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Sesame Tofu With Broccoli

4.4

(260)

A plate of sesame tofu with broccoli topped with toasted sesame seeds and scallions.
Photo by Laura Murray, Food Styling by Pearl Jones

A riff on the Chinese American classic sesame chicken, this sesame tofu recipe has tricks. When I was growing up, a block of tofu was a regular player in our weeknight dinner rotation: diced for soups and stir-fries, stuffed into fish cakes, or sliced and fried. Today, it’s my vegetarian household’s primary source of protein, used in dishes from all cuisines.

Here, I wanted to ensure the pan-fried tofu had a crunchy coating to give the dish a lot of interesting texture. After trying several cornstarch alternatives, I determined nothing else would do: The cornstarch-coated cubes of crispy sesame tofu retained some crispiness even after soaking up the sweet, nutty sauce.

And about that sauce: Those familiar with the meaty take-out staple might know the “sesame” component is often limited to a ceremonial scattering of sesame seeds on top. This plant-based version ups the ante by incorporating an untraditional but logical addition: tahini. Made of ground sesame seeds, it adds a delicious creaminess that complements the other sauce ingredients and gives an extra boost of savoriness. You may have already guessed that this is a vegan recipe, but note that it’s also gluten-free—as long as you use tamari (many brands of soy sauce contain wheat).

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What you’ll need

Recipe information

  • Total Time

    25 minutes

  • Yield

    4 servings

Ingredients

1

(14-oz.) block extra-firm tofu

1

large head of broccoli (about 1 lb.)

1

scallion

1

(1") piece ginger

1

garlic clove

¼

cup tamari or soy sauce

2

Tbsp. light or dark brown sugar or pure maple syrup

2

Tbsp. tahini

2

Tbsp. unseasoned rice vinegar

1

Tbsp. toasted sesame oil

tsp. plus ¼ cup cornstarch, divided

tsp. Diamond Crystal or ¾ tsp. Morton kosher salt, divided, plus more

1

Tbsp. plus ¼ cup grapeseed oil or vegetable oil, divided

¼

tsp. freshly ground black pepper

1

Tbsp. toasted sesame seeds

Steamed white or brown rice (for serving)

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Drain one 14-oz. block extra-firm tofu and pat dry with a kitchen towel. Cut tofu in half horizontally through the equator (like a hamburger bun), then cut into 1" cubes and pat dry again. Arrange tofu cubes in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet or large plate and set aside.

    Step 2

    Cut 1 large head of broccoli (about 1 lb.) into small 1" florets. If your broccoli has a long stem, peel tough outer skin to remove the lighter fibrous layer, then slice stem ¼" thick. Finely chop 1 scallion and set aside for serving.

    Step 3

    To make the sauce, scrape skin from one 1" piece ginger with a spoon, then grate on a Microplane into a small bowl. Smash and peel 1 garlic clove and grate into bowl with ginger. Add ¼ cup tamari or soy sauce, 2 Tbsp. light or dark brown sugar or pure maple syrup, 2 Tbsp. tahini, 2 Tbsp. unseasoned rice vinegar, 1 Tbsp. toasted sesame oil, 1½ tsp. cornstarch, a pinch of kosher salt, and 3 Tbsp. water and whisk to combine. Set sauce aside.

    Step 4

    Sprinkle 1 tsp. Diamond Crystal or ½ tsp. Morton kosher salt over tofu and toss to coat. Scatter remaining ¼ cup cornstarch over tofu a tablespoonful at a time, tossing after each addition and gently pressing into the tofu pieces, until well coated on all sides.

    Step 5

    Warm 1 Tbsp. grapeseed oil or vegetable oil in a large nonstick or cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add broccoli, season with ½ tsp. Diamond Crystal or ¼ tsp. Morton kosher salt and ¼ tsp. freshly ground black pepper, and cook, tossing occasionally, until just tender, about 5 minutes. Transfer broccoli to a plate. Wipe out skillet.

    Step 6

    Heat remaining ¼ cup grapeseed or vegetable oil in same skillet over medium-high. When oil is hot (it will start to shimmer), reduce heat to medium and add tofu in a single layer (work in batches if needed). Cook, turning every 3–4 minutes, until golden brown all over, 10–12 minutes total. Transfer crispy tofu to a clean kitchen towel or paper towels and let drain.

    Step 7

    Pour out any remaining oil in pan and wipe out. Return pan to medium heat. Whisk reserved sauce if it has separated, then pour into pan and cook until thickened and bubbling, about 20 seconds. Immediately remove pan from heat and add broccoli and tofu; toss to coat.

    Step 8

    Garnish tofu and broccoli with 1 Tbsp. toasted sesame seeds and reserved scallions. Serve with steamed white rice or brown rice.

    Editor’s note: This sesame tofu recipe was first printed online in Februrary 2021. Head this way for more of our best tofu recipes

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Reviews (260)

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  • Should have read the reviews, way too salty—no need to salt a sauce that has soy sauce in it. Should have known better.

    • Kai B

    • California

    • 6/5/2024

  • This was delicious and pretty easy! Sauce was so tasty and tofu cooked perfectly. Didn’t find it too salty at all. When using cornstarch coated tofu, be sure to use enough oil and that the oil is hot enough before you add the tofu to the pan! Served with grilled garlicky eggplant on the side. Both of us agreed this will be added to our faves list.

    • Aileen

    • Halifax, NS

    • 5/18/2024

  • This was not as quick and easy as the recipe makes it sound and honestly it was kinda boring in flavor for the amount of effort and ingredients.

    • Anonymous

    • 5/17/2024

  • I ended up air frying the tofu and broccoli separately. Only added a third of the corn starch and did not add any extra salt. Even without the salt, the sauce was kind of salty. It had reduced down some, so I think that added to the salt. Added a hit of lemon juice and that seemed to mellow things out. With those changes, I did enjoy!

    • Kevin

    • Seattle, WA

    • 5/10/2024

  • Really good. I didn't have broccoli so I used red and yellow bell peppers instead. I also don't have corn starch OR tahini so I straight up left those out of the sauce, but followed the recipe and method otherwise. No regrets. The end result was a very attractive, flavorful dish. I will be making it again tomorrow night.

    • Anonymous

    • San Francisco

    • 4/18/2024

  • For the wellbeing of other readers, I feel compelled to share that this recipe made my stomach feel terrible — way too much cornstarch, in my opinion. The tofu cooking method was disastrous; everything stuck to the pan and congealed into slop. We need more guidance on that front — I probably didn't drain the tofu meticulously enough — just roast in oven as other readers suggest. The sauce was delicious!

    • Brian L

    • Brooklyn, NY

    • 4/13/2024

  • Pain in the butt to make, cook broccoli, wash pan, cook tofu, wash pan, cook sauce, too many ingredients, looked awful, not at all like photo. and I will eat anything, tasted this and tossed it out. Wasted $15, used two heads of broccoli to make it healthy but just tasting was sickening. Take this recipe down. Can't even look at the photo. Should.have read the reviews,

    • Linda Patterson

    • Santa Rosa Beach

    • 3/23/2024