This roasted sesame ginger tofu is a family favorite and a good weeknight recipe. If you’re like me, any time that can be saved in terms of clean up is worth its weight in gold. This method avoids splatter on the stove and having to scrub the pan. The marinade is taken from the cookbook Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone, which really is a great resource, even if you’re not a vegetarian. I double the amounts as I like to make 2 packages of tofu. You can certainly serve this as a meal itself, but I also use this recipe when I’m adding tofu to a stir fry or Thai curry, as it bumps the flavor up that much more.
Roasted Sesame Ginger Tofu Marinade
The marinade is so good that I often need to make sure that my younger son doesn’t eat all the tofu while it’s still marinating. I suppose you could skip the roasting and just make a salad out of it. Maybe we’ll try that this summer! I should also say that we like things pretty crispy in our family (some of us even like truly burnt things). If you don’t, please feel free to cook the tofu for less time. The little pieces of ginger and garlic do crisp up and eventually burn so be aware of that. Also, while you don’t need to use parchment, I recommend it – the sugar in the marinade can make a sticky mess of your pan.
Servings | Prep Time | Cook Time | Passive Time |
4people (w/leftovers) | 10minutes | 25minutes | 25 (+10 if marinating)minutes |
Servings | Prep Time |
4people (w/leftovers) | 10minutes |
Cook Time | Passive Time |
25minutes | 25 (+10 if marinating)minutes |
- 2 packages tofu extra firm (or firm), drained
- 6 Tbsp toasted sesame oil
- 6 Tbsp tamari or soy sauce low sodium
- 2.5 Tbsp dark brown sugar you can use slightly less, light brown is ok too
- 1 Tbsp ginger minced
- 2 (or more to taste) cloves garlic minced or pressed
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes optional
Ingredients
Servings: people (w/leftovers)
Units:
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- Preheat over to 400 degrees. Combine all the ingredients, except the tofu, in a bowl and wisk until combined.
- Cut each block of tofu in half lengthwise (making 2 thinner slabs the same size as the original slab). Using paper towels or a clean dishcloth press on both sides of the slabs to take out some of the liquid. Cut tofu into 1-inch cubes (no need to stress about the exact size, but try to make them more or less the same).
- Place tofu in a large baking pan or bowl (I like to use the first for better marinade distribution) and pour the marinade over. Using a rubber spatula, gently toss so that all tofu pieces are nicely glazed.
- If you have time, let it marinate for 10 minutes, but if not transfer the tofu to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper (a slotted spoon works best). Bake in the oven for 20-30 minutes until the tofu is nicely browned and cooked to your liking.
- Note: I often save what's left of the marinade to add to a stir fry or drizzle on rice. You can also put it in a small bowl and let people put a little on whatever you're serving with the tofu (e.g. steamed broccoli).