Baked Sesame Tofu

At a glance

What stands out: Add flavorful and crispy baked sesame tofu to stir fries, salads, or bowls. It makes a dandy little snack, too, both lighter and satisfying.

How long it takes: 40 minutes, plus time to press the tofu
Equipment you’ll need: mixing bowl, sauce pan, baking pan, stove/oven
Servings: 4

Crispy toasted cubes of tofu, coated in a sticky sweet and tangy sauce, add flavor and protein to your favorite stir fries, salads, bowls, or whatever you like.

Some folks may turn up their nose at tofu, thinking it’s bland and mushy. However, because of its neutral flavor, tofu can be transformed into a variety of flavorful dishes. It’s like a chameleon, taking on the characteristics of whatever you add to it. (We especially love this tofu sheet pan dinner with a fabulous creamy peanut sauce.)

Enter this sesame tofu, with crispy cubes of tofu that are creamy on the inside, with an irresistible sauce.

Sticky Sweet Baked Tofu

So flavorful! A sweet and salty combination of tamari (soy sauce), rice vinegar, and powdered sugar is amped up with garlic, ginger, and toasted sesame oil. There’s just enough sauce to coat the tofu and give it so much flavor!

Extra crispy. The tofu is coated with cornstarch before it’s baked. If you haven’t tried the cornstarch trick yet, you’re in for an enlightening experience. There’s a mysterious connection between cornstarch and crispiness and it’s not limited to tofu. Try it when you stir fry chicken or shrimp, too. It makes from-scratch orange chicken so crispy!

Goes well with simple side dishes. Our plain baked tofu and air fryer tofu are basic go-to recipes, and are a great way to add protein to lots of different kinds of meals, from bowls to stir fries. Often there’s plenty of sauce in the recipe so you don’t need a tofu that’s saucy. However, sometimes we're looking for a little more flavor. This sesame baked tofu is reliable when you need a little extra pizzazz. It’s the star attraction when you serve it with steamed jasmine rice and broccoli.

Kathy S. Said:

“Love the crispy coating. Really takes the baked tofu to another level!”

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What goes in

• Extra Firm Tofu: For crispy tofu, you need to start with extra firm tofu, which already has much of the water pressed out of it. We always press the tofu at least an additional half hour to remove any excess water. Less water means that it will get crispier since moisture is the enemy of crispness.
• Soy Sauce or Tamari Soy Sauce: Regular soy sauce, low sodium soy sauce, or tamari soy sauce can be used. Tamari is a Japanese soy sauce that is less salty, darker in color, and more flavorful than regular soy sauce. Coconut aminos will also work in this recipe.
• Avocado Oil: Substitute olive oil, grapeseed oil or another other mild-flavored oil, if desired. We also spray the seasoned cubes with cooking spray which helps add crispiness.
• Cornstarch: Cornstarch plays two roles in this recipe. It’s used to coat the tofu before baking to make it crispier and it’s used to thicken the sauce. Arrowroot powder can be substituted.

• Powdered Sugar: We like to use powdered sugar to add sweetness to the sauce because it’s straightforward to blend in. If you prefer, substitute honey or agave, or a sugar substitute.
• Rice Vinegar (or Rice Wine Vinegar): These are the same thing but don’t use rice wine or seasoned rice vinegar. A good substitute is white wine vinegar.
• Garlic and Ginger Root: Mince it finely or grate it so the flavor permeates the sauce.
• Toasted Sesame Oil: You’ll love the nutty roasted flavor of dark brown toasted sesame oil. If your sesame oil isn’t dark brown, chances are you picked up regular (untoasted) sesame oil which is rather flavorless and is not a good substitute.
• Cornstarch: Cornstarch will make the sauce thick and luxurious!
• Sesame Seeds and Green Onions, for serving: Optional, but highly recommended.

Should you marinate tofu?

Because tofu is rather bland, you would think that a marinade would improve its flavor. However, extra firm tofu is dense and non-porous so it doesn’t absorb any of the marinade. Simply coating the tofu with a sauce or seasoning has the same desired effect.

How it comes together

Coat tofu. Mix together the oil, soy sauce, and black pepper in a medium sized bowl. Add the cubed tofu to the bowl and gently stir, making sure the tofu is well-coated.

Next add the cornstarch and again, stir gently. The mixture will look pretty sticky. Remember to have a gentle hand. The tofu is a little fragile and you don’t want to break it up but if you do get some smaller pieces, don’t worry, they get extra crispy and are tasty.

Bake tofu. Spread the tofu onto a rimmed baking sheet that’s been sprayed with cooking spray or lined with parchment paper. We think that the tofu gets a little more crispy without the parchment but it does stick a little bit sometimes.

Bake the tofu for about a half hour, or until it’s brown and crispy.

Make the sauce. You can make the sticky sesame sauce while the tofu is baking. Measure all the sauce ingredients into a small saucepan and bring it to a boil. Cook it for a few minutes or until it starts to thicken a bit. Take the pan off the heat and set it aside.

Combine tofu with the sauce. Stir the tofu into the sauce, making sure every little cube gets coated. So tasty! Your sticky sweet and salty tofu is ready to eat!

