This Crispy Sesame Crusted Tofu is quick and super delicious! Tofu cubes are tossed in peanut sauce then coated in sesame seeds and baked until crispy. Serve with greens dressed in peanut sauce, in a wrap or over noodles! Includes peanut-free and soy-free versions.
I’ve developed a full-blown obsession with these sesame-coated tofu bowls!
I don’t know if it’s the nutty, crunchy sesame-flaked baked tofu that does it for me or the totally addictive peanut sauce…it’s probably a combination of both because I wouldn’t want to do without either of those additions.
I love that the sesame-topped tofu is baked in the oven and becomes super crispy without adding any flour or breadcrumbs to the coating.
Before coating the sesame tofu, we toss the tofu cubes in some of our peanut sauce so that the seeds adhere properly. It works better than an egg wash and adds a bunch of flavor to our baked tofu.
These bowls are perfect for meal prep and the spicy peanut dressing keeps in the fridge for an entire week.
More bowl recipes:
Berbere Chickpea Bowl
Vietnamese inspired caramelized pork bowl with lentils
Vegan Pizza Bowl
Spicy Maple Mustard Tofu Bowl with Sweet Potatoes
Cajun Roasted Vegetable Bowl with Garlic Sauce
26 Vegan Bowl Recipes
Print recipe
Sesame Tofu Bowl with Peanut Sauce
These sesame tofu bowls with peanut sauce are a real life saver for dinner! Tofu cubes are tossed in peanut sauce then coated in sesame seeds and baked until crispy. Serve with greens dressed in peanut sauce, in a wrap or over noodles! Includes options for soyfree and peanut-free
Serving: 4
Calories: 275kcal
material
For the peanut sauce:
- 1/4 the cup (64.5 g) Smooth peanut butter
- 1 table spoon I am Willow Or use tamari for gluten-free
- 1 teaspoon Toasted sesame oil
- 1 table spoon Sambal Olek or other Asian chili sauce Or use Gochujong
- 1 teaspoon Make ginger garlic paste or use ginger garlic mince
- 1/4 the cup (60 Milli) hot water
For the tofu:
- 14 oz (396.89 g) firm or extra-firm tofu, Press for at least 15 minutes
- 1/4 the cup (59.15 g) Top with peanut sauce
- 1 table spoon Cornstarch or tapioca starch
- 1/4 the cup White sesame seeds
- 3 table spoon Black sesame seeds
For the bowl:
- Greens or lettuce of choice
- 1 pepper thinly sliced
- 1 the cup Cucumber or carrot thinly sliced
- Optional additions: pickled radish or cucumber, other crunchy vegetables
- chopped peanuts optional
instructions
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Make the peanut sauce; Add all the peanut sauce ingredients to a medium bowl and mix really well until combined and set aside. Add a tablespoon more hot water if needed to make a drizzle sauce. (You can also blend them in a small blender. If using a blender, you can add whole garlic cloves and 1/4 inch ginger without mincing)
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Make the sesame tofu: Press the tofu and cut it into rectangles or squares if you haven’t already. Add 1/4 cup prepared peanut sauce and cornstarch to a small bowl and mix really well.
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Add the tofu to the sauce and make sure all sides are coated.
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Add the sesame seeds to another shallow bowl and transfer the coated tofu to the sesame seed bowl to coat all around or just the top and sides. Repeat with all the tofu slices. You may need more sesame seeds depending on the size of the tofu slices.
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Place coated tofu on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Preheat your oven to 400ºF (205ºC). Bake the tofu in the preheated oven for 20 minutes. Check at the 18 minute mark to see if the tofu is done otherwise bake for another 2-4 minutes.
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Remove the tofu from the oven and set aside.
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Prepare your bowl by adding your choice of greens, chopped bell peppers, cucumber, peanuts etc. Place the baked tofu in the bowl. Serve drizzled with peanut sauce.
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to accumulate: Refrigerate sesame tofu separately in a sealed container for up to 4 days.
Comment
Make the wrap: , add some greens or lettuce to a tortilla wrap and add tofu and other vegetables of your choice and a good drizzle of peanut sauce and serve.
Peanut Free: Use sunflower seed butter.
sowfree: Omit soy sauce and add 1/4 tsp salt. Use chickpea tofu or pumpkin seed tofu. You can see that half of the tofu used in the picture is greenish. It’s pamfu (pumpkin seed tofu).
nutrition
nutrients
Sesame Tofu Bowl with Peanut Sauce
No. per job
calories 275
Calories from fat are 162
% Daily Value*
thick 18 grams28%
3 g of saturated fat19%
Polyunsaturated fat 8 grams
7 grams of monounsaturated fat
Sodium 289 mg13%
potassium 261 mg7%
carbohydrates 16 grams5%
4g of fiber17%
4 grams of sugar4%
protein 16 grams32%
Vitamin A 958IU19%
Vitamin C 39 mg47%
calcium 265 mg27%
iron 4 mg22%
* Percent Daily Value is based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Ingredients:
- For tofu, I suggest you use firm or extra firm tofu and we need to press it for at least 15 minutes.
- For the sauce, we mix smooth peanut butter with soy sauce, sesame oil, sambal olek, ginger garlic paste and hot water to thin it out.
- Some peanut sauces are thickened with cornstarch or tapioca starch to coat the tofu.
- The breading is gluten-free, made with a mixture of black and white sesame seeds
- For the bowl, use your favorite green vegetables, followed by bell peppers, cucumbers or carrots, quinoa, and any other crunchy vegetables.
Suggestion:
- You can use tofu to make the wrap, add some greens or lettuce to the tortilla wrap and add tofu and other veggies of your choice and a good drizzle of peanut sauce and serve.
- Use sunflower seed butter to make it peanut free.
- to create sowfree: Omit soy sauce and add 1/4 tsp salt. Use chickpea tofu or pumpkin seed tofu.
How to Make Sesame Tofu Bowl:
Make the peanut sauce; Add all the peanut sauce ingredients to a medium bowl and mix really well until combined and set aside. Add a tablespoon more hot water if needed to make a drizzle sauce. (You can also blend these in a small blender. Instead of mince you can add whole garlic cloves and 1/4 inch ginger)
Press the tofu and cut it into rectangles or squares if you haven’t already. Add 1/4 cup prepared peanut sauce and cornstarch to a small bowl and mix really well.
Add the tofu to the sauce and make sure all sides are coated really well.
Add the sesame seeds to another shallow bowl and transfer the coated tofu to the bowl of sesame seeds to coat all over. Repeat with all the tofu slices. You may need more sesame seeds depending on the size of the tofu slices.
Place coated tofu on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Preheat your oven to 400ºF (205ºC).
Bake the tofu in the preheated oven for 20 minutes. Check at the 18 minute mark to see if the tofu is done otherwise bake for another 2-4 minutes.
Remove the tofu from the oven and set aside.
Prepare your bowl by adding greens, chopped bell peppers, cucumber, peanuts etc.
Place the cooked tofu on top of the pot. Drizzle with peanut sauce.
storage
Refrigerate sesame tofu and dressing and bowl ingredients separately. Reheat the tofu in the oven or microwave. Allow to come to room temperature to use cold dressing. Or add some hot water to the dressing, mix and use
