Sesame tofu is a quick and delicious main dish with crispy tofu covered in a sticky, sweet, and savory sauce. Try out this recipe to enjoy tofu with a bold flavor. {Vegan, Gluten-Free Adaptable}
No matter whether you’re looking for a plant-based meal or simply enjoy cooking with tofu, you can’t miss this sesame tofu recipe. Tofu is rich in protein, low in calories, and a fantastic vehicle for absorbing bold flavors. When paired with the rich sesame sauce, the result is a dish that’s both comforting and exciting.
Crispy sesame tofu ingredients
Chinkiang vinegar
My sesame sauce uses a secret ingredient – Chinkiang vinegar, or Chinese black vinegar. Chinkiang vinegar has a dry, tart flavor that is balanced by a malty umami and accented by a slightly woody and smoky aroma. I love using this vinegar in my sesame sauce, so it’s so much more than a regular brown sauce with the addition of sesame. My sesame sauce is savory, sweet and sour, with a nice nutty aroma accompanied with fragrance from garlic and green onion.
You can find Chinkiang vinegar at any Chinese grocery store, big Asian market, or online.
If you do not have Chinkiang vinegar, you can also use rice vinegar instead. The dish will turn out a little milder but still delicious.
Mise en place
When you’re ready to cook sesame tofu, your counter should have:
- Marinated tofu
- Sliced aromatics (green onion and garlic)
- Mixed sauce
- Cornstarch
How to make sesame tofu
When you’re ready to cook the sesame tofu, drain the marinating liquid, then add the cornstarch to the bag you use to marinate the tofu. Flip the bag to coat the tofu.
Then pan fry the tofu until golden crispy, then transfer to a plate. It’s important to take the tofu out of the hot pan to cool off a bit. The coating will crisp up and stay crispy longer once you add the sauce.
Next, saute the aromatics with a bit of oil, pour in the sauce and cook until it thickens.
Lastly, add back the cooked tofu and toss to coat well.
How to serve sesame tofu
Serve sesame tofu over white rice for a quick lunch. You can also serve it as a main course with a soup, side dish and an appetizer. To make a vegetarian meal, consider serving your sesame tofu with:
Crispy Sesame Tofu
Ingredients
- 1 block (16 ounces / 450 g) extra firm tofu (firm and medium tofu work as well)
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon peanut oil
- 4 tablespoons cornstarch
Sauce
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons Chinkiang vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine
- 4 tablespoons sugar
- 2 teaspoons sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds , toasted
Cook
- 1/4 cup peanut oil (or vegetable oil, or enough to coat the bottom of the pan)
- 2 cloves garlic , minced
- 2 green onions , sliced (reserve some for garnish)
Instructions
- Marinate the tofu: Pat tofu dry with paper towels. Cut into 1/2” (1 cm) pieces and transfer into a large ziploc bag. Add the soy sauce. Gently flip the bag a few times to coat tofu with the liquid. Marinate for 10 to 15 minutes while preparing other ingredients.
- For the sauce: Mix the sauce ingredients together in a medium-sized bowl.
- Prepare the tofu: Once the tofu is marinated, open the bag just a little bit without letting the tofu fall out. Drain and discard all the liquid. Add the cornstarch, a tablespoon at a time, then gently toss the bag to coat the tofu. It is OK if the tofu doesn’t get coated evenly.
- To cook the stir fry: Heat oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet until hot. Add the tofu pieces in a single layer.
- Cook over medium heat until the bottom turns golden, 4 to 5 minutes or so. If using a nonstick skillet, use a pair of chopsticks to separate the tofu as much as you can during this time (*Footnote 2). Flip to brown the other side, another 3 to 4 minutes until turning golden. Transfer the tofu to a big plate and turn to low heat.
- You should still have 1 to 2 tablespoons of oil in the pan. Wipe off any excess oil beyond that with paper towels if needed. Add green onion and garlic, then turn to medium heat. Cook and stir a few times until it releases fragrance.
- Stir the sauce again to dissolve the cornstarch completely. Pour it into the pan. Stir and cook until it thickens.
- Add back the cooked tofu. Stir to coat everything with the sauce, 30 seconds or so. Transfer everything to a big plate. Garnish with green onions. Serve hot as a main dish.
Notes
- The tofu tends to stick together because of the cornstarch, so separating it helps with the later cooking. However, you should not try to separate the tofu if using a carbon steel or cast iron pan, as doing so will break apart the tofu pieces. Wait until the bottom is fully cooked before flipping, and the tofu will release without issue.
