Sesame Tofu and Green Beans

This easy dish features hearty tofu and crisp green beans tossed in a sticky, sweet, and savory sauce, finished with crunchy sesame seeds.

Recipe Highlights

• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 25 minutes
• Servings: 3
• Difficulty: beginner to intermediate
• Equipment: stove, fry pan, pot, air fryer or oven, colander
• Nutrition: 3g fiber, 18g protein per serving
• Diet: vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, egg-free, nut-free

Key Ingredients & Substitutions

Below is a brief look into the main ingredients and why they work in this recipe, plus any possible substitutions. See the recipe card at the bottom for the full ingredients list and quantities.

• Firm Tofu ⟶ Extra firm or firm tofu are best. Frozen (and thawed) medium firm tofu will also work. The tofu is boiled instead of pressed, resulting in a bouncier and tighter texture.
• Green Beans ⟶ I like the crunch that green beans add, but other veggies will also work. Broccoli, snow peas, cabbage, bok choy, and mushrooms are all good options.
• Soy Sauce ⟶ For a savory, umami flavor base. I like to use low sodium soy sauce, but if sodium isn’t a concern for you then regular soy sauce is fine.
  • Use tamari for a gluten-free option.
• Brown Sugar ⟶ Another sweetener like maple syrup or agave can be used to balance out the saltiness of the soy sauce.
• Tomato Paste or Ketchup ⟶ Another umami element that deepens the flavor of the sauce without making it too salty.
• Rice Vinegar ⟶ A bit of acidity helps round out the sweet and savory sauce.
• Toasted Sesame Seeds & Toasted Sesame Oil ⟶ Sesame seeds add crunch and aesthetic appeal, while toasted sesame oil adds that lovely nutty sesame flavor.

Alternative Cooking Methods

Instead of boiling extra firm tofu, you can use frozen tofu and potentially skip the boiling step. Thaw the frozen tofu overnight in the fridge, in the microwave for a few minutes, or in boiling water. Then gently squeeze out excess liquid. Tear into chunks and briefly marinate in 1/4 cup of water/vegetable broth, 1 tsp sesame oil, 1 tsp nutritional yeast, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Frozen tofu can be very dry, so it’s important to reintroduce some liquid and flavor before cooking. Then proceed with air frying as written in the recipe card. The photos in this blog post were taken with frozen tofu.

If you don’t have an air fryer, you can bake, deep fry, or pan fry the tofu. Deep frying will obviously result in the crispiest texture but will use a lot more oil. To bake, spread out on a lined baking sheet – try to prevent the tofu pieces from touching too much. Bake at 425°F for about 30 minutes until golden brown, flipping halfway.

If pan frying, cut the tofu into cubes or slices instead of tearing into chunks. The smooth edges will brown much more easily when pan frying.

The green beans can be steamed instead of blanched if you’re worried about nutrient loss. Steaming will take longer, about 3-5 minutes. You can also cook them in a microwave for extra convenience. Place in a microwave-safe bowl with a splash of water, cover, and microwave on high for 4-5 minutes (start with 3 minutes if using very thin green beans).

Serving Suggestions

This is a saucy, flavorful dish so it’s best paired with plain steamed rice! To round out your meal, serve it Japanese style with some miso soup and an easy veggie side dish like broccoli goma-ae, mizuna salad, kinpira gobo, or tataki kyuri.

Storage & Meal Prep

This sesame tofu is best prepared right before serving, as the tofu will lose its crispness and the sauce will thin over time. You can do some of the prep work beforehand, such as boiling the tofu, blanching the green beans, and mixing the sauce ingredients together. If you need to save even more time, you can air fry, pan fry, or even deep fry the tofu in advance, then just toss with the sauce when ready to serve. However, the tofu will be crispiest and juiciest when cooked just before serving.

Leftovers won’t taste as good since the texture of the tofu and sauce will deteriorate, but the flavor will still be good! Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. Pop in the microwave to reheat.

More Easy Tofu Dishes

• Garlic Eggplant Stir Fry with Tofu
• Peanut Noodles with Tofu
• Sesame Miso Tofu Stir Fry
• Sweet and Spicy Tofu
• Miso Braised Tofu
• Ankake Tofu
• Vegan Mapo Tofu
• Sweet and Sour Tofu
• Tofu and Eggplant Ginger Stir Fry

If you try out this recipe, don’t forget to leave a comment/rating down below and tag me in your photos on instagram @ellielikes.cooking. I love seeing all of your tasty recreations!

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