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Air-fryer salads · 25 minutes

Crispy Tofu Larb Lettuce Cups

Crumbled tofu gets crisp and golden in the air fryer, then takes on the lime, chile, herbs and toasted rice powder of Thai and Lao larb, with soy sauce standing in for fish sauce.

Prep
10 min
Cook
15 min
Total
25 min
Serves
3
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VeganDairy-freeEgg-freeGluten-freeAir fryerStovetop

Larb is a Lao and northern Thai minced-meat salad that’s all about sour, salty, hot and herby. Crumbled tofu works well as a stand-in once you air-fry it: break it into small, uneven pieces, toss with tamari and cornstarch, and cook at 400°F until the edges go golden and crisp. Those crispy bits hold the dressing without getting soggy.

The ingredient you shouldn’t skip is toasted rice powder (khao khua). It’s raw rice toasted in a dry pan and ground, and it adds a nutty, popcorn-like flavor and a slight crunch. It takes five minutes on the stove while the tofu cooks, or you can buy it at Asian grocery stores. Fish sauce is out; soy sauce and extra lime handle the salt and sour.

The recipe

Crispy Tofu Larb Lettuce Cups

Prep 10 min · Cook 15 min · Total 25 min · Serves 3

Ingredients

Tap to tick off as you go.

For the crispy tofu

For the toasted rice powder

For the dressing and herbs

To serve

Method

  1. Step 1: Crumble the tofu

    Pat the pressed tofu dry and crumble it with your fingers into uneven, pea- to marble-size pieces. Toss with the tamari, then the cornstarch, then the oil.

  2. Step 2: Crisp the tofu

    Air-fry at 400°F for 13–15 minutes, shaking every 4 minutes, until golden and crisp at the edges.

  3. Step 3: Toast the rice

    Meanwhile, toast the rice in a dry skillet over medium heat, shaking often, for 4–6 minutes until deep golden and fragrant. Cool for a minute, then grind to a coarse powder in a spice grinder or mortar and pestle.

  4. Step 4: Mix the dressing

    Stir the lime juice, tamari, maple syrup and chile flakes in a large bowl until combined. Add the shallot and let it soften while the tofu finishes.

  5. Step 5: Toss and fill

    Add the hot tofu to the bowl with most of the rice powder, the scallions, mint and cilantro and toss well. Taste and add more lime or chile. Spoon into lettuce leaves, sprinkle with the remaining rice powder, and serve with cucumber and lime wedges.

Good to know

  • Uneven crumbles are better than neat cubes. The small bits get extra crunchy and the larger ones stay tender, which is the texture you want.
  • Toss the tofu into the dressing hot. It absorbs the lime and tamari better than tofu that has cooled.
  • Make a double batch of toasted rice powder; it keeps in a jar for a month and it’s great on fried rice and noodle salads too.

Swaps

Tofu
Finely chopped mushrooms (oyster or cremini), 400°F for 12–14 minutes until browned
Butter lettuce
Little Gem leaves, napa cabbage cups, or a bowl of jasmine rice
Mint and cilantro
Thai basil and dill, or any two soft herbs you have

Questions people ask

What is larb?

Larb is a minced salad from Laos and northern Thailand, dressed with lime, fish sauce, chile, toasted rice powder and lots of herbs. Vegetarian versions use tofu or mushrooms and soy sauce in place of meat and fish sauce.

What can I use instead of fish sauce?

Soy sauce or tamari with extra lime juice gives the salty-sour balance. Some stores also sell vegan fish sauce made from seaweed and mushrooms.

How do you make toasted rice powder?

Toast raw sticky or jasmine rice in a dry pan over medium heat for 4–6 minutes until deep golden, then grind it coarsely.

Get the butter lettuce, limes and mint from a farmer.

This recipe is only as good as what goes in it. Find a farmers market or CSA farm near you, or get a produce box delivered when there’s no market this week.

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