Tofu and aubergine peanut stew

A mild tomato stew with tofu, aubergine and a measured peanut sauce.

By The foodose editorial team. Nutrition calculated from USDA FoodData Central. Checked on paper on 12 September 2026; not yet cooked in a test kitchen or photographed, so the times and yield are estimates. How we develop our recipes

What still needs a real kitchen

Confirm the aubergine softens in 8 to 10 minutes
Photograph the finished bowls

Time: About 40 min; estimated
Serves: 2; see below
Energy: 500 kcal; per serving
Protein: 34 g; per serving

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Not yet photographed. The panel names the dish’s main ingredients rather than showing a picture we have not taken.

Ingredients for 2 servings

2 servings

Check off ingredients as you go.

80 g white rice, long-grain, dry weight
5 ml rapeseed or other neutral oil
250 g aubergine, cut into 2 cm cubes
300 g firm tofu, drained and cubed
250 g tomatoes, chopped
150 ml vegetable stock, ready to use
20 g peanut butter, smooth, no added salt
½ tsp ground cumin

Contains peanuts, soya. Check the labels on packaged ingredients:

vegetable stock. Vegetable stock often contains celery, and some contain milk or gluten; check the label, especially if you need it vegan.
peanut butter. Most peanut butter contains added salt, and some contains palm oil or sugar; this figure is for the unsalted kind.

Cooking steps

Cook the rice in boiling water, following the packet, then drain it.
Warm the oil in a wide pan over medium heat. Add the aubergine and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring and adding a splash of water when it sticks, until it softens and colours.
Stir the peanut butter into a little of the warm stock in a cup until loose, so it does not sit in lumps.
Add the tofu, tomatoes, cumin, the rest of the stock and the loosened peanut butter. Simmer for 12 to 15 minutes, until the aubergine is completely tender and the sauce has thickened.
Serve over the rice.

The useful detail

Loosen peanut butter with warm stock before adding it. Dropped straight into the pan it stays as a lump that refuses to disperse, however long you stir.

Make it work for you

One serving is Half the pan with 40 g of rice (dry weight). You can switch to a smaller portion in the ingredients above; it is three quarters of this, and it contains correspondingly less energy and protein. It is an option, not a goal.

Tempeh instead of tofu
Firmer and nuttier, and it holds its shape better in a long simmer.
Per serving: about 70 kcal more, about 5 g more protein, about 3 g more fat.
Tinned chopped tomatoes
A thicker, more acidic sauce.
Per serving: about 5 kcal less, about the same protein, about the same fat.
Tahini instead of peanut butter
Thinner and more bitter, and a quite different dish.
Per serving: about the same energy, about the same protein, about the same fat.
Allergens: Removes peanuts; adds sesame.

Estimated nutrition

Per standard serving, calculated from the ingredients above. Nutrition changes with substitutions, brands and how much oil stays in the pan.

A vegan stew where tofu carries the protein and the peanut butter is measured rather than poured, since it is the richest thing in the pan.

Nutrition per serving
Energy	500 kcal
Protein	34 g
Fat	21 g
of which saturates	3 g
Carbohydrate	52 g
of which sugars	not calculated
Fibre	10 g
Sodium	250 mg

Show calculation notes

Each ingredient’s weight is multiplied by its USDA FoodData Central values per 100 g. The whole recipe is added up and divided by 2. Raw weights are used for meat, fish and vegetables; beans and lentils are drained weights. All of the oil is counted as eaten. Added salt is not included; sodium from stock, bread, cheese and tinned food is.

Calculation, whole recipe
Ingredient	Weight used	Source	Energy	Protein
white rice	80 g	FDC 168877Rice, white, long-grain, regular, raw, enriched	292 kcal	5.7 g
rapeseed or other neutral oil	4.5 g	FDC 172336Oil, canola	41 kcal	0.0 g
aubergine	250 g	FDC 169228Eggplant, raw	63 kcal	2.5 g
firm tofu	300 g	FDC 172475Tofu, raw, firm, prepared with calcium sulfate	432 kcal	51.8 g
tomatoes	250 g	FDC 170457Tomatoes, red, ripe, raw, year round average	45 kcal	2.2 g
vegetable stock	145 g	FDC 171583Soup, vegetable broth, ready to serve	7 kcal	0.4 g
peanut butter	20 g	FDC 172470Peanut butter, smooth style, without salt	120 kcal	4.4 g
ground cumin	1 g	FDC 170923Spices, cumin seedFoodData Central records cumin seed; ground cumin is the same seed, milled.	4 kcal	0.2 g
Whole recipe		Divided by 2	1003 kcal	67.1 g

Per serving the energy is rounded to the nearest 5 kcal, grams to the nearest whole gram and sodium to the nearest 10 mg. of which sugars could not be calculated, because one ingredient’s record does not cover it; the row above says which. Calculation method 1.0, September 2026. How the calculation works.

Storage and reheating

In the fridge: Cool, cover and refrigerate within 2 hours of cooking. Eat within 3 to 4 days. The sauce thickens overnight; loosen it with water.
In the freezer: Freezing keeps food safe indefinitely; the texture is best if it is eaten sooner rather than later.
Reheating: Reheat until it reaches 74°C / 165°F, steaming hot throughout.

Checked against US Food and Drug Administration, Refrigerator and Freezer Storage Chart, USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service, Leftovers and Food Safety, FoodSafety.gov, Safe Minimum Internal Temperatures and FoodSafety.gov, Cold Food Storage Chart. UK guidance from the Food Standards Agency is shorter, at two days for most leftovers.

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