Giant Tofu Curry with Lime and Coconut

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My giant tofu curry is a lighter and more citrusy take on a classic green curry. So if you're a fan of Thai curry, you're going to love this! 2-inch cubes of firm tofu are marinated in a blended lime leaf, cilantro, chili and coconut milk sauce, then baked until golden and simmered with soy-seasoned cabbage. The marinade doubles as the curry sauce, so nothing goes to waste. It's fully vegan, takes about 45 minutes (once the tofu is marinated) and is served over jasmine rice. SO good, I hope you love it!

Overhead shot of giant tofu curry over jasmine rice, topped with cilantro, sliced red chili and black sesame seeds.

This curry is inspired by the lime leaf tofu curry at Farmer J in London - obsessed!! As you know, I get a lot of my recipe inspiration from restaurants and this is one of them! As I ate, I wrote down all the flavors from the curry and all the ingredients I thought would be in it and then rebuilt it from scratch at home. For my US audience, Farmer J is a fast-casual farm-to-fork style restaurant chain focused on fieldtrays, grain bowls, and seasonal vegetables. After a bit of research it looks like they now have a restaurant in New York City too, thank me later!

The star of the show in this recipe is the giant tofu...with its very important second star of the show, the marinade. I season it until it tastes really, really flavorful, more than feels right when you taste it as is, because once it meets the tofu, cabbage and rice it mellows right down.

If you love tofu and coconut together, my spicy coconut tofu is a 25-minute curry, with hasselback-sliced tofu simmered in a lime and ginger coconut sauce. For crispy tofu in a curry, try my lemongrass and coconut tofu curry, which uses air-fried tofu in a fragrant lemongrass sauce.

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Why This Recipe Works
Ingredients for Giant Tofu Curry
How to make giant tofu curry (with photos)
Substitutions and Variations
Make Ahead and Storage
Tips for the Best Giant Tofu Curry
Giant Tofu Curry FAQs
More Tofu Recipes
Giant Tofu Curry with Lime and Coconut

Why This Recipe Works

The marinade is the sauce. One marinade flavours the tofu and acts as the sauce - two in one!
Giant cubes stay soft inside. At 2 inches, each cube gets a golden, seasoned outside and a soft flavorful center, instead of small pieces that dry out. There's something texturally gorgeous about this size of tofu. I love it.
Baking first sets the outside. A hot oven firms up the surface and adds color, so the big cubes hold their shape in the sauce.
The cabbage brings its own seasoning. Fried with salt and light soy sauce first, it adds a savory layer and soaks up the sauce really well.

Ingredients for Giant Tofu Curry

Another good thing about this recipe is that most of this ingredients list ends up going straight in the blender.

Firm tofu. Two 14-oz blocks (about 800g), firm or extra-firm. It needs to hold its shape as big 2-inch cubes, so skip silken or soft tofu here.
Coconut milk. One 13.5-oz can (400ml). It's the body of both the marinade and the sauce, and full-fat gives the richest result.
Makrut (kaffir) lime leaves. I use 5 dried leaves (you'll also see them sold as kaffir lime leaves). They're the most important flavor, floral and citrusy in a way lime juice alone can't give you. Look for them at Asian grocery stores or online. If you can't find them, lemongrass is a fabulous alternative.
Cilantro, ginger, garlic and red chili. The fresh base that turns the sauce pale green and fragrant. You can totally use a green chilli too!
Limes. Juiced for the marinade, plus wedges for serving.
Tenderheart cabbage. A tender, mild green cabbage sold in UK supermarkets. A pointed (sweetheart) cabbage or a small green cabbage works in its place.
Light soy sauce. For seasoning the cabbage. I wouldn't use dark soy sauce, but if that's all you've got, go for it.
Thai jasmine rice. Soft, fragrant and made for soaking up the delicious sauce.

For the full ingredient list with measurements, scroll down to the recipe card.

How to make giant tofu curry (with photos)

Blended lime leaf, cilantro and coconut milk marinade in a glass measuring jug, pale green with herb flecks.

Step 1. Blend the marinade

Add the cilantro, ginger, garlic, red chili, lime leaves, lime juice, olive oil, sugar, salt, pepper and coconut milk to a blender. Blend until completely smooth and speckled pale green. Taste it and season: it should be punchy and really well seasoned.

Emily Roz holding up a 2-inch cube of firm tofu, with the rest of the block cut into giant cubes on a wooden board.

Step 2. Cut the tofu into giant cubes

Slice each block of tofu into big 2-inch cubes, keeping them as even as you can so they bake at the same rate. Don't be tempted to go small: the texture from the large cubes is what we want!!

Pouring the coconut and lime leaf marinade over large pieces of firm tofu in a plastic container.

Step 3. Marinate the tofu

Place the tofu in an airtight container and pour the marinade over the top until every piece is fully submerged. Put the lid on and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or overnight if you're wanting maximum flavor!

Giant tofu cubes baked until lightly golden on a parchment-lined sheet pan, with a skillet of fried cabbage behind.

