Tofu and eggplant just teamed up to create one EPIC appetizer, friends! These lettuce wraps feature SUPER flavorful crispy tofu and caramelized eggplant with fresh, crunchy veggies, vibrant herbs, and a savory-sweet sesame dipping sauce. If you’re thinking WOW now, just wait until the first bite!
These 10-ingredient flavor miracles make a crowd-pleasing appetizer for four or light spring or summer meal for two. Let’s get to it!
We’ve done tofu lettuce wraps before, but this time eggplant joins in on the fun! We bake the tofu and eggplant together in a sweet + spicy sesame tamari sauce, resulting in tofu with a firm, “meaty” texture and eggplant that’s tender and caramelized with crisp edges.
Then we add a few more ingredients (tahini, lime juice, and maple syrup) to that same savory sauce, and it doubles as a creamy dipping sauce! Minimal effort, maximal flavor.
Lastly, it’s assembly time! Keep these lettuce wraps simple by adding the roasted tofu, eggplant, and dipping sauce to lettuce leaves, or bump up the freshness factor by adding sliced veggies (carrot and cucumber) and herbs (cilantro, basil, and/or green onions)!
We hope you LOVE these lettuce wraps! They’re:
Crispy
Fresh
Saucy
Nutty
Herby
& SO delicious!
These wraps make a great appetizer alongside other Asian-inspired recipes and would also be perfect as a light spring or summer meal! You could also serve them with rice for a more filling meal.
More pairing ideas? Try our Creamy Sesame Noodle Salad (30 Minutes!), 30-Minute Quinoa “Fried Rice,” or Easy Tofu Pad Thai.
More Flavor-Packed Tofu Recipes
If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo @minimalistbaker on Instagram. Cheers, friends!
Servings 4 (two lettuce-cup appetizer servings // or half as an entrée)
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TOFU & EGGPLANT
- 7 ounces extra-firm tofu*, drained, pressed, crumbled into 1/2-inch or smaller pieces
- 2 ½ Tbsp low sodium tamari (ensure gluten-free as needed // or sub coconut aminos and use only 1 tsp maple syrup as recipe is written)
- 1 ½ Tbsp avocado (or olive) oil
- 1 Tbsp toasted sesame oil
- 1 Tbsp maple syrup
- 1 Tbsp sriracha (or chili garlic sauce)
- 2 tsp lime juice
- 1 medium eggplant, cut into 1/2-3/4-inch cubes (1 medium eggplant yields ~330 g or 4 cups cubed)
DIPPING SAUCE
- 3 Tbsp reserved marinade (from above)
- 1 ½ Tbsp tahini
- 2 tsp lime juice
- 1 tsp maple syrup
FOR SERVING
- Large lettuce leaves (butter or Bibb lettuce work well)
- 3/4 cup sliced veggies (carrot and/or cucumber), cut into matchsticks (optional)
- Fresh cilantro and/or Thai basil, finely chopped (optional)
- Green onions, thinly sliced (optional)
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Begin by pressing tofu: Either wrap in a clean towel and set something heavy on top, or use a tofu press. Press for a total of ~20 minutes.
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Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (218 C) and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper (use more baking sheets if increasing the default number of servings).
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In a small bowl, whisk together the tamari, avocado (or olive) oil, toasted sesame oil, maple syrup, sriracha (or chili garlic sauce), and lime juice. Set aside.
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Cut the eggplant into 1/2-3/4-inch cubes and add to one side of the baking sheet. If it fills more than two-thirds of the baking sheet, use less eggplant or more baking sheets to avoid overcrowding the pan (space allows for crispiness/caramelization!). We found ~4 cups (330 g) cubed eggplant fit well on 2/3 of a standard-size baking sheet.
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Crumble the tofu into pieces less than 1/2-inch in size and arrange them on the other side of the baking sheet. Give the sauce another stir and pour 1/4 cup of sauce (60 ml // adjust if altering the default number of servings) over the tofu and eggplant and toss to evenly coat. Set aside. Reserve the remaining sauce for later (there should be ~3 tablespoons, unless adjusting the default number of servings).
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Place the eggplant and tofu into the preheated oven and bake for 25-35 minutes, tossing halfway through, until crispy on the edges.
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Meanwhile, prepare the dipping sauce by adding tahini, lime juice, and maple syrup to the reserved sauce from above. It should be thick but pourable. Taste and adjust as needed, adding more lime juice for brightness, maple syrup for sweetness, tahini for a thicker sauce, or a little water to thin.
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Wash and dry lettuce leaves and chop any desired veggies and herbs (all optional) — we like carrots, cucumber, cilantro, and green onion.
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To serve, add tofu and eggplant to lettuce leaves. Top with veggies and herbs of choice and serve with tahini sauce on the top.
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Leftovers keep stored separately in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 days. Reheat tofu and eggplant in the microwave or in a skillet over medium heat. Not freezer friendly.
*Prep time includes pressing tofu while preparing sauce and cutting eggplant.
*Loosely adapted from our Crispy Tofu Lettuce Wraps and Perfect Roasted Eggplant.
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated with low sodium tamari and without optional ingredients.
Serving: 1 (two-lettuce cup) serving Calories: 229 Carbohydrates: 17.1 g Protein: 9.2 g Fat: 14.7 g Saturated Fat: 2.1 g Polyunsaturated Fat: 2.2 g Monounsaturated Fat: 4.8 g Trans Fat: 0 g Cholesterol: 0 mg Sodium: 562 mg Potassium: 531 mg Fiber: 5.9 g Sugar: 10.4 g Vitamin A: 86 IU Vitamin C: 7 mg Calcium: 115 mg Iron: 3 mg