Tofu and broccoli get an extra hit of flavor from a homemade honey sesame sauce in this easy protein-packed meatless meal that all gets baked in the oven right on the same sheet pan! Serve with your favorite rice and/or extra veggies to make it a hearty, filling meal!
COMIN’ IN HOT….with an easy flavor-packed dinner option for meatless Monday!
Say hello to: HONEY SESAME TOFU + BROCCOLI
…a.k.a. my current favorite way to eat tofu.
As a long time vegetarian, it may surprise you that I’m really not much of a tofu eater. I almost always find myself full and satisfied from a wide variety of vegetables, whole grains, sauces, pasta, etc, and rarely find myself reaching for faux meat products or tofu, and instead prefer to make homemade savory grain-based main dishes on special occasions or family feasts that typically center around an animal protein (see: these garlic + herb tempeh meatballs for thanksgiving, lentil walnut meatloaf on Christmas, etc).
So, when I started to get more and more requests on Instagram every time I posted a picture of a meal that had tofu in it for how to make tofu that actually tastes good I knew it was time to get to work on a tofu-based recipe that you could recreate in your own kitchen.
First things first: let’s chat tofu.
There’s a lot of misinformation about soy out there, and from the research I’ve done, it all comes down to the quality of the soy you purchase (just like with anything else, really!). So, with that in mind, I ALWAYS buy organic tofu and prefer to find one that’s also been sprouted, which increases the bioavailability of the nutrients in the tofu and makes it a little easier on the digestion.
I find 2-packs of sprouted organic tofu at both Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods for under $3 and love that it’s divided in half right in the package so I can use half of it and save the other half for weeks in the fridge before it goes bad.
When I set out to make this recipe, I opted to keep it as stress-free as possible, so there are just a few simple steps to getting everything done and on the table.
Tofu gets cut, patted dry, then tossed with a combination of soy sauce, arrowroot (or cornstarch), and olive oil, then dumped onto a sheet pan with broccoli and roasted for 25 minutes.
While the tofu and broccoli bake, you’ll have plenty of time to cook up a pot of rice and stir together the honey sesame sauce.
Then, when everything is finished, the tofu gets tossed in the sauce, and everyone gets dished up a big scoop each of rice, broccoli, and saucy tofu.
The tofu is firm, salty, and savory, the broccoli gets slightly charred and crisp, and the sticky honey sesame sauce is the perfect flavor to tie everything together.
We love making this as a fun alternative to take-out on busy nights, but it also makes a great meal prep recipe to make on a Sunday and portion out into 4 lunches for the workweek ahead. That’s what I did this week, and I am already looking forward to my lunch today!
If you try out this recipe, let me know what you think! Leave comment below, or take a picture of your Honey Sesame Tofu + Broccoli and share it with me on Instagram; I love seeing my recipes in your kitchen!
Sheet Pan Honey Sesame Tofu + Broccoli
Serves: 4
Time: 30 minutes
Ingredients:
Tofu :
- 1 15-oz package tofu, preferable organic + sprouted
- 1 Tablespoon soy sauce, tamari, or liquid aminos
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 2 Tablespoons arrowroot powder or cornstarch
Broccoli:
- 4 cups broccoli flourettes, from 1 large bunch of broccoli
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
- 14 teaspoon black pepper
Honey Sesame Sauce:
- 1/4 cup soy sauce, tamari, or liquid aminos
- 1/4 cup honey (or maple syrup, to make it vegan)
- 2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon arrowroot or cornstarch
- 1 large garlic clove, finely minced*
- 1-inch piece fresh ginger, finely minced*
- 1/2 teaspoon chili flakes or a few shakes of hot sauce (optional)
For serving: (optional)
- 1 cup uncooked rice
- 1 large avocado
- a handful of cilantro
- a sprinkle of sesame seeds
Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
2. Remove tofu from package, cut in half lengthwise, and press between two paper towels or a clean kitchen towel to remove some of the moisture. Then, cut the tofu into about 1-inch cubes, and place in a bowl with the remaining tofu ingredients, tossing to coat. Pour the tofu onto one half of the sheet pan, spreading out to separate each piece.
3. Cut broccoli into large bite-sized pieces, and place on the other half of the sheet pan, drizzling with the olive oil and sprinkling with salt and pepper.
4. Place the sheet pan into the oven for 15 minutes, then remove and flip the tofu and stir the broccoli, and bake for 10 more minutes (for 25 minutes total).
4. While the tofu and broccoli bakes, cook rice according to package directions. Place all sauce ingredients into a small pot over high heat (I like to shred the garlic and ginger on a microplane zester), and whisk constantly until sauce begins to boil (about 2 minutes), then turn off the heat and set aside until ready to serve.
5. Once tofu and broccoli are finished, scoop the tofu into the pot with the sauce and toss to coat. Divide among four bowls with the rice and broccoli, and optional sesame seeds, avocado, and cilantro on top. Eat immediately. Leftovers keep in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Be sure to check out my Pantry Staples page for some of my favorite baking ingredients!