Easy Coconut Curry Tofu 2 Ways

Published on January 12, 2026 in All Recipes, Starters

This recipe for Easy Coconut Curry Tofu 2 Ways is a quick and simple way to change up your appetizer routine. It’s also a tasty way to work a little more protein into your daily diet. Extra firm tofu is cubed, fried in peanut oil until crispy. At this stage, you can season with salt, pepper, or any other seasoning that you like, but to make these crispy tofu bites into a fun and delicious appetizer, simply toss them in a simple sauce made from light coconut milk and yellow curry paste. Even the carnivores in your family will be gobbling up these tasty cubes of goodness!

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Easy Coconut Curry Tofu 2 Ways – Rooted in Tradition, but with a Twist

As our family changes, and people are going in different directions, this past year, my husband and I shared a lovely, snowy, quiet Christmas Eve together alone. I followed the tradition that my mother instituted on Christmas Eve. She never prepared a big meal that day, but I have very fond memories of a large spread of hearty appetizers – shrimp or crab legs, charcuterie before charcuterie was a thing, assorted vegetables, dips, crackers, fruit, and a few sweets to round out the table. We’d spend the afternoon and evening grazing. Christmas day was when she prepared a big holiday meal, but Christmas Eve was a night of appetizers.

This past Christmas, I found myself in an appetizer rut. Everything I thought about seemed, heavy, too fussy, or elicited feelings of taste fatigue. The classic, dips, breads, and other items I would typically make were still all solid recipes, I was just looking for something different and light – you know, to make up for all the cookies I had beennibbling on over the course of the day.

Earlier in the month, my daughter had introduced me to an amazing Asian market (Kim Nhung Super Store) in Grand Rapids, MI. This place has everything. If they don’t carry it, I’m guessing it doesn’t exist. After a very tasty lunch at the restaurant located within the same shopping plaza (B&N Sandwiches), we brought noodles, rice paper for summer rolls, fresh herbs, fish, meats, produce, tea, banana leaves, and so much more. If you live in Michigan and are planning a visit to Grand Rapids, it’s worth packing a cooler and making a side trip.

In fact, pack a large cooler. You’re going to need it. Not just because you will be stocking up on items from Kim Nhung Super Store, but because you will likely also want to grab another sandwich, bun, or bowl of soup to take home – like what I did for my husband. It was simply too good not to share.

The fun we had exploring left me craving the flavors of the day for the rest of the month of December. So, for Christmas Eve, we had Asian-inspired appetizers. I made a small plate of summer rolls filled with shrimp, rice noodles, crisp lettuce and herbs and served with a side of Thai chili sauce. I also made a small plate of fried calamari in a light tempura batter, simply seasoned with salt and pepper, and served with lemon wedges. I peeled a couple mandarin oranges and lychee fruits, set out a small bowl of roasted almonds, and stumbled upon this happy accident of a recipe for fried tofu cubes on skewers.

I love when you are playing in the kitchen and something just comes together – almost as much as I love a snowy night of Christmas movies, nibbles, and bubbles.

I warned my carnivore husband that the skewers were tofu, but when he came back for another and then another and said he really enjoyed them, I knew I had a good recipe worth sharing. And that is the origin story of this recipe for Easy Coconut Curry Tofu 2 Ways.

No Two Ways About It – Either Way Is Good

I offer two different ways to prepare and serve these crispy tofu bites, and they are truly good either way. Fried and lightly tossed in salt, pepper, or any other seasoning of your choosing, this is one of those easy tofu recipes that you can keep in rotation forever as a light, healthy, good source of protein.

Easy Vegetarian Coconut Curry Puffs — *Vegetarian Coconut Curry Puffs.*

However, finishing the tofu in this simple, two-ingredient sauce of light coconut milk and yellow curry paste and skewering them is a tasty change of pace.

If you love all things yellow curry and are looking for another vegetarian appetizer, give this recipe for Curry Puffs a try. Packed with potatoes, peas, carrots, and onions in coconut milk and curry sauce, they are a lot like a Samosa.

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Easy Coconut Curry Tofu 2 Ways

Recipe by Maria Ostrander Course: StartersCuisine: Asian-AmericanDifficulty: Easy

Servings

servings

Prep time

minutes

Cooking time

minutes

Extra firm tofu is cubed, fried in peanut oil until crispy. At this stage, you can season with salt, pepper, or any other seasoning that you like, but to make these crispy tofu bites into a fun and delicious appetizer, simply toss them in a simple sauce made from light coconut milk and yellow curry.

Ingredients

For the crispy tofu
1 lb. Extra firm tofu, drained, rinsed, patted dry with a towel and cut into 1/2-inch cubes.
2-3 Tbsp. peanut oil or another high-heat frying oil.
For the coconut curry sauce
1 cup unsweetened, light coconut milk
2-3 tsp. yellow curry paste according to your taste (I like Mae Ploy brand)
For finishing the tofu
Salt to taste
Fresh limes for squeezing over the tofu

Directions

Option 1 – Frying the tofu
Prepare the tofu for frying as directed – drain, rinse, pat dry with a towel, and cut into 1/2-inch cubes.
In a medium-size, non-stick skillet, place the pan over medium heat for 1 minute. Add 1 Tbsp. of the oil and gently move it around to coat the bottom of the pan.
Add half of the tofu to the pan and fry for 2-3 minutes on one side. While cooking, leave the tofu alone so it can form a nice, crisp skin. Rotate the cubes so that all sides of the tofu are cooked in the same manner.
Once completely cooked, remove the crispy tofu from the pan and allow to drain and cool on a plate lined with paper towels. Repeat the process with the remaining oil and tofu.
At this stage, you can toss the tofu with salt, pepper, or another seasoning of your choosing, and enjoy in your favorite salads, wraps, or as a quick snack. Alternatively, you can finish the tofu in the Coconut Curry Sauce provide below in Option 2.
Option 2 – Finish the Tofu in the Coconut Curry Sauce
In the same fry pan used to cook the tofu, bring the coconut milk and the curry paste to the boil. Whisk until dissolved.
Reduce the heat, add the tofu cubes and simmer until the sauce has thickened and absorbed into the tofu. Approximately 5 minutes. Season with additional salt if needed.
Remove from the heat and allow to cool completely before handling.
If serving as an appetizer, thread the tofu cubes on a skewer (3-4 cubes depending on the size of your skewer).
Serve tofu skewers with fresh lime wedges. Tofu skewers can be served either warm or cold.

Notes

Can I use tofu other than extra firm? No, this recipe will only achieve the correct texture when using extra firm tofu.
Do I have to use a nonstick pan? No, but a nonstick pan will deliver best results. To use a regular pan, you’ll need to increase the amount of oil used and you may experience some sticking that you would not otherwise experience using a nonstick pan.

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