A flavorful chipotle tofu sandwich layered with smoky tofu deli slices, quick pickled slaw, and sweet plantains. Great high-protein lunch option that’s easy to meal prep.
Why You’ll Love This Chipotle Tofu Sandwich
- A great protein option for sandwiches. The tofu slices per serving provides about 18g of protein, which helps add significant plant-protein to each sandwich!
- Easy to meal prep for the week. Make a batch of tofu slices to store in the fridge at the start of the week. Then use like you would deli slices to make sandwiches through the week.
- Customizable. Adjust the recipe as needed to match the flavors you are looking for. Also, don’t be afraid to use a few short cuts to help make this recipe even easier!
Key Ingredients and Substitutions
- Tofu: Use super firm tofu, not extra firm tofu. Super firm tofu is dense and yields the best result in terms of texture.
- Chipotle peppers: Specifically, canned chipotle peppers in adobo sauce. The sauce in the can is what we are using. For more things to make using the chipotle peppers, try this recipe.
- Spices: I used a blend of smoked paprika, allspice, and coriander. Feel free to adjust based on preference or use a seasoning mix you love.
- Tamari: Soy sauce or coconut aminos work just the same here.
- Vinegar: I used apple cider vinegar, but rice vinegar or red wine vinegar work well.
- Sweetener: Agave or maple syrup works well here.
- Cabbage: I like to use green cabbage, but shredded red cabbage or Brussels sprouts can work equally well here.
- Cilantro: If you have the cilantro soap gene, swap with chives, parsley, or dill instead.
- Plantains: I personally like using sweet yellow plantains for this sandwich. If you don’t want to bake, swap for some crispy plantain chips.
How to Make a Smoky Chipotle Tofu Sandwich
Make the marinade: In a large shallow bowl, whisk together the adobo sauce, bouillon, agave syrup, tamari, vinegar, oil, and all spices until smooth. Set aside.
Slice the tofu: On a cutting board, slice the tofu crosswise into thin 1/8-inch slabs (1–2 mm thick) using a sharp knife or mandoline.
Marinate the tofu: Dip each tofu slice in the marinade, coating both sides well. Reserve any remaining marinade for later.
Cook the tofu: Heat a little oil in a large skillet or griddle over medium-low heat. Add tofu slices in a single layer with space between. Cook undisturbed for 3 minutes, flip, then cook another 2–3 minutes. Brush a little more marinade on top before removing once crisp around the edges. Repeat with remaining slices.
Make the slaw: In a bowl, combine cabbage, cilantro (if using), vinegar, avocado oil, agave (if using), and a generous pinch of salt. Massage with clean hands until the cabbage softens. Set aside.
Air fry plantains (optional): Preheat air fryer to 370ºF. Trim plantain ends, score the skin lengthwise, and peel. Slice into 1/2-inch rounds. Lightly oil both sides and place in the basket. Air fry for 6–7 minutes per side, flipping halfway through.
Assemble the sandwich: Spread mayo (or your chosen spread) on two slices of bread. On one slice, layer tofu slices, plantain (or chips), and slaw. Top with the second slice of bread and enjoy!
Expert Tips
- For a deeper flavor, allow the tofu slices to marinate for 30 minutes before cooking.
- To save time, use a wide Y-peeler or mandoline slicer to slice your tofu, bagged shredded cabbage to save time on the slaw, and a pre-made spread like hummus to spread on your sandwich.
- Use super firm tofu, not extra firm tofu. Super firm tofu is much more dense in texture and will lead to the most ideal texture for your slices. I would recommend brands like Nasoya, Wild Wood Foods, Trader Joe’s High Protein Tofu, or the one from Sprouts.
- To bake tofu in the oven. Preheat the oven to 400F. Place the tofu slices on a large parchment lined baking tray. Brush the top of each tofu slice to coat in the sauce then place the tofu in the oven to bake for 8 minutes. Carefully flip the tofu slices with tongs, then brush the top side with the sauce again. Place the tray back in the oven for 7-8 minutes or until the edges start to brown slightly.
