sticky sesame tofu

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

water

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 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.

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Top 2 sticky sesame tofu recipes from across the web

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Crispy Sesame Tofu

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The most viewed sticky sesame tofu recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 6,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine