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Sesame Ginger Baked Tofu (Vegan, Gluten Free)

By: Jenn Sebestyen / Published: / Last Updated:

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Baked Tofu that has been marinated in a sesame ginger sauce and then drizzled with more of the sauce that’s been reduced into a sticky glaze and served over rice with your favorite veggies – a quick, satisfying meal!

Bowl of Sesame Ginger Baked Tofu, green beans, rice, and green onions. Cubes of tofu on the table in front of the bowl. Brightly colored flowers in the background.

Well, Halloween is over. Did you survive without eating all of your kids’ candy? I may have snuck a piece or two…shhh, don’t tell them. Something else I can eat like candy is crispy baked tofu. Does that sound crazy? Maybe, but I’m totally serious.

Cubes of tofu marinated in a flavorful sauce and then baked until crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside. I really do pop them in my mouth like candy.

And if that’s not enough, to make it into a meal, the tofu is drizzled with more of the sauce before serving and then served over rice or noodles and with your family’s favorite steamed veggies. An easy meal that is mostly hands off.

Two bowls of Sesame Ginger Baked Tofu over rice with green beans. Small yellow bowl of brown sauce next to the dinner bowls. Two red chopsticks in front. Gray dish cloth behind.

A Little Prep Work

The tofu takes a little prep work, but it’s totally worth it to get the most from the flavors and textures. Start with firm tofu and press it to get most of the water out. This take about 20-30 minutes, but it’s all hands off. See my notes in the recipe box below on how to easily press tofu without any fancy gadgets.

After it’s pressed, you want to cut it into bite size pieces and then marinate it for at least 30-60 minutes (longer is fine). Again, although this part takes a little while, it’s hands off. Baking comes next – about 25-30 minutes – and you guessed it – it’s hands off!

So, while yes it takes some time to get this done, you’ll have a lot of waiting around time, so help the kids with their homework, fold a load of laundry, check your e-mail and then come back to enjoy your meal.

Bowl of Sesame Ginger Baked Tofu with greens beans over rice and sprinkled with sesame seeds. Gray dish cloth behind.

A Versatile Baked Tofu Recipe

This baked tofu recipe is quite versatile. If you don’t feel like a rice dish, you could serve it over noodles. You could also add it to an Asian soup recipe, make tacos with an Asian flare, wrap it up in a tortilla with some coleslaw for an easy lunch, make spring roll appetizers, add it to a salad – the possibilities are endless.

Red chopsticks holding a piece of saucy Sesame Ginger Baked Tofu.

Sesame Ginger Baked Tofu

I hope you guys love this Sesame Ginger Baked Tofu recipe. If you make it, please come back and leave me a comment below with your feedback and star rating. I love to see your remakes too, so snap a quick pic and tag me on social media @veggie_inspired and #veggieinspired so I’m sure to see it. Enjoy!

Sesame Ginger Baked Tofu
Print
Sesame Ginger Baked Tofu
Cook Time
30 mins
Total Time
30 mins
 
Baked Tofu that has been marinated in a sesame ginger sauce and then drizzled with more of the sauce that's been reduced into a sticky glaze and served over rice with your favorite veggies - a quick, satisfying meal!
Course: Entree
Cuisine: dairy free, egg free, gluten free, refined sugar free, vegan
Servings: 5 servings
Calories: 241 kcal
Author: Jenn Sebestyen
Ingredients
To serve
  • Cooked Rice (or rice noodles)
  • Steamed Green Beans (or your favorite veggie)
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
  2. Whisk together the tamari, rice vinegar, maple syrup, sesame oil, and ginger.
  3. Place the cubed tofu into a sealable plastic bag or container. Pour the marinade over the tofu and shake until well coated. Place in the fridge for 30-60 minutes, turning every so often to make sure all sides of the tofu get coated.
  4. Once the tofu has marinated, remove it from the marinade (but SAVE the remaining marinade!) and place it onto the parchment lined baking sheet. Bake for 25-30 minutes, flipping the pieces over halfway through baking, until crispy on the outsides.
  5. While the tofu is baking, whisk the cornstarch into the water until completely dissolved and set aside.
  6. Pour the remaining marinade into a saucepan on the stove over medium-high heat. Add the cornstarch slurry and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook until the sauce thickens and resembles a glaze.
  7. When the tofu is done baking, serve it over rice with steamed green beans and garnish with scallions and sesame seeds, drizzled with the sesame ginger glaze. (Optionally, you can toss the baked tofu into the glaze first and then serve over the rice).
Recipe Notes

*You may want to freeze your block of tofu first and then thaw. This creates a chewier texture.

**To press tofu, place a clean dish towel (or paper towels) on a plate. Place the block of tofu on the dish towel and cover the tofu with another clean dish towel and then another plate. On the top place, place some heavy cans or bags of dried beans to press it down. Press for about 20-30 minutes.

Nutrition facts are for the Baked Tofu only, not including rice or green beans.

Nutrition Facts
Sesame Ginger Baked Tofu
Amount Per Serving
Calories 241 Calories from Fat 126
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 14g 22%
Saturated Fat 1g 5%
Polyunsaturated Fat 4g
Monounsaturated Fat 5g
Sodium 1534mg 64%
Potassium 49mg 1%
Total Carbohydrates 27g 9%
Dietary Fiber 2g 8%
Sugars 11g
Protein 14g 28%
Vitamin A 2%
Vitamin C 2%
Calcium 18%
Iron 19%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.


More Ways to Enjoy Tofu:

Pineapple Stir Fry w/ Baked Tofu

Pineapple Stir Fry w/ Baked Tofu

Healthy Breakfast Tacos w/ Scrambled Tofu

Healthy Breakfast Tacos

Tofu Hemp Burger

Tofu Hemp Burger

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Comments

  1. Nick says

    05/04/2018 at 3:52 pm

    I found this recipe and would love to try it out tomorrow, but is it me or is the part of what to do with the scallions missing?

    Reply

  3. Melissa says

    11/05/2016 at 11:58 pm

    This is the recipe for me! I’m a big tofu lover myself. It looks so savory baked in this sesame ginger sauce. Thank you for an awesome recipe.

    Reply

    • Jenn S. says

      11/06/2016 at 5:50 pm

      It’s so good, right?! I hope you love it! It’s going to be on the menu you a lot in this house. 🙂

      Reply

  5. Linda says

    11/03/2016 at 2:23 pm

    Sesame and ginger baked crispy sounds like heaven! I love this recipe, Jenn. I can’t wait to get to the store and stock up on tofu.

    Reply

    • Jenn S. says

      11/03/2016 at 5:46 pm

      Thanks, Aimee! I’m kind of addicted to tofu, but it definitely needs to have a good texture!

      Reply

  8. Stephanie says

    11/02/2016 at 4:54 pm

    This looks really really good. Shouldn’t be looking at this right before dinner. But I’ve never been able to master making good tofu so would love to try this.

    Reply

    • Jenn S. says

      11/02/2016 at 5:10 pm

      It definitely needs lots of flavor…marinate the tofu IN the sauce and then pour the sauce ON the cooked tofu. Double the sauce…never a bad thing! 🙂

      Reply

    • Jenn S. says

      11/02/2016 at 5:07 pm

      Oh, Luci, you really should! It’s so easy! And it gets a great texture without having to pan fry it in oil. Let me know if you try it.

      Reply

  13. Nicole says

    11/01/2016 at 7:27 pm

    I agree, pressing the tofu really does make it so much better, plus I love how removing that liquid allows for the marinade to soak in more. That’s my type of meal right there.

    Reply

    • Jenn S. says

      11/01/2016 at 4:27 pm

      It’s definitely my preferred way too – though I do love tofu all sorts of ways. And it definitely lends itself perfectly to Asian flavors. Thanks, Sophia!

      Reply

  18. Mel says

    11/01/2016 at 11:08 am

    My kind of meal! I love tofu and rice together and with all those other flavours to bring it together it sounds fantastic!

    Reply

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My name is Jenn. This is my blog where I share delicious plant based recipes for the whole family. I love to cook; I can read cookbooks like novels; and I enjoy experimenting in the kitchen by making standard American favorites healthier.

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