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Vegan Almond Sesame Tofu

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This Vegan Almond Sesame Tofu comes together in less than 30 minutes and is easy to make, so delicious, high protein and a quick plant-based dinner!

overhead shot of tofu with green onions and white rice

VEGAN ALMOND SESAME TOFU

Oh my word, y’all, this Vegan Almond Sesame Tofu is to die for!! I created this on a whim this week, as I needed a quick dinner and didn’t want to fool with baking or any of that.
This whole dinner comes together in about 15 minutes (not including pressing the tofu), so a major win win and a healthy vegan dinner to boot!

This almond sesame sauce is absolutely dreamy. My daughter moaned eating it. I have fallen in love with tofu ever since creating this Smoky Tofu. Now, I’m in love with this new easy tofu recipe.

HOW TO MAKE EASY VEGAN ALMOND SESAME TOFU

Drain and press the tofu. Season well with salt and pepper and cornstarch. Toss to coat evenly. The cornstarch helps to crisp up the tofu.

Brown the tofu on each side until golden brown and crispy, 3-5 minutes. It’s important to use a high-quality nonstick pan. This also prevents the need for any oil.

Make the almond sesame sauce.

almond sesame sauce in white bowl

Add the sauce to the cooked tofu and cook on low heat for only about a minute to warm through and only slightly thickened. You do not want to overcook it or it’ll become too thick and you want to have lots of that yummy sauce.

I served this with white rice, a sweet potato and some cooked spinach. Feel free to use any grains you like.

MORE EASY QUICK VEGAN DINNERS

  • 20 Minute Alfredo
  • Lazy Red Lentil Curry Soup
  • Easy Vegan Pasta Bake
  • Creamy BBQ Chickpeas and Lentils
  • Quinoa Veggie Teriyaki Stir-fry
overhead shot of tofu with green onions and white rice

Vegan Almond Sesame Tofu

Brandi Doming
This Vegan Almond Sesame Tofu comes together in less than 30 minutes and is easy to make, so delicious, high protein and a quick plant-based dinner!
5 from 13 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 5 mins
Cook Time 10 mins
pressing tofu 15 mins
Total Time 30 mins
Course Main
Cuisine American, Vegan
Yields 3 servings

Ingredients

Tofu

  • 10 oz block extra firm tofu
  • 1 teaspoon cornstarch
  • salt and pepper

Almond Sesame Sauce

  • 3 tablespoons (48g) creamy roasted almond butter
  • 3 tablespoons (45g) water
  • 2 tablespoons (30g) coconut aminos (this adds a touch of sweetness and is much less salty than soy sauce)
  • 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
  • 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil (see NOTES)
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/8 teaspoon cayenne (add 1/4 teaspoon for extra spicy)
  • salt
  • 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds

Instructions
 

  • I used a 10 oz block of extra firm tofu, but if you end up using a 14 oz, then you may want to make 1 1/2 of the sauce recipe, so there's plenty. Example: Instead of 3 tablespoons almond butter, it would 4 1/2 tablespoons.
  • Drain the tofu really well. I simply used several layers of paper towels to wrap up the block of tofu, set it on a plate and set a couple of heavy books on it. Let it sit at least 15 minutes. You want the tofu dry so it crisps and browns well and isn't soggy.
  • Slice the tofu into 1/4 - 1/2 inch thick pieces. Add to a bowl.
  • Season the tofu well with salt and pepper.
  • Sprinkle the cornstarch on the tofu and stir to coat well until the cornstarch is evenly coated.
  • Add the tofu to a quality nonstick hot pan over medium heat. Using a nonstick pan, you will not need oil.
  • Make sure the tofu is in a single layer (not overlapping) so they cook evenly. Cook the tofu on the first side until golden brown, as in the photos, 3-5 minutes or so. Flip and brown the other size, about a minute. Remove from the heat.
  • Make the sauce by combining all of the sauce ingredients and whisk really well. Add salt to taste, I added maybe 1/4 teaspoon.
  • The sauce should be runny, this is what we want.
  • Pour the sauce over the cooked tofu and heat on low just until warmed through and only slightly thickened. It will cook/thicken very quickly, so don't walk away. You don't want to overcook it or cause it to turn too thick. It should still be saucy.
  • Serve immediately. I served over rice, with green onions, alongside a sweet potato and some greens.

