This crispy sesame tofu recipe is a perfect balance of sweet and savory. Drizzle the crispy, coated tofu with a spicy-sweet, homemade coconut chili dressing. Plus – the easy tofu dish is vegan, gluten-free, and a good choice for meal prep.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Coconut Milk: Use full-fat coconut milk to create a smooth, silky dressing for the tofu.
- Lime: Freshen the coconut-chili dressing with lime juice and zest.
- Chili Garlic Sauce: Spicy garlic chili sauce thickens and flavors the dressing, but you can also use Sriracha or Sambel Oelek.
- Honey: Sweeten the dressing with honey, brown sugar, maple syrup, or a sugar-free alternative like monk fruit.
- Sesame Oil: Stir toasted sesame oil into the dressing or chili oil for even more heat.
- Sesame: Try to convince me tofu and sesame aren’t the best pairing! Use black and white sesame seeds to form a beautiful crust on the tofu.
- Tofu: Extra-firm tofu holds up well to pan-searing. Take the time to press the tofu pieces with a paper towel to remove the excess liquid.
- Panko: Gluten-free panko and sesame seeds form a flaky crust on the tofu.
- Red Pepper Flakes: Add a pop of heat to the breading mixture by including red pepper flakes.
- Binder: Use tapioca flour or a cornstarch slurry to bind the breading to the tofu.
- Vegetable Oil: Pan-sear the tofu in neutral oil with a high smoke point, like vegetable oil or avocado oil.
Tools Used to Make This Recipe
All you need to make delicious sesame tofu is a heavy-bottomed large pan or skillet, a few small bowls, and a pair of tongs. I use a preheated cast-iron large skillet or stainless steel saute pan to create a non-stick coating so the tofu pieces don’t stick to the pan.
How to Make Crispy Sesame Tofu
The full recipe with measurements is in the recipe card below.
Step 1: Whisk the coconut milk, lime juice, zest, garlic chili sauce, and honey in a small bowl until the honey dissolves.
Slowly pour sesame oil into the other sauce ingredients while whisking until the dressing is silky. Set it aside.
Step 2: Pat the block of tofu dry with a tea towel or paper towel to remove the excess water. Then, cut the block into large rectangles or cubes on a cutting board.
Step 3: Combine the panko, white and black sesame seeds, black pepper, salt, and red pepper flakes on a shallow dish.
Step 4: Then, whisk the tapioca flour and warm water in a small bowl.
Step 5: One at a time, dredge the tofu pieces in the tapioca mixture, followed by coating each piece with the sesame seed mixture on both sides. Repeat with the remaining tofu.
Step 6: Warm the oil in a heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat until it reaches 350°F (176°C) using a food thermometer.
Meanwhile, set a paper towel onto a large plate or line a rimmed baking sheet with a wire rack. Then, test the oil by frying one piece of tofu, adjusting the heat accordingly.
Step 7: Pan-sear the tofu in small batches until golden brown, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer the cooked tofu to a wire rack or plate.
Repeat with the remaining tofu, letting the pan come to temperature and adding oil, as needed, in between.
Step 8: Let the tofu cool for 5 minutes before serving with the coconut chili dressing.
Expert Tips
- Microwave the tofu block on a microwave-safe plate for 1-2 minutes to draw more liquid from the tofu. Then, pat the tofu block dry with paper towels for even crisper tofu pieces.
- Take care handling the tofu during the dredging and coating process so they don’t break apart.
- Carefully add the tofu pieces to the pan away from you to avoid splashing yourself with oil.
- Use a food thermometer to monitor the temperature of the oil. Keep the oil at 350°F (176°C) for more even cooking. Let the oil come to that temperature between batches, and add oil as needed.
Baked Sesame Tofu
I prefer the texture and flavor of pan-frying the crispy sesame tofu, but baking the tofu cubes in the oven is an excellent cooking method when you need to feed a crowd.
- Arrange the coated tofu pieces on a rimmed baking sheet lined with a wire rack, parchment paper, or a silicone mat.
- Preheat the oven to 425°F (218°C) and bake for 25-30 minutes, flipping the tofu pieces halfway.
