Jump to Recipe·5 from 5 reviews

A sheet pan dinner that rivals take out, uses minimal dishes and saves you time! This sheet pan tofu and broccolini features firm tofu in a soy sauce, garlic, and ginger sauce alongside tender broccolini. Perfect served on top of rice!

Although I am known around here for my baking, one of the skills I pride myself on is developing simple, family-friendly vegan main dish recipes. Ones that you keep in your back pocket and don’t have to stress out over, because they’re reliable, tasty, and made for everyone to love!

No-nonsense secrets to good tofu

After a handful of batches made (in one month I should add), there’s a few key takeaways that consistently elevate the outcome for me, and make this sheet pan tofu recipe approachable:

  • Flour first, sauce later. I prefer to lightly dust the tofu in flour to create an irresistible crunch. When I add the sauce at the end and throw it back into the oven, the sauce clings perfectly without turning to tofu soggy.
  • I learned early on to give each individual piece of broccoli and tofu space. Crowding can leave the broccoli limp and the tofu undercooked.
  • High heat is key! Golden edges and caramelized sauce only happens when the temperature is high enough.

Simple ingredients, maximum impact

This dish’s simplicity works because every ingredient has a job. It took a lot of tofu, and attempts, over a hot stove to get this right. But I’ve found the best part of this recipe is that the firm tofu browns in the oven, even without frying. Not to mention, the broccolini cooks along side it at the exact same time! The only other sheet pan recipe I know that works as perfectly as this are my crispy sheet pan quesadillas!

The secret sauce

I tend to have a “type” when it comes to sauces. Something salty, something, creamy, something sweet – it’s never steered me wrong! Here, soy sauce, almond butter, and a bit of sweetness from orange juice and maple syrup come together to deliver a restaurant-worthy balance of salt, fat, and gloss. Handle the tofu gently like I did, and trust the oven and the sauce to do their work! These are the steps I rely on to make everything taste intentional.

The final touches

Looking for even more caramelization? I know I prefer a chewy sticky coating around the edges of my tofu, so once you remove the broccolini from the oven, stick it back in for another 2-3 minutes and watch it reduce into a glaze.

Mix, match, and make it your own

By now, you might know how passionate I am about a good sheet pan dinner. Whether its a meat substitute & vegetable tray bake like this one, or a more cheeky option like open-face sandwiches with crispy potatoes, I am not afraid to experiment with a sheet pan!

Here are some of the ways I’ve shaken things up once the base technique was nailed:

  • I have swapped broccolini (which is usually my favourite), in exchange for bell peppers with success!
  • Try different nut butters in the sauce. I normally go for almond butter since our household is peanut-free.
  • My favourite way to serve this is over rice. But noodles or even roasted sweet potatoes make a great way to change things up!
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Sheet Pan Sticky Garlic Ginger Tofu and Broccolini

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 5 reviews
  • Author: Olivia Biermann
  • Prep Time: 15
  • Cook Time: 30
  • Total Time: 45 minutes
  • Yield: 2 servings
  • Category: main dish
  • Method: sheet pan
  • Cuisine: American
  • Diet: Vegan
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Description

A sheet pan dinner that rivals take out, uses minimal dishes and saves you time! This sheet pan tofu and broccolini features firm tofu in a soy sauce, garlic, and ginger sauce alongside tender broccolini. Perfect served on top of rice!

Ingredients

  • 1 block (12 oz) firm tofu, pressed and ripped into chunks
  • 1/2 cup all purpose flour or gluten-free all purpose flour
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 2 packages – about 1 lb total (or about 3 cups broccoli florets)
  • oil for drizzling

Sticky Garlic Ginger Sauce:

  • 1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1/4 cup orange juice
  • 1/4 cup maple syrup, brown sugar or agave
  • 2 tbsp nut butter like almond, peanut or sunflower seed
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tbsp minced fresh ginger, or 1 tsp dry ground ginger
  • 1/4 cup chopped green onion
  • 1 tbsp corn starch + 3 tbsp water (for thickening)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 425 F. Line a large sheet pan (baking sheet) with parchment paper.
  2. In a mixing bowl, combine flour, paprika and black pepper and whisk to combine. Add tofu chunks and toss to coat.
  3. Place on prepared sheet pan and drizzle liberally with oil. Bake for 25 minutes, flipping tofu chunks half way through.
  4. Meanwhile, in a small pot on the stove, combine the sauce ingredients except for the cornstarch and water. Whisk until combined and bring to a gentle simmer. Combine the cornstarch and water in a small dish, then pour into simmering sauce, whisking immediately until thickened slightly.
  5. Add the broccolini to the sheet pan and drizzle with oil and sprinkle salt and pepper (if desired). Bake 8 to 10 minutes until broccolini is fork-tender and tofu is golden and crisp.
  6. Drizzle the sauce over the tofu and bake 2 to 3 minutes until thickened.
  7. Remove from oven and let cool slightly before serving. Add a sprinkle of sesame seeds, if desired. Serve with rice, noodles, quinoa or on its own. Enjoy!

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