Notes

SESAME OIL: Now I know my recipes are oil-free and some will ask about the sesame oil. As you can see, there is only 1/2 teaspoon for the entire recipe, which is a very small amount. Even with that small amount, it imparts a lot of flavor. Sesame oil is the one oil I make an exception for with recipes because the flavor is so incredible and imparts SO much flavor that you just don't get from tahini. So, that is why I used it here. 
TOFU: I used the Hodo brand. Extra firm. I love this brand because it truly is the most firm I've ever bought, doesn't fall apart. It also has VERY little water in it, which I love, because I find just a quick pat of a paper towel is all it needs. Other brands, you need to follow the draining directions, so it's dried out. 
Tried this recipe?Tag @thevegan8brandi on Instagram and use tag #thevegan8!
Keyword almond tofu, easy tofu recipe, oil free, sesame tofu, vegan tofu recipes

Filed Under: Gluten Free, Main Dishes Tagged With: almond, Sesame, tofu

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Comments

  1. Bosha

    October 26, 2022 at 10:35 am

    5 stars
    Le Titre m’a trompé, j’ai cru que tu parlais de faire un tofu avec des amandes et du sésame ???
    Après la lecture totale de la recette, j’ai compris mon erreur, et oui on peut rêver !!! J’ai de drole d’envie parfois !!!
    Ce qui est sur et certain c’est que ta recette est formidable et j’ai hate de la mettre en pratique, car elle semble bien succulente …
    Merci pour cette belle recette, que nous allons avoir beaucoup de plaisir à déguster

    Reply
    • brandi.doming@yahoo.com

      October 26, 2022 at 5:42 pm

      I wish I knew what all that meant, but since you gave it 5 stars, I assume you loved it, haha, thank you!

      Reply
      • Virginia Sparks

        October 28, 2022 at 4:02 am

        Brandi, the end says, Thank you for this beautiful recipe, that we are going to have a lot of pleasure in eating.

        Reply
        • brandi.doming@yahoo.com

          October 28, 2022 at 7:18 am

          Wonderful, thank you!

          Reply
  2. Kelly

    October 26, 2022 at 11:58 am

    Hey Brandi,

    The link up above right hand corner takes us to the old Instagram account.

    Reply
    • brandi.doming@yahoo.com

      October 26, 2022 at 5:42 pm

      Thank you for letting me know!

      Reply
  3. Gail Gordon

    October 26, 2022 at 12:52 pm

    Is it still worth making the recipe without the sesame oil?

    Reply
    • brandi.doming@yahoo.com

      October 26, 2022 at 5:42 pm

      Yes! It just will have less depth of flavor and of course not as bold of a sesame flavor.

      Reply
    • Amanda

      February 5, 2023 at 1:42 am

      5 stars
      Instead of sesame oil I used some runny tahini because that is what I had on hand. It is a delicious recipe.

      Reply
      • brandi.doming@yahoo.com

        February 6, 2023 at 8:09 am

        So glad you enjoyed it!

        Reply
  4. Tami

    October 27, 2022 at 9:43 am

    5 stars
    Amazing recipe
    Done it yesterday, as soon as I got your email
    Delicious 👌
    Thank you ❤️

    Reply
    • brandi.doming@yahoo.com

      October 27, 2022 at 7:00 pm

      Yay!! So glad you loved it! Thank you for posting a review!

      Reply
  5. Christal

    October 27, 2022 at 8:11 pm

    5 stars
    Easy and delicious! This will definitely be a regular in for us.

    Reply
    • brandi.doming@yahoo.com

      October 28, 2022 at 7:18 am

      SO happy to hear it Christal!

      Reply
  6. Eric

    October 28, 2022 at 1:58 am

    What would you sub the coconut aminos with?

    Reply
    • brandi.doming@yahoo.com

      October 28, 2022 at 7:20 am

      Well, the coconut aminos is a big part of the flavor so I wouldn’t suggest subbing. But if you must, then low-sodium soy sauce. However, soy sauce is much saltier and less sweet than coconut aminos, so you may need to add a little agave or sugar to balance it out. Because it’s going to taste different.

