Baked Sesame Garlic Tofu

This Baked Sesame Garlic Tofu is flavorful, simple to throw together and perfect for a quick and easy weeknight dinner.

When pressed tofu is tossed with cornstarch and seasonings it becomes chewy and crispy and so good. The sesame garlic sauce is flavorful and delicious and is made-up of soy sauce, lime juice, a hint of maple syrup, and lots of garlic of course! The crispy baked tofu gets tossed with vegetables of choice and that garlic sauce then finished with toasted sesame oil and sesame seeds. It’s heaven! I like to serve my sesame garlic tofu with jasmine rice and steamed broccoli for a filling and tasty dinner.

What You Will Need For This Baked Sesame Garlic Tofu

Main Ingredients:

• Extra Firm Tofu
• Cornstarch
• Toasted Sesame Oil
• Garlic
• Low Sodium Soy Sauce
• Lime Juice

Substitutions:

1. Extra Firm Tofu: This is a tofu dish but you can substitute it with vegan chicken or seitan pieces. I would skip the baking in that case and go with toss in a little bit of oil in a pan to brown and crisp up.
2. Sauce Ingredients: This sauce is very forgiving. I’ve made versions similar to this with missing ingredients and always enjoy it. If you don’t have liquid sweetener you can use brown sugar or granulated sugar. If you don’t have rice vinegar, add more lime.

How To Make The Best Sesame Garlic Tofu Every Time

Do I have to press my tofu?

I always always always recommend pressing your tofu. Pressing improves the texture of the tofu and will also help the tofu crisp up in the pan and in the oven. I have a tofu press and highly recommend it but you can make a diy tofu press easily by putting the tofu in between two plates and stacking heavy items on top. I almost always have pre- pressed tofu in my fridge so it’s ready to use any time! Simply press tofu and then store in an airtight container and use within 2-3 days.

What’s the texture like on baked tofu?

Crispy and chewy! Baking drawls out all the moisture and the texture becomes very meaty and chewy. If you want a softer tofu, pan-fry it!

Can I skip cornstarch?

Tossing your tofu in cornstarch helps crisp up the tofu. I never skip this! But you can definitely leave this off if you can’t have cornstarch.

Can I pan-fry the tofu instead?

Yes, this tofu will crisp up great on a pan in a bit of oil. Be sure to leave space between the tofu so it crisps up instead of steams.

Where can I learn more about cooking tofu?

Learn more about making the best tofu ever in the Ultimate Guide to Cooking Tofu.

More Tofu Recipes You Might Like:

• Vegan Orange Tofu
• Spicy Gochujang Braised Tofu
• Pineapple Ginger Fried Rice w/ Crispy Baked Tofu
• Sweet Chili Tofu
• Sticky Teriyaki Tofu Stir Fry

If You Make This Recipe:

Tag me on Instagram! I’d love to see your delicious re-creations and feature them! As always, I would greatly appreciate if you share your review in the comments below. Don’t forget to add if you made any fun substitutions. Thank you!

Baked Sesame Garlic Tofu

Liv King

I hardly ever bake tofu simply because pan-frying is faster but baked tofu tastes amazing! When tossed with cornstarch and seasonings it becomes chewy and crispy and so good. This sauce is flavorful and delicious and is made-up of soy sauce, lime juice, a hint of maple syrup, and garlic! The tofu gets tossed with vegetables and the sauce then finished with toasted sesame oil and sesame seeds. I like to serve my sesame garlic tofu with jasmine rice and steamed broccoli. 

5 from 4 votes

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Prep Time 15 mins

Cook Time 30 mins

Total Time 45 mins

Course Main Course

Servings 2 Servings

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

Baked Tofu: 

• 1 Block of Extra Firm Tofu pressed
• 1 tablespoon Low Sodium Soy Sauce
• 1 tablespoon Cornstarch
• 1/2 teaspoon Onion Powder
• 1/2 teaspoon Garlic Powder
• 1/4 teaspoon Black Pepper
• Pinch of Salt
• Oil for drizzling

Sesame Garlic Sauce:

• 1/2 cup Red & Green Bell Peppers
• 1/4 of a Medium Sweet Onion
• 3 Garlic Cloves minced
• 1/4 cup Low Sodium Soy Sauce
• 2 tablespoons Water
• Juice of 1/2 a Lime
• 1 tablespoon Rice Vinegar
• 1 tablespoon Maple Syrup or Agave
• 1-2 teaspoons Sambal Oelek
• 1 teaspoon Cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon Toasted Sesame Oil

For Serving: 

• Steamed Broccoli
• Jasmine Rice
• Green Onions garnish
• Sesame Seeds garnish

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 400F.
• Press the extra firm tofu for at least 15- 30 minutes to remove excess water. Cube the tofu and toss in a bowl with the soy sauce. Stir well and then add the cornstarch, onion powder, garlic powder, black pepper and salt. Spread on a parchment lined baking tray and spray or drizzle with oil. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until crispy. 
• Make the sesame garlic sauce: Dice the onion and bell peppers. Add a splash of oil on to a medium sized pan on medium-high heat and add the onions and peppers. Cook until soft and starting to brown. Add in the garlic and cook for another 2 minutes.
• Make the sesame garlic sauce by whisking together all the remaining sauce ingredients except for the toasted sesame oil. Add the sauce to the pan with the vegetables and cook until the sauce has thickened. Once thickened add the baked tofu and sesame oil and toss to combine. Remove from heat and serve over jasmine rice and steamed broccoli. Garnish with green onions and sesame seeds. Enjoy!

Notes

Read above about the importance of pressing tofu.

Did you make this recipe?Leave a comment down below or tag @livveganstrong on instagram.