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I must be honest that I have not cooked tofu in YEARS after many disappointing recipes. However, this one looked so good that I did really want to try it. It is maybe the ultimate tofu recipe! Soooooo yummy and crunchy. I am a huge fan and will absolutely be making this again.
Sara
This is a brand new recipe that’s part of our Fall 2022 SOS Series! View the full series.
Prepare your mind today, because torn-up tofu is getting pan-fried into crispiness and made saucy, sticky, and sweet into this sesame apricot tofu that almost kind of resembles fried Asian-takeout-style chicken. There’s a kick of fresh garlic and a bunch of freshly ground black pepper over the top, some chives, cilantro, or whatever greens you like in there along with all of it, and that’s the show. That’s how you do it. And it is deliciously saving my life right now.
If you’re already a tofu lover – treat yourself! If you’re just curious – this is a great gateway recipe. It’s such a fun way to prep and cook tofu (TEARING APART WITH YOUR HANDS), the sauce is super simple / shortcut, and the end result is just kind of crispy, sticky, and magical.
These golden little tofu chunks are most popular in our house when served with rice and a side of steamed green beans, but it’s also amazing thrown into a big batch of fried rice (more on that in a second).
In This Post: Everything You Need For This Delicious Tofu
- Watch How to Make Sesame Apricot Tofu
- Why Tofu Chunking is The Best
- What Type of Tofu to Use
- About the Sesame Apricot Sauce
- Other Ways to Use This Tofu
- Frequently Asked Questions About This Tofu
Watch How To Make Sesame Apricot Tofu
Why Tofu Chunking Is The Best
This might be the most fun you’ve ever had with tofu because it involves – wait for it – PULLING A BLOCK OF TOFU APART WITH YOUR HANDS!
I’ve always been a tofu cuber – standard method with the cut horizontally, then the cuts lengthwise, then the cuts into cubes (as shown here) but recently I saw a video about “chunking” tofu aka pulling it into chunks that have more of a rough edge, and after trying it I can confirm: I love this for tofu and I love this for us.
Tofu chunking is my new way with tofu! It looks fun, it is fun to do, and with a light coating of cornstarch, the tofu cooks up nice and crispy and textured, almost like the shape and feel of little crispy chicken pieces just waiting to be coated in sticky-sweet, garlicky, finger-licking sauce.
I also love this method because it’s not precious at all. Tofu breakage (which is inevitably going to happen a bit anytime you’re dealing with finnicky tofu) is not a problem with this method. We don’t need to be overly delicate here because we’re not trying to preserve some perfect tofu shape – cube or otherwise. The shape of tofu chunks is meant to be a little more rugged and un-perfect!
Here’s how to do it:
I start by cutting the tofu block in half lengthwise and pressing it under a heavy book for a few minutes to remove extra water.
Then you literally take the piece of tofu and start to just pull chunks off with your hands. I’d recommend going for small-ish bite-sized pieces because if the chunks get too big, they look cool but they can’t absorb as much flavor.
In terms of the shape, guess what? You just make it how you want. Square-ish, or long and skinny, however your hands guide you!
What Type Of Tofu To Use
The two types of tofu I would recommend in this recipe are:
- Extra Firm
- Extra Firm High Protein
Some stores now carry a variety of tofu called “high protein” or something similar – and I find the texture to be more dense, less springy, and less watery.
In the case of this recipe, that actually works really well. The high protein tofu cooks up and gets crispy faster than the other varieties, I’m assuming because there’s less water present so it’s able to dry out and crisp faster.
If you can’t find a high protein variety, extra-firm or even just firm will work fine! I have made it that way many times as well. Just make sure you a) press a lot of the water out, and b) give it plenty of time to cook in the pan so that it gets crisped on the outside.
Sesame Apricot Sauce
This is where the SOS-ness of this recipe really shines.
Here’s what we’ve got:
- apricot jam
- soy sauce
- rice vinegar
- some spices (cumin, paprika, onion powder)
- garlic
- plenty of freshly ground black pepper
Shake that up in a jar and you’re ready to go.
And for the sesame flavor, you can either add a bit of toasted sesame oil to the sauce itself of just drizzle it over the finished product (my preferred method) to give it even more depth of flavor.
Other Ways To Use This Tofu
This sauce is kind of a mish-mash of flavors which makes it ideal for the tofu to land easily in multiple styles of recipes.
I like it in Asian-style dishes – in this recipe as written, it coats the tofu and makes it almost reminiscent of an orange tofu or sesame tofu recipe, just served with rice and greens!
It’s also AMAZING in fried rice, especially if you’re using the tofu the next day when it’s had a chance to sit and absorb all the flavors.
But it’s not just for Asian recipes (and it’s not a distinctly Asian flavor profile, anyway) which makes it also great for throwing on top of warm or cold salads, or better yet, a grain bowl! Just think: this saucy tofu plus roasted veggies, some pickled veggies, brown rice or quinoa, maybe a fried egg and some spicy sprinkle over the top? You’re in happy lunch business.
Sesame Apricot Tofu: Frequently Asked Questions
Sure can! Chicken would be a great option here. Cube your chicken and then follow the directions as listed until the chicken is cooked through.
Another (delicious!) option would be to use this recipe for Apricot Chicken with Charred Scallions, made on a sheet pan.
Yes! Orange and peach come to mind as other flavor options that would work well in this.
High protein tofu is typically “super firm” and is much denser than typical tofu – often, you don’t even need to press any water out. Your typical extra firm tofu will work great here, just a little protein and texture boost if you can find the high-protein stuff!
Sesame Apricot Tofu
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 3–4 servings 1x
Description
Torn-up tofu pan-fried into crispiness and made saucy, sticky, and sweet into this Sesame Apricot Tofu. An easy, simple vegetarian dinner that’s deliciously saving my life!
Ingredients
Crispy Tofu:
- 1 block of extra firm tofu (high protein tofu works really well in this recipe, if you can find it!)
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
Apricot Sauce:
- 1/3 cup apricot preserves
- 1 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1–2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon each cumin, paprika, and onion powder
- 1–2 cloves garlic, grated (2 for more garlic flavor, obviously)
- 1/4 teaspoon salt (more to taste)
Extras for Serving:
- 1 cup rice
- 12 ounces steamed green beans
- 1–2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil to taste
- 1/4 cup chives and/or cilantro for topping
Instructions
- Cut the tofu block in half horizontally (like a hamburger). If using extra firm high protein tofu, it helps to cut it in half again horizontally. Press the water out of the tofu by wrapping it in paper towels and setting a few heavy books on top of it. Let it stay like that for a few minutes while you prep the sauce.
- Whisk the sauce ingredients together.
- Take each piece of tofu and gently pull it into small chunks with your hands (this just gives the tofu pieces a unique shape and texture that holds onto the sauce really well). Place the chunks in a bowl. Toss with soy sauce and a teaspoon or two of olive oil; then sprinkle with cornstarch and give it a few gentle tosses to coat.
- Before your start browning your tofu, cook your rice according to package directions and start your green beans! Steam, microwave, sautè – whatever your preferred green bean method is.
- In a nonstick skillet over medium high heat, heat the olive oil and then add the cornstarched tofu. Leave it undisturbed for a few minutes on each side, letting it get really nice and brown and crispy – this can take 10-15 minutes. Flip and repeat until the whole batch is browned and crispy.
- Finally, add the sauce to the tofu and remove from heat – the pan will still be hot, so it’ll be sizzly and smell really good from the garlic. The sauce will coat the tofu right away. *heart eyes*
- Top with the chives and/or cilantro and sesame oil. Serve with rice and green beans, and finish with more salt and lots of black pepper to taste. The tender crunch of the beans with the steamy rice and sticky tofu! SO good.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Asian-Inspired
Keywords: tofu recipe, dinner recipe, sesame stir-fry, vegetarian stir-fry, vegan recipe
Delicious! I halved the cumin and forgot the seasame oil and would still make again! I sauteed a few snow peas and some carrots to add to the tofu right before the sauce…so yum! Would absolutely recommend – especially for a tofu novice!
This was unreal! I never in a million would have thought of this. I doubled the sauce and the tofu, and I am SO glad I did. I will definitely make this again, next time I will air fry the tofu for speed. This was better than take-out. This, and the teriyaki tofu with kimchi mayo are out of this world. Very easy to make, and making this a staple in the rotation, thank you!!!
We’ve made this one multiple times now, and for a family that previously thought they didn’t like tofu, it’s been a hit! I often sub in peach jam for the apricot because it’s what I have.
