This sesame ginger tofu makes a great midweek meal. Crispy baked tofu is marinated in a simple homemade sesame and ginger sauce. Serve it over rice or quinoa for an easy vegan dinner that everyone will love.
Ah, the endless possibilities of tofu! If you've tried my vegan orange chicken, or my bahn mi bowl with sriracha tofu, you'll know that I love to get creative with this fantastic meat substitute.
Sesame and ginger love to pal around with each other. Something about the combination of these two flavors is really tantalizing. So, why not sesame ginger tofu? After all, tofu absorbs flavors so well, it's the perfect canvas for these two signature flavors.
This sesame ginger tofu is:
- Healthy
- Filling
- Family friendly
- Easy to make
- Rich in protein
- Super yummy!
Let's get started!
How To Make Sesame Ginger Tofu
- The first thing you'll need to do is to press your tofu. If you don't own a tofu press, simply wrap your block of tofu in a clean, lint free towel and put it on a plate. Place a heavy cast iron pan on top and put a few cans in the pan to add some extra weight. Let the tofu rest for 30 minutes. The towel will soak up excess water, which means your tofu will be extra crispy.
- Heat your oven to 400 F (205 C), and line a baking tray with parchment paper.
- Cut your tofu into cubes and put them in a bowl. Drizzle over the olive oil and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of the cornstarch. Turn the tofu over with a spoon to ensure that it's evenly coated in the oil and cornstarch.
- Transfer your tofu cubes to the baking tray. Spread them out evenly and bake for 30-35 minutes.
- While the tofu is baking, make the sesame and ginger sauce. Combine the tamari, maple syrup and sesame oil, Dijon mustard and ginger in a small bowl. In a small cup, combine the water and cornstarch to form a slurry.
- Pour the sesame and ginger sauce into a small non-stick pan. Add the cornstarch slurry and simmer over low heat for 2 minutes, or until the sauce begins to thicken. Now gently stir in your baked tofu, and heat for a further minute or two to ensure the tofu has absorbed the sauce.
- Serve or rice or quinoa and sprinkle with sesame seeds and chopped scallions.
Variations
- Stir in some broccoli or green beans for a hit of colorful veggies.
- Add some edamame to the mix.
- Like it spicy? Add a teaspoon or more of your favorite hot sauce to the sesame ginger marinade.
- Instead of tofu cubes, make sesame ginger tofu steaks. Simply cut your block of tofu down the middle lengthways. Coat the two steaks in oil and cornflour, and bake just as you would the tofu cubes.
- I love to bake tofu, but if you want it extra crispy, you can fry it in two tablespoons of oil. Clean out the pan before adding the sesame ginger sauce.
- If you have an air fryer, instead of baking your tofu in the oven, toss it in the air fryer and bake for 5 minutes on each side.
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Frequently Asked Questions About This Recipe
It is if you use tamari sauce instead of soy sauce (which contains gluten.) You can find tamari sauce next to the soy sauce in the Asian section of your grocery store.
Stored in an airtight container baked sesame ginger tofu will stay fresh for 3-4 days. Reheat gently on the stove top, or in the microwave.
Unfortunately, this recipe isn't freezer friendly. Freezing tofu changes the consistency of it too much.
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Recipe
Baked Sesame Ginger Tofu
Ingredients
For The Crispy Baked Tofu
- 14 ounces tofu extra firm
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
For The Sesame Ginger Sauce
- 1 tablespoon tamari or gluten free soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon maple syrup
- 1½ tablespoons sesame oil
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon ginger finely grated
- ¼ cup + 2 tablespoons water
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
Instructions
- Wrap the block of tofu in a clean tea towel, and put it on a plate. Put something heavy on top such as a cast iron pan. Weigh it down further with a few tin cans, and leave it for 30 minutes.
- Heat the oven to 400°F (205°C). Line a baking tray with parchment paper or a silicon mat.
- Cut tofu into cubes and transfer to a bowl. Add one tablespoon of olive oil and one tablespoon of cornstarch. Turn the tofu over with a spoon to make sure it's evenly coated in oil and cornstarch.
- Spread the tofu out evenly on the baking tray and bake for 30-35 minutes.
- Combine the tamari, maple syrup, sesame oil, Dijon mustard and ginger in a small bowl. In a small cup, combine the water and cornstarch to form a slurry.
- Pour the sesame and ginger sauce into a small non-stick pan. Add the cornstarch slurry and simmer over low heat for 2 minutes. Add the crispy tofu, and simmer for a further two minutes, or until everything is heated through. If the sauce is too thick, add a few tablespoons more water and allow to simmer until the sauce thickens.
Notes
- Make it gluten free: To make this recipe gluten free, use tamari sauce instead of soy sauce.
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