These Sesame Tofu Bowls with Peanut Sauce are a true lifesaver come dinner time! Tofu cubes are tossed in peanut sauce then coated in sesame seeds and baked until crispy. Serve over greens dressed in peanut sauce, in a wrap or over noodles! Options for Soyfree and peanut-free included

Recipe Snapshot

  • Prep time: 10 minutes
  • Cook time: 20 minutes
  • Total time: 40 minutes
  • Yield: 4
  • Category: Main Course
  • Cuisine: American

Ingredients

For the peanut sauce:

  • 1/4 cup smooth peanut butter
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce (or use tamari for gluten-free)
  • 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
  • 1 tablespoon sambal oelek or other Asian chili sauce (or use Gochujang)
  • 2 teaspoons maple syrup
  • 1 teaspoon ginger garlic paste (or use minced ginger garlic plus 1/2 tsp lime juice)
  • 1/4 cup hot water

For the tofu:

  • 14 oz firm or extra firm tofu, (pressed for at least 15 minutes)
  • 1/4 cup of the peanut sauce from above
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch or tapioca starch
  • 1/4 cup white sesame seeds
  • 3 tablespoons black sesame seeds

For the bowl:

  • Greens of choice or lettuce
  • 1 bell pepper (thinly sliced)
  • 1 cup Cucumber or carrots (thinly sliced)
  • Optional additions: Pickled radish or cucumber, Other crunchy veggies
  • Chopped peanuts (optional)

Method

  1. Make the peanut sauce; In a medium bowl add all the peanut sauce ingredients and mix really well until combined and set aside. Add more hot water a tbsp at a time if needed to make a drizzle-able sauce. (You can also blend them in a small blender. If using a blender, you can add whole garlic clove and 1/4 inch ginger instead of mincing)
  2. Make Sesame Tofu: Press the tofu if you haven’t already then cut it into rectangles or squares. In a small bowl add 1/4 cup of the prepared peanut sauce and the cornstarch and mix really well.
  3. Add the tofu to the sauce and make sure all the sides are coated.
  4. In another shallow bowl add the sesame seeds and transfer the coated tofu to the sesame seeds bowl to coat on all sides or just the top and sides. Repeat with all the tofu slices. You might need more sesame seeds depending on the size of the tofu slices.
  5. Place the 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 if the tofu is done otherwise bake for 2-4 more minutes.
  6. Remove the tofu from the oven and set aside.
  7. Prepare your bowl by adding the greens, sliced bell peppers, cucumber, peanuts, etc as you like. Place the baked tofu in the bowl. Drizzle with peanut sauce and serve.
  8. To store: refrigerate the sesame tofu separately in a closed container for upto 4 days.

Kiyaan Singh’s Kitchen Note

Keep this recipe as a working base: cook once as written, then adjust spice, texture, and serving style for your own table.