This must-try recipe for Tofu Sesame Toasts has been inspired by a classic Chinese appetiser. These delicious savouries are a great starter for a dinner party or perfect finger food for cocktail parties. The tofu is blended with classic ingredients such as ginger, soy sauce and sesame oil. The mixture is spread on sliced baguette, topped with sesame seeds and then shallow fried on both sides. They are crispy and delicious!
Why you’ll love this recipe:
This recipe is suitable for many people with specific dietary requirements as it is vegetarian, vegan and ideal for people with a seafood allergy. As well, by using the appropriate bread and sauces, you can make it gluten-free.
Our Tofu Sesame Toasts are inspired by the classic Chinese appetiser, Prawn Toast, also known as Shrimp Toast. Our Vegan version features tofu blended with the classic ingredients that are used for prawn toasts – and they are so good!
You will love this recipe for Tofu Sesame Toasts because:
- All the ingredients are readily available.
- The toasts are quickly and easily made. It will take just 30-40 minutes until you can enjoy them.
- This is the ultimate party finger food: crispy, delicious and full of flavour.
- It proves that tofu need not be bland.
- You do not need a deep fryer for this recipe. The toasts are shallow fried in a large non-stick pan.
- You can prepare the Vegan “Prawn” Toast in advance and cook them just before serving them.
Ingredients in this recipe:
Please see the recipe card further along in the post for exact quantities of ingredients and the full method.
White chia seeds – help to bind the mixture together. When combined with water, they form a gel-like substance and act as an egg replacer. They are nutrient dense, being a complete protein, rich with dietary fibre and a good source of omega 3 fatty acids and several essential antioxidants and minerals. Black chia seeds are also suitable.
Water – combines with the chia seeds to form a gel.
Tofu – must be the firm type, not silken tofu.
Spring onions/scallions/green onions – I use the white and some of the green part to add flavour and to garnish the finished Tofu Toasts.
Fresh ginger – adds great flavour. It is a versatile ingredient that can be used in sweet or savoury dishes.
Soy sauce – this is a well-known Asian condiment, traditionally made by fermenting soybeans, often with wheat. It adds umami, a deep savoury flavour. Alternatively, you can use gluten-free tamari.
Sesame oil – I use toasted sesame oil to add complex, nutty depth of flavour.
Sugar – a touch of sweetness adds balance to the flavours.
Vegan oyster sauce – this oyster sauce is made from mushrooms and adds deep savoury notes. Check that it is gluten-free if necessary. You can use regular oyster sauce if you prefer and don’t require the dish to be vegan.
Black pepper – for the best result, use freshly ground pepper. Pre-ground black pepper tends to taste flat and dull.
Baguette – you can use day old bread if you wish. If making gluten-free, use appropriate bread.
Sesame seeds – add a nutty flavour and extra crunch to the topping.
Peanut or neutral vegetable oil – for frying the toasts.
How to Make Tofu Toasts:
Please see the recipe card further along in the post for exact quantities of ingredients and the full method.
1 – Slice your bread:
To begin, slice your bread – I use a baguette and slice it 1 ¼ cm (½ inch) thick.
2 – Pat the Tofu dry:
Put the tofu on several layers of paper towel and pat it to remove as much moisture as possible.
3 – Make the Tofu mixture:
Add the tofu to a food processor, along with the chopped spring onion/scallion, grated ginger, soy sauce/tamari, sesame oil, sugar, oyster sauce, the chia seed gel and black pepper. Process the ingredients to form a smooth paste then transfer it to a small bowl.
4 – Season:
Add some of the finely sliced green part of the spring onion/scallion, check the seasoning is to your taste and adjust if necessary. Refrigerate the mixture for half an hour to help the filling firm up.
5 – Assemble the toasts:
Spread the filling generously onto slices of bread.
6 – Top with sesame seeds:
Sprinkle with sesame seeds, gently pressing them down to ensure they adhere.
