Last updated on March 24th, 2016
Some day you’ll thank me for this recipe. It’s sauteed bell peppers and onions (or what the French call “Piperade”), plus a crispy topping of sesame seed-coated tofu. For such a humble dish, I think it’s delicious. It’s vegan, too, and thus ideal for anyone who can’t eat meat, wheat, or dairy.
Warning! Tofu isn’t everyone’s idea of haute cuisine. It has a neutral taste, and, when poorly prepared, a texture that resembles a wet kitchen sponge. Pressing the moisture out of the tofu will dramatically improve its texture.
For the veggies, you’ll need 1 medium onion, 1 large green bell pepper, and 1 large red bell pepper.
Slice the onion, and julienne the peppers. Not sure how to julienne a bell pepper? See my recipe for Piperade.
Next, run to your supermarket and buy a package of extra firm organic tofu. Open the package and pour off the water.
Then place the block of tofu on your cutting board, and slice it lengthwise into 4 equal pieces.
Slice the segments crosswise to make 8 squares. Or, for easier eating with chopsticks, slice crosswise into thirds.
Arrange the squares on a baking sheet lined with 3 layers of paper towels (or, use a tea towel). Cover with more towels.
Place another baking sheet and a weight (I used cans of beans) on top. Set aside until the moisture is pressed out of the tofu — about 5 minutes.
At this point, I imagine the carnivores among us are contemplating other things to eat. Like this Thyme and Wine Beef Stew. Or these Eggs in Bacon Baskets. Or this Irish Stew with Beer and Chocolate.
Honestly, it won’t hurt you to eat a vegan meal every once in a while. If I can do it, you can do it!
Tip some sesame seeds onto a plate…
And press each side of the tofu into the seeds.
Now pour a glug of olive oil into a non-stick skillet, and heat it over a medium flame.
Add some salt and freshly-ground pepper…
And stir to coat. Then cover the skillet, and let the veggies steam until crisp-tender — about 5 minutes.
Transfer the veggies to a plate or platter.
Then quickly wipe out the pan, add 1 tablespoon of sesame oil, and fry the tofu until golden – about 5 minutes.
Then flip ’em over, and brown the other side.
To finish, tip some Tamari sauce (it’s gluten-free) or soy sauce into the pan, and continue cooking, turning the tofu, until all the liquid has been absorbed — about 1 minute.
Arrange the tofu on the veggie bed, and serve.
Or, for an extra-nice presentation, prepare each serving this-a-way:
Put some cooked brown rice or quinoa in a small Japanese bowl…
And top with 3 or 4 pieces of the sesame-coated tofu.
In the comments field below, let me know if you might try this tofu-and-veggies preparation. Also, let me know if vegetarian meals are important to you. Although I’m a hopeless omnivore, I do try to limit my meat consumption to just once or twice a week. And I never, ever, eat chocolate cake more than 3 times per day.
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Here’s the printable:
Coat squares of tofu with sesame seeds, fry until crisp and golden, place them on a bed of Piperade (sauteed bell peppers and onion), and what will you have? A delightful main course for the vegan in your life.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium onion, sliced
- 1 large green bell pepper, cut into julienne strips
- 1 large red bell pepper, cut into julienne strips
- Salt and freshly-ground pepper
- 1 14-ounce package extra firm organic tofu
- 1/4 cup sesame seeds
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce or Tamari sauce
- Optional: Cooked brown rice or quinoa fo serving
Instructions
- Pour the olive oil into a large, non-stick skillet, and heat it over a medium flame. Add the veggies and a sprinkling of salt and pepper. Stir briefly to coat, then cover the skillet, lower the heat, and let the veggies sweat until crisp-tender -- about 5 minutes. Transfer veggies to a plate or platter. Wipe the skillet with a paper towel.
- While the veggies are cooking, place the block of tofu on a cutting board. Slice lengthwise into 4 equal pieces, then down the middle to make 8 squares. (Alternatively, you can cut the tofu into thirds to make 12 chopstick-friendly pieces.) Arrange the tofu on a baking sheet lined with 3 layers of paper towels, and cover with additional towels. Place another baking sheet and a weight on top. Let tofu drain for 5 minutes.
- Pour the sesame seeds into a pie plate, then press both sides of the tofu squares into the seeds. Heat the sesame oil in the skillet, add the tofu, and cook until golden brown -- about 5 minutes on each side. Add the Tamari or soy sauce, and continue cooking, turning the tofu, until all of the liquid is absorbed -- about 1 minute. Arrange the tofu on the veggie bed, and serve, along with the brown rice or quinoa.
NOTE: To make this dish gluten-free, simply substitute the soy sauce for Tamari sauce.
Julie R says
Oh yeah, I will be trying the Crispy Tofu and Veggies. I have made other recipes that have extra firm tofu in them, but have never tried putting sesame seeds on the tofu, what a great idea. The tofu that I have used has had a smoked flavor and a garlic flavor added to it, which my family likes. I have also used the softer kind of tofu to make a healthier Alfredo sauce. I have gotten much more into health foods over the years, so yes vegetarian meals are important to me and my family.
I loved your comment about not eating chocolate cake more than 3 times per day = ) Sounds like me, I like healthy foods, but I can’t pass up a yummy treat too. Its good for the soul.
Mary in Iowa says
I think the possibility is good that I may try this on the third Tuesday after the fifth Friday after a deep sea eathquake creates a tsunami that inundates Des Moines, Iowa. 🙂 For the first time ever, I harbor no jealousy at all toward Brenda Johnson. But other than tofu, vegetarian eating is lovely. I also eat meat on a somewhat limited basis of twice a week or so, and more often as an ingredient in something than as a big slab on a plate. I can’t deny, however, that an occasional big slab done to perfection is enjoyed to the hilt, but isn’t a frequent occurence.
