Crispy Sesame Tofu Fried Rice (Print)

Golden tofu and veggies tossed in a savory sesame-ginger sauce with crisped rice.

# Ingredients:

→ Tofu

01 - 14 oz firm tofu, drained and pressed
02 - 2 tablespoons cornstarch
03 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
04 - 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

→ Vegetables

05 - 1 cup frozen peas and carrots mix, thawed
06 - 1 small red bell pepper, diced
07 - 3 green onions, sliced with white and green parts separated
08 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
09 - 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated

→ Rice

10 - 4 cups cold cooked jasmine or long grain rice, preferably day-old

→ Sauce

11 - 3 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari for gluten-free
12 - 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
13 - 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
14 - 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup
15 - 1 teaspoon sriracha or chili paste, optional
16 - 1 teaspoon sesame seeds

→ Garnish

17 - 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
18 - Reserved sliced green onion tops

# Directions:

01 - Cut pressed tofu into 1/2-inch cubes and pat dry thoroughly with paper towels.
02 - In a bowl, toss tofu cubes with cornstarch and salt until evenly coated.
03 - Heat vegetable oil in a large nonstick skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add tofu in a single layer and cook 2-3 minutes per side until all sides are golden and crispy. Transfer to a plate.
04 - Add additional oil if needed to the same pan. Sauté minced garlic, grated ginger, and white parts of green onions for 1 minute until fragrant.
05 - Add diced bell pepper and thawed peas and carrots. Stir-fry for 2-3 minutes until vegetables reach desired tenderness.
06 - Add cold rice, breaking up any clumps. Stir-fry for 3-4 minutes until rice is heated through and beginning to crisp.
07 - In a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, sesame oil, rice vinegar, honey, optional sriracha, and 1 teaspoon sesame seeds.
08 - Pour sauce over rice and toss thoroughly to coat. Return crispy tofu to pan and gently fold through.
09 - Remove from heat. Garnish with toasted sesame seeds and reserved green onion tops. Serve immediately while hot.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The tofu actually gets crispy instead of turning into sad, soggy cubes—that's the real magic here.
  • You can make this on a weeknight with ingredients you probably already have, and it still feels special enough to serve guests.
  • It works perfectly for meal prep since everything holds up beautifully in the fridge for a few days.
02 -
  • Day-old rice is absolutely non-negotiable—I learned this the hard way by trying to use fresh rice and ended up with a mushy, disappointing mess that taught me to always plan ahead or embrace the freezer as my backup plan.
  • Pressing the tofu really is the difference between crispy and mediocre, so those 15 minutes are genuinely worth it and will change how you think about cooking tofu forever.
  • Separating your green onion parts might seem fussy, but the white parts cook down and mellow into the background while the green tops stay bright and fresh, creating better flavor complexity than if you just threw them all in at once.
03 -
  • If you're short on time or forgot to plan ahead, spreading warm rice on a baking sheet and chilling it in the freezer for 10 minutes will simulate the day-old texture enough to work in a pinch.
  • The sesame oil should go in at the very end because heat damages its delicate nutty flavor, so resist the urge to add it early even though every instinct might tell you to combine everything at once.
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