Sheet-Pan Sesame Tofu and Red Onions
- Total Time
- 50 minutes
- Rating
- Notes
- Read community notes
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Ingredients
Yield:2 to 3 servings
- 1(14- to 16-ounce) block extra-firm tofu, drained
- 2medium red or yellow onions, or a mix, each cut through the root into 8 wedges
- 3tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- Kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal) and black pepper
- 2tablespoons white sesame seeds (toasted or untoasted)
- 1teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1½cups parsley or cilantro leaves and tender stems, tough stems thinly sliced
- 2tablespoons fresh lemon or lime juice
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (3 servings)
307 calories; 23 grams fat; 3 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 13 grams monounsaturated fat; 5 grams polyunsaturated fat; 16 grams carbohydrates; 4 grams dietary fiber; 5 grams sugars; 15 grams protein; 615 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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- Step 1
Arrange a rack on the bottom third of the oven and heat the oven to 425 degrees. Cut the tofu in half lengthwise, then cut each half crosswise into 8 pieces, for a total of 16 domino-size pieces. Pat them dry and set aside.
- Step 2
On a parchment-lined sheet pan, toss the onions with 1 tablespoon olive oil and season with salt and pepper. (It’s OK — good even — if the wedges come apart; this will result in crisp edges.)
- Step 3
In a medium bowl, stir together the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil with the sesame seeds, turmeric, 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper. Pat the tofu dry once more, then add to the turmeric mixture and toss gently to coat. (Tofu can be refrigerated in the marinade up to 1 day ahead.)
- Step 4
Nestle the tofu among the onions. Reserve the bowl; no need to wash. Roast the tofu and onions on the bottom rack until the onions are soft and browned and the tofu is crisp, 35 to 40 minutes.
- Step 5
Let the tofu cool slightly. Meanwhile, in the reserved bowl, add the parsley and lemon juice and toss, scraping all the turmeric and sesame seeds from the sides of the bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper, then top the tofu and onions with a pile of the parsley salad. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Private Notes
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Cooking Notes
Patricia C
This looks lovely and I look forward to trying it. But instead of tofu, maybe paneer, and instead of red onions, white. I will use poppy seeds instead of sesame, and then I will complain about it not being a good recipe. JOKE! I will try it just as is and I look forward to it.
Tobias
Ok...this recipe, which you can pre-marinade the tofu for and spend all of 5 minutes assembling the rest before tossing it in the oven, has absolutely no business being this good. If you're looking for an easy, healthy, tasty weeknight dinner this is it right here.
suzie
Oh! This is soooo good. Saw the recipe today and had all ingredients already. A winner. Will add to my dinner rotation! :)
Julie
Why not just roast the proposed side of sweet potatoes or squash in the same pan as the tofu and onions?
Kelley
I had to double the marinade because I didn't have enough to coat all the pieces of tofu. Not sure if I did something wrong, but it was worth it for the little extra dressing on the parsley salad.
Alisa
This was absolutely delicious! My meat-eating teenage son loved it and finished off all the tofu. I was skeptical considering how simple the marinade is, but this might be my favorite tofu recipe now. Followed the recipe as written, pressed then marinated the tofu for about 5 hours. Baked for 40 minutes and finished it with lime and cilantro. Since I already had the oven going, I roasted some kale to go with it. Will make again and again.
C.
I would try to eat with fork. But you do you.
Heidi S. (Woodinville)
Per the intro paragraph at the top -- always a good resource if you're looking for context: "This dish goes well with steamed or roasted sweet potatoes or squash; massaged orsautéed hearty greens; rice or other grains; pita or tortillas; or something rich and creamy, like hummus, yogurt, mozzarella,peanut sauce or avocado."
Chantal
OK I know you were joking but I bet if you used paneer, white onions and maybe nigella seeds, it would be really good. It might be a fun adaptation for an Indian meal.
Rebekah
This was a great recipe. I didn’t have herbs so I added hearty greens instead. I served it with jasmine rice and a peanut sauce which added to the complexity of flavors and textures.
Beth G
Great and easy recipe. Perfect for a weekday dinner. Served with sweet potato fries, perfect combination. I think it would work well with any simple sweet potato dish.
Sue B
This was delicious. Except for the parsley. The parsley leaves I bought unfortunately were more tough than tender, and the parsley flavor was too strong. Next time I'll try cilantro, or maybe a tender leaf like baby arugula or baby spinach. The tofu and the onions, however, were terrific, full of flavor and so easy. Worth another try to get it right.
Suzy Young
Hmmm. Swayed by ecstatic comments, I made this, but was unimpressed. The tofu looked fabulous, all golden and crispy, but was not creamy inside and the turmeric only served to colour everything. Even after cooking for longer than it said, the onions were still a bit crunchy. But my main problem was that the ingredients did not go together to make something special, they competed and clashed. Luckily I also roasted some nice French sausages on the same tray so there was something to enjoy.
Marlene Tiernan
I winged it with all the ingredients. I used lime instead of lemon and parsley instead of cilantro. I think it would have worked either way. I also added sweet potato wedges to the pan. It was delicious.
Andromeda
This is so delicious and an instant summer=time dinner hit! I've tried it with both a farro, and a basmati rice for a side. My family prefers the rice, but I really liked the farro. For my family of. 4 vegetarians, I double the recipe and make two pans worth - very popular with my teens! I go a little lighter on the parsley, and found that the bigger the flat leaves, the better. I also slice the onion wedges a bit thinner and do 1/2 red, 1/2 yellow onions.
J
We've made this twice, and the second time was even better. We left it in the marinade overnight in the fridge, and took it out promptly at 35 minutes. It was even a hit with our friends' 9 and 6 year old kiddos. For the grownups, we had an optional sauce made with coconut milk, tahini, sesame oil, lime, salt, and pepper. Perfect combination of flavors!
Helen
I used Vidalia onions, half cilantro/half parsley, and lime juice. Delicious but the leftovers were even better the next day. Don’t skimp on the citrus/herb salad, it makes this dish a star.
Zona Scheiner
Wonderful dish. I took recommendations of several people and added 2 large sweet potatoes cut so they cooked for same time period as onions and tofu. Also increased turmeric and sesame seeds. Worked very well. This will be a family staple
Nick D
We have been making this recipe almost weekly for the last year . Absolute favorite. However, I find that lime and cilantro is essential - the dish with parsley and lemon is to my taste very underwhelming. Lime and cilantro adds another dimension and brings the dish together. We almost always have over white rice, but anything would work. This is an all-time favorite!
Margaret
Easy, warm, comforting.
shp
Not as wonderful as most describe. The onions, though, roasted on parchment were divine. Roasted butternut squash sprinkled with cumin, garlic, marjoram, and and kale to go with. Does ground turmeric go bad? The marinade dressing was not tasty, so added a variety of seasonings—soy sauce, garlic powder, everything bagel, paprika. Also could not get tofu actually crispy (cooked hotter than 425.)
Dei (like 'day')
*so* good. You need way more marinade, maybe 3x (though not all the salt). I put the original amount of marinade in a pie dish, realized I needed more, put the tofu on that, made another batch & half of it & poured/smeared it on top of the tofu. I forgot to pat the tofu dry (was well pressed) and it still came crispy, with a rich nutty flavor, and the onions were deliciously roasty. No fresh parsley so used arugula per another review (dressed ~4 min b4 serving) - perfection. 10/10 will remake.
Carlos
Very delicious! I served it with some sautéed kale. The onion to tofu ratio was a little off so I might use only one onion next time and maybe add in another vegetable.
Amy
Fabulous!!
Vivian
Made this last night following the recipe exactly with one exception: I halved the turmeric per other reviews. It was so easy and shouldn’t be as good as it is! I did use fresh flat-leaf parsley that I threw in the marinade bowl with lemon juice per the recipe. This component of the dish really makes it outstanding so don’t skip it! But I do think doing this with any green you have on hand would do the trick. Even my 9 year old meat-lover devoured it!
McKenzie
This recipe was truly simple and easy and quick and SO GOOD. I’ll make this a lot post partum when I need a quick healthy meal. I served it with black rice and sautéed bean sprouts because we didn’t have any parsley or cilantro.
Joan
Delicious. I added wedges of sweet potatoes to roast alongside the tofu and onions, and served atop a bed of arugula.
hmmm
I needed to find a vegan potluck dish that could be seen as an entree. (So many vegan main dishes need some last-minute touches or to be served immediately after making!) This worked perfectly, and the non-vegans liked it as much as the vegans did. I have made it twice so far, following the recipe exactly except the second time making the tofu pieces smaller. It worked great both times, once served warm and once served two hours later at room temperature.
Gina
This was incredibly delicious! My husband and I both loved it, and he is not a big tofu fan. Will definitely make this again!
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