Crispy Sesame Tofu Fried Rice (Printable)

Golden crispy tofu with aromatic sesame-ginger sauce, vegetables, and rice in a quick 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 sliced green onion tops

# How-To Steps:

01 - Cut pressed tofu into 1/2-inch cubes and pat dry thoroughly with paper towels to remove excess moisture.
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. Arrange tofu cubes in a single layer and cook 2-3 minutes per side, turning until golden and crispy on all surfaces. Transfer to a plate.
04 - Add additional oil to the pan if needed. Sauté minced garlic, grated ginger, and white parts of green onion for 1 minute until fragrant.
05 - Add diced bell pepper and thawed peas with carrots. Stir-fry for 2-3 minutes until vegetables are tender-crisp.
06 - Add cold rice to the pan, breaking apart any clumps. Stir-fry for 3-4 minutes until rice is heated through and begins to crisp at edges.
07 - In a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, toasted sesame oil, rice vinegar, honey or maple syrup, sriracha if using, and 1 teaspoon sesame seeds.
08 - Pour sauce over rice mixture and toss thoroughly to coat evenly. Return crispy tofu to the pan and fold in gently. Remove from heat and top with toasted sesame seeds and reserved green onion tops. Serve immediately.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The tofu gets genuinely crispy and golden, not sad and rubbery like you might fear.
  • It uses leftover rice, so you're basically recycling dinner into something that feels brand new.
  • The whole thing comes together in 40 minutes, which means you can eat better than takeout before you'd even receive a delivery order.
02 -
  • Wet tofu will never crisp properly—press it hard and pat it completely dry, then don't skip the cornstarch coating.
  • The sauce coats best when tossed into hot rice, so don't let the rice cool down between steps.
03 -
  • Double-frying the tofu in an air fryer at 400 degrees for 10 minutes after pan-searing it creates an almost impossible-to-achieve level of crispness that lasts.
  • Keep your pan hot throughout the whole cooking process—cool pans are the enemy of good fried rice texture.
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