Crispy Sesame Tofu Fried Rice (Printable)

Golden tofu cubes meet aromatic sesame-ginger sauce in this vibrant stir-fry with day-old rice and crisp vegetables.

# 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 Make It:

01 - Cut pressed tofu into 1/2-inch cubes and pat dry thoroughly with paper towels. In a bowl, toss tofu cubes with cornstarch and salt until evenly coated on all sides.
02 - 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 carefully until all sides achieve golden-brown crispness. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
03 - Add additional oil to the same pan if needed. Sauté minced garlic, grated ginger, and white parts of green onions for 1 minute until fragrant. Add diced bell pepper and peas-carrot mixture, stir-frying for 2-3 minutes until vegetables are tender-crisp.
04 - Add cold rice to the vegetable mixture, breaking apart any clumps using your spatula. Stir-fry for 3-4 minutes, stirring constantly until rice is heated through and begins to crisp at the edges.
05 - 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 until well combined.
06 - Pour sauce over the rice mixture and toss thoroughly to ensure even coating. Gently fold in the crispy tofu cubes, being careful to maintain their texture. Remove from heat.
07 - Transfer to serving plates or bowls. Top with toasted sesame seeds and reserved green onion tops. Serve immediately while hot.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The tofu gets genuinely crispy and golden, not soggy or bland like that one time you tried stir-frying in a hurry.
  • Everything comes together in under 40 minutes using ingredients that likely live in your pantry right now.
  • It's a one-pan meal that somehow tastes like you spent way more effort than you actually did.
02 -
  • Day-old rice is absolutely essential—fresh hot rice will turn into mush no matter what you do, so if you don't have leftovers, make rice ahead and refrigerate it.
  • Don't crowd the pan when crisping the tofu; if you pile it all in at once it'll steam instead of fry, so work in batches if needed and be patient.
03 -
  • If you want the tofu even crispier than the standard method allows, double-fry it by cooking it once until golden, then letting it cool briefly and crisping it again—or use an air fryer at 400°F for 12-15 minutes for zero-guilt crunch.
  • Swap any vegetables you have hanging around in your crisper drawer; broccoli florets, snap peas, sliced mushrooms, or even cabbage all work beautifully and can be added to the vegetable step.
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