Mouthwatering Sticky Tofu

bowl of sticky tofu with chopsticks, rice, and broccoli.

5 from 95 votes

Crispy sticky tofu is coated in a flavorful salty, sweet and sticky Asian marinade and delicious served with basmati rice and veggies.

Prep Time5

Cook Time15

Total Time20

Course: Dinner, Lunch

Cuisine: Asian

Diet: Vegan, Vegetarian

Servings:

Calories: 296kcal

Author: Allie Petersen

Ingredients

Tofu

16 oz block extra firm tofu drained and pressed*
2 tablespoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon sesame oil

Sticky Sauce

1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon ginger minced
1 tablespoon rice vinegar or lime juice
2 tablespoon sweet chili sauce
3 tablespoon soy sauce or low-sodium soy sauce or tamari (for gluten-free)
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon water

Toppings (Optional)

sliced green onion
sesame seeds

Optional Sides

basmati rice
steamed or roasted broccoli

Instructions

Cut pressed tofu into ~1 inch pieces. In a large bag, add tofu with cornstarch and garlic powder. Shake gently until combined.
16 oz block extra firm tofu, 2 tablespoon cornstarch, 1 teaspoon garlic powder
In a large pan, heat sesame oil for 1-2 minutes over medium heat. Add tofu in a single layer on pan.
1 tablespoon sesame oil
Cook tofu on each side until crispy (takes ~ 10 minutes). It should be golden brown.
In small bowl add all the sticky sauce ingredients and stir until combined. (A fork works best to get rid of cornstarch clumps).
1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon ginger, 1 tablespoon rice vinegar, 2 tablespoon sweet chili sauce, 3 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 tablespoon cornstarch, 1 tablespoon water
Once tofu is crispy, turn heat down to med-low and add sticky sauce. Stir until it coats the tofu. It will start to thicken up within a minute. Once its thicker, remove pan from the heat immediately.
Serve with basmati rice, broccoli, and/or stir fry veggies. Sprinkle tofu with sesame seeds and sliced green onions. For a little kick add red pepper flakes!
sliced green onion, sesame seeds

Notes

⭐️It is important you drain and press your tofu for at least 15 minutes to create a crispy texture. Use a tofu press or wrap your tofu in a dishcloth and place a heavy object on top.

Other tips:

You can add more sesame oil while cooking your tofu if needed to make it crispier.
Store sticky tofu in an air tight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Add some spice to this dish by adding some red pepper flakes to the sauce or on top.

If you need a substitution:

Rice Vinegar: Use apple cider vinegar, lime juice, or white wine vinegar.

Sweet Chili Sauce: Mix together vinegar with chili oil, red pepper flakes, and sugar. See this homemade recipe here (which you can simplify). You could also use maple syrup instead of sugar.

Soy sauce: For a gluten-free version use coconut aminos or tamari

Calorie count disclaimer: Naturallie Plant-Based offers nutritional information for recipes contained on this site. This information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators. Although Naturallie Plant-Based attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures are only estimates.

Nutrition