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.
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)
- Fry the tofu in a frying pan for a few minutes on each side, turning over halfway through
- Transfer the cooked tofu onto a plate lined with kitchen paper (to drain away the excess oil)
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.
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.
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.
Sesame Tofu (Vegan + GF)
This Sesame Tofu is super easy to make and just as delicious as the restaurant version!
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Servings: 4
Calories: 312kcal
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.
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Anna
Don’t normally like tofu that much but this one was really nice
Rhian Williams
Thank you, so happy to hear that!