sesame tofu

Healthy sesame tofu recipe, air fry or bake it before coating in an oil-free sticky garlic ginger sesame sauce. Crispy golden around the edges using maple syrup instead of honey, gluten free and vegan!

Sesame Tofu

oz block firm tofu (~organic)

tbsp tapioca

lime (~for serving)

tbsp tamari sauce

tbsp apple cider vinegar ((or lime juice))

maple syrup ((or brown sugar))

garlic garlic

ginger root (~grated)

water

tbsp tapioca or corn starch

tbsp sesame seeds

red pepper flakes ((optional))

Remove tofu from the package and drain the water. Slice in half lengthwise so you end up with 2 thinner slices. Place on a lint free towel lined plate and fold the sides over. Cover with another lint free towel and place a heavy item on top, something with good balance. Allow the tofu to press for at least 35 minutes or overnight. (If pressing overnight make sure to transfer to the refrigerator and keep cool)

Use your hands and roughly tear the tofu into bite size pieces. Transfer to a bowl and sprinkle with a tiny pinch of sea salt and two tablespoons of tapioca. Gently toss to coat well.

Press the Tofu:

Place the tofu on a parchment lined air fryer tray and air fry at 375&quot; for 15 to 17 minutes until golden around the edges.  (I do this in my Cuisinart Toaster Air Fryer, if you are using something different you might need to adjust the timing as it could take a little longer)

Air Fryer Method:

Spray the pressed tofu pieces with a light coat of sesame oil. Dust with 2 tablespoons of tapioca and toss to coat well. Arrange on a parchment lined baking sheet preferably without touching each other. Bake at 400&quot;F for 25 to 30 minutes until golden around the edges.

Oven Baked Method:

In a small bowl whisk together all the sauce ingredients until combined. Transfer to a sauce pan and bring to a simmer. Cook a minute or so until the sauce has thickened.

Transfer the cooked tofu into the sesame sauce and toss to coat well all over. Serve over steamed broccoli with brown rice or noodles.

Make the Sesame Sauce:

This Crispy Sesame Tofu is incredibly easy to make and tastes amazing! The tofu is baked in a unique way to make it extra crispy and then drenched in a sweet and savory sesame sauce.

Crispy Sesame Tofu

(16 ounce) blocks firm or extra-firm tofu

sesame oil

soy sauce (*use tamari

cornstarch

soy sauce (or tamari)

garlic,

agave, maple syrup or brown sugar

seasoned rice vinegar

Sriracha hot sauce, more or less to taste

rice

chopped green onions

sesame seeds

broccoli

Press the tofu: Wrap each block of tofu in paper towels. Place a plate or pan on top of the wrapped tofu, and put a couple of heavy books on top of that. Let the tofu press for 20 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and lightly grease a large baking sheet with oil or line with parchment paper.

Slice the pressed tofu into cubes, then add them to a large ziplock bag (or large bowl), along with the sesame oil, soy sauce and cornstarch. Close the bag, and shake gently to coat. Arrange the tofu evenly on the prepared pan, and bake for 25 minutes, or until golden and crispy.

While the tofu bakes, cook your rice and make the sauce. In a large pan, add the soy sauce, garlic, agave, seasoned rice vinegar and Sriracha hot sauce. Stir and bring to a simmer over medium heat. In a small bowl, mix the cornstarch and water together until smooth, then pour into the pan. Stir constantly until the sauce thickens, then turn off the heat. Stir in the sesame oil.

When the tofu is done baking, add it to the sauce and stir to coat the pieces. Serve with rice, sesame seeds, chopped green onions and some steamed broccoli. Enjoy!

Crispy Pan-Fried Sesame Tofu is packed with sesame flavour and ready in under 30 minutes!

Crispy Pan-Fried Sesame Tofu

pack extra-firm tofu

vegetable oil

scallions, chopped

garlic clove,

tsp minced ginger

tbsp tamari (or soy sauce, gluten-free if needed)

tbsp sesame oil

maple syrup

tbsp rice vinegar

Drain the tofu, and press it between two paper towels to remove as much liquid as possible. 

Cut the tofu into cubes and toss in a bowl with the cornstarch. 

Heat the vegetable oil in a pan on medium-high heat then add half of the sliced green onions and all of the tofu cubes. Let the tofu cook for 2-3 minutes on each side until golden brown. 

While the tofu is cooking, prepare the sauce by mixing the sauce ingredients together in a small bowl.

Once the tofu is crispy on all sides, lower the heat to low and pour the sauce, sesame seeds and remaining green onions into the pan. 

Mix together until the tofu is evenly coated and served. 

Serve immediately. Optionally top with sliced green onions and sesame seeds. 

