Turmeric tofu rainbow wraps + creamy peanut sauce

Colorful, crunchy rainbow wraps loaded with fresh veggies and crispy tofu. Dipped in peanut sauce and avocado Sriracha hummus for a flavorful, healthy way to power through your day!

Welcome to another year, friends! How is it already mid-January 2021??

Whether you spent the holidays in quarantine or managed to see family or friends (in small groups ofc) – I hope you found yourself with a happy heart and full belly. I did a lot of eating and a lot of relaxing over the holidays and it was just what the doctor ordered after the year we had collectively, and individually. Anyone else?

I originally posted this recipe January of 2018, but thought it deserved some sprucing up. These wraps are the perfect reset after a season of heavy eating. One of my intentions for 2021 is to incorporate as many whole foods in as many colors as possible, into my diet.

The Breakdown

These beauties are loaded with fresh, vibrant vegetables like carrots, cucumbers, and red cabbage, crispy turmeric tofu strips, and are paired with two flavorful dipping sauces you’ll want to eat with a spoon. And you probably will.

Jump to Recipe

The first is an avocado Sriracha hummus that you can make as spicy or not spicy as you’d like. The smooth, creamy hummus is a perfect texture contrast to the wrap.

But it’s the peanut sauce that really takes these rainbow wraps to the next level. The combination of peanut butter, ginger, soy, and lime gives it a very well-balanced savory, nutty, umami vibe that is the perfect match for the cool, crunchy wrap. Plus, they are super filling despite the fact they’re veg on veg on veg on—nut?

Aside from being gorgeous, flavorful, and texturally pleasing – they’re packed with Vitamin C, antioxidants, skin-friendly minerals, and other vitamins and nutrients essential for feeling your best.

Tips for Making the Best Rainbow Wraps

There are a few helpful tricks when it comes to making tofu rainbow wraps or using collard greens as the vessel for any type of wrap. Let’s get into it!

First and foremost, you’re going to want to mise all your ingredients ahead of time. This means you’ll prep and chop all the components beforehand, so that everything is easily accessible when it’s time to build your wrap. When prepping your veg for the filling, try to cut ingredients into similar shapes and sizes – thin strips or julienne works best for this wrap. It’s okay if a few ingredients don’t match the others, but the more uniform your cuts are, the easier it will be to wrap.

Full disclosure: the assembly prep for these takes a little time, but once you have everything chopped and prepped you can keep it in the fridge and make them all week!

Okay, next topic—tofu.

The secret to crispy tofu is getting it dry afff before frying it. You’ll want to continuously dry the tofu after each cut, while you are cutting it down into matchsticks. When your towel or paper towels get fully saturated, grab new ones. Another important factor is your oil temp. You’ll want to make sure it’s hot enough before adding the tofu. If your oil isn’t hot enough, the tofu will end up soggy. To test, simply toss one piece of tofu into the oil – if you can hear it sizzle, you’re good to go! If not, let it heat a while longer.

Another essential tip is to steam or slightly blanch the collard greens. This will make them more pliable, so the leaf doesn’t break while wrapping. This makes allllll the difference – trust me. I explain how I do this in the recipe below.

When it comes to wrapping, make sure you don’t go overboard with the filling ingredients for two reasons.

One – it will not be fun to wrap and will guaranteed fall apart. And two – the wrap is super crunchy because of all the raw veggies, so you don’t want to make it difficult to chew through. Smaller wraps with fewer ingredients are key, here.

As far as the actual wrapping process goes, it’s basically the same concept as a burrito.

You’re going to load your ingredients in the center, but slightly to one side. Then fold the collard green over the ingredients tucking the filling in tightly. Next, you’ll wrap up the sides like a present and begin to roll it over itself. If you’re scratching your head right now, check out this short tutorial I found on YouTube!

How to Ditch the Recipe: Rainbow Wraps Edition

These wraps can be filled with ANY produce or protein you fancy. I like to keep it colorful—that way I know I’m incorporating a variety of nutrients—but the options are endless! Below are some ideas to get your creative juices flowing.

Protein: Tofu, shrimp, chicken, steak, beans or fish of any kind—cooked, canned, smoked, raw sashimi-grade, lox. You think of something else, you put that sh*t in there!

Produce: Jicama, zucchini, radish, sweet potato (fries/wedges), cabbage, bell peppers, hot peppers, asparagus, corn, edamame, mango, pineapple, apples, pears. Pickled veg are also welcome. Kimchi would be fire too, just make sure you drain the juices really well.

Sauce/spread: IMO the peanut sauce is what MAKES THESE WRAPS. But you could use teriyaki, any kind of hummus, or veggie dip if you’re using mostly veg for the filling. A citrusy crema or mango sauce would be delicious if you were to use any tropical fruit in the filling, like pineapple or mango.

Add-ins: Grains such as rice, quinoa, or couscous. Dried fruit like cranberries, cherries, or raisins. Crunchy nuts like cashews, almond, or hazelnuts. Cheese seems like an odd pairing for this particular wrap, but it could work with other filling ingredients.

If you were to wrap buffalo chicken with shredded lettuce, red onion, and avocado, for example—blue cheese would be a great addition. Other cheese options are goat cheese, feta cheese, parmesan, Cotija, swiss, gouda, smoked cheese, mozzarella, nacho cheese lol.

If you have any questions, feel free to comment below or send an email to ditchtherecipe@gmail.com. If you make this salad, let me know how you ditched the recipe. Share it on Instagram and tag @ditchtherecipe—I love to see what you’re making!

I wish you all expansion and joy in the year ahead. Take care of yourselves, take care of each other, and cook some damn good food. :)))))

Enjoy.