Sesame Tofu

4.56 stars (52 ratings)

Make this ridiculously good Crispy Sesame Tofu for dinner tonight! Extra crispy baked tofu is tossed in a sweet and savory sesame sauce for a crowd-pleasing meal that’s just as good as takeout.

Prep Time15

Cook Time25

tofu pressing time20

Total Time1

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Chinese

Servings: servings

Calories: 271kcal

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
2 tablespoons cornstarch

For the sesame sauce

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup low-sodium soy sauce
1/2 cup agave
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/4 cup seasoned rice vinegar
1 teaspoon Sriracha hot sauce
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 20-30 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, make the sauce. In a large pan, sauté the garlic in the vegetable oil for a minute over medium heat. To the pan, add the soy sauce, agave, brown sugar, 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 make it lower sodium replace some of the low-sodium soy sauce with water.
Pan Fry or Air Fry Tofu: Follow the instructions for my Perfect Fried Tofu or Air Fried Tofu, then make the sauce and mix it together before serving.
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