The build-your-own-bowl format also works well for my two picky eaters. The other three of us enjoy all the components.
This recipe is an absolute staple in our house. We all love it, including my 3 year old. It’s an odd array of ingredients that somehow goes so well together.
I made these last night for the zillionth time and they were amazing. I was exhausted and need something comforting, quick, and delicious and these were perfect. I recommend these to everyone and could gush on and on about how much I love this recipe!
This is the recipe that finally sold my husband and my middle kid on tofu (the other two kids are ridiculously picky so I’m not holding my breath for them).
I’ve realized I don’t make many dinners with a “sweet” element, so this is a nice meal to mix it up.
This was delicious! I baked the tofu at 400 degrees for about 30 min, instead of frying and served it with rice and steamed green beans. Next time, I’ll double the sauce. Thanks Lindsay!
For ease, I made this in the air fryer like it was suggested in one of the comments, and threw it over a chopped Caesar salad. It was great!
WOW! I absolutely loved this recipe! Followed everything to a T, served with rice and green beans and some vinegar cucumbers. My husband, 3.5 year old, and 1.5 all went back for more (I doubled the recipe) and devoured it! My kids loved to help pull the tofu apart, something I will always do with tofu now! Next time I might air fry the tofu tho and then throw it in the pan with sauce, less tending to with kids around! 1000/10
So fun that the kids got involved making it!
I don’t know why I tried this recipe because I am not a fan of tofu. This week, I’ll be making it for the third time! My husband is a meat and potatoes guy and he loves this too. What a gem!
That’s a win!
Absolutely amazing!! I listened to some other comments and omitted the cumin. This was such a delicious recipe and you would never know it was tofu! Definitely adding to the dinner rotation. As always, thanks Pinch of Yum for the tastiest meals ♥️
This was so good! Even my picky 13 year old son liked it. Added a little furikake and chili crisp for toppings. Delish!
This was so good! Even my picky 13 year old son liked it. Added a little furikake and chili crisp for toppings. Delish!
Fantastic tip on tearing the tofu. I’ve always cubed it but tearing is a game changer. This is one of the best tofu recipes I ever made. We like to have enough sauce to serve it on rice so I would double the sauce next time I make it.
It’s as good—better?—than it even sounds. I had strawberry preserves in the fridge. Worked fine. This is a punch of yum.
I used the airfryer tofu instructions to airfry these instead and it worked just fine. I agree that the cumin is a bit too much in here!
I used the airfryer tofu instructions to airfry these instead and it worked just fine. I agree that the cumin is a bit too much in here!
Pinch of Yum never disappoints. Had some vegetarian friends over and made this as my main. Easy, simple, and totally delicious.
Yummy! 🙂 I agree with some others. I’ll use a bit more sauce next time but it was delicious as instructed. Fantastic with green beans and I served with a garlic quinoa rice mixture. So easy! Thanks!
This is the most delicious tofu recipe I’ve ever tried! I added some chopped cilantro on top at the end and ate it with steamed broccoli, carrots, and bell pepper. Perfect dinner!
Hi! Great recipe and that sauce 😘! I could use that for lots of different proteins!
I did struggle with my tofu a bit. It got super crumbly when went to pull into pieces. Was it still too wet? It was hard to get it crispy when so small and crumbly.
Also, in the recipe you say “Place the chunks in a bowl. Toss with soy sauce and a teaspoon or two of olive oil; then sprinkle with cornstarch and give it a few gentle tosses to coat.” Seems odd to dry it out only to get it wet again. Is the oil/soy sauce supposed to be for the pan when frying instead? Also I used arrowroot starch and wonder if a different amount is needed with that swap out.
Any help you can give would be great.
This dish is awesome. I halved the cumin (cumin goes a long way for me) and added crushed red pepper to the sauce. Used mirin instead of rice vinegar because it’s what I had. Also I pressed the tofu for several hours and it really held up nicely (much better than it usually does for me). SO GOOD. Thank you for this one!!
This tofu recipe is so good! Love the extra firm tofu! The sauce is to die for!!
Would this recipe work in an air fryer?
This is best on the stovetop as you have to sauté in the sauce, but you could certainly cook in the air fryer and then transfer to a pan on the stove!
Would this work in the air fryer?
I’d make this Air Fryer Tofu and then toss it with the sauce!