Thai Mango Cabbage Wraps with Crispy Tofu and Peanut Sauce
Mango salsa cabbage wraps with crispy baked tofu and an irresistible peanut sauce. These salad wraps are light and delicious! Recipe is gluten free & vegan.
Updated by Kathryne Taylor on September 5, 2024
Hi, I’m Kate, and I am a chronic over-stuffer. I recognized the theme while I was making these salad wraps last night. In addition to salad wraps, I over-stuff tacos, burritos, bookshelves, closets and worst of all, my calendar. Basically, anything that can be over-stuffed, I over-stuff.
“All the salsas, please.”
—Me, at Chipotle, as the girl behind the counter struggles to fold over my burrito.
“Sure, I can photograph four recipes in one day, then answer comments and emails, go to yoga, stop by the grocery store and make it to bed at a reasonable hour.”
—Lying to myself on a daily basis.
I want it all, that’s all. The whole buffet on one plate. It’s exhausting. It can also be pretty embarrassing. Apologizing to everyone who’s been trying to reach me by email for the past week? Embarrassing. Trying to eat a saucy, over-stuffed burrito in public? Very embarrassing. Also very messy. Burritos are best consumed in the privacy of one’s own home.
Anyway, you should make these salad wraps. Over-stuff them all you want. I already had a general “tropical salsa meal” concept on my recipe list, but these wraps didn’t come to be until I tried my friend Ali’s Thai-style nachos. She topped her nachos with mango salsa and a drizzle of peanut sauce. Delicious!
I went a little crazy over the mango-peanut combination and immediately started brainstorming potential meals. After eating mango salsa and peanut sauce in various forms all week, I finally arrived at these salad wraps. They’re colorful, filling and full of Thai flavors. They would make a wonderful, light summer meal.
As much as I love the salad wrap version, please feel free to deconstruct the recipe. You could simply serve the mango salsa with chips. Or skip the tofu for a light appetizer. For a hot meal, serve the salsa on top of rice with peanut sauce (as shown here). In the mood for a big green salad? Top fresh lettuce with salsa and peanut sauce.
If you’re in a hurry, use San-J brand peanut sauce to save some time (it’s salty, so I prefer my homemade version). Skip the garnish of peanuts and coconut flakes if you’re really in a time pinch.
Watch How to Make Thai Mango Cabbage Wraps
You also have a few options when it comes to the tofu. I’ve shared my technique for crispy baked tofu already (the trick is to toss the tofu with a tiny bit of oil and some arrowroot starch or corn starch). I recently picked up a new way to infuse that crispy tofu with flavor, thanks to my friend Dana of Minimalist Baker. Basically, you bake the tofu first, then transfer it to a pan on the stove and pour sauce/glaze over it. The tofu soaks up the flavor like a sponge! It’s really neat.
The stove step is just one more step, though, so it’s up to you. The peanut sauce is plenty bold if you just want to drizzle it over the tofu, like I did in the top photo. Check out the last two photos if you want to see what happens when you cook the baked tofu and the sauce together on the stove.
Ok, I’ll admit that I’m an over-thinker in addition to being an over-stuffer. Make these wraps!
More Mango & Peanut Sauce Recipes
If you enjoy this bold flavor combination, these recipes will be right up your alley:
- Crunchy Thai Peanut and Quinoa Salad
- Mango Burrito Bowls with Crispy Tofu and Peanut Sauce
- Fresh Mango Salsa
- Fresh Spring Rolls with Peanut Sauce
- Peanut Slaw with Soba Noodles
- Thai Mango Salad with Peanut Dressing
Please let me know how your wraps turn out in the comments. I love hearing from you.
Thai Mango Cabbage Wraps with Crispy Tofu and Peanut Sauce
Mango salsa, crispy baked tofu and an irresistible peanut sauce on cabbage leaves. These salad wraps are light and delicious! Recipe yields 6 to 8 salad wraps. See notes to learn how to make it vegan and/or gluten free.
Ingredients
Crispy baked tofu
- 1 (15 ounce) block of organic extra-firm tofu
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon reduced-sodium tamari or soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons arrowroot starch or cornstarch
Peanut sauce
- ⅓ cup creamy peanut butter
- 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons reduced-sodium tamari or soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons honey or agave nectar or maple syrup
- 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
- ½ lime, juiced
- 2 garlic cloves, pressed or minced
Mango pico
- 2 ripe mangos, diced
- 1 medium red bell pepper, chopped
- ½ bunch (about 4) green onions, chopped
- ⅓ cup packed fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
- 1 jalapeño, minced
- ½ lime, juiced
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Everything else
- 1 small head of green cabbage (the smaller, the better) or bibb lettuce
- 2 tablespoons large, unsweetened coconut flakes* (optional)
- 2 tablespoons chopped peanuts (optional)
Instructions
- To prepare the tofu: Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Drain the tofu and use your palms to gently squeeze out some of the water. Slice the tofu into thirds so you have three ½-inch slabs. Transfer the tofu to a plate lined with a lint-free tea towel or paper towels. Fold the towel over one tofu slab, then place the other slab on top, then repeat with the last slab. Top with more towel and place something heavy on top (like a cast iron skillet) to help press the water out of the tofu.
- While the tofu drains, make the peanut sauce: Simply whisk together all of the sauce ingredients until well blended. If the flavor seems too bold or the sauce is too thick, thin it with a tablespoon or two of water. Set aside.
- To bake the tofu: Transfer the drained tofu to a cutting board. Slice each slab into four columns and four rows. Whisk together 1 tablespoon olive oil and tamari, then drizzle it over the tofu and toss to coat. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon arrowroot starch over the tofu, then toss the tofu until the starch is evenly incorporated. Repeat with 1 more teaspoon arrowroot starch. Arrange the tofu in an even layer on the baking sheet. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, tossing halfway, until the tofu is crisp and deeply golden.
- To make the mango salsa: Combine ingredients in a small serving bowl and toss. Taste, and add additional salt and/or a little splash of white wine vinegar if necessary. Set aside.
- To prepare the cabbage/lettuce: Slice off the thick stem and bottom ¼th of the head of cabbage/lettuce. Gently pull off one leaf at a time. Repeat until you have 6 to 8 cabbage leaves.
- If you want to go the extra mile with the tofu: Once the tofu has finished baking, toast the coconut flakes and chopped peanuts in a medium skillet over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the coconut is golden on the edges. Add the tofu to the pan. Pour in ⅔rds of the peanut sauce and toss to coat. Cook, stirring frequently, until the tofu has absorbed the sauce and has turned golden on the edges. Transfer to a plate to cool.
- To assemble the cabbage wraps: Divide the salsa amongst the salad wraps. Top with tofu and additional peanut sauce. Serve! These wraps keep well in the fridge, covered, overnight. Sauce keeps well for up to a week in the fridge, covered.
Notes
Recipe inspired by Ali of Gimme Some Oven (check out her Thai tacos and Thai salad). Baked tofu from my brussels sprouts dish. Skillet tofu technique adapted from Minimalist Baker.
Make it vegan: Use either of the other two suggested natural sweeteners instead of honey
Make it gluten free: Use certified gluten-free tamari instead of soy sauce.Change it up: See suggestions in post. I’m pretty sure pineapple/peach would be great substitutes for the mango. You can substitute almond butter for the peanut butter if you’d like.
Prepare in advance: The baked tofu, salsa and peanut sauce can all be made in advance for easy assembly.
*Where to buy coconut flakes: Look for them in the baking section at Whole Foods, health food stores or well-stocked grocery stores. The brands I see most often are “Let’s Do Organic” (green package) and Bob’s Red Mill.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.
Everyone in my family of 5 loved this recipe! I used only what I had on hand, red cabbage from the garden (instead of green), tiny cherry tomatoes instead of red pepper, frozen mango thawed (instead of fresh), olive oil instead of sesame oil, and it was still delicious! Definitely one to add to the rotation! I also sautéed some cubes of chicken breast for the non vegetarians in the family to add to theirs. Thank you
Me, at Chipotle: Please use 2 tortillas and place them on each other half way (so tortilla “space” is nearly doubled)!… ha ha ha….Lots of beans, some rice and tons of veggies, guac and all sauces. NO extra cost! I love Chipotle!!!
I’ve been eyeing this recipe for a while and finally made it last night! It did not disappoint – delicious!!
Fantastic to hear, Hailey!
These were SO good. Really, my partner and I spent our whole dinner amazed at how tasty these were – and he’s a big meat eater!
We made some small modifications – we used iceberg lettuce instead of cabbage, and nixed the cilantro (since he can’t eat it) and it turned out so great.
I also loved baking the tofu – I usually sautee my tofu to get it crispy, but I loved throwing it in the oven while you’re prepping everything else. Going to do that a lot more often!
This recipe has been bookmarked for the last 3 years, during which time I’ve made it for family more often than I can count. I usually replace the cabbage leaves with butterhead lettuce, because we prefer to texture and also, nom, lettuce. Always a hit, so simple, and it’s impossible to ‘just take a little’ of the peanut sauce — it’s a solid faily favourite and I’m making it again tonight~
I don’t have much experience with tofu, it stuck to the parchment. I cut them off with a knife and finished them in a pan with some of the peanut sauce. I’ll try the bake then glaze technique next time. Another hit with everyone.
