Sesame Crusted Tofu Bowls

This Crispy Sesame crusted Tofu is Quick and super delicious! Tofu cubes are tossed in the peanut sauce then coated in sesame seeds and baked until crispy. Serve over greens dressed in peanut sauce, in a wrap or over noodles! Peanut-free  & soy-free version included.

I’ve developed a full-blown obsession with these sesame-coated tofu bowls!

I don’t know whether it’s the nutty, crunchy sesame-crusted baked tofu that does it for me or the totally addictive peanut sauce…it’s most likely the combination of both because I would not want to do without any of these additions.

I love that the sesame-crusted tofu is baked in the oven and turns out super crispy without having to add any flour or breadcrumbs the to coating.

Before coating the tofu in sesame, we toss the tofu cubes in some of our peanut sauce to allow the seeds to stick to them properly. This works way better than egg wash AND adds a bunch of flavor to our baked tofu.

These bowls are perfect for meal prep and the spicy peanut dressing keeps in the fridge for a whole week.

More bowl recipes:

Berbere Chickpea Bowl

Vietnamese Inspired Caramelized Pork Bowls with Lentils

Vegan Pizza Bowl

Spicy Maple Mustard Tofu Bowl with Sweet Potatoes

Cajun Roasted Vegetable Bowl with Garlic Sauce

26 Vegan Bowl Recipes

Print Recipe

5 from 8 votes

Sesame Tofu Bowl with Peanut Sauce

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

Prep Time10 mins

Cook Time20 mins

Pressing tofu10 mins

Total Time40 mins

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: sesame crusted tofu, vegan tofu bowl

Servings: 4

Calories: 275kcal

Author: Vegan Richa

Ingredients

For the peanut sauce:

• 1/4 cup (64.5 g) 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 (60 ml) hot water

For the tofu:

• 14 oz (396.89 g) firm or extra firm tofu, pressed for at least 15 minutes
• 1/4 cup (59.15 g) 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

Instructions

• 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)
• 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.
• Add the tofu to the sauce and make sure all the sides are coated.
• 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.
• 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.
• Remove the tofu from the oven and set aside.
• 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.
• To store: refrigerate the sesame tofu separately in a closed container for upto 4 days.

Notes

Calories do not include bowl bases 

Make Wraps: ,  add some greens or lettuce to a tortilla wrap and add the tofu and other veggies of your choice and a good drizzle of the peanut sauce and serve.

Peanut free: use sunflower seed butter.

Soyfree: Omit the soy sauce and add 1/4 tsp salt. Use chickpea tofu or pumpkin seed tofu. You can see that half the tofu used in the pictures is greenish. It’s pumfu (pumpkin seed tofu) 

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Sesame Tofu Bowl with Peanut Sauce

Amount Per Serving

Calories 275 Calories from Fat 162

% Daily Value*

Fat 18g28%

Saturated Fat 3g19%

Polyunsaturated Fat 8g

Monounsaturated Fat 7g

Sodium 289mg13%

Potassium 261mg7%

Carbohydrates 16g5%

Fiber 4g17%

Sugar 4g4%

Protein 16g32%

Vitamin A 958IU19%

Vitamin C 39mg47%

Calcium 265mg27%

Iron 4mg22%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Ingredients:

• For the tofu, I recommend you use firm or extra firm tofu and we will need to press it for at least 15 minutes
• for the sauce, we mix smooth peanut butter with soy sauce, sesame oil, sambal oelek, ginger garlic paste, and hot water for thinning it out
• some of the peanut sauce is thickened with cornstarch or tapioca starch to make the coating for the tofu
• the breading is gluten-free, made with a mix of black and white sesame seeds
• For the bowl, use your favorite greens, then bell pepper, cucumber or carrots, quinoa, and any other crunchy veggies

Tips:

• You can also use the tofu to make wraps,  add some greens or lettuce to a tortilla wrap and add the tofu and other veggies of your choice and a good drizzle of the peanut sauce and serve.
• To make it peanut free use sunflower seed butter.
• To make Soyfree: Omit the soy sauce and add 1/4 tsp salt. Use chickpea tofu or pumpkin seed tofu. You can see in the ingredient picture below that half the tofu used is greenish because it is pumpkin seed tofu (pumfu brand)

How to make Sesame Tofu Bowls:

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.  You can add whole garlic clove and 1/4 inch ginger instead of mincing)

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.

Add the tofu to the sauce and make sure all the sides are coated really well.

In another shallow bowl add the sesame seeds and transfer the coated tofu to the sesame seeds bowl to coat on all sides. Repeat with all the tofu slices. You might need more sesame seeds depending on the size of the tofu slices.

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.

Remove the tofu from the oven and set aside.

Prepare your bowl by adding the greens, sliced bell peppers, cucumber, peanuts, etc.

Pace the cooked tofu on top of the bowl. Drizzle with peanut sauce.

Storage

Refrigerate the sesame tofu and dressing and bowl ingredients separately. Reheat the tofu in the oven or microwave. Let the cold dressing come to room temperature to use. Or add some hot water to the dressing, mix and use