I really consider this recipe to be one of my main intros into cooking with tofu. I was in college and trying to get more protein in my diet without cooking meat. I had seen a recipe somewhere for a tahini stir fry sauce, so I decided to see if I couldn’t spice that up a little with some crispy tofu, veggies, and some brown sugar (because I love sugar haha).

Here we are, several years later, and I still LOVE this particular combination of broccoli, tahini, and tofu! When I made this for my family, my dad was so surprised when he realized he was eating tofu that actually tasted great!

If you aren’t a tofu person, this recipe also tastes great with chicken instead of tofu. Wade and I have made it that way several times and really enjoyed it.

WHAT YOU’LL LOVE ABOUT THIS RECIPE

♡ It’s completely VEGAN and yet…

♡ The FLAVOR is amazing! Just because you’ve opted for vegan cooking, that doesn’t mean you should compromise on flavor!

♡ It’s super SIMPLE! The ingredient list for this recipe is fairly short, with the bulk of the dish being tofu and broccoli. It almost feels like there should be more in it, until you taste it and it’s just so perfect!

TIPS FOR MAKING THE BEST TAHINI BROCCOLI STIR FRY

1) Give your tofu the time it deserves :) When I first started cooking with tofu, I would sometimes cube it and then just throw it into a dish. I quickly figured out that this does not work well. You’ve just gotta give your tofu the time it needs to crisp up, or it’s going to turn into a mess. You can approach this in a lot of different ways… My three favorites are: a pan sear, oven bake, and air fry. This particular recipe uses the pan sear method.

2) Let the tofu cook in the sauce for a few minutes! Sometimes when I’m in a rush, I throw the tofu into the stir-fry but then take it off the heat before the tofu has time to absorb some of the delicious tahini stir-fry sauce. Be sure to let the tofu cook in the stir-fry for a few minutes before serving the stir-fry. This will maximize flavor!

3) Lastly, don’t skip the “Serving Ideas” section down below. Lime and brown rice especially make this dish so yummy!!

SERVING IDEAS

- Over BROWN RICE (See Amazon Fresh Long Grain Brown Rice). I like to just pull some cooked brown rice straight out of the freezer to thaw and reheat. To learn more about brown rice meal prep, check out my blog post… Brown Rice Meal Prep: How to Make This Long Grain Fit into a Short Time Frame.

- With white, red, or tri-color QUINOA

- TOASTED SESAME SEEDS sprinkled over the top :) If you want to go this route, I recommend buying sesame seeds and then toasting them in a skillet over medium heat for 4-5 minutes, or until the sesame seeds turn a slightly golden color.

- Garnish with CILANTRO for added freshness ♡

- Squeeze a bit of fresh LIME juice over the top for some delicious tanginess!

STORAGE

I like to store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator. My favorite containers are the Snapware Glass Food Storage Containers. Leftovers will stay good for about 5 days!

TAHINI BROCCOLI STIR-FRY INGREDIENTS

- Sesame Oil: Sesame oil is made from raw sesame seeds, and (you guessed it) toasted sesame oil is made from toasted sesame seeds. The resulting flavor (as expected) is a yummier and more intense flavor. I love that adding just a few teaspoons of this oil will bring sesame flavor to the entire dish! If you’ve never bought toasted sesame oil (or if you’re looking for a new one to try), here’s a link to Whole Food’s toasted sesame oil.

- Water: ⅛ cup to help cook the broccoli, and then another ⅛ cup to thin the sauce.

- Broccoli: The bulk of the dish :) I LOVE the flavor and texture of sautéed broccoli, and this dish does not disappoint in that avenue! Broccoli is also a great source of Vitamins C, K, and A.

- Onion: Added flavor!

- Garlic: In addition to adding great flavor, garlic has also been shown to reduce blood pressure and cholesterol in some people.

- Fresh Ginger: This awesome little root has incredible flavor to complement so many dishes, while also having the potential to help relieve inflammation and calm the stomach!

- Olive Oil: This is a MUCH healthier alternative to butter. This isn’t one of those healthy tricks that end up tasting worse! Olive oil is associated with many health benefits including decreased inflammation, protection against cancer, and lower risk of heart disease. Be sure to buy extra virgn olive oil if you want to maximize the health benefits of this oil!

- Tofu: High protein, vegan, and vegetarian! This sometimes seemingly scary protein is actually SO easy and SO delicious.

- Salt: Flavor enhancing… Crucial to help season the tofu :) There’s enough salt in the soy sauce, that you really don’t need to add salt to the tahini sauce as well.

- Brown Sugar: Provides a delicious sweetener for the dish.

- Tahini: Tahini is ground, toasted sesame seeds that make a bitter and oily paste. In other words, tahini doesn’t taste awesome on its own… but when paired with other things, it truly elevates the dish. Tahini can be purchased at most grocery stores. Here’s a link to the Whole Foods Market Organic Tahini.

- Soy Sauce: Our favorite type is the Kikkoman Lite Soy Sauce. This one seems to have better flavor and be more natural than some of the other ones!

HOW TO…

You’ll want to begin by preparing the tofu. Take the block out of its packaging and place it on a cutting board. Slice the tofu into 1 inch cubes and sprinkle a light dusting of salt over the tofu.

Heat up a skillet over medium heat and add 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add in the cubed and salted tofu. Let the tofu cook for several minutes on each side, or until it has developed a golden colored crust.

Meanwhile, begin preparing the vegetables, garlic, and ginger. Chop the broccoli into bite sized pieces. Slice the onion into small, half moon slices. Mince the garlic and ginger (you’ll want to peel the ginger before mincing it). You can also use a grater, as I have done in this picture, to get the ginger cut to desired size.

Once the tofu is finished cooking, remove it from the skillet and set aside. I usually put the tofu on a plate and then put it on the kitchen counter until I’m ready to use it.

Pour 1 teaspoon of sesame oil into the same pan that you just removed the tofu from. Add the broccoli, onion, garlic, ginger, and ⅛ cup of water. Sauté the veggies over medium heat for 5-7 minutes, or until the broccoli is beginning to soften and reduce in size. Stir occasionally during that time so the vegetables don’t stick to the pan.

Once the broccoli is beginning to soften, you’ll want to add the tahini stir-fry sauce to the pan. To make the stir-fry sauce, mix the brown sugar, ⅛ cup of water, tahini, and soy sauce in a small bowl.

Add the tofu to the skillet. Then, pour the sauce into the skillet with the broccoli, onions, ginger, tofu, and garlic. Gently mix the stir fry together. Allow the broccoli and tofu to cook for another 3-5 minutes in the sauce to absorb the flavor.

Remove the stir-fry from the heat. Serve over brown rice, with toasted sesame seeds and lime as toppings. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

Directions: