Tofu Puffs with Green Peppercorn Sauce

Tofu Puffs with Green Peppercorn Sauce

This is what I consider a deeply satisfying comfort meal

This is one of those meals that hits all the right notes for me: rich flavour, varied texture, and that good feeling you get when food actually nourishes and comforts at the same time. It’s hearty without being heavy, indulgent without being complicated, and it keeps really well for lunch the next day—which matters for my work planning.

These tofu puffs are crisp on the outside, tender inside, and drenched in a creamy, peppery tahini sauce that I could happily put on almost anything. I usually serve them with a kale salad and something colourful on the side. It’s a plate that feels full and grounding.

The tofu

I start with one block of organic tofu.

Marinade

• 2 Tbsp tamari
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• ½ tsp cayenne

Cut the tofu into bite-sized cubes and toss gently in the marinade. I’ll be honest: I’m impatient and usually let it sit for about 15 minutes. A few hours would deepen the flavour if you’re more organized than I am.

Optional but excellent step: before marinating, you can boil the tofu in salted water for about 10 minutes. This changes the texture and allows the flavours to seep in beautifully. If I have the time, I do it. If not, the tofu is still delicious.

The coating

I use a plastic bag for this—it makes coating quick and even.

• 1 cup organic cornstarch
• ½ tsp pink salt
• 1 tsp cayenne
• Garlic powder (optional – I usually skip this for my work lunches, just to keep my clients happier)
• ¼ cup nutritional yeast

Using a slotted spoon or spatula, transfer the marinated tofu into the bag. Try not to let too much liquid come along with the tofu. Seal the bag and shake until the tofu is evenly coated.

Then open the bag and I use my fingers to gently sift the tofu out, shaking off excess coating.

Spread the tofu cubes out on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Spray with olive oil or lightly baste so they’re well covered.

Bake at 410°F (210°C) for about 15 minutes, or until puffed and golden. Halfway through, I pull the tray out, shuffle and turn the cubes, and often give them another light spray or baste on the new side.

The green peppercorn sauce

This sauce is versatile and an addition I love. Creamy, tangy, peppery, and deeply comforting.

• 3 Tbsp lemon juice
• 1 Tbsp Maldon flake salt
• 1 1/2 to 2 Tbsp whole green peppercorns
• ½ cup tahini
• ½ cup olive oil
• ½ cup water (more or less, depending on the thickness of your tahini)

Using an immersion blender, blend until smooth. Adjust the water to your preferred consistency—I like a thick but pourable sauce.

If you want it less peppery, you can substitute capers for the green peppercorns. They give a lovely tang. I’ll usually add a bit of black pepper to that version.

How I serve it

I love this with a kale salad—often curly kale, because it holds up the best and and is great the next day. You can use this same sauce as the dressing and massage it right into the kale.

For colour and contrast, I’ll add one or two of the following:

• Roasted beets
• Caramelized peppers
• A simple tomato and basil salad
• Purple potatoes (which feel especially grounding)

A few honest notes

Cornstarch isn’t something I eat weekly. It’s probably not a supreme health food for my body. That said, I digest it well when I have it occasionally and joyfully. This is a “for fun” meal, and I’m completely okay with that.

This dish is one of my favourite work lunches the next day—much like how some people love cold chicken after dinner, this holds up well. Colin, my husband, loves this meal too, though he prefers it reheated. I’m happy either way.

I also have a habit of putting far too much on my plate at dinner, and I’m always grateful that Colin usually still has room for more. This meal feels generous—might be part of why this meal feels so comforting to me.

Food like this reminds me that nourishment isn’t just nutrients. It’s flavour, texture, ease, and the quiet pleasure of knowing tomorrow’s lunch is already taken care of. Also, I can make this in 1/2 an hour… I am hungry after work and want few delays. 

Use the sauce base and custom design it

One of the things I love most about this sauce is that it’s really just a generous, adaptable base: tahini, olive oil, salt, water, and acid. Once you have that rhythm in your hands, it becomes endlessly useful. The green peppercorn version is bold and comforting, but it’s only one expression. 

Tahini Sauce Base – Easy Variations

Basic sauce base

• Tahini
• Olive oil
• Salt
• Water
• Acid (lemon juice or lime juice)

Blend until smooth, adjusting water for your preferred consistency (thick and spoonable, or pourable for salads and bowls).

Flavour variations

• Green Peppercorn: Add whole green peppercorns and blend until smooth.
• Fresh Herb: Add a generous handful of fresh basil or parsley.
• Roasted Red Pepper: Add roasted red peppers for a sweeter, deeper flavour.
• Smoky Chipotle: Use lime juice instead of lemon and add chipotle to taste.
• Garlic Boost: Add fresh garlic to any of the above (raw for sharper flavour, roasted for softer sweetness).
• Ginger Tamari: Use 1 inch of fresh ginger and tamari to taste (omit salt, and note that a little tamari goes a long way in a sauce)

Tahini alternative

• Replace the tahini with whole raw pumpkin seeds for a lighter, earthier sauce.
  Add a little extra water and blend well until creamy.

Tips

• Taste as you go and adjust salt and acid.
• This sauce works as a drizzle, dip, or massaged-in dressing for greens like kale.
• The base is forgiving—follow texture and flavour rather than exact measurements.
• If the acid and oil separate, adding more water and blending more will usually bind it.

Cooking for grounding (conscious loving)

When I cook meals like this, I’m also quietly cooking for grounding—especially for my husband. He work outside, moves a lot, and did not come toward vegetarian meals before he met me (21 years ago), yet these kinds of dishes tend to land well for him. From an Ayurvedic lens, he leans strongly toward Vata, with its light, airy, dry, rough, cold, mobile qualities. So without making a big production of it (and without telling him, unless he happens to read this), I often build meals that carry a bit more Kapha energy—density, moisture, smoothness, heat, and stability—to help balance both the physical and emotional sides of that Vata tendency.

Creamy sauces, healthy fats, warming spices, and grounding vegetables all play a role. The goal isn’t to “fix” anything, but to offer food that feels steady, satisfying, and nourishing after a long day of movement in all weather conditions. Balancing with opposites changes through the seasonal changes too. I need this kind of grounding and balancing too, and it feels good to cook in a way that quietly supports both of us—no labels required, just food that help us live and move from Centre.