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Home » Recipes » Lunch & Dinner

Sesame Tofu (Vegan + GF)

Last updated - July 14, 2021; Published - September 7, 2018 By Rhian Williams 4 Comments

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This Sesame Tofu is super easy to make and just as delicious as the restaurant version! A great quick plant-based dinner for the whole family to enjoy! Naturally vegan and gluten-free.

Photo of rice and several pieces of fried tofu sprinkled with sesame seeds and sliced spring onions on a blue plate

Why you'll love this Sesame Tofu:

  • it's salty-sweet and tangy
  • it's full of flavour 
  • it's tender on the inside and crispy on the outside
  • it's naturally vegan and gluten-free
  • it's refined sugar free
  • it's really easy to make
  • the tofu is pan-fried instead of deep-fried, meaning it's much healthier and not too greasy
  • it's just as delicious as the restaurant version
  • it takes just 25 minutes to make!

How to make this Sesame Tofu + top tips

Scroll down to the bottom of the post for the full recipe including measurements and full instructions. 
For the tofu:
  • Coat the tofu cubes in cornflour (cornstarch)

Cubes of tofu coated in cornflour on a blue plate against a white background

  • Fry the tofu in a frying pan for a few minutes on each side, turning over halfway through

Golden brown cubes of tofu in a dark brown frying pan against a white background

  • Transfer the cooked tofu onto a plate lined with kitchen paper (to drain away the excess oil)

Golden brown cubes of tofu on a piece of white kitchen paper against a white background

Tip: It's easiest to use chopsticks to turn over the pieces of tofu. Cook them until crispy and lightly browned, but be careful not to overcook them, otherwise the tofu will become tough.

For the sauce:

  • Fry the ginger and garlic in a frying pan - you can use the same frying pan you used to fry the tofu
  • Add all the other ingredients
  • Dissolve the cornflour (cornstarch) in a small bowl
  • Keep the pan on a low heat, carefully add the cornflour mixture, stirring continuously to avoid clumping
  • Add the cooked tofu 
  • Sprinkle over spring onions and sesame seeds

Tip: Be very careful with cornflour as it can easily turn clumpy. Dissolve it first in a tiny splash of water in a small bowl, until you get a small amount of white liquid (make sure it's not too thick). Make sure it has dissolved completely. Add the cornflour mixture carefully a tiny bit at a time, stirring well to ensure it doesn't clump. If the texture of the sauce looks too thick after you've added the cornflour, add extra water.

Several pieces of fried tofu covered in sliced spring onions and sesame seeds in a black frying pan

How long does this Sesame Tofu keep for?

Best enjoyed immediately, but leftovers can be kept covered in the fridge for up to a few days, and can be reheated in a dry frying pan.

Photo of rice and several pieces of fried tofu sprinkled with sesame seeds and sliced spring onions on a blue plate

More flavourful tofu recipes:

  • Tofu Satay Curry
  • Tandoori Tofu
  • Sweet and Sour Tofu
  • Orange Tofu
  • Twice-Cooked Tofu
  • Tofu Satay Skewers
  • Spicy Tofu

If you try out this recipe or anything else from my blog, I’d really love to hear any feedback! Please give it a rating, leave a comment, or tag a photo @rhiansrecipes #rhiansrecipes on Instagram! Thank you.

Photo of rice and several pieces of fried tofu sprinkled with sesame seeds and sliced spring onions on a blue plate

Sesame Tofu (Vegan + GF)

This Sesame Tofu is super easy to make and just as delicious as the restaurant version! 
3.84 from 6 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Chinese
Keyword: gluten-free sesame tofu, sesame tofu, vegan tofu recipe
Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes minutes
Servings: 4
Calories: 312kcal
Author: Rhian Williams

Ingredients

For the tofu:

  • 400 g (14 oz) firm tofu
  • 6 tablespoons cornflour (cornstarch)
  • 3 tablespoons vegetable or rapeseed oil

For the sauce:

  • 1 tablespoon vegetable or rapeseed oil

  • 1 cm (½ inch) ginger , peeled and minced
  • 2 garlic cloves , minced
  • 3 tablespoons tamari (or soy sauce if not gluten-free)
  • 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar (or rice or white vinegar - ensure gluten-free if necessary)
  • 2 tablespoons agave syrup (or sub any other sweetener)
  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil
  • 120 ml (½ cup) water

  • 1 tablespoon cornflour (cornstarch)

To serve (optional):

  • Spring onion , thinly sliced
  • Sesame seeds
  • Cooked brown or white rice

Instructions

For the tofu:

  • Drain the tofu, pat dry with a paper towel, and cut into small cubes
  • Place the cornflour in a large bowl, take a cube of tofu, coat it in the flour and place on a plate
  • Repeat for the rest of the tofu, adding extra cornflour if necessary
  • Heat up the oil in a frying pan until hot
  • Once the oil is hot, keep it on a medium heat and add the cornflour-coated tofu
  • Fry for a few minutes on each side, turning over halfway through (it's easiest to do this using chopsticks). Cook it until it’s crispy and lightly browned, but be careful not to overcook, otherwise it’ll become tough
  • Transfer the cooked tofu onto a plate lined with kitchen paper (to drain away the excess oil)

For the sauce:

  • Heat up the oil in a frying pan - you can use the same frying pan you used to fry the tofu
  • Add the ginger and garlic once hot and fry for a couple of minutes until fragrant
  • Add all the other ingredients
  • Place the cornflour in a small bowl and dissolve in a tiny splash of water - make sure it has completely dissolved
  • Keeping the pan on a low heat, carefully add the cornflour mixture, stirring regularly to avoid clumping
  • Keep heating until the sauce is thickened - add an extra splash of water if it’s too thick
  • Add the cooked tofu and mix well
  • Sprinkle over thinly sliced spring onion and sesame seeds, if desired
  • Best enjoyed immediately, but leftovers can be kept covered in the fridge for up to a few days, and can be reheated in a frying pan

Notes

Be very careful with cornflour as it can easily turn clumpy. Dissolve it first in a tiny splash of water in a small bowl, until you get a small amount of white liquid (make sure it's not too thick). Make sure it has dissolved completely. Add the cornflour mixture carefully a tiny bit at a time, stirring well to ensure it doesn't clump. If the texture of the sauce looks too thick after you've added the cornflour, add extra water.
Nutrition Facts
Sesame Tofu (Vegan + GF)
Amount Per Serving
Calories 312 Calories from Fat 171
% Daily Value*
Fat 19g29%
Saturated Fat 9g45%
Sodium 760mg32%
Potassium 28mg1%
Carbohydrates 24g8%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 7g8%
Protein 10g20%
Vitamin C 0.5mg1%
Calcium 130mg13%
Iron 1.6mg9%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Made the recipe?Tag @rhiansrecipes on instagram and use the hashtag #rhiansrecipes!

Disclosure: This posts contains affiliate links to Amazon. If you purchase any of these products, a small percentage will come to me with no extra cost to you! This income will go towards the running of this blog – thank you.

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    Recipe Rating




  1. Anna

    September 10, 2018 at 3:15 pm

    5 stars
    Don't normally like tofu that much but this one was really nice

    Reply
    • Rhian Williams

      September 10, 2018 at 3:43 pm

      Thank you, so happy to hear that!

  2. Rozana El Naggar

    March 09, 2021 at 1:57 pm

    5 stars
    Delicious

    Reply
    • Rhian Williams

      March 09, 2021 at 3:00 pm

      Thank you so much!

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Hi, I’m Rhian! I make easy, undetectably vegan + gluten-free recipes, including healthy comfort food and naturally sweetened desserts using plant-based ingredients.

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