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Sesame garlic tofu on a serving plate with jasmine rice and a side of air fried vegetables.

Sesame Garlic Tofu

This Sesame Garlic Tofu features crispy, oven-baked tofu paired with a delicious homemade sesame garlic sauce that is the perfect balance between sweet and savory.
5 from 7 votes
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Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Servings: 4
Author: Liv King

Ingredients
 

Baked Tofu: 

  • Block of Extra-Firm Tofu drained and pressed
  • 1 tablespoon Low-Sodium Soy Sauce or gluten-free tamari
  • ½ tablespoon Cornstarch
  • ½ teaspoon Onion Powder
  • ½ teaspoon Garlic Powder
  • ¼ teaspoon Black Pepper
  • Pinch of Kosher Salt
  • Drizzle of Avocado Oil for cooking

Sesame Garlic Sauce:

  • ½ cup Red Bell Peppers diced
  • ½ cup Green Bell Peppers diced
  • 1 small Shallot minced
  • 3 Garlic Cloves minced
  • ¼ cup Low-Sodium Soy Sauce or gluten-free tamari
  • ¼ cup Water
  • 1 tablespoon Lime Juice or more rice vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon Rice Vinegar
  • 2 ½ tablespoons Maple Syrup
  • 1 teaspoon Sambal Oelek or Sriracha more to taste
  • 1 teaspoon Cornstarch
  • 1 teaspoon Toasted Sesame Oil finishing oil
  • Sesame Seeds for garnish
  • Green Onions for garnish

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 400F.
  • Press the tofu for at least 15 minutes to remove excess water. You can do this by using a tofu press or by making a DIY tofu press. To do so, simply wrap the block of tofu in paper towels or clean dishcloths and place it in a shallow bowl. Then, stack heavy items on top to drain the excess water. 
  • Cube the tofu into small pieces and toss in a shallow bowl. Pour the soy sauce over the tofu and toss until evenly coated.
  • Sprinkle the cornstarch, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper and a pinch of Kosher salt over the tofu and toss carefully to evenly coat.
  • Transfer the tofu to a parchment lined baking tray, drizzle or spray with avocado oil, and bake for 20-25 minutes or until crispy and golden brown.
  • While the tofu is baking, prepare the sauce.
  • Whisk together the low-sodium soy sauce, water, lime juice, rice vinegar, maple syrup, sriracha, and cornstarch in a small bowl. Set aside.
  • Add a small splash of avocado oil on to a frying pan over medium-high heat.
  • Dice the green and red bell pepper and add them to the pan. Cook until soft, about 3-4 minutes.
  • Add the minced shallot and garlic and continue to cook for another 2-3 minutes.
  • Pour in the prepared sauce and bring the sauce to a boil and then reduce to a simmer over medium heat. Continue to simmer until the sauce has thickened, about 7-10 minutes.
  • Add the baked tofu and toss in the sauce to coat. Allow the tofu to simmer in the sauce for an additional 2-3 minutes or until the sauce has reached your desired thickness.
  • Turn off heat and drizzle in the toasted sesame oil.
  • Serve sesame garlic tofu over jasmine rice. Garnish with sesame seeds and green onions. Enjoy!

Notes

Important Note about Salt: Not all salts are made equal and cannot be substituted 1:1. If you are substituting table salt for kosher salt, you will need to cut the amount called for in the recipe by at least half. 
 
Press your tofu. Pressing improves the texture of the tofu and will also help the tofu crisp up in the oven.
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