Step 4. Bake the tofu

Heat the oven to 410°F (210°C) and line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Lift the tofu out of the marinade, shake off the excess and spread the cubes out on the pan. Bake for 20 minutes, until slightly golden at the edges. Make sure to keep the leftover marinade.

Sliced cabbage frying in a stainless steel skillet, stirred with a wooden spoon until softened.

Step 5. Fry the cabbage

While the tofu bakes, heat a drizzle of vegetable oil in a large, deep skillet over medium heat. Add the sliced cabbage, season with salt and light soy sauce, and fry for about 10 minutes, stirring now and then, until soft.

Baked tofu cubes simmering in the leftover coconut marinade on top of fried cabbage in a large skillet on the stove.

Step 6. Simmer the tofu in the sauce

Once cooked, move the baked tofu into the cabbage skillet and pour the reserved marinade over the top. Simmer for 5 to 10 minutes, until the tofu is hot all the way through and the sauce bubbles gently around it. Taste, then adjust with salt, black pepper, sugar, chili flakes or lime juice for extra flavor.

Bowl of giant tofu curry over jasmine rice in front of the skillet, garnished with cilantro, red chili and sesame seeds.

Step 7. Serve over jasmine rice

Spoon the cooked jasmine rice into four bowls and divide the tofu and cabbage between them. Pour the curry sauce over the top, then finish with black sesame seeds, cilantro, freshly sliced red chili and a lime wedge on the side.

Substitutions and Variations

No makrut lime leaves? Fresh or frozen leaves work too, just pull out the tough center rib before blending. If you can't find any, fresh lemongrass will add a zesty fresh flavor to the curry sauce that I love too! Make sure to top and tail it, bash it to release aromas, and then roughly chop it before blending.
Gluten-free. Swap the light soy sauce for tamari. Everything else in the recipe is naturally gluten-free.
More or less heat. Keep the seeds in the marinade chili for more kick, or remove them for a milder curry. You can also add chili flakes at the end once you've tasted the sauce.
Not a rice person? Rice noodles soak up the sauce just as well.

Make Ahead and Storage

Marinate the tofu the night before and all that's left on the day is baking the tofu, frying the cabbage and bringing them together in the pan. Overnight gives the tofu the most time to take on the flavor.

Leftovers keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat gently in a skillet with a splash of water, since the coconut sauce thickens as it chills. I'd recommend skipping the freezer on this one becuase tofu turns spongy once frozen, and coconut sauces can separate as they thaw. For a tofu dish built for the week ahead, my tofu meal prep is made for exactly that.

Tips for the Best Giant Tofu Curry

Use a snug container. The tofu needs to sit fully under the marinade, so pick a container the cubes fit into tightly. Any tops poking out won't take on the flavor.
Shake off the excess before baking. A thin coating turns golden in the oven, but a thick layer pooling on the pan steams the tofu instead. Whatever you shake off goes back into the sauce.
Slice the cabbage thinly. Thin ribbons soften and turn glossy in the 10 minutes they get in the skillet. Thicker pieces take longer to soften.
Give the tofu room in the skillet. Use a large, deep pan so the cubes sit in a single layer on the cabbage and every piece heats through in the sauce.

Emily Roz holding a spoonful of giant tofu curry showing a soft tofu cube and a strand of cabbage, held over a full bowl.

Giant Tofu Curry FAQs

Do you need to press tofu for tofu curry?

Not for this recipe. The tofu goes straight from the pack into 2-inch cubes and into the marinade, and baking at a high heat firms up the outside so the cubes hold together in the sauce. If your tofu is very wet, patting it dry with a clean kitchen towel first won't hurt.

How long should you marinate tofu for curry?

At least 2 hours, and overnight for the best flavor.

Is this a Thai green curry?

Not a traditional one. Thai green curry is built on a pounded green curry paste, usually made with green chilies, lemongrass and galangal. This curry is inspired by a dish I had at Farmer J's recently!

Can I use light coconut milk?

Yes, but the sauce will be thinner and less rich. The coconut milk is both the marinade and the curry sauce, so full-fat gives you the creamiest result. If you use light, let the sauce simmer a few minutes longer at the end to thicken it slightly.

Why did my coconut curry sauce split?

It was most likely boiled too hard. Coconut milk can separate at a rolling boil, especially with lime juice in it, so keep the sauce at a gentle simmer once the marinade goes into the pan. A split sauce still tastes the same; it just looks less smooth.

More Tofu Recipes

If you're looking for more tofu recipes, I've got you covered.

Speedy black pepper tofu: golden pan-fried tofu tossed in a peppery soy, ginger and garlic sauce in 30 minutes.
Sticky orange tofu: crispy tofu in a tangy fresh orange, garlic and ginger sauce that beats takeout.
Claypot tofu: air-fried tofu with shiitake mushrooms and bok choy in a savory umami sauce, ready in 20 minutes.
7 easy silken tofu recipes: for the soft, silky side of tofu, including the viral mapo udon.

If you tried this Giant Tofu Curry recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thank you!

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Giant Tofu Curry

Why This Recipe Works

Ingredients for Giant Tofu Curry