      Reply
  7. Patty

    October 28, 2022 at 4:03 am

    The best Tofu dish I have ever made! Absolutely delicious (even though I added the sauce while pan was still hot so it thickened but I just added a few drops of coconut aminos, perfect! Also roasted some broccoli for a perfect dinner. Thank you for all of your wonderful recipes

    5 Starts for sure!

    Reply
  8. Patty

    October 28, 2022 at 4:04 am

    5 stars
    The best Tofu dish I have ever made! Absolutely delicious (even though I added the sauce while pan was still hot so it thickened but I just added a few drops of coconut aminos, perfect! Also roasted some broccoli for a perfect dinner. Thank you for all of your wonderful recipes

    Reply
    • brandi.doming@yahoo.com

      October 28, 2022 at 6:57 am

      Woohoo, so so happy to hear this is the best tofu you’ve had, yay!!! Thanks for the review!

      Reply
  9. Erica

    October 28, 2022 at 6:52 pm

    I’m stocking up on some ingredients. Just wondering if you recommend regular sesame seeds or toasted sesame seeds for this recipe and in general? Thanks. Looking forward to trying this.

    Reply
    • brandi.doming@yahoo.com

      October 29, 2022 at 6:57 pm

      Hi! Oops I meant to put that, definitely toasted!

      Reply
  10. Eric

    October 31, 2022 at 1:12 pm

    5 stars
    This was so easy i feel like I’m “cheating” coz it’s even more delicious than a lot of other much more complicated and time-consuming recipes I’ve tried.ive put a few stars on this in my book of recipes. One question tho, what are the dimensions of the tofu pieces? It looks like I cut mine too small which was probably the reason it took longer than it should’ve taken to cook. I cut em in 1/4” cubes which was a challenge to flip on the pan….lol

    Reply
  11. Jennifer

    November 2, 2022 at 3:02 am

    5 stars
    I made this for my family today and we all LOVED it! So easy to make and I already had all the ingredients in the house, too! The sauce is so yummy! I’ll definitely be making this dish again. I served it with oven-roasted sweet potatoes. Yum!

    Reply
    • brandi.doming@yahoo.com

      November 2, 2022 at 4:56 am

      So thrilled to hear this, thank you so much Jennifer for leaving a review!

      Reply
  12. Christian

    November 18, 2022 at 12:54 pm

    5 stars
    I really liked this recipe!
    Very good and simple to make 😊👍

    Reply
  13. Valerie

    November 29, 2022 at 1:21 am

    5 stars
    This was so good! I can’t believe the tofu turned out so well despite not having oil. Will definitely make again!

    Reply
  14. Penny

    January 7, 2023 at 1:16 am

    5 stars
    I’m excited to see you sharing some tofu recipes—I love tofu! I made this today (I air fried the tofu & added it to a pan with the sauce) & it was delicious, thanks!

    Reply
    • brandi.doming@yahoo.com

      January 7, 2023 at 3:34 am

      Yay, thank you so much Penny! I eat tofu almost daily now lol! SO, lots more to come!

      Reply
  15. Emma

    January 29, 2023 at 12:03 am

    5 stars
    Another great recipe , especially if time restricted! Whipped this up for lunch , had quinoa already made so super quick !! Delish !!! Thanks Brandi ! X

    Reply
  16. Amanda

    February 1, 2023 at 5:50 am

    5 stars
    I made this tonight for dinner. It was so good. I did change it up a little bit just to match my ingredients and our taste. I diced up some onion, bell pepper, mushrooms, carrots, minced garlic and some cilantro and sautéed them in some veggie broth. Once that was tender I added the sauce. I served sauce over rice and topped it with the tofu. I also pressed the tofu overnight with paper towels to get a lot more of the liquid out.
    It is a keeper of a recipe. Thank you for your blog. I have truly enjoyed your recipes.

    Reply
    • brandi.doming@yahoo.com

      February 11, 2023 at 9:19 am

      Sounds amazing Amanda!

      Reply
  17. Megan

    February 10, 2023 at 9:00 pm

    5 stars
    This was SO SO good. I used super firm tofu from Trader Joe’s, and it was perfect. Thank you for sharing it!

    Reply
    • brandi.doming@yahoo.com

      February 11, 2023 at 9:19 am

      So happy to hear it Megan!

      Reply

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I'm Brandi, creator of this vegan blog and cookbook author of The Vegan 8 Cookbook. The majority of my recipes focus on 8 ingredients or less, not counting salt, pepper or water. I love to create health-focused recipes, using whole foods to improve fitness and muscle-building, with the occasional comfort meal thrown in there! I'm an expert on oil-free cooking and baking! read more →

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