Frequently Asked Questions
Make sure you use a gluten-free tamari. For serving, enjoy the tofu slices in a gluten-free wrap or use in lettuce wraps. You can also consider using them to fill veggie spring rolls.
Yes! Store the prepared tofu slices and cabbage slaw in separate airtight containers in the fridge for up to 4 days. If including the baked plantains, consider baking fresh or using plantain chips to assemble your sandwich.
You can eat these hot off the griddle or use straight from the fridge to make sandwiches for the week.
I love to make this sandwich with mayo ketchup (1/4 cup vegan mayo with 2 tbsp ketchup, 1/2 tsp smoke paprika, and a wedge of lime juice mixed together), caramelized onion white bean spread, hummus, mashed avocado, or just plain vegan mayo.
Make It Balanced
Luckily, this sandwich is balanced with protein from the tofu slices, fiber-rich cabbage slaw, complex carbohydrates from the sourdough bread and roasted plantains, and healthy fats from the avocado oil used to cook everything. Feel free to modify with extra veggies or spreads based on your preference!
More Summer Sandwich Ideas
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Description
A flavorful chipotle tofu sandwich layered with smoky tofu deli slices, quick pickled slaw, and sweet plantains. Great high-protein lunch option that’s easy to meal prep.
Quick Pickled Slaw
Wrap Assembly
- To a large shallow bowl add the adobo sauce, bouillon paste, syrup, tamari, vinegar, oil, and spices then whisk together until completely smooth and set aside.
- On a cutting board, slice the tofu crosswise into thin 1/8-inch slabs (1-2 mm thick) using a sharp knife or mandoline.
- Dip each slice of tofu into the sauce on both sides to make sure the tofu is evenly coated. Make sure to reserve the remaining dressing.
- Heat some oil in a large griddle over or large skillet over medium low heat. Arrange the tofu slices in a single layer on to the cooking surface with a little space between each slice. Cook undisturbed for 3 minutes, then flip and cook again for 2-3 minutes. At this point, I like to brush a little more of the marinade on top of the tofu as it finishes cooking. You know the tofu is done once nicely browned and lightly crisp around the edges on both sides. Sprinkle the slices with a pinch of salt then transfer to a container and repeat with any remaining tofu slices.
- To make the slaw, combine the cabbage, cilantro, vinegar, oil, agave, and a generous pinch of salt in a medium bowl. Use clean hands to massage the cabbage until it has softened.
- Optional, if you want to include air fried ripe plantains on your sandwich. Preheat the air fryer to 370F. Trim the ends of your plantain, then use the knife to cut into the length of the skin. Peel the plantain then cut it into 1/2 inch thick slices. Place in the air fryer basket and spray or brush both sides with a little oil. Bake in the air fryer for 6-7 minutes, flip, spray again with oil then bake for another 6-7 minutes.
- To assemble a sandwich, spread mayo onto two slices of bread. To one slice, layer a serving of tofu slices, some plantain pieces, then the slaw, and top with the remaining slice of bread. Enjoy!
Notes
For a deeper flavor, allow the tofu slices to marinate for 30 minutes before cooking.
To save time, use a wide Y-peeler or mandoline slicer to slice your tofu, bagged shredded cabbage to save time on the slaw, and a pre-made spread like hummus to spread on your sandwich.
Use super firm tofu, not extra firm tofu. Super firm tofu is much more dense in texture and will lead to the most ideal texture for your slices. I would recommend brands like Nasoya, Wild Wood Foods, Trader Joe’s High Protein Tofu, or the one from Sprouts.
To bake tofu in the oven. Preheat the oven to 400F. Place the tofu slices on a large parchment lined baking tray. Brush the top of each tofu slice to coat in the sauce then place the tofu in the oven to bake for 8 minutes. Carefully flip the tofu slices with tongs, then brush the top side with the sauce again. Place the tray back in the oven for 7-8 minutes or until the edges start to brown slightly.
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