Sesame Crusted Tofu Bowl

The best kind of tofu is crispy tofu–but we’re not frying it. Instead, this tofu gets its crispy exterior by coating it in tahini sauce and sesame seeds before baking until golden perfection. To make it a meal, serve up this sesame crusted tofu with a bowl of fragrant jasmine rice, colorful veggies, some edamame, and a flavorful tahini sauce.

This recipe stars U.S.-grown jasmine rice and comes to us from our friend @dietitiandebbie in partnership with USA Rice.

  • Servings
    4
  • Prep Time
    10 mins
  • Cook Time
    25 mins
  • Total Time
    35 mins

Ingredients

  • 1 cup U.S.-grown jasmine rice
  • 2¼ cups water

For the Tahini Sauce

  • ⅓ cup tahini
  • 1 tbsp white miso
  • 1 tbsp ginger
  • 1 tbsp sesame oil
  • 1 tsp maple syrup
  • ¼ cup water

For the Tofu

  • 16 oz extra-firm tofu
  • 1 tbsp cornstarch
  • ¼ cup white sesame seeds
  • 3 tbsp black sesame seeds

For the Bowl

  • Cucumber, shredded carrots, green onion, purple cabbage, edamame, cilantro, cashews

Directions

  • Preheat the oven to 400 and line a large metal baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
  • Make the rice: Add 1 cup of U.S.-grown jasmine rice and 1 cup water to a saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook for 12 minutes, then turn off the heat and let sit with the lid on for another 10 minutes, then fluff with a fork.
  • Make the Tahini Sauce: Whisk all the tahini sauce ingredients together in a bowl.
  • Make the Tofu: Slice the tofu into eight 1/2" thick slabs. Add ¼ cup of the tahini sauce to a separate bowl and add 1 tablespoon of cornstarch. Dip each piece of tofu into the sauce, letting excess drip off, and transfer to the bowl of sesame seeds to evenly coat. Place on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining tofu. Transfer to the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes until golden.
  • Assemble: Divide the cooked rice between four serving bowls and top with veggies of your choice (cucumber, shredded carrots, purple cabbage, edamame, green onion, radish). Divide the tofu between the bowls and top with the tahini sauce.

Recipe Notes

Make Ahead: You can prep all the different elements of this bowl in advance and store in the fridge until you’re ready to reheat and serve. For the tofu, the recommendation is to  reheat in the oven or an air fryer as it might lose some of its crispiness in a microwave.