Sesame Herb Tofu

Another week, another recipe! This week's recipe is one that I've been perfecting for a while now, and I'm super excited to finally share it with you. Introducing... my Sesame Herb Tofu!

This tofu can be used pretty much any way you would like. I like it on salads and buddha bowls, as a side with fried rice or roasted veggies, on a veggie sandwich, or even as a snack on its own! And, because I'm super cool, I've provided both an air fryer version AND an oven version - so you can make it whichever way you prefer!

Ingredients

• Extra firm tofu - obviously necessary for this recipe. Make sure to get extra firm, as anything softer won't hold it's shape as well and also won't cook the same way!
• Lots of seasonings and sesame seeds - for lots of yummy flavors and to make our tofu more interesting!
• Tamari - this is going to add some umami flavor to your tofu.

How to Make Sesame Herb Tofu

1. Press your tofu for 30 minutes
2. Chop your tofu and coat it in seasonings
3. Cook tofu in the air fryer or oven, flipping it partway through the cooking time and adding the tamari a few minutes before it's done.
4. Enjoy!

Tips & Tricks

• This recipe calls for the tofu to be pressed - but if you don't have a tofu press that is okay! You can also press your tofu by wrapping it in paper towels and placing something somewhat heavy (such as a plate) on top of it. All you're trying to do here is get out the excess liquid.
• This tofu can be eaten however you'd like! My favorite way to eat it is on a sandwich with a bunch of veggies and a plant based sauce!
• Note that there are pros to both the oven and air-fried version of this recipe. Air fryers are obviously smaller and don't hold as much, but they are also quicker. I personally like to use the oven if I need a full version of the recipe (ie the whole tofu block), and the air fryer if I am dividing the recipe in half (ie only using half a tofu block). Since I only feed me and my husband most days, doing half the recipe in the air fryer is perfect for us. If I were cooking for more people, the oven would probably be my preferred choice so that I could cook it all in one batch.
• Looking for another great air fryer recipe? Be sure to check out my Air Fried Okra too! 

Enjoy!

📖 Recipe

Sesame Herb Tofu

Delaney Marie

This crispy tofu is the perfect topping or side for any plant-based meal, or it can even be enjoyed as a snack on its own!

Note that From Start to Finish is an estimate and does not include the time it takes to press the tofu. This time is also based on the air fryer version, but the overall time will vary based on if you choose to use the air fryer or the oven.

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From Start to Finish25 minutes mins

Servings16 tofu slices

Ingredients

• ▢ 1 block (16 oz) extra firm tofu
• ▢ 1 teaspoon sesame seeds
• ▢ 1 teaspoon nutritional yeast
• ▢ 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• ▢ ½ teaspoon onion powder
• ▢ ½ teaspoon paprika
• ▢ ½ teaspoon dried parsley
• ▢ ½ teaspoon dried oregano
• ▢ ½ teaspoon dried basil
• ▢ 1 tablespoon tamari

Instructions

• Press tofu for at least 30 minutes to get out any excess liquid. You can use a tofu press for this OR you can wrap your tofu in a couple paper towels and place a heavy plate on top.
• While the tofu is being pressed, preheat either your oven or your air fryer. If you are using an oven, preheat it to 400. If you are using an air fryer, preheat to 375.
• Shortly before the tofu is done being pressed, mix the sesame seeds, nutritional yeast, and all other seasonings together in a small bowl.
• Remove your tofu from the press after 30 minutes and cut it into 8 rectangles. Cut these rectangles diagonally so that you end up wth 16 triangles.
• Coat your tofu triangles in the seasoning mix. I like to do this by sprinkling the seasoning mix onto a shallow plate and then placing the tofu triangles onto the plate and slowly turning them so that each side gets coated as evenly as possible.
• IF USING THE OVEN: place your tofu slices on a baking tray lined with a silicone mat or aluminum foil. Cook at 400 for 10 minutes, flip the tofu slices over, and cook for another 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and coat each tofu slice in the tamari - you can do this by mixing the tamari with all the slices in a bowl, OR by pouring your tamari into a shallow dish and rolling each slice around on the dish to evenly coat (similar to how you did the seasonings). If doing the latter, be sure to use a couple utensils to help with the process so that you don't burn your hands on the hot tofu! Return to baking tray and cook in the oven for another 6-10 minutes, or until they reach desired crispiness.

  IF USING THE AIR FRYER: place your tofu slices in your air fryer in one layer (I like to line my air fryer with aluminum foil to make the clean-up easier). Depending on the size of your air fryer, you may need to do this in two batches. Cook at 375 for 5 minutes, flip the tofu slices over, and cook for another 5 minutes. Remove from the air fryer and coat each tofu slice in the tamari - you can do this by mixing the tamari with all the slices in a bowl, OR by pouring your tamari into a shallow dish and rolling each slice around on the dish to evenly coat (similar to how you did the seasonings). If doing the latter, be sure to use a couple utensils to help with the process so that you don't burn your hands on the hot tofu! Return to air fryer and cook for another 3-5 minutes, or until they reach desired crispiness.
• Allow to cool just a bit and then enjoy however you please!

Did you make this recipe?Mention @joyfulbalanceofficial on Instagram and show the world your plant based creation!

Happy cooking, friends! If you made this recipe don’t forget to tag me (@joyfulbalanceofficial) on facebook or instagram so I can cheer you on for your tofu making ways.

Stay well!