Crispy Sesame Tofu

square image of a bowl of rice and saucy tofu, sesame seeds and green onions on top

4.75 stars (35 ratings)

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.

Prep Time15

Cook Time25

tofu pressing time20

Total Time1

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Chinese

Servings: servings

Calories: 226kcal

Author: Nora Taylor

Ingredients

For the Tofu

2 (16 ounce) blocks firm or extra-firm tofu
2 teaspoons sesame oil
2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce *use tamari for gluten free
2 tablespoons cornstarch

For the sesame sauce

1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce (or tamari)
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup agave, maple syrup or brown sugar
1/4 cup seasoned rice vinegar
1-2 teaspoons Sriracha hot sauce, more or less to taste
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 cup water
1 tablespoon sesame oil

For serving

4 cups cooked rice
chopped green onions
sesame seeds
steamed broccoli

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

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!

Notes

Nutrition information is for the tofu only, and does not include rice or broccoli.
To pan fry tofu instead of bake: After mixing the tofu with the sesame oil/soy sauce/cornstarch, in a large skillet, heat 1/4 cup of oil over medium-high heat. Add the tofu in a single layer. Let cook for 2-3 minutes on one side, then carefully flip the pieces with a spatula and cook for a few more minutes on each side, until the tofu are golden and crispy on all sides. Then simply add the sauce ingredients to the pan, then the cornstarch slurry and sesame oil.
How to store leftovers: Store in the refrigerator in a covered container for 3-4 days. Re-warm in the microwave for 1-2 minutes. You could also meal prep the dish for the week by dividing it into containers with a serving of rice and steamed broccoli.

Nutrition