It’s funny, sometimes people assume if you’re eating tofu, you must be a vegetarian. Have you ever heard that?
I suppose it’s an obvious substitute for animal protein, so that makes sense.
I’ve always loved tofu — and I eat pretty much everything from shellfish to venison.
I think it’s such a great ingredient to work with because it’s capable of taking on so many flavors it’s cooked with, and it comes in varying textures.
Vegan and gluten-free, this dish is an explosion of sweet, savory and umami flavors. It’s so good, you’ll want to lick the pan. No joke!
What exactly is tofu?
- A traditional part of East and Southeast Asian cuisines, Tofu (also called bean curd), was invented in China about 2000 years ago.
- Tofu is made from soybeans, and is prepared by coagulating soy milk and then pressing the soybean curds into solid blocks of varying softness. (This process is similar to cheese making.)
- Tofu is naturally gluten-free, vegan and low in calories and fat. It’s also cholesterol free, and is an excellent source of iron and calcium.
- Tofu comes in a variety of textures — silk/soft, medium firm, firm, and extra firm. Each type is best suited for certain cooking applications. The silk/soft tofu is best for things like sweet puddings, smoothies or salad dressings. And the firmer varieties are better for baking, grilling and stir-frying.
How to Make it
- Drain and cut the tofu.
- Make the Sesame Sriracha Honey marinade/sauce.
- Marinate the tofu.
- Place everything on a sheet pan, drizzle with more of the marinade and roast.
- Drizzle with the remaining marinade, sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve.
(Detailed instructions are below.)
You guys! This is a great opportunity to share one of my favorite, most inexpensive kitchen tools with you. I’m not really into gadgets, and this isn’t one I use all of the time — BUT, when I need it, I’m so happy I have it!
I discovered this Sesame Seed Grinder at my favorite ramen restaurant, Tatsu Ramen. They have one on every table and I was so excited about it the first time I used it, that I ordered one that same day.
I love this grinder because it doesn’t turn the sesame seeds into a powder, it just breaks them apart, which brings out more flavor. And it easily, evenly distributes them over the Sriracha Honey Glazed Tofu.
What to Serve With it
I almost always serve this with rice. White or brown — whichever you prefer. It does a great job of soaking up the sauce. Asian noodles would also be delicious.
More delicious tofu recipes:
- Vegetable Mint Stir Fry with Tofu Noodles
- Ginger-Garlic Vegetable Baked Tofu
- Miso Garlic-Ginger Tofu
- Grilled Spicy Tangerine Tofu
- Tofu Sashimi with Basil
- Crispy Tofu Bowls from Girl Heart Food
Whenever I serve Sriracha Honey Glazed Tofu Broccoli to my family, every last bite is gone. Even on my older son’s plate, who says he’s not a tofu fan.
I hope you love it as much as we do!
This is a scrumptious, healthy sheet pan meal that's great for guests or a quick weeknight dinner. Tofu has the ability to soak up almost all of the flavors added to it, making each bite an explosion of flavor.
- 2 tablespoons Sriracha
- ¼ cup low sodium Tamari (see notes)
- ¼ cup honey
- ¼ cup sesame oil
- 1 pound block of extra firm tofu
- 1 pound broccoli, washed and dried, cut into bite-sized pieces
- about 2 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds
- salt and pepper to taste
-
In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk the Sriracha with the Tamari, honey and sesame oil. Add ¼ cup of it to a large mixing bowl and set the rest aside.
-
Line a baking sheet with a double layer of paper towels. Remove the tofu from its packaging and drain. Cut it into even slices, about ½ to 1 inch thick, placing them on the paper towels as you go. Then place another layer of paper towels on top and gently press down to remove as much liquid as possible. Now cut the slices into cubes and add them to the bowl with the ½ cup of marinade. Toss gently to be sure they're well coated. Cover with plastic wrap, and let the tofu marinate in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour, and up to overnight. (The more the better.) Every so often, gently mix the tofu with the marinade.
-
About 15 minutes before the marinating time ends, preheat the oven to 450°F.
-
Combine the broccoli with the marinated tofu on a sheet pan (no liner needed). Drizzle another ¼ cup of the marinade over everything and toss. With everything in a single layer, sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper and place in the preheated 450°F oven. Roast until the tofu is golden and the broccoli is tender and beginning to brown as well, about 30 minutes. Use a spatula to flip the tofu and broccoli about halfway through the cooking time.
-
Once it's done, drizzle with the remaining ¼ cup of the marinade and sprinkle with the sesame seeds. Ideally, use a sesame seed grinder to do so. Serve!
You can also use soy sauce, but if you want to keep it gluten-free, be sure to use a gluten-free soy sauce. (Tamari is almost always gluten-free.)
Cooking On The Weekends is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.
valentina says
me too. 😉
valentina says
Hope you like it, David!
Kateri Von Steal says
I found you via a Yahoo! Article about Avacado Creme Brulee.
And, I think I am now hooked.
I love your description as to what you share on your blog….
I can’t wait to keep reading, and getting amazing recipes!
valentina says
Thank you so very much! I hope you love what you see. 😀
John / Kitchen Riffs says
I’ve never thought about using tofu in a sheet pan dinner! Wonderful idea — you’re right, it takes so well to so many different kinds of flavors. Super recipe — thanks.
valentina says
Thanks so much, John! The firm tofu lends itself to sheet pan baking/roasting. 🙂 Enjoy!
2pots2cook says
Couldn’t agree more : tofu so easy combine with anything and sooooo healthy … so in love with your combination 🙂 Thank you dear !
valentina says
Thank you for checking it out. 🙂
Marissa says
It’s true that I do associate tofu eating with being a vegetarian, which is silly since I’m not a vegetarian and always seem to enjoy tofu! But I haven’t experimented with it much in my own kitchen. This delicious looking recipe of yours is inspiring me to give it a try!
valentina says
Thanks, Marissa. Hope you love it!
Eric says
I’ll be trying this recipe tonight. Not a vegetarian/vegan, but I do like meatless protein options. The Sriracha and honey must taste great together. My mouth is watering!!!
valentina says
So awesome, Eric. I hope the whole family loves it! 🙂
Ron says
I’m a huge fan of tofu and have it often. So your Sesame Sriracha Honey Glazed Tofu Broccoli is right up my ally. Also, one pan meals work great in our kitchen.
Around here you have to go to the health food section of the market to find tofu unless you go to the Asian market where we get it fresh. Thanks for sharing.
valentina says
Great that you have Asian markets in your area and can get fresh tofu. Love that. Hope you try and love this one, Ron. Thank you for visiting and have a great weekend. ~Valentina
Jeff the Chef says
I love broccoli, and I happen to like tofu, too – so this sounds great!
valentina says
Awesome. Thanks, Jeff!
David @ Spiced says
Sesame seed grinder, eh? I’ve never heard of that, but it sounds pretty darn cool! Also, I must admit that I’ve never had tofu. I usually just go to meat instead. But you’ve made this tofu look so darned delicious that I might need to break down and try it sometime! I love the honey glaze in there. So.Much.Flavor!
valentina says
Oh my gosh, David, I don’t know that I’ve known anyone not to have tried tofu. This must be rectified. I don’t mean that in a critical way at all — I just think you’d like it. 🙂 And Robbie might too because usually toddlers love it (sans Sriracha. LOL). And if you’re not up for it, this sauce is SO GOOD on salmon and/or chicken, too. Enjoy and I hope you have a delicious and fun weekend. ~Valentina
Karen (Back Road Journal) says
A sesame seed grinder, who knew. Love the spicy sweet glaze, it has to be delicious.
valentina says
I know, right!? I love it. 🙂 Thanks for checking out the recipe, Karen, and have a great weekend.
valentina says
I know, right!? I love it. 🙂 Thanks for checking out the recipe, Karen, and have a great weekend. ~Valentina
David says
So many things I love about this post. First, tofu! We love the stuff and can’t figure out why it gets a bad rap (rep?). I never thought about how it is made, so loved your explanation. Also, aside from the flavors being amazing, I love that it is baked and not fried,… extra healthy! I know you probably think I just say this all the time, but this will definitely be coming to our table soon!
valentina says
Well, right back atcha, David . . . I love everything about your comment. 😀 I hope you love it and hope you have a great weekend. ~valentina
David says
Well, we actually made it this evening and it was fantastic! We both agreed that we’d add more broccoli! Full disclosure: I used sambal oelek instead of sriracha, and it was just right! New addition to our regular rotation! Thanks! xo
valentina says
So happy you and Mark enjoyed this! 🙂 You know I’m a big Sambal Oelek fan. Delicious! Hope you’re having a lovely weekend.
Deb|EastofEdenCooking says
What a fabulous tofu recipe! Vegan protein never looked better!
valentina says
Thanks, Deb! 😀
Kathryn says
This is such a lovely recipe Valentina… we used to eat a lot of tofu but for some reason have left it behind of late. This is a dish which might bring it back to my kitchen!
valentina says
Yay! Hope you try and love! ~Valentina