This delicious sesame ginger tofu bursts with garlicky and gingery flavor, we cannot get enough of it! It pairs a yummy sticky sauce with crispy tofu, and you will need only a few basic ingredients to make it. Plus, it can be done in under 30 min, making it such a perfect speedy weeknight dinner recipe.
Being plant-based means that we eat protein-packed tofu regularly. And luckily, tofu can take on many shapes, such as seen in this creamy tofu pasta sauce, these tofu pancakes, or this amazing tofu cream cheese.
Here, this sesame ginger tofu reminds me of my sticky tofu or this basil tofu, but with a bold ginger twist. It is aromatic with full of gingery and garlicky flavors, just sweet enough and has the perfect stickiness to it.
Best of all? It is so easy to make and you can have dinner on the table within 30 minutes! Pair with Thai Brussels sprouts or simple green beans for such a perfect weeknight dinner for your family!
Let me know if you give it a try! ❤️
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❤️ Why you will love this recipe
- Quick and easy recipe (done within 30 min!)
- Packed with flavors
- Versatile
- Healthy and rich in plant protein
- Kids love it
- Vegan and easy to make gluten-free
🗒 Ingredient notes (+ substitutions)
- Tofu: I recommend using extra-firm tofu for a great texture that's satisfying and to avoid the cubes from falling apart. I used the organic tofu from Hewia, but any brands work as long as it is firm.
- Cornstarch: used to help crisp the tofu and to thicken the sauce to give it a sticky texture. You can swap for arrowroot powder.
- Soy sauce: use low-sodium soy sauce if possible. For a gluten-free recipe, then swap for GF tamari sauce.
- Sesame oil: even a small amount adds lots of flavor. You can use regular sesame oil or toasted sesame oil (even stronger taste).
- Fresh ginger: I highly recommend using fresh ginger as opposed to jarred ginger, but in a pinch, use what you have.
⭐️ Full list of ingredients (+ quantities) down below in the recipe card!
📝 Variations
- Gluten-free: use GF tamari sauce instead of soy sauce, the rest of the ingredients are naturally GF.
- Extra sauce: I love stir fry with lots of sauce, especially if serving over rice or noodles and you want the sauce to coat extra ingredients, then simply double the sauce ingredients. Or check out this saucy bok choy tofu stir fry!
- Spicy: add a dash or two of sriracha to the sauce mixture or add a drizzle over your bowl at serving.
- Extra protein: add 1-2 tablespoons of peanut butter for more flavor and extra protein. It will taste similar to a Thai peanut sauce!
🍽 How to make sesame ginger tofu
Step 1: Add the sauce ingredients to a bowl (water, soy sauce, maple syrup, sesame oil, ginger, garlic and 1 teaspoon of cornstarch) and whisk well until combined. Set aside.
Step 2: Remove as much moisture as you can from the block of tofu, then cube into 1-2 inch cubes. Transfer to a bowl and toss with 1 tablespoon of cornstarch.
Step 3: Warm up a large nonstick pan with a little oil, then pan-fry the cubes of tofu on medium-high heat until golden brown on each side, about 7-10 min.
Step 4: When the tofu is done, turn down the heat to low and pour the sauce over. Stir to cover the tofu with the sauce and keep cooking until it thickens.
⭐️ Detailed recipe (+ video) down below in the recipe card!
💡 Helpful tips
- Tofu press: for better results, take an extra 20 minutes to remove the water from your block of tofu. You can use a proper tofu press, or do like me: wrap the tofu with a clean towel and place something heavy over it until ready to use.
- Crispy tofu: don't skip tossing the cubes of tofu in cornstarch, it helps dry its surface so it can crisp better!
- Sauce texture: do not cook the tofu for too long once the sauce is in the pan. It should take only 2-3 minutes to reach a thick and sticky consistency.
🍴 Serving suggestions
This is such a versatile recipe! Serve it with:
- Brown rice (absolutely amazing over coconut pineapple rice)
- Quinoa
- Sticky rice
- Buddha bowl (check out this teriyaki Buddha bowl for inspiration!)
- Salad
- Noodles (try it over super simple garlic udon noodles)
- or slice the tofu instead of making cubes and serve in Asian style sandwich in a baguette.
Garnish with sesame seeds, sliced green onions and spicy sauce for a nice kick.
❗️ Storage tips
Keep the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat using the microwave. I do not recommend freezing this recipe!
🌱 More Asian-style tofu recipes to try!
I hope you like this sesame ginger tofu recipe as much as we do! If you try it, please leave a comment below and rate the recipe to let me know how it was. Your feedback is so helpful!
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📖 Recipe
Sesame Ginger Tofu
Equipment
- Large cooking pan
- Mixing bowl
- Measuring cups and spoons
Ingredients
- 16 oz extra firm tofu
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- olive oil - as needed, to cook the tofu
- sesame seeds - optional, to garnish
For the sauce
- 2 tbsp soy sauce - use low-sodium if possible
- 2 tbsp maple syrup or brown sugar
- 2 tbsp water
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger - grated
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 3 garlic cloves - crushed
- 1 tsp cornstarch
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, add all the sauce ingredients (soy sauce, maple syrup or sugar, water, ginger, sesame oil, garlic and cornstarch), then whisk until combined. Set aside.
- Remove as much water as you can from the block of tofu: you can do a tofu press or wrap the tofu with a clean towel and place something heavy until ready to use.
- Cube the block of tofu. Warm up a large pan with a little oil, then cook the tofu on medium-high heat until golden brown on each sides. Once the tofu is done, turn the heat to low, then pour the sauce over. Stir to cover the tofu with the sauce and let it gently simmer for a few minutes or until the sauce is thicker. Remove from the heat.
- Serve over rice with a side of vegetables and sprinkle some sesame seeds over. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Tofu press: for better results, take an extra 20 minutes to remove the water from your block of tofu. You can use a proper tofu press, or do like me: wrap the tofu with a clean towel and place something heavy over it until ready to use.
- Crispy tofu: don't skip tossing the cubes of tofu in cornstarch, it helps dry its surface so it can crisp better!
- Sauce texture: do not cook the tofu for too long once the sauce is in the pan. It should take only 2-3 minutes to reach a thick and sticky consistency.
- Nutrition: please note that the nutritional information is an estimate per serving provided for informational purposes only (calculated by software) and accuracy is not guaranteed. Consult with your healthcare provider or a registered dietitian if you need precise nutrition calculations for health reasons.
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