Loved, loved, loved this recipe. the freshness of the mango relish with all it’s flavor was just what we needed. I didn’t have fresh mango, so I defrosted a bag of Trader Joe’s frozen mango and let it drain for about an hour. It worked great. This will be a go to for use. Again. LOVED it.
I’m happy you loved it, Jane! Thank you for your review.
My husband is “texture sensitive” (haha!), so I didn’t use the coconut flakes or peanuts. I also reduced the peanut butter for the sauce to 2 TBSP, and changed from cilantro to parsley. My husband said it was “The Best” peanut sauce. My mangoes went bad and I only had about 1/2 mango left, so I used FRESH pineapple instead, and this salsa was absolutely magnificent. I sprinkled a little chili powder, I’ve seen it in street vendors in Mexico City, and my salsa was every bit as good as the best street food in Mexico! I absolutely LOVE this dish.
Great to hear you were able to make adjustments that worked with your texture needs. I appreciate you taking the time to review, Viviane!
I can’t wait to make this for some lunch prep! My mango hack- buy frozen mango cubes, thaw it a bit in the microwave and then dice it smaller if you want. It’s a super easy way to always have mango on hand for recipes like this!
We frequently use your tofu recipe as it’s far superior than others we’ve tried. And the combination with mango and peanut sauce in this recipe is fabulous. Had a head of purple cabbage that had been taking up room in our fridge for days and needed to use it. This recipe made the best possible use of that cabbage- delicious! Thank you!
Delicious! Only thing I might change is substitute lettuce wrap fro cabbage, which was a bit tough to wrap, but we managed, with messy hands as the yummy peanut sauce dripped out. Would definitely make this again. Might even double the Tofu component so we can have more leftovers. Thanks Kate.
This is the best thing I have ever made. Not even joking. 10/10. Will be making it over and over again!
Super recipe !
Whole family loved it
That’s great! Thank you for sharing, Laura.
A new favorite! I’ve made this twice in two weeks. I pile the salsa, tofu, and peanut sauce on a bed of butter lettuce instead of making wraps, to keep things easy. I’m sure I’ll be eating this all summer.
That’s great! Thank you for sharing, Tiffany.
This is a really good recipe… we loved it!!!
The only adaptation was for the peanut sauce, I thought it was a too tangy, so I added more peanut butter and a bit of fish sauce. It did the trick.
It is so fresh and delicious!
Holy smokes, this recipe blew me out of the water. I actually have cooked dozens of your recipes and have yet to make a comment. This one motivated me to do so! I was a bit hesitant as I wasn’t sure how satisfying it would be and I was so wrong about that. This is so satisfying and delicious. Keep it up, Kate. I love that I can always count on your recipes being delicious.
I love that, Kate! Thank you for your review.
Yummy these are so delicious 5 star go the extra and add the coconut and peanuts. My husband and I love these and they are one of our favourite dishes
If you freeze the tofu and then thaw and drain, the texture is a bit better. Just my preference .
These were incredible – fresh and filling all at the same time. Even my husband who says he doesn’t like mango or peanut sauce loved them! Served with a side of rice.
I love that! Thank you for sharing, Danielle.
Hello. I cook for other people and this has been their favorite meal so far! It is so fresh with the salsa then the peanut sauce mixed with the other yumminess is the bomb! Thanks for this! I’m not a big cabbage person but now I will try it out in more things!
I love to hear that! Thank you for sharing, Susannah.
We made this tonight. It’s so bright and colorful and tastes amazing. What a great recipe! Highly recommend!
Wonderful, Zachary! Thank you for your review.
I rarely cook/bake/make food, but needed to create something for dear friends–one a vegetarian. This was a hit. Thank you for sharing!
Big hit with my whole family, including my 10 year old brother! Thank you!
You’re welcome, Anna!
These are delicious! I will definitely be saving this one to put into regular rotation. I didn’t have any green onions, so I put some diced red onion in the mango salsa instead. I had some leftover peanut sauce, which I used to make myself a burrito bowl the next day. Yum!
That’s great, Tessa! Thank you for your review.
Using cabbage leaves is a game changer!
Great recipe. The peanut sauce is right on.
I’m glad you loved this recipe, Wendy! Thank you for your review.
This recipe was a big hit!! I forgot to buy the lettuce so we used street taco sized tortillas. I also thought the fillings would be amazing using scallion pancakes as a wrap.
Holy S&%t, this was a PHENOMENAL recipe, my husband and I still can’t get over it. Do yourself a favor and double this recipe when you make it because it’s that good!
My husband & toddler can’t handle heat so we used 2 bell peppers and omitted the jalepeno. I toasted the extra topping of coconut flakes (we only had sweetened, still amazing) and peanuts, but instead of mixing it up with the sauce, we assembled as suggested in step 6, we ended up drizzling the sauce over the top of the wraps and then sprinkling a generous amount of coconut flakes & toasted peanuts for an AMAZING crunch- I really wanted that texture so I kept the ‘topping’ separate from the peanut sauce. Seriously, so good. What flavors!