Fantabulous! I added more scallions, leeks, mushrooms, and, at the end some frozen kale. Served over rice.

Easy and Delicious! Served it with rice and added some broccoli as suggested in the post for some extra nutrition.

This recipe is terrific. I did make a couple substitutions. I used chopped Vidalia onions since I didn't have scallions. I used powdered ginger as well. It didn't matter. It was delicious. If you want an animal protein as well, add some cooked chicken to the recipe (about a cup for the single portion) and maybe add a chopped sweet red bell pepper. One thing I would change is to increase the amount of ingredients for the sauce. I'd love to have a bit more of it with my entrée.

Love this recipe.  Will definitely be making it often

I feel like this should be a recipe that has a huge amount of ratings because it's that good. I made it for dinner last night and it was amazing :) I did do a few things differently that I think really made the difference-
1) So instead of putting cornstarch on the tofu directly, i put it into a large bowl and starting dipping each tofu in it. it stuck perfectly and got extremely crispy yet soft.
2) I liked soy sauce more than tahini. but it was a bit bland so I added a bit of chili flakes and some sweet and sour sauce and it was perfect.
3) I let the sauce stay in the pan with the tofu for a minute, stirring constantly. That really thickened up the sauce. 
4) Instead of green onions I chopped up cilantro and it was just as good(even better?!)

Anyways, thank you so much for this amazing recipe and I look forward to making this again!

This is one of the very best recipes I've tried in a long time.  We added lots of veggies and served it to a very diverse group--vegetarians and meat eaters--and everyone gobbled it down.  Next time I would double or triple the recipe.  Absolutely a five-star winner!

This recipe made my first time making tofu a success! So crispy and the sauce was amazing. I topped mine with sriracha and hot honey 🤤

Fantastic!! I used an orange pepper, celery and cashews (had on hand). Really simple, quick and delicious! Serves 2-3 I think though, not 4! 😂Thank-you

https://content.jwplatform.com/videos/toyvgmUt.mp4

This mouth-watering Crispy Pan-Fried Sesame Tofu recipe combines savoury, sweet and tangy flavours.

Pan-fried sesame tofu.mp4

This 35 minute Sesame Tofu is made simple with crispy, oven-baked tofu and a homemade sweet and savory sesame sauce. Vegan, Gluten-Free.

blocks extra firm tofu (pressed)

avocado oil

low-sodium tamari or soy sauce

onions

garlic (minced)

hoisin sauce

rice vinegar

To serve (optional: cooked rice, steamed vegetables, etc.)

Prep: Preheat the oven to 425F and line a baking sheet with a silicone mat or parchment paper. Tear the tofu into bite-sized chunks for a more meat-like shape and texture, or cut into small cubes.

Tofu: Add the tofu to a medium bowl and add in the oil and tamari. Toss with a spatula until evenly coated, then sprinkle the cornstarch on top and toss again. Transfer to a baking sheet and spread out the tofu pieces so they aren’t touching. Bake on the top rack of the oven for 30 minutes, flipping the tofu halfway through.

Sauce: In the meantime, whisk the hoisin sauce, vinegar, tamari, cornstarch, and water together in a small bowl. Set aside.

Stir-Fry: Warm the oil in a large sauté pan, large skillet, or wok over medium heat, then fry the white parts of the green onion and the garlic for 1 minute. Pour the hoisin sauce mixture over the aromatics and bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally. Add the crispy tofu and sesame seeds; stir into the sauce. Finally, turn the heat off and stir in the toasted sesame oil and remaining green parts of the green onion.

Serve: Serve over rice and vegetables, or as desired. Leftovers will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days.

For an easy weeknight dinner, look no further than this garlic sesame tofu! It&#039;s so easy to make, requires only 10 minutes of prep time and is completely vegan and gluten free.

Garlic Sesame Tofu

tamari or soy sauce

tofu

corn starch

breadcrumbs (I used gluten free)

low sodium tamari or soy sauce

honey

water (divided)

garlic

olive oil

preheat

dry tofu

Drain the excess liquid from the tofu and dry it off with a towel*. 

cut tofu

Cut into 1 inch cubes and add to a large bowl. Toss with the soy sauce.

toss with cornstarch

Toss with the cornstarch, then the breadcrumbs until all pieces are evenly coated. 

bake

Add to the baking tray and bake for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown.

make sauce

During the final 10 minutes, prep the sauce.

mince garlic

Mince the garlic and saute with 1 tbsp neutral oil in a small saute pan for 2-3 minutes or until lightly browned.

add soy sauce

Add in the soy sauce, honey or maple syrup, rice vinegar, 2 tbsp of water and sesame oil.

whisk

Whisk together the cornstarch and other 2 tbsp of water in a bowl and add to the pan. 

simmer

Heat over low heat for 3-5 minutes or until the sauce bubbles and thickens. 

serve

When the tofu is done, toss with the sauce. Garnish with sesame seeds if desired and serve over rice with steamed broccoli or enjoy as is!