If you enjoy this meal, try one of these vegan recipes!
Serving Suggestions
- Grains: Jasmine Rice, Vegetable Fried Rice, Brown Rice, Cilantro-Lime Rice, Cauliflower Rice
- Noodles: Soba noodles, Udon Noodles
- Vegetables: Broccoli and Cauliflower, Asparagus, Sautéed Spinach, Green Beans, Edamame, Zucchini and Squash, Brussels Sprouts
- Toppings: Green Onion
What to do with the Leftovers
- Refrigerate: Store leftovers in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
- Reheat: You can warm the leftovers in the microwave for 1-2 minutes, but I recommend warming the tofu pieces in a skillet on the stovetop to keep them crispy.
- Repurpose: Use the leftover crispy sesame tofu to make a tofu rice bowl with bright greens such as spinach arugula salad. Finish the rice bowl with a drizzle of the leftover coconut chili dressing over the top.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make crispy sesame tofu in the air fryer?
You will need to work in batches using an air fryer. Arrange the tofu in a single layer in the air fryer basket and cook at 400°F (204°C) for 10 minutes, flipping the pieces halfway through the cooking time for crispy tofu.
Do you have to press the tofu before frying it?
Take the time to remove the excess liquid from the tofu block for extra crispy bites. It’s difficult for the binder and breading to adhere, and the tofu pieces can steam rather than become crispy if you don’t remove the extra water before cooking.
Once you press the water out, fry the tofu, and it will develop a crispy coating thanks to the tapioca flour, panko, and sesame seeds.
More Tofu Recipes:
Crispy Sesame Tofu
- 3 Small Bowls
- Shallow Plate
- ¼ cup coconut milk, unsweetened
- lime juice, 1 lime, Plus ½ teaspoon of lime zest
- 2 tablespoons chili garlic sauce
- 1-2 teaspoons honey
- 2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
- 1 package (14 ounce) extra firm tofu, cut into squares
- ½ cup gluten-free panko
- ⅓ cup white sesame seeds
- 1 tablespoon black sesame seeds
- ½ teaspoon black pepper, coarse ground
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 2 tablespoons tapioca flour or corn starch
- ¼ cup vegetable oil, for frying
- Whisk the coconut milk, lime juice, zest, garlic chili sauce, and honey in a small bowl until the honey dissolves. Slowly pour sesame oil into the other sauce ingredients while whisking until the dressing is silky. Set it aside.
- Pat the block of tofu dry with a tea towel or paper towel to remove the excess water. Then, cut the block into large rectangles or cubes on a cutting board.
- Combine the panko, white and black sesame seeds, black pepper, salt, and red pepper flakes on a shallow dish. Then, whisk the tapioca flour and warm water in a small bowl.
- One at a time, dredge the tofu pieces in the tapioca mixture, followed by coating each piece with the sesame seed mixture on both sides. Repeat with the remaining tofu.
- Warm the oil in a heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat until it reaches 350°F (176°C) using a food thermometer. Meanwhile, set a paper towel onto a large plate or line a rimmed baking sheet with a wire rack. Then, test the oil by frying one piece of tofu, adjusting the heat accordingly.
- Pan-sear the tofu in small batches until golden brown, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer the cooked tofu to a wire rack or plate. Repeat with the remaining tofu, letting the pan come to temperature and adding oil, as needed, in between.
- Let the tofu cool for 5 minutes before serving with the coconut chili dressing.
- Microwave the tofu block for 1-2 minutes to draw more liquid from the tofu. You can also place a towel over the block and place a heavy object on top of the tofu to press the liquid from the block. Then, pat the tofu block dry with paper towels for even crisper tofu pieces.
- Take care handling the tofu during the dredging and coating process so they don’t break apart.
- Carefully add the tofu pieces to the pan away from you to avoid splashing yourself with oil.
- Use a food thermometer to monitor the temperature of the oil. Keep the oil at 350°F (176°C) for more even cooking. Let the oil come to that temperature between batches, and add oil as needed.
- The nutritional information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for professional advice.