Silken Tofu With Peanut Chile Crisp

By Nisha Vora

Updated June 22, 2026

  • Armando Rafael for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Rebecca Jurkevich.
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Ready In
30 min
Rating
5(6)
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Custard-soft silken tofu becomes a weeknight stunner when smothered in a quick homemade chile crisp, creating an irresistible interplay of disparate textures. Toasted peanuts add crunch, while the unexpected addition of panko creates delicate crispness in every bite. The chile crisp comes together quickly using an "oil sizzle" technique used in Chinese cooking, in which hot oil is poured over aromatics — here, cinnamon, star anise, chile flakes and garlic — to bloom their potent flavors in seconds. Soy sauce, rice vinegar and agave nectar round things out with salty-savory, tangy and lightly sweet notes. Serve as a starter with spoons for scooping, or spoon over hot rice for a satisfying meal that contrasts both textures and temperatures.

Watch Nisha Vora make this dish in this video.

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Ingredients

Yield: 6 to 8 appetizer servings (or 3 to 4 main-dish servings)

  • ¼ cup roasted peanuts (salted or unsalted), finely chopped 

  • ¼ cup panko breadcrumbs 

  • 2 tablespoons white sesame seeds

  • 1 (2-inch) cinnamon stick, broken in half 

  • 1 whole star anise

  • 2 teaspoons Sichuan chile flakes or gochugaru (see Tips)

  • 4 garlic cloves, finely grated or finely minced 

  • 1 cup cilantro leaves and tender stems, finely chopped 

  • 2 (12- to 16-ounce) packages silken tofu, refrigerated (see Tips) 

  • ¼ cup/56 grams neutral-flavored oil of choice, such as avocado oil or canola oil 

  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari 

  • 1 tablespoon unseasoned rice vinegar

  • 1 tablespoon agave nectar 

  • Hot white rice, for serving (optional)

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (6 to 8 servings)

11 grams carbs; 211 calories; 8 grams monosaturated fat; 4 grams polyunsaturated fat; 2 grams saturated fat; 15 grams fat; 2 grams fiber; 237 milligrams sodium; 11 grams protein; 3 grams sugar

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Heat a small or medium frying pan over medium heat until hot, then add the peanuts, panko and sesame seeds. Stir frequently until the sesame seeds and panko are golden brown, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl.

  2. Step 2

    In a small to medium heat-proof bowl, layer the cinnamon stick halves, star anise, chile flakes and finally the grated garlic. Set this bowl near your stove and place the finely chopped cilantro next to the bowl. 

  3. Step 3

    Arrange the blocks of tofu on a large plate or a shallow bowl with a lip (see Tips for how to get silken tofu out of its package). 

  4. Step 4

    Once everything is prepped, heat the oil in your smallest saucepan over medium heat until it registers 350 degrees (this should take 3 to 4 minutes). If you don’t have a thermometer, add a piece of grated garlic to the oil — if it sizzles immediately, the oil is ready. Carefully pour the hot oil over the garlic mixture and let it sizzle, then immediately stir in the cilantro. Let rest for 1 minute, then use a spoon to pick out the cinnamon stick halves and star anise and discard. 

  5. Step 5

    Add the soy sauce, vinegar and agave to the infused oil, then pour everything over the peanut-panko mixture and stir well. 

  6. Step 6

    Carefully tip out any water that has accumulated underneath or around the tofu, then pour the chili crisp on top of the tofu, including all the liquid in the bowl. Dig in with spoons and serve with hot rice, if desired.

Tips

  • Sichuan chile flakes are a medium-hot vibrant red chile flake with a toasty flavor. They are not the same as Sichuan peppercorns, which have a citrusy flavor and a numbing, tingly quality. For mild heat, use gochugaru (Korean chile flakes). You can purchase both at East Asian grocery stores or online; some well-stocked grocers sell gochugaru as well.

  • Silken tofu is sold in both shelf-stable aseptic packages and in the refrigerated section with block tofu. You can choose either, though the latter is preferable for both flavor and texture.

  • If your silken tofu is tightly packed in its container, invert the package and use scissors or a paring knife to snip off a little piece at each of the four corners to create some air; slice open the front packaging wrapper; invert the plate or bowl on top of the tofu, carefully flip over and gently wiggle the package to slide the tofu onto the plate. Repeat with the second block of tofu.If your tofu is packed in water, drain it and invert the tofu onto the plate or bowl. If the tofu breaks apart, don’t worry, as it will taste the same, and you can just slice the tofu into large cubes.

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Comments

Katie C

@Lailah M. Try this trick - use kitchen scissors to cut off the bottom corners of the tofu container first, then invert. Helps it stay intact!

Lailah M.

Made this for lunch since I had the day off from work. Exceeded expectations! Really loved the flavor from star anise and cinnamon. The crisp texture was great with the soft tofu. Still trying to figure out how to get silken tofu out of the box without falling apart but very enjoyable nonetheless. Next time I may consider doubling the crisp so I can have leftovers for rice and steamed greens.

Deirdra

I was so excited to make this and it did not disappoint. I made it as is and loved the flavor combo. I had it with a bit of brown rice. Delicious!

Dayna D

Unbelievable recipe! Used fennel in place of star anise and regular red pepper flakes. Used salted cashews and pistachios in place of peanuts. Used the softest shelf-stable tofu—nothing special. My meat-eating husband absolutely loved it and asked when I was planning to make it again.

Phyllis Ain

Can I sub honey for agave nectar?

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