serrano pepper, thinly sliced (optional)
For serving
- butter lettuce or cabbage leaves, for serving (optional)
- steamed jasmine rice or sticky rice, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Toast the rice in a small dry skillet over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the grains are deep golden and smell nutty, about 5–7 minutes. Transfer to a spice grinder or mortar and pestle and grind to a coarse powder. Set aside.
- 2
Crumble the pressed tofu into rough, irregular pieces about the size of a large pea — uneven texture is ideal. Heat the neutral oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the tofu in a single layer and cook, undisturbed, for 4–5 minutes until the underside is golden and crisp. Stir and continue cooking for another 3–4 minutes until most pieces are golden and dry. Remove from heat and let cool for 5 minutes.
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