Garnish. If you like, sprinkle a few sesame seeds and sliced green onions on it. These garnishes aren’t merely decorative, they also add flavor and texture. Enjoy!

Tofu Press

If you make a lot of tofu, you may want to invest in a tofu press. It’s just a little easier than messing around with weights and pans. Here’s one we like!

Buy on Amazon

Ways to change it

• Make it sesame-free. Simply omit the sesame oil and seeds if you’re allergic or just don’t care for it. Our son is extremely allergic to sesame so yes, we make this tofu without it. If you’re omitting the sesame, you may want to call this recipe simply “baked tofu” or “sticky tofu” or “that good tofu with the sauce.”
• Add a little extra sweetness. The sauce is on the tangy side because of the rice vinegar, sort of a sweet and sour effect. If you find it a bit too tangy, add more sugar or another sweetener.
• Try a different protein. Make this recipe with bite-sized boneless skinless chicken or shrimp instead of tofu, adjusting the cooking time as necessary. The sauce goes great with meat.
• Don’t want to turn the oven on? Try our pan-fried teriyaki tofu.

Make Ahead Ideas

Press the tofu. Since pressing the tofu is the most time-consuming part of this recipe, go ahead and press it ahead of time. It can press in the refrigerator overnight or you can press it and refrigerate it for up to two days, wrapped well.

Make the sauce. Another way to save time is to make the sauce ahead of time, uncooked or cooked. Store it in the fridge up to a day ahead.

Keeping leftovers

Refrigerate: Leftover tofu can be stored in the refrigerator, wrapped tightly, for up to five days. If you are planning on serving it later, store the tofu and sauce separately. Once it’s in the sauce, the tofu will lose its crispiness but still tastes great.

Reheat: To reheat, if the tofu is already in the sauce, heat in a saucepan or skillet on the stove over medium-low heat, or in the microwave. If the baked tofu and sauce has been stored separately, heat and crisp up the tofu in a skillet with a bit of oil, then add the sauce to reheat.

How To Use This Tofu

• Stir fry. Stir fry some veggies, add the tofu with the sauce, and serve over rice or noodles.
• Wrap. Make a wrap with sesame tofu and fresh veggies, like shredded cucumber, carrots, spinach, and avocado.
• Bowl/Salad. Add the tofu to a grain bowl or salad with your favorite ingredients. Add it to this Asian salad to make it a main course salad.
• Appetizer. Serve the tofu as an appetizer with toothpicks to spear the cubes.

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• Yield: 4
• Prep: 10 minutes
• Cook: 30 minutes
• Total: 40 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 package extra firm tofu ( 14 to 16 ounces)
• 1 tablespoon avocado oil
• 1 tablespoon tamari or soy sauce (less sodium soy sauce, if preferred)
• ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
• ¼ cup cornstarch
• cooking spray

For the Sauce:

• ⅓ cup tamari or soy sauce (low-sodium if preferred)
• ¼ cup powdered sugar (see note)
• ¼ cup rice vinegar (see note)
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger root
• 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
• ¼ cup water
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch

Toppings (optional)

• 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
• 2 green onions, chopped

Method

1. Using a tofu press or another method (see note), press the tofu for 30 to 60 minutes. (The tofu can be pressed overnight in the refrigerator, if you prefer.) Using a sharp knife, cut the tofu into evenly sized cubes, about ½-inch.
2. After your tofu has been pressed, preheat oven to 400°F; spray a baking sheet with cooking spray or line with parchment. The tofu tends to stick a bit so we often use parchment paper.
3. In a large bowl, whisk together avocado oil, tamari, and pepper. Add tofu cubes and stir lightly until coated. Sprinkle on cornstarch and stir lightly until tofu is coated and sticky.
4. Arrange the tofu in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. Spray lightly with cooking spray and transfer to the oven.
5. Bake for 30 minutes or until the tofu is golden brown and crispy. Remove from oven and set aside.
6. While the tofu is baking, stir together the sauce ingredients in a medium saucepan (large enough to hold the tofu, too) and bring the sauce to a boil, whisking occasionally. Boil for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the sauce is thickened. Add the tofu to the saucepan and toss gently to coat.
7. Top with sesame seeds and green onions and serve immediately.

Notes

Pressing tofu: If you don’t have a tofu press, place the tofu on a plate lined with a few layers of paper towels. Put more paper towels on top of the tofu, place a cutting board or tray on it, and set a weight on top of that. For weight, you can use a cast iron pan, canned goods, or a heavy book. Let it drain for 30 to 60 minutes.

Sweeteners: You can also use a sugar substitute or even agave or honey if not vegan. The sauce is quite tangy. Taste and adjust for sweetness by adding more powdered sugar or other sweetener.

Rice vinegar: Sometimes rice vinegar is called rice wine vinegar. Don’t use seasoned rice vinegar which contains added sugar and salt. If you don’t have rice vinegar, white wine vinegar can be substituted.

Toasted sesame oil: Toasted sesame oil is dark brown in color and is richly flavored, unlike regular sesame oil which is transparent and rather flavorless. If you have sesame allergies, omit the toasted sesame oil and sesame seeds. We always make it without and the recipe is still flavorful.