7 – Cook the toasts:
Heat a large, non-stick frying pan with oil. Add the toasts, sesame seed side down, until the seeds become golden. Gently and carefully turn the toasts and cook until the bread side is golden brown. Place them on a plate lined with paper towel to drain the oil and cook the remainder.
8 – Serve:
Serve the Vegan Tofu Sesame Toasts with our Sweet Chilli Sauce or a sauce of your choice.
Tips for success and FAQs:
For this recipe, I have used a firm tofu. Be sure not to use silken tofu which would be too soft. As well, extra firm tofu will be too dry. It is important to remove excess moisture from the tofu, or it will make the mixture difficult to spread on the bread.
For easy entertaining, you can prepare the toasts, up to the stage of shallow frying, a day in advance. Just cover and refrigerate them. However, they should be cooked at the last minute as they are best served soon after they are fried.
If you should have any leftover, you can reheat them in the oven at 180 degrees C/350 F for about 8 minutes. They may not be as crispy as they were when first cooked but will still taste delicious.
I have used a baguette, but you can use regular, thick sliced, white sandwich bread, cut into quarters on the diagonal. It is a great way to use bread that is a day or two old.
When selecting fresh ginger look for ginger root that is firm to the touch and free of blemishes or mouldy ends. Avoid ginger that appears wrinkled as that is an indicator of age. If you use it often, wash and peel the ginger root and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator and depending on its age when you bought it, it may last up to a month. If you only use it occasionally, wash and peel it, store it in the freezer and grate it as it is required.
The Tofu Sesame Toasts are delicious with our homemade Sweet Chilli Sauce, but you could also serve them with soy sauce/tamari or a sweet and sour sauce, homemade or store-bought.
Variations and substitutions:
Bread – to make the toasts gluten-free, use an appropriate bread.
Soy sauce – use gluten-free tamari if required.
Sesame seeds – I have used white, but you could use black or a mixture of both if you prefer.
Serving suggestions:
To serve, sprinkle the Tofu Sesame Toasts with some of the thinly sliced green part of the spring onion/scallion along with your favourite dipping sauce.
They make a great snack, finger food for a drinks party or appetiser for a dinner party.
This is a simple recipe that is guaranteed to impress. The Tofu Sesame Toasts have a crisp toast base, a flavoursome tofu topping and are sprinkled with sesame seeds which add crunchiness and a mild nutty taste. You will find that one piece is never enough for this simple and tasty starter.
Alex xx
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Tofu Sesame Toasts – Vegan Appetiser
Please note:
For accuracy, when weights are provided, we recommend weighing your ingredients. This will produce the best results. All oven temperatures listed are for fan forced.
Ingredients
Vegan Tofu Filling:
- 1 teaspoon chia seeds
- 3 teaspoon cold water
- 250 gm (8.8 oz) firm tofu See Note 1
- 2 spring/green onions – white and green part, separated
- 1 ½ teaspoon fresh ginger – finely grated
- 2 teaspoon soy sauce or tamari See Note 2
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 ½ teaspoon sugar
- 2 teaspoon vegan oyster sauce See Note 3
- freshly ground black pepper – to taste
To Assemble the Toasts:
- 1 baguette – cut into slices around 1 ¼ cm (½ inch) thick See Note 4
- 3 tablespoon sesame seeds – or more if necessary See Note 5
- 6 tablespoon peanut or vegetable oil – for frying See Note 6
Instructions
- Mix the chia seeds with the water and set aside about 15 minutes, until a gel forms.
- Put the tofu on several layers of paper towel and firmly but gently press it and pat it so that it is dry. It is important to remove as much moisture as possible or the mixture will be difficult to spread on the baguette.Place the tofu in a food processor.
- Roughly chop the white part of the spring onion. Finely slice the green part and set aside.
- Add the white spring onion, finely grated ginger, soy sauce, sesame oil, sugar, vegan oyster sauce, the chia seed gel and black pepper to the processor. Blend all the ingredients to a paste then transfer to a bowl.