Hi, Claire(I think that’s your name) my family LOVED your recipe I’m a vegetarian (and I’m a young kid)and I don’t really like tofu unless it’s cooked like I like it. And this is it! Thank you so much! By the way do you know how much iron it has, it’s not listed in the nutritional facts. We love the recipe thank you!

soy sauce is not gluten free!!! for those with extreme sensitivities or allergies to gluten.

Loved the tofu baked this way! So good! Think it would be great to add to any salad! Thanks!

This was delicious!! Loved that I didn't have to press the tofu - I had doubled the tofu so I doubled the sauce and ended up with way too much. Made some brown rice and roasted sweet potatoes to put together a delicious bowl! My husband thought it was amazing too

This dish is an absolutely delightful, delicious, and delectable! I made the sauce with coconut aminos as I ran out of tamari. I found 2 Tbl of maple syrup was perfect. Thank you!

This tofu is so good! I've never made a tofu recipe that my whole family likes so much. It's so easy and really crispy without having to fry in oil. I might try a version with coconut flakes.

Crispy baked tofu coated in a sweet, spicy, garlicky sesame sauce. Vegan, gluten-free, naturally sweetened, and ready in just 30 minutes!

Spicy Garlicky Sesame Tofu (30 Minutes!)

(14-16 oz / 397-453 g) package super firm high-protein tofu*

Tbsp olive or avocado oil

tsp sea salt

Tbsp maple syrup ((or honey if not vegan))

½ Tbsp tamari or soy sauce ((gluten-free as needed))

tsp rice vinegar

tsp toasted sesame oil

tsp red pepper flakes

Tbsp cornstarch*

green onions

Brown, white, or cauliflower rice

If serving with rice, cauliflower rice, or steamed broccoli, begin preparing at this time. Cook the rice on the stovetop, in the Instant Pot, or in a rice cooker. Steam the broccoli in a steamer basket set over boiling water for ~4-6 minutes, or until tender but still a vibrant green color. Otherwise, move on to the next step.

TOFU: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (218 C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Crumble the tofu into pieces 1/2 to 1 inch in size and arrange them on the parchment-lined baking sheet. Add oil, sprinkle with salt, and toss to evenly coat the tofu. Once the oven is preheated, bake for 10 minutes, flip with a spatula, and bake for another 10-15 minutes or until the tofu is a little firm and golden with crispy edges.

SAUCE: To a medium saucepan, add the maple syrup, soy sauce or tamari, rice vinegar, sesame oil, red pepper flakes, and garlic. Bring to a simmer over medium heat.

Meanwhile, to a small bowl, add the cornstarch and water and stir to combine. Once the sauce is simmering, add the cornstarch mixture, stir, and continue simmering, stirring occasionally until the sauce becomes thick like honey — about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the sesame seeds. Taste and adjust as needed, adding more maple syrup for sweetness, tamari for overall flavor, garlic for zing, or red pepper flakes for heat. Set aside.

Once the tofu is golden brown, place it into the sauce and stir to fully coat. Serve warm with rice, steamed vegetables, or other sides for a tasty meal!

You can prep the sauce ahead of time and store it in the fridge for up to 1 week. If it becomes too thick, add a bit of water when you reheat it in a saucepan. Otherwise, the cooked dish is best when fresh.

This was easy and delicious! It really hit the spot. Adding this to our regular rotation, and will be saving $$$ on takeout to boot!

As usual, another delicious recipe. Made it exactly as written with rice and steamed broccoli. Husband loved it, but not all the dishes… but dishes are his problem! I cook, he cleans! 🤣🤣

I saw this on your best of 2024 listing.  I agree with everyone else.  It is delicious!

I think you already know this, but the recipe is fantastic! I made it for New Year's Eve with rice and zucchini sauteed with smoked paprika. Even the meat eaters raved. One person said, after cleaning his plate and being told it wasn't chicken, "But I don't like tofu," and we all declared YOU DO NOW! Thanks so much for another winner, and for reminding me to try it in your "best recipes of 2024" section! The only thing I changed is to use half black sesame seeds, and I think they looked beautiful in the coating.

I make this at least once a month, and we never get tired of it! So glad to have this in the recipe rotation.

Thank you for a delicious and easy to make recipe. This was absolutely fabulous and will be joining my regular recipe rotation.

This is another winner recipe from Minimalist Baker!  It is easy and quick to make, tastes great and is very filling!  I added roasted vegs to complete the meal.

