This crispy tofu is coated in a thick and savory ginger sesame sauce. Enjoy it over a bed of rice, in a stir fry, salad, or anyway you like best. It's an easy recipe that takes just 25 minutes to make from start to finish!
This crispy sesame ginger tofu is perfect for an easy but satisfying and delicious meal.
I love making it for a quick weeknight dinner recipe or as a fun way to spice up our lunch routine!
This tofu goes well with my Spicy Peanut Noodles.
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Reasons You'll Love This Recipe
- Vegan: This recipe is full vegan, plant-based, and vegetarian. We don't use any meat, dairy products, or eggs.
- Easy Recipe: This easy to follow recipe comes together in just 25 minutes, including the time it takes to press the tofu.
- Full of Flavor: We use a variety of different flavors in this recipe that really bring the entire dish to life!
Ingredient Notes
Tofu: We use extra firm tofu in this recipe. This is really important because using a different type/firmness will drastically change the outcome.
Ginger: Using freshly grated ginger root will give you the best and freshest flavor.
Soy Sauce: We use classic soy sauce but you can use low or lower sodium soy sauce if you want to lower the sodium content.
Sugar: Brown sugar works best in this recipe but you can use regular sugar or coconut sugar if you don't have brown sugar.
See the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and quantities.
Substitutions & Additions
Make it gluten-free: To make this tofu recipe gluten-free all you need to do is swap the soy sauce for something different. My top recommendation is to replace the soy sauce with tamari. It has a great flavor that is similar to soy sauce.
Make it spicy: Add 1 teaspoon sriracha or ½ teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes to make spicy ginger sesame tofu.
Add nut butter: You can stir in 1 tablespoon of peanut butter to enhance the flavor even further and add a little extra protein.
Top Tip: Don't skip the step of pressing the tofu. Pressing it really helps to get rid of excess moisture and will give you a better texture. For best results press the tofu for one hour before making this recipe.
Step by Step Instructions
Step 1: Gather the ingredients you'll need to make the recipe and press the tofu.
You can press the tofu by removing it from the package and using a tofu press (this is the easiest option). If you don't have a tofu press you can wrap the block of tofu in a clean dish towel and place something heavy on top like a cutting board with a heavy book.
Press the tofu for at least 15 minutes.
Step 2: Once pressed, cut the tofu into little bite-sized pieces. I usually like rectangle shaped tofu pieces but you can make squares if you prefer. The thickness is also up to preference but I usually cut them to be half an inch thick.
Next, coat the tofu pieces in half a teaspoon of the olive oil and the cornstarch. Gently toss it until well coated.
Heat the remaining olive oil in a nonstick pan over medium-low heat and once it's hot, add the tofu. Cook on each side for 3-4 minutes or until golden brown.
Step 3: Mix together all of the sauce ingredients in a jar and set aside until the tofu has finished cooking.
Step 4: One the tofu is cooked to your liking give the sauce one more stir and pour it into the pan. Allow it to thicken over medium-low heat for about 30 seconds.
Toss the tofu in the sauce until well coated and serve warm. You will have some extra sauce that you can enjoy drizzled on top of the tofu, on rice, or veggies.
Expert Tips
- Press the tofu: I always recommend pressing the tofu for at least 15 minutes. If you have extra time I recommend pressing it for one hour before making this recipe. When pressing for longer than 15 minutes I always move the tofu into the fridge.
- Use extra firm tofu: This will give you the best texture. If you choose a firm tofu rather than extra firm it will be a bit mushy.
- Don't forget the cornstarch: We use cornstarch twice in this recipe. Once to lightly coat the tofu to give it that crunchy outer texture. We also add a little to our sauce so that it thickens up nicely when you heat it up.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, you can make this recipe in advance and enjoy it later. The one downfall is that the texture will change slightly when reheated and might not be as crispy and firm as it would be when enjoyed fresh. You can store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days.
No, it is not gluten-free as written but you can easily make it gluten-free. Simply remove the soy sauce from the recipe and replace it with a GF option such as tamari or coconut aminos.
Yes, we don't use any animal-derived products in this recipe which makes it vegan, plant-based, and vegetarian.
Serving Recommendations
You can enjoy this flavorful tofu recipe any way you like best. These are some of my recommendations:
- Enjoy this tofu by itself, nothing else needed
- Serve over a bed of rice
- Add to your favorite stir fry recipe
- Toss in with your favorite salad
- Combine with other ingredients in a power bowl or Buddha bowl
Toppings & Garnishes
These are some of my favorite toppings for this tofu:
- Sesame seeds
- Green onions
- Cilantro
- Chopped peanuts
- Shaved almonds
- Crushed red pepper flakes
More Vegan Recipes You'll Love
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Ginger Sesame Tofu
Ingredients
- 1 block extra firm tofu pressed
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1½ tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon sesame seeds to garnish
Sesame Ginger Sauce
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- 6 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tablespoon sesame oil
- 2 tablespoon ginger freshly grated
- 2 tablespoon cold water
- 2 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
Instructions
- Start by draining and pressing the tofu for about 15 minutes. I use a tofu press but if you don't have one you can wrap the tofu in a clean dish towel and place something heavy on top like a plate and a cookbook.
- While the tofu is being pressed you can mix together all of the ingredients for your sauce.
- Cut the pressed tofu into small square or rectangular pieces according to your preference. Then combine ½ tablespoon of the olive oil and the cornstarch with the tofu pieces and gently toss them with your hands until they are well coated.
- Pour the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil into a nonstick pan and turn it up to medium-low heat. After it's heated up add the tofu pieces to the pan and cook for 3-4 minutes on each side until they are nice and crispy. You can gently press a spatula on top of the tofu to release any excess moisture.
- At the end of cooking the tofu give the sauce one more stir and pour it into the pan and allow it to thicken for about 30 seconds and gently toss the tofu until well coated in the sauce. You should have a good amount of extra sauce to enjoy over rice or veggies.
- Garnish with sesame seeds and enjoy!
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