- Add 2 tablespoons of finely sliced green spring onion to the mixture and set aside a little extra for garnish.Adjust seasoning to taste if necessary. Refrigerate the mixture for 30 minutes to help the filling firm.
- Spread the filling onto the slices of baguette – approximately 1 cm (½ inch) thick. Press down gently with a knife or spatula to help it adhere to the bread.Sprinkle the filling with sesame seeds, gently pressing them down a little with a spatula.
- Preheat the oven to 150 Degrees C (300 F). (To keep the toasts warm as you are cooking them.)Layer three slices of paper towel on an ovenproof plate.
- Heat a large non-stick frying pan with the oil. Heat until a small piece of bread dropped into the oil sizzles.Put the toasts in, a few at a time, sesame seed side down.
- Fry for 1-2 minutes until the sesame seeds become golden.Gently and carefully turn the toasts over and cook until the bread side is golden brown. I find it best to use two spatulas to turn them.
- Place on the prepared plate and put into the oven to keep warm whilst you cook the remainder.
- Serve the toasts with soy sauce, our Sweet Chilli Sauce or a sauce of your choice. Sprinkle with a little extra finely sliced green spring onion as garnish.
Video
Notes
- Tofu: the tofu must be a firm variety, not the silken type or extra firm.
- Soy sauce: if you are making gluten-free toasts, check that soy sauce is gluten-free or use gluten-free tamari.
- Vegan “Oyster” Sauce: is made from mushrooms and adds important depth of flavour. If necessary, check that it is gluten-free. If you do not require the dish to be vegan, you can certainly use regular oyster sauce.
- Bread: the number of toasts you make will depend on the size of your bread. If making gluten-free, use the bread of your preference. If the slices are large, cut them in quarters on the diagonal.
- Tablespoon: we use a standard Australian tablespoon which is 20 ml (4 teaspoons).
- Preparation: the toasts can be prepared a day in advance and kept covered in the refrigerator, and cooked prior to serving.
- Storage: the uncooked toasts can also be frozen in an airtight container for up to a month. If stored in layers, use non-stick baking paper to separate them. Defrost them for about 30 minutes before frying.
Nutrition Estimate:
Nutritional Disclaimer:
The nutritional information is an estimate only, and is derived from online calculators. For accurate results, we recommend calculating the nutritional information based on the ingredients and brands you use.
This post was originally published in August 2018. It has been updated with new photos and more information. The recipe remains the same.
Louis
I absolutely loved this recipe! Thank you so so much!
I added MSG as I do to all my SE Asian cooking and they turned out better than restaurant quality!
I tried a mix of toasted black sesame and white sesame, but I think sticking with just white would work a bit better to show off the golden bread more!
I didn’t have any sweet chilli sauce in,nor the stuff to make it [I know that’s bad!], but I served them with jerk BBQ sauce and the combo was amazing!
Alexandra Cook
Hi Louis,
Thank you for your lovely feedback on the Tofu Sesame Toasts. I am delighted that you enjoyed them and appreciate that you took the time to let me know.
Ana Pinheiro
This recipe made me want to try tofu, thank you
Alexandra
Hi Ana, I am so pleased that our recipe for Tofu Sesame Toasts has inspired you to try tofu. That’s great news. 🙂
Christie
These are so creative and absolutely delicious Alex!
Alexandra
Thank you, Christie! So happy to hear that!
Arun
Again an amazing recipe. I love your simple and satisfying recipes. I share them with mom too. We love cooking them.
Alexandra
Thank you Arun for sharing the recipes with your mother. I hope you both enjoy the Tofu Sesame Toasts. 🙂
Sally
I think this recipe could be of interest to anyone, regardless of their lifestyle or dietary choices. The sesame toasts are delicious.
Alexandra
I agree, Sally! I never ate tofu much at all before these, but now I am just loving this recipe! 🙂