The only issue we had was one of calories- after having like six of these in lettuce cups we were still a bit hungry so we made the last few in small flour taco tortillas and that was perfect. I think that’s the only change/option I’d make if this is to be a primary dinner entree for folks- use flour tortillas to bulk out the calories/satiety- and a little less mess too!
Thank you, Michelle! I’m so glad you ll enjoyed it. Great way to modify this recipe!
I made this for my family. I have to give it 10 ☆. Everyone enjoyed it. We had no leftovers
That’s great to hear, Margaret! Thank you for your review.
Great recipe! I added fresh corn to the salsa because i had 2 ears that needed to be cooked. Purple cabbage.made it very colorful.
This was a delicious dinner for a dinner party with a few vegan guests. Spot on.
Thank you so much for this recipe! I am in the transition to become vegan. This was my first meal for myself and my kids. They loved it too. Again thank you thank you thank you! :)
Karisha S
This recipe was a treat for all the senses–it looked beautiful (with the orange mango, red pepper, and several shades of green); the peanut sauce smelled delicious when mixed with the baked tofu; it had a variety of textures–the crunch of the cabbage, the chewy tofu, and the smoothness of the mango; and the flavors were like “fireworks in the mouth” (as my daughter said), with one surprising flavor after another. The peanut sauce was wonderfully tangy and the meal garnered a lot of comments and compliments all around the table. The cabbage wrap was nice and sturdy, and the wrap was quite filling. This was the first time my attempts at baked tofu turned out perfectly. I followed the recipe exactly. A bonus was looking at Kate’s sweet smile at the top of the recipe while making it. This was a fun experience. It’s a keeper that we’ll probably make every once in a while for a nice change. And it’s definitely going to be my go-to recipe for how to make baked tofu. Thank you, Cookie and Kate! :)
I skipped the cabbage and served this with roasted cubed sweet potatoes and lime coleslaw. It was a flavor punch. My husband can’t stop talking about how yummy this was. Thanks for the recipe!
You’re welcome, Rachel!
I just made this. It is DELICIOUS! I am new to tofu and a bit hesitant about it, but the crispiness and the crunch in the wrap – oh so good! The mixture of the flavors! So good!
The leaves of the Bibb lettuce cracked so I could see putting this all on top of lettuce(s) and eating it with a fork. Next time…
I’ve been making these for YEARS and wanted to finally drop in to say that multiple people have told me they’re the best things they’ve ever put in their mouths—and I’m inclined to agree. We have taken to doubling the tofu; no other changes. Absolutely heavenly, even if I’ve always found mango a little tricky to deal with :-) thank you for what’s become a much beloved summertime treat!!
You’re welcome, Natalie! I appreciate your review.
Delicious!tofu was perfectly crisp and brown on outside and firm inside. Delightful mix with peanuts, coconut, sauce & salsa. The mango salsa really spiced it up,resulting in a mouth watering explosion in your mouth!I used avocado oil, no sweetener and 1/2 red onion finely chopped p/o scallions. In my air fryer, the first side of tofu was done in 15 minutes and the other side 8 minutes- perfect!
Wonderful recipe! This way of air frying tofu will be my go to method now!
This also works great if you accidentally get iceberg lettuce and then flex the whole thing as a salad instead :)
This recipe is absolutely scrumptious!
I put it in rice paper wrappers instead of cabbage.
I did end up with a lot more of the mango salad than I needed for the tofu (maybe my mangos were extra large?), but it was so good that I’ve just been eating it on its own the last couple days.
I already can’t wait to make this again! So healthy, easy, and so, so delicious!
Hi Kate, I have been a follower for several years. I think it is high time I dropped you a note to let you know that both your cookbook and website are my first go-tos when looking for recipes. And I might add, because I generally find what I am looking for, they are more often than not my last go-tos. Thank you for taking the time to continue to supply us with great ideas and delicioius recipes. Your recipes help so much when it comes to entertaining and when I get tired of my own cooking and am looking to add something new and fresh to our daily fare. Thanks again for all you do.
Cheers, Kim
Delicious. Though I have to confess I took many liberties. But that’s ok, because sometimes we gotta work with the time and ingredients we have. I would definitely remake. The tofu – crispy, but I would dial back baking by 5 minutes next time because it began to dry out a bit. Cooking through with the sauce, peanuts and coconut would take it over the top, but I just threw all those things on top. Sauce is divine. Skipped the mango salsa and just through some scallions and lime juice on top. And used lettuce leaves instead of cabbage.