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In need of a simple yet satisfying snack, lunch, or dinner? Looking for a crowd-pleasing way to pack more plant protein into your meals? Look no further than these irresistibly crispy sesame-crusted tofu bites!
I make these all the time — served with my favorite dipping sauces, they’re a totally addictive crunchy snack that actually leaves me satisfied. I also love these as a topper for salads, noodle dishes and more for lunch and dinner.
These call for just a few simple ingredients, and they’re irresistibly crispy without being fried. Sesame seeds add a toasted, nutty flavor to an otherwise basic panko breading.
Table of Contents
Ingredients for Crispy Sesame Crusted Tofu
- Tofu. Firm or extra-firm tofu work best in this recipe. I highly recommend pressing your tofu ahead of time using your favorite method. Super-firm tofu — sometimes labeled “high-protein” tofu — will also work in this recipe. Since it doesn’t come packed in water, it doesn’t need to be pressed. It will give you a firmer, almost chicken nugget-like texture.
- Salt & pepper. Since this recipe is quite simple, it’s important to season every layer to avoid blandness.
- Plant milk. Most plain-unsweetened varieties will work just fine. In a pinch, you can even use plain water.
- Flour or cornstarch. To make a simple batter. Many other flour alternatives will also work in this recipe, including chickpea flour or a 1:1 gluten-free all-purpose flour blend.
- Nutritional yeast, onion & garlic powder. To boost the flavor of the batter and make it more savory.
- Sesame seeds. Try to find raw sesame seeds if possible, since they will toast while baking. I use a combination of white and black sesame seeds, but this is just for aesthetic purposes!
- Panko breadcrumbs. I like these better than regular breadcrumbs for this recipe; they have a superior crunch! If needed, regular breadcrumbs will work too — just make sure to double-check ingredients if you want the recipe to be vegan, since many breadcrumbs contain milk and/or eggs.
How to Make Crispy Sesame Crusted Tofu
- Start by pressing your tofu ahead of time to remove excess water. This is an important step to ensure that your tofu will be crispy. You can use your preferred method of pressing, such as using a tofu press, or wrapping it in a towel and placing something heavy on top for 30 minutes.
- Cut your tofu into your preferred shape. You can cut it into 1″ cubes, slice it into roughly 1/2″ tofu “steaks,” or into little triangles (this is my favorite way).
- Season the tofu with salt and pepper.
- Set up your breading station. In one shallow dish, whisk together flour (or cornstarch), onion powder, garlic powder, nutritional yeast (optional), plant milk, and a pinch of salt. Mix until you have a batter that’s slightly thinner than pancake batter. Add an extra splash of water if needed to thin it out, or an extra sprinkle of flour if it seems too thin. In another shallow dish, combine panko breadcrumbs and sesame seeds.
- Dip each seasoned tofu piece into the batter, allowing the excess to drip off,
- Press each piece of tofu into the panko/sesame mixture to coat generously.
- Place the coated tofu pieces on the lined baking tray. Leave some space between the pieces so they can brown nicely.
- For an extra crispy result, lightly spray them with cooking oil.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the breading is deep golden brown.
- Serve your crispy sesame crusted tofu with your favorite dipping sauce or with our Cabbage Crunch Salad and enjoy!
Air Fryer Instructions
If you prefer to use an air fryer, you can cook at 390°F for about 15 minutes. Ideally keep the pieces in one even layer so they can crisp evenly. If there is a bit of overlap that’s ok; just give the basket a gentle toss halfway through the cook time to redistribute the tofu pieces.
👩🍳 Sarah’s Recipe Notes 📝
My favorite way to cook these is in my air fryer – they’re crisp in about 15 minutes! If you happen to have one of these magical contraptions, I highly recommend this method; just spread your breaded tofu evenly along the bottom of the basket. Leave some space between them to allow the breading to crisp up on all sides.
If you’re making a double batch (which I often do), it’s more practical to bake them. I give the tofu nuggets a quick spritz with cooking oil to help them to brown more deeply (although this can be skipped). Bake them on a lined tray for super easy cleanup.
