Recipe

This Tofu Kimchi Peanut Butter Sandwich Tastes Better Than It Sounds

By Ashleigh Monaco at University of Iowa

Are you tired of the average PB&J? Sick of the same old peanut butter and banana sandwich?

Okay, maybe you're not sick of either of those, because peanut butter and banana is delicious. But maybe you're looking for a peanut butter sandwich more... unique. Something you can write home about, or mention to your friends at lunchtime. A sandwich just as bold and wonderful as you are.

Maybe you've shied away from kimchi in the past, either because you're not a fan of spicy food, or because you just have no idea what it actually is. Fear not, peanut butter lovers, this will not taint your sandwich one bit.

And if you've ever had a peanut avocado roll at a sushi restaurant, you'll understand why this green beauty is tagging along.

This sandwich is completely vegan and totes tons of health benefits: probiotics from the kimchi, iron and potassium from the spinach, healthy fats from the avocado and the peanut butter, and protein from the tofu. 

It combines salty with spicy, crunchy, and creamy. It takes a little bit of prep to make the sesame ginger tofu, but it's totally worth the extra time. Believe me, your taste buds are about to go crazy.

#SpoonTip: If you cannot find/don't have the seasoning mix, use a blend of sesame seeds, ground ginger, garlic powder, red pepper flakes, and sea salt.

Baked Sesame Ginger Tofu

  • Prep Time: 30 mins
  • Cook Time: 16 mins
  • Total Time: 46 mins
  • Servings: 1
Ingredients
  • 1 14-oz package medium firm tofu
  • Victoria Taylor's Toasted Sesame Ginger Seasoning

Photo by Ashleigh Monaco

Step 1

Take the tofu block out of the package, carefully draining out the excess water.

Photo by Ashleigh Monaco

Step 2

Wrap the tofu block in two to three paper towels and place the block on a plate. Place another plate on top of the tofu block like a sandwich. Carefully balance heavy items on top of the plate to press the liquid out of the tofu block.
#SpoonTip: No, that's not a plate on top, that's a cutting board. When you're living in a triple, you have to work with what you got.

Photo by Ashleigh Monaco

Step 3

Remove the block of tofu from the paper towels. Cut the block into thin strips and sprinkle the sesame ginger seasoning on each one.

Photo by Ashleigh Monaco

Step 4

Put the strips on a baking sheet sprayed with nonstick spray and bake for 16 minutes, flipping the strips halfway through.

Super Weird Tofu Peanut Butter Kimchi Sandwich

  • Prep Time: 5 mins
  • Total Time: 5 mins
  • Servings: 1
Ingredients
  • 2 Slices of bread
  • 1-2 Tbsp creamy or crunchy peanut butter
  • 1/4 avocado
  • Kimchi
  • Spinach
  • 2 strips of baked sesame ginger tofu

Photo by Ashleigh Monaco

Step 1

Toast your bread. (I used Food For Life Baking Sprouted Grain Bread.)

Photo by Ashleigh Monaco

Step 2

Smash up about 1/4 of an avocado on one slice of bread and spread peanut butter on the other.

Photo by Ashleigh Monaco

Step 3

Put as much kimchi as you would like on one slice of bread, then place spinach leaves on the other.
#SpoonTip: I find that putting the spinach leaves on the peanut butter slice helps the spinach stay in place, since the peanut butter is sticky.

Photo by Ashleigh Monaco

Step 4

Place one tofu strip on each slice of bread.

Photo by Ashleigh Monaco

Step 5

Put the two halves together. Making a mess is pretty much inevitable, but it's totally worth it. Just have some napkins handy.

Photo by Ashleigh Monaco

Step 6

Eat the super weird sandwich you've been questioning this entire time and enjoy!

Photo by Ashleigh Monaco

Need ideas for what to do with that leftover tofu? Try putting it on a healthy stir-fry or on a bowl of peanut noodles (because too much peanut butter is so not a thing).