Buy a can of almond filling. Make your chocolate cake in two round cake pans. Smear the almond goo between the layers and over the top to within an inch of the rim, and frost with fudgy icing. Or slice the layers horizontally and have even more almond filling between 4 layers to transport you to another dimension. Three times a day just won’t be enough.
P.S. I decided to try to sign up for your newsletter again, and this time the service you use didn’t invalidate my existence. She walks, she talks, she has a valid e-mail address!!! 🙂 YAY!
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Hi Julie R – Great! Let me know how this works out for you. The smoky, garlicky tofu you described sounds delish!
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Hi Mary- Glad the email update service worked out for you. And yes, yes, yes to the almond puree-filled chocolate cake!
Aimee Jackson says
I’m pretty psyched about this. I avoid meat and dairy but follow your blog because I like how un-fussy your recipes are, your beautiful photos, and your good humor. So I’m delighted to see a recipe here for a new way to cook tofu that I haven’t tried (with sesame seeds). Excellent. Thank you!
Catharine R. says
Hi Kevin! I know some people don’t like tofu, but I love it! Have never tried it with sesame seeds. I imagine the seeds become tasted and fragrant as they fry in the sesame oil. Will try tomorrow. Just have to pick up some peppers!
Emma says
Tofu gets a bad rap because people don’t know how to flavor and/or cook it. Glad you do. This recipe sounds like a winner. Like Catharine in the comment above, I’ll make it as soon as I pick up the ingredients. My daughter is vegan.
Eileen Liddy says
Hi Kevin
I’m a long time reader, first time commenter and a lacto-ovo vegetarian: I eat dairy and eggs too. I’m always looking for good vegetarian recipes and this looks like one of them. These days, when I read recipes with meat in them, I think, can I substitute tofu or a portobella mushroom for the beef or poultry?. One or the other frequently works. I use a lot of bean based dishes too – love beans!
Back in the eighties, when my colleague and I taught a vegetarian course, we introduced students to tofu (yuck tofu from their perspective), by making “Eggless” egg salad: take your favorite/comfort food egg salad ingredients (minus the egg), and mix them with one block of extra firm, very well drained tofu. Season to tase. I include some yellow mustard or tumeric for the yellow color. I use a pastry blender to mix them. It’s best if it sits in a refrigerator and blends for several hours. Most students didn’t know it was tofu and liked it. They even said they liked it after we told them it was tofu!
So please keep the vegetarian recipes coming.
Eileen in Maine
Elizabeth says
Thank you Kevin! I have been vegan for eight years now, and I love tofu. It’s all about preparing it properly. I have “veganized” several of your recipes and taken them to my plant-based supper club. They are always a hit! I truly appreciate a very classy plant based recipe!
Joanne says
Thanks, Kevin; I will make and enjoy this dish!
Sharon says
Most “Oriental Lilies” have been eating tofu this way for generations! – Love your recipes, Love your blog!
abby buhle says
Our second son cooked delicious vegan food for us while living at home after college, in lieu of rent. It was wonderful and changed our thinking.
Though none of us are now vegan, we still eat far less meat than we used to when we were younger and your new take on tofu certainly looks super. A good cook can make almost any food worth eating. Keep up the good vegetarian recipes!
Ardelle says
Sounds enticing but I do not eat tofu – I will opt for your delicious Irish Stew with Beer – after all my German heritage almost demands it. I do eat very little red meat in the form of a steak, burger or such – opting to make the vegetables more prominent in even your stews.
Happy Easter to everyone – I have pansies potted up in a long terra cotta pot for my table centerpiece today.
Ana says
I am trying to embrace vegetable protein, I really am. It isn’t just the taste. My body hasn’t adjusted to it either. Yes,please give me ideas for veggie entrees. I promise I will try them all.
Hilary Kelly says
Thanks for including a vegan recipe. Hope to see more in the future. Although I follow a mostly vegan diet, I have still never adjusted to tofu, so perhaps this will be the recipe to convince me!
Tiffany says
Yes, yes, yes! After reading Mark Bitman’s “Food Matters” and most of Michael Pollan’s published works, I make a conscious effort to reduce my consumption of animal products. (Except what I raise myself, of course.) I’m excited to try this recipe!
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Hi Hilary Kelly and Tiffany – More vegetarian recipes coming (I’m writing one right now). Thanks for posting your comments!
Lorika says
Hi Kevin,
I will chime in on the veggie recipe front – more please! I have been trending toward eating whole foods as much as possible lately – and always vegetarian. I love the idea of coating tofu with sesame seeds! I will try that for sure.
I also want to tell you that I am so grateful for your postings on winter seed sowing! I discovered the technique last year and tried it and it has revolutionized this Minnesota gardeners existence! I pass the info on ALL the time and always send along your post “Winter sowing 101” because it is the best and easiest instructions I have found. Thank you, thank you! I find it hard to believe that more northern gardeners do not know about it. So easy!
Love your blog, keep up the excellent and beautiful work. 🙂
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Hi Lorika – Thanks so much for your comment. Glad to hear that winter-sowing is working out for you!
Carmen says
Hello Kevin,
I will very likely try your recipe. I am neither vegan nor vegetarian, but eat lots of vegetables and low fat protein. I might caramelize the vegetables a little bit for more flavor. And use very little oil.
Thanks,
Carmen