Crispy Sesame Tofu Fried Rice (Printable)

Golden crispy tofu meets aromatic sesame-ginger fried rice with colorful vegetables in this quick 40-minute vegetarian stir-fry.

# What You Need:

→ 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 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 on all sides.
03 - Heat vegetable oil in a large nonstick skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add tofu cubes in a single layer and cook 2 to 3 minutes per side, turning until all sides are golden and crispy. Transfer to a plate.
04 - Add a little more oil to the same pan if needed. Sauté garlic, ginger, and white parts of green onion for 1 minute until fragrant.
05 - Add diced bell pepper and thawed peas and carrots. Stir-fry for 2 to 3 minutes until vegetables are just tender.
06 - Add cold rice, breaking up any clumps. Stir-fry for 3 to 4 minutes until rice is heated through and begins to crisp.
07 - In a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, sesame oil, rice vinegar, honey, sriracha if using, and 1 teaspoon sesame seeds.
08 - Pour sauce over rice and toss well to coat evenly. Return crispy tofu to pan and gently fold through. Remove from heat.
09 - Top with toasted sesame seeds and reserved green onion tops. Serve immediately while hot.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • Crispy tofu that actually stays crispy: The double-coating trick keeps it golden through the whole stir-fry, no sad soggy surprises.
  • Transforms leftovers into something crave-worthy: Day-old rice becomes the hero, turning into little crispy edges that change everything.
  • Ready in forty minutes, feeds four people: Budget-friendly enough for weeknight reality, impressive enough for when friends text asking what smells so good.
02 -
  • Day-old rice changes everything: Warm rice will turn to mush no matter how confident you feel—learn this once, never forget it.
  • Don't overcrowd the pan when crisping tofu: I learned this the hard way by cramming too much in at once and ending up with steamed tofu instead of crispy—give it space to develop a crust.
  • The sauce goes in at the very end: Add it too early and the rice absorbs it unevenly, leaving some grains bland and others oversauced.
03 -
  • Toast your own sesame seeds: Throw them in a dry pan for ninety seconds until fragrant—store-bought toasted seeds taste dusty by comparison, and the difference is real.
  • Double-fry the tofu if you're ambitious: Crisp it normally, remove it, get your oil hot again, and give it a quick second bath—the crust becomes almost crackly, which is transcendent.
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