Serving Suggestions
I most often like to meal prep a double batch of this tofu to enjoy as a simple, high-protein snack throughout the week. I’ll just pop them in my air fryer for a few minutes to crisp them back up, and pair with whatever dipping sauce I’m craving that day. Sweet chili sauce is an all-time favorite, but it’s also incredible with a homemade peanut sauce, or something lighter such as ponzu.
Sometimes I’ll also make a batch of this tofu to add to salads to make them more substantial. It goes great as a high-protein topper for our Cabbage Crunch Salad. The roasted sesame flavor plays well with any salads, slaws, or noodle dishes with Asian-inspired flavors.
Crispy Sesame-Crusted Tofu
Video
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 (14 or 16 oz) block firm or extra-firm tofu pressed
- salt and pepper
- spray oil optional, to assist with browning
Simple Batter
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour or cornstarch
- 1/3 cup unsweetened plain plant milk or just use cold water in a pinch
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast optional (but recommended!)
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- black pepper to preference
Sesame Breading
- 3/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1/4 cup sesame seeds I like a combo of white and black, but it's optional
To Serve
- sauce of choice for dipping
Instructions
- Ahead of time: Use your favorite method to press your tofu. This will help it crisp up faster. If you need tips, check out the Notes section.
- Prep: Preheat oven to 450°F. You can line your baking sheet with parchment or a silicone mat for easier cleanup (but it isn't required).
- Cut and season tofu: Cut the tofu into any shape you like. I like small triangles (as shown in the photos) about 1/2" thick. Cubes work great too. Lay the tofu pieces out and season generously with salt and pepper.
- Make the batter: In one dish, whisk together flour (or cornstarch), onion & garlic powder, nutritional yeast, plant milk, salt, and pepper. We're looking for a consistency slightly thinner than pancake batter. Add an extra splash of water if needed to thin it out, or an extra sprinkle of flour if it seems a little too thin.
- Set up breading station: In another dish, combine panko breadcrumbs and sesame seeds.
- Bread the tofu: Dip the seasoned tofu pieces in the batter. Allow excess to drip off, then press into the panko/sesame mixture to thoroughly coat.
- Baking instructions: Arrange tofu on lined baking sheet. (Optional: Spray lightly with cooking oil to help the breadcrumbs brown more evenly.) Bake for 20-25 minutes, until breading is crispy and deep golden brown.
- Air fryer instructions: Arrange in air fryer basket — ideally in one layer, but it's OK if they are stacked a bit. Air fry at 390°F for 12-15 minutes. Midway through, shake the basket gently, or use tongs to redistribute the tofu pieces. This will help them brown more evenly. (Don't shake too vigorously or you'll lose some of the breading.)
- Enjoy: These are best enjoyed right away while they're still crispy. Serve with your favorite dipping sauces. I love to garnish with sliced scallions to add some freshness. My favorite dipping sauce for these is Thai sweet chili sauce!
- Leftovers: Leftovers can be kept in an airtight container for about 5 days. The breading will soften, but you can crisp it back up in the oven or air fryer at 350°F for a few minutes.
Notes
- Gluten-free: Use cornstarch or your favorite gluten-free all-purpose flour blend in the batter. Then use your favorite gluten-free breadcrumbs to bread. I have made these with rice panko and they are just as delicious!
- Tips for pressing tofu: My favorite method is with a tofu press. It squeezes out extra moisture so thoroughly. If you don’t own a press, I recommend cutting your tofu first, then laying out the pieces on one half of a clean, lint-free kitchen towel. Fold the other half of the towel over the top of the tofu pieces and gently weigh them down with something flat and moderately heavy, like a plate or spare cutting board.
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do you by chance have the macros for these?
If you’re only doing a small serving at a time, do you recommend baking and reheating as needed or stopping short of baking and air fry as needed each day?
Love this and many other of your recipes thx!
I made this today. Deliciously crispy and super quick! Thank you, Sarah!
This was sooooooo good. I followed the written directions and it turned out great baking it in the oven. I had extra batter and panko so I also battered some sliced mushrooms and it was delicious. I flipped them with after 10 minutes and they browned wonderfully. Served it with veggie fried rice !