Sometimes a great sandwich only needs three things: crispy tofu, fresh salad for the conscience, and a sauce so good you’d eat it by the spoonful. This smoked tofu satay sandwich with red cabbage is one of my favourite quick breakfast recipes, savoury, filling, packed with texture, and on the table in 10 minutes.
You might already know the peanut sauce: my 3-minute peanut sauce is the most popular recipe on this blog. And it fits here so perfectly that no other sauce was ever going to work for this sandwich with red cabbage. For this recipe it’s best straight from the fridge, slightly firmer than freshly blended, so it stays exactly where it should on the sandwich.
What do you need for the sandwich with red cabbage ?
- Bread
You can use pretty much any bread: a good sourdough is wonderful, but a ciabatta or a soft baguette roll works just as well. The one in the photo above is a gluten-free wholegrain baguettini, by the way. Also delicious.
- Smoked tofu
Smoked tofu is one of my favourite ingredients when I want something hearty and satisfying. It already has a deep, smoky base, which is exactly what makes it so perfect for vegan and vegetarian sandwiches. It’s fine to eat raw, but sear it in a hot pan and it develops this wonderful golden crust. The secret is the marinade: maple syrup, soy sauce, smoked paprika, onion powder and garlic powder, applied after frying. It caramelises slightly in the residual heat and adds a deep, savoury umami flavour. Just try not to snack on it straight from the pan, or there’ll be nothing left for the sandwich. In a pinch, firm white tofu works too, just press it first.
- 3-minute peanut sauce
If you haven’t tried my peanut sauce yet: it’s exactly what it sounds like. Creamy, lightly spicy, lightly salty, lightly sweet, and, thanks to my favourite secret ingredient, with a depth you wouldn’t expect. It rounds out this sandwich with red cabbage beautifully. Find the peanut sauce recipe here.
- Fresh red cabbage
Red cabbage is one of the most underrated vegetables out there. And yet it’s a genuine nutritional powerhouse: red cabbage owes its beautiful purple colour to anthocyanins, secondary plant compounds from the flavonoid family with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Both varieties also provide vitamin K for blood clotting and bone health, folate for cell division, potassium for heart and blood pressure, and sulphur-containing glucosinolates, which the body converts into compounds with cancer-protective properties.
Especially valuable for plant-based eaters: just 100g of raw red cabbage covers around 57% of the recommended daily intake of vitamin C, which not only supports the immune system but significantly improves the absorption of plant-based iron. Add to that plenty of dietary fibre to support gut health and keep you fuller for longer. And you’ll get the most out of it by eating the cabbage raw, just like in this sandwich, since vitamin C and glucosinolates are heat-sensitive.
In this recipe the cabbage stays fresh and raw so all those benefits are preserved. The crunch and brightness also make it the perfect counterpart to the crispy tofu.
And if you’re a food nerd like me and you’re thinking, hang on, I can clearly see that’s purple pointed cabbage in the photo, not red cabbage, you’re absolutely right. The colour drew me in completely, and it’s actually what gave me the idea to try a sandwich with red cabbage in the first place. Purple pointed cabbage is a close relative of red cabbage. It has a conical shape, a bright light purple colour, and slightly more tender leaves compared to the round, deep purple red cabbage. I only know one shop near me that sells it, though. Red cabbage, on the other hand, is available in almost every produce section. Either one works perfectly here.
Looking for more ideas for red cabbage or purple pointed cabbage? Check these out:
Smoked Tofu Satay Sandwich with Red Cabbage
Recommended Equipment
Ingredients
- 200 g smoked tofu
- 1,5 teaspoons soy sauce
- 1,5 teaspoons maple syrup
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika powder
- 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 large bread rolls
- 2 tablespoons vegan butter
- 100 ml 3-minute-satay sauce
- 1 handful of lettuce leaves
- 1 handful of red cabbage
- salt and pepper
Instructions
- Heat a frying pan to medium to high heat and add some plant oil. Cut the tofu into thin slices and place them in the pan next to each other. Fry for 3 minutes.
- In the meantime mix soy sauce, maple syrup, smoked paprika powder, garlic powder and onion powder together in a small bowl.
- Flip tofu slices.
- Cut the bread rolls, and apply a thin layer of vegan butter.
- Apply soy sauce mix to the tofu slices, that works well with a pastry brush, and immediately toss and remove from pan.
- Layer the tofu slices into the sandwiches, add satay sauce, lettuce and red cabbage, add salt and pepper, ready.
Notes
Nutrition
Do I need to press the tofu first?
Smoked tofu is very firm, so that’s not necessary. If you’re using white tofu, I’d recommend it.
Did you enjoy this smoked tofu satay sandwich with red cabbage? You might also like:
10 Ideas for your new favourite vegan sandwich
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