This crispy, panfried Sesame Tofu is so easy to make and tastes amazing!  The tofu is drenched in a sticky, spicy and sweet sauce along with stir-fried peppers and onions.

Sesame Tofu with Stir-Fried Peppers

½ tbsp cornflour (cornstarch)

grapeseed oil (+ more for cooking)

tbsp toasted sesame oil

tbsp dark soy sauce

tbsp sweet chilli sauce

lemon juice

grapeseed oil

medium (110 grams) brown onion (peeled and

ginger (peeled then grated)

¼ tsp dried red chilli flakes

large bell peppers

Sesame seeds

spring onions (thinly sliced diagonally)

First, drain the tofu. Dry the tofu with kitchen paper. Slice the tofu into 4 even slices.Line a baking tray with 2 layers of kitchen paper, place the tofu on the paper. Cover with another 2 layers of kitchen paper. Place a smaller baking tray over the covered tofu then place 4 cans of beans on top. Leave the tofu to drain for at least 15 minutes, 30 minutes if you can.

Once the tofu is done, make the marinade.Add ½ a tablespoon of cornflour (cornstarch) to a large bowl. Whisk in 1 tablespoon of dark soy sauce, 1 tbsp sweet chilli sauce, ½ a tablespoon of maple syrup, 1 and a ½ tablespoons of lemon juice, ½ tablespoon of grapeseed oil and 1 tablespoon of toasted sesame oil. Stir in 1 minced clove of garlic. Then add the tofu. Stir well to make sure each cube is covered in the marinade. Leave the tofu to soak up the marinade for about 30 minutes. Keep the leftover marinade.

After 30 minutes, heat ½ tbsp of oil in a wok then start frying the tofu in small batches. Making sure to turn the tofu so all sides get nice and crispy. Remove from the wok then place on a plate and cover to keep warm.

Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a wok or large frying pan. Add the onion and cook until it is translucent for about 5 minutes. Add garlic, ginger and ¼ teaspoon of dried red chilli flakes, cook for a minute. Then add the peppers and cook for about 3 minutes.Whisk together the lemon juice soy sauce and sesame oil in a small bowl.Add the sauce and cook for until it bubbles up.Add the remaining marinade and the tofu, cook over medium heat, gently stirring all the time, until the sauce is thick and sticky and the tofu is hot.Serve immediately, with boiled rice, sliced spring onions and sesame seeds.

To make the stir fry

I like the recipe idea, but think it would be better with regular soy sauce - the sauce was very dark/black with overpowering flavour when I made it (had to go back and double check that it said 4 Tbsp of dark soy). The tofu was also black from the marinade.  
It seems to be missing when to add the chilli sauce to the stir fry, but I assume it gets mixed in with the other sauce ingredients.

This tofu dish looks beyond amazing. I like tofu but I was wondering if I can use Indian cottage cheese (paneer) also in place of tofu while keeping the other ingredients same?

I wasn't super into tofu until recently, and I think that was because I hadn't learnt how to prep it properly. You're 100% right, pressing it and marinating it makes SO much difference to the taste and texture, it's like a completely new product! This looks like such a flavoursome dish, and that tofu looks perfect

These are great tips, especially for getting excess moisture out of the tofu! I think with a recipe like this I could even get my tofu-skeptic husband on board!

This dish has my name all over it! I love tofu and I don't make it nearly as often as I'd like.  This meal is easy but delicious and I can't wait to make :)

I've seen an explosion of Asian inspired recipes and I can't get enough. I'm addicted to sesame protein and the hubs loves it, too. Bet this is amazing with some steamed rice as a side.

Who needs meat with a recipe like this? This stir fry looks outrageously delicious, if only I could reach through this screen with a fork... Thanks for sharing!

Oh, yes! I am totally down for this! Looooove these flavors! Totally bookmarking this for later! Can't wait to give it a try! :)

I've never had tofu before but this looks and sounds so delicious!!! I can't wait to make it...I just will tell my husband it's chicken! LOL

I bet this dish tastes wonderfully. I am always a bit put off by the texture of tofu, but I think I'd like it crispy. Never tried, so this could be a good start. I just wonder if I can get extra firm, I guess I'll have to explore the vegetarian aisle a bit more and find out!

You really stepped up the tofu game with this dish! I love that marinade and love that I can use it for other dishes as well.

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Top 7 sesame tofu recipes from across the web

The most viewed sesame tofu recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engineic_arrow_forward_48px

Top Tags

Sesame Tofu

Crispy Sesame Tofu

Crispy Pan-Fried Sesame Tofu

Sesame Tofu

Garlic Sesame Tofu

Spicy Garlicky Sesame Tofu (30 Minu...

Sesame Tofu with Stir-Fried Peppers

The most viewed sesame tofu recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine