Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Crispy Tofu with Honey-Sesame Glaze
Tender, caramelized Brussels sprouts with extra crispy tofu and brown rice, topped with an irresistible sweet-and-spicy glaze. Gluten free and easily vegan.
Updated by Kathryne Taylor on January 2, 2025
You’re looking at roasted Brussels sprouts and crispy baked tofu over brown rice, drizzled with an irresistible honey-sesame glaze that brings it all together. This recipe features a few staple Asian ingredients, but it’s not one you’ll find on a takeout menu.
Have you made this recipe already, by chance? It’s one of my favorites from four years ago, but I was afraid the photos weren’t doing it justice. Over the weekend, it got some new beauty shots, and I’m sharing it again with some new notes!
This dish reminds me of one of the Annie’s frozen meals that I used to take into my office job when I was starting this blog, the broccoli teriyaki one. Maybe you know it. This is its homemade counterpart, which would coincidentally pack great for an office lunch.
While this recipe requires making several components, I love how the recipe comes together. You can bake the Brussels and the tofu in the oven at the same time, which might seem complicated at first glance, but it’s absolutely not! While those bake, the rice and glaze will be simmering on the stove. Then, it’s assembly time and dinner time.
In fact, I love this recipe so much that it inspired one of the recipes in my cookbook—the Roasted Broccoli, Bell Pepper, and Tofu Bowl with Peanut Sauce on page 175. I get hungry just looking at its photo. So good!
Change It Up
This recipe is quite versatile! I’d suggest making it as-is the first time, and then you can play around with these ideas.
- You can easily change up this recipe by choosing to use different vegetables (broccoli and bell pepper were fantastic in my cookbook recipe).
- You could also drizzle the recipe with peanut sauce instead of the honey-sesame glaze.
- Or, increase the sprouts to 2 pounds, omit the tofu and rice, and you’ll have an irresistible Brussels sprout side dish (better yet, follow my Kung Pao Brussels sprouts recipe).
Please let me know how the recipe turns out for you in the comments! I’m always so happy to hear from you.
Watch How to Make Roasted Brussels Sprouts & Crispy Baked Tofu with Honey-Sesame Glaze
Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Crispy Baked Tofu with Honey-Sesame Glaze
Tender, caramelized brussels sprouts with extra crispy tofu and brown rice, topped with an irresistible sweet-and-spicy glaze. This meal requires some prep work, but once you’re ready, you can cook the rice, sprouts and tofu in about 30 minutes, while making the glaze in the meantime.
Ingredients
Brown rice
- 1 ¼ cup brown rice, preferably short grain
Roasted brussels sprouts
- 1 ½ pounds Brussels sprouts
- 1 ½ tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- Fine grain sea salt
Extra crispy baked tofu
- 1 block (15 ounces) organic extra-firm tofu
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon reduced-sodium tamari* or soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon arrowroot starch or cornstarch
Spicy honey-sesame glaze
- ¼ cup reduced-sodium tamari* or soy sauce
- 3 tablespoons honey or maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
- 1 to 3 teaspoons chili garlic sauce or sriracha (depending on how spicy you like it)
Garnish
- 2 tablespoons sesame seeds (I used black sesame seeds but regular white are fine as well)
- Big handful fresh cilantro leaves, torn by hand
Instructions
- Prep work: Position your oven racks in the lower third and upper third of the oven.Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Line two large, rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper for easy cleanup (and to prevent the tofu from sticking). Bring a large pot of water to boil for the rice. Rinse the rice in a fine mesh colander under running water and set aside.
- Drain the tofu and use your palms to gently squeeze out some of the water. Slice the tofu into thirds lengthwise so you have 3 even slabs. Stack the slabs on top of each other and slice through them lengthwise to make 3 even columns, then slice across to make 5 even rows (see photos).
- Line a cutting board with an absorbent lint-free tea towel or paper towels, then arrange the tofu in an even layer on the towel(s). Fold the towel(s) over the cubed tofu, then place something heavy on top (like another cutting board, topped with a cast iron pan or large cans of tomatoes) to help the tofu drain. Let the tofu rest for at least 10 minutes while you prep the Brussels sprouts.
- Trim the nubby ends and any discolored leaves off the Brussels sprouts, then cut the sprouts in halves lengthwise. Toss the sprouts with a light, even layer of olive oil. On a large baking sheet, arrange the sprouts in an even layer, flat sides down, and sprinkle with sea salt.
- Transfer the pressed tofu to one of your prepared baking sheets and drizzle with the olive oil and tamari. Toss to combine. Sprinkle the arrowroot starch over the tofu, and toss the tofu until the starch is evenly coated, so there are no powdery spots remaining. Arrange the tofu in an even layer across the pan.
- To cook the rice: Once the water is boiling, add the rice. Let the rice boil for 30 minutes, then remove from heat and drain the rice. Transfer the drained rice back to the cooking pot and cover for 5 minutes. Remove lid, add a dash of sea salt and use a fork to fluff the rice. Set aside, partially covered, until you’re ready to serve.
- To bake the sprouts and tofu: Transfer the pan of Brussels sprouts to the lower oven rack, and the pan of tofu to the top rack. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, tossing the contents of each pan halfway through cooking, until the sprouts and tofu are deeply golden on the edges.
- To make the glaze: In a small saucepan, whisk together the glaze ingredients (start with 1 teaspoon chili garlic sauce or sriracha and add more to taste). Bring the glaze to a gentle boil over medium heat, stirring often and reducing heat as necessary. Simmer until the glaze is reduced by about half (about 5 to 10 minutes; it’s about done when it starts bubbling up substantially). Remove the glaze from the heat and set aside.
- To assemble: Divide the rice onto four plates. Top each plate with sprouts and tofu and drizzle with glaze. Finish each plate with a very generous sprinkling of sesame seeds and a small handful of chopped cilantro.
Notes
Glazed brussels sprouts adapted from Greens and Chocolate. Tofu adapted from The Kitchn.
*Tamari note: Definitely use reduced-sodium tamari or soy sauce. Otherwise, this dish will taste too salty.
Make it vegan: Use maple syrup instead of honey.
Make it gluten free: This dish is gluten free as long as you use gluten-free tamari, which is a variety of soy sauce that is usually (but not always, check the label) gluten free. I always use tamari instead of soy sauce because I prefer the flavor of it! Look for tamari next to the soy sauce in the Asian aisle of the grocery store.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.
We are just starting to add more vegetarian and vegan recipes to our repertoire. We added garlic and ginger to the sauce. Really tasty. It is pretty spicy. Definitely follow the low sodium suggestions. Mushrooms would be a good addition. We thought adding some scallions at end would be really tasty. I wish I knew how to add my own changes to a recipe before saving it. I love this site!
Thank you for sharing what you did and that you loved it!
Hi Kate! You probably won’t see this since I’m posting way after you’ve published this recipe, but I wanted to let you know this recipe rocked! It’s so tasty, I keep it in rotation every 2 weeks. I’ve been making the transition to a meat-free diet and I’m so glad to have found a go-to recipe. Cheers!
I’m so glad you loved it, Stef! Thanks for commenting.
Made this last night, and it was absolutely delicious. I love a one bowl meal and this glaze is wonderful!
Thank you, Jeannie!
I was so happy with the way this dish came out. I haven’t always been successful with making tofu so I was a bit hesitant. But the directions were easy to follow and it came out soooo good. My husband and I really enjoyed it. This will be on our repeat list for sure.
Thanks for sharing, Marla!
This is delicious! It came together easily and without too much effort. (I didn’t have enough brussels sprouts, so I did a combination of brussels and broccoli, which worked great). I’ll definitely make this again! Thank you!
You’re welcome, Kathy!
This is absolutely amaze-balls. Thank you!
You’re welcome, Sarah! Thanks for your review.
This was so delicious and easy. I made it even easier by getting sprouted tofu from Trader Joe’s and cooking it in an air fryer after spraying it with cooking oil and adding the salt. I didn’t need to press it or add tapioca starch.
Doubled the quantities so I had some for the next few meals too but it was so easy to make and delicious as well! Thank you for all your wonderful recipes!
You’re welcome, Mitali!
This is so good! When I lived in Tallahassee, FL I used to to go to Mr. Robotos just for their Tofu General Tso, it was amazing because of the way they cooked the tofu. I have not been able to duplicate it….until now! I love this even better than Mr. Roboto’s tofu! My husband is not a fan of Brussel Sprouts so I substituted with kale and it was still very good. I also made my sauce kind of spicy, like the previous review, but with red pepper flakes so I think I’ll try her idea and add garlic and ginger.
I’m happy this meets your expectations, Michelle!
We love this recipe and I make it every other week! So good with broccoli, too. Trying it tonight with cabbage and sweet potatoes because that’s all I have left in the fridge haha!
That’s great to hear, Katie!
Made this for dinner tonight. Will be a staple for us! Loved it! I had leftover pad thai noodles so I used that instead of rice. It was delish! I also zested fresh ginger and garlic in the glaze. Simple and healthy and vegan friendly!! Thank you for sharing!
That sounds like a great way to change it up, Maria!
I really love this recipe! Any idea how long the glaze would keep in the refrigerator?
They should keep for a few days, however best served right away.
So good…
Kate, I’m so excited to make this, but I cannot figure out what I’m supposed to do with that tablespoon of soy sauce and the tofu. Do I marinate it? Brush it on before baking? Am I just missing something?
Thanks for your fabulous site! Rock Chalk!
Hi! See step, 5. I hope that helps! You add it in with the oilve oil.
I recently went veg! My husband has been surprisingly supportive, for a hunter/fisherman, until I mentioned tofu! I made this and changed his mind. He ate the entire dish!! Thank you Kate!
Another great recipe – Love it when the carnivore husband approves and says “we can make that again”!
Thank you!
Win! Thank you for your review, Dana.
This is truly one of our favorites! So hearty and delicious! We make it most when brussel sprouts are in season.
This was my first time to cook with tofu. I am really trying to incorporate more vegetarian meals into my diet and stumbled across your blog. Whoa! This is amazing! I made for my lunch and now I am looking up more recipes that you have with tofu. So great! Thank you so much for sharing!
You’re welcome, Allyson!
I must say, Kate: I rarely temper with any of your recipes, as they come perfect the first time around. Today, though, as I didn’t have short grain brown rice, I used black rice, which was delicious. I have made this dish several times, and I love its taste and simplicity. Thank you so much for all the inspiration I derive from your blog: every new meal can be totally exciting!
Thank you for sharing! I’m glad it worked well.
My husband and I switched to a vegan diet a couple months ago and we’ve enjoyed trying some of your recipes. Made this one last night (with maple syrup for the vegan option) and it was absolutely delicious! I also added ginger and garlic to the glaze. Served it with brown jasmine rice. My husband is not a fan of brussel sprouts, but he had two helpings! This will definitely be on our new list of regular vegan recipes. Thanks Kate!
I make this dish at least 2-3 times a month – whenever I can find Brussels sprouts at Costco. It is easy and delish!
This was delicious! Made it with broccoli, red onion and red peppers. Great take on the classic stir fry and much easier to cook!
This recipe was delicious! I made it exactly as is, except that I replaced brown rice with cauliflower rice. Our family is attempting to eat more plant-based foods. This recipe was our first experience eating tofu. In combination with the brussel sprouts and the amazing glaze, this recipe was an enjoyable combination of complementary flavors that we will definitely make again. Thank you!
Thank you for sharing, Amy!
It’s good, however I don’t think salting the Brussel sprouts is needed. It’s awfully salty even with low sodium soy sauce. That’s the only thing I’d change. Thanks for your recipes!
I just…did not care for how this all tasted.
I’m sorry to hear that, Al. I appreciate your feedback!
I had real issues baking the tofu. I believe I followed the recipe to a T, but it stuck really bad on my oven hotel pan and when I tried to flip it over, everything stuck to the pan. The flavor was nice, but the texture wasn’t right. Any tips for how to bake them without them sticking like crazy to the pan? I used olive oil spray to spray both sides right before putting them on the pan but that didn’t seem to help.
Hi Christine, did you use parchment paper? I find that helps. Did you follow my crispy baked tofu directions?
I did not use parchment paper, I’ll try that next time! Cross fingers they won’t stick! :)
Let me know how it works!
I just made the brussels sprouts and the glaze and the glaze was delicious! I will use that glaze for stirfry’s in the future
Curious if you think this would turn out okay using frozen Brussels?
I haven’t tried it! I would recommend thawing them first, then following the instructions.
Came back to this recipe years later after I first discovered it and it’s still AMAZING! Sooo good. It’s definitely one of my favorite meatless recipes!
I’m glad you love it!
Kate, Thank you so much for this delicious recipe! I’ve made it several times. Tonight I used steamed broccoli. Delicious. Thanks for all your recipes as they have been a great help for me transitioning to plant based for health reasons.
I made this for the first time on a Sunday for lunch at home with my boyfriend. After lunch, he proposed! I say this is the recipe that brought me luck! Thank you Kate, I love your recipes and pictures!!
Hi! Have you ever tried to freeze this recipe? Or would you not suggest it?
I don’t think this one would be a great one to freeze, sorry!
This was just phenomenal! Thank you!
Honestly I am not the best cook but thanks to the easy to use recipes, video and website (honestly many other sites are quite annoying to use) my fear going vegan this month has been rewarding. The meals are quick, delicious and filling for our family of three. Thanks so much :)
Hi, I made this last night, following the recipe exactly, except that I used fresh basil instead of cilantro. My husband and I both really loved it, and we’ll be making it again and again! Thanks so much!
I made this two nights ago and it was a hit with my husband. I’ve been using the baking tofu method for other recipes as well…love it! I added the ginger and garlic to the glaze as others suggested. Yummy! We heated up the leftovers the next day in the glaze, mixed with the rice. It was even better than the first time. Love, love, love your recipes!
Ok recipe – not worth all the prep time.
Can you use frozen Brussel sprouts for this? I’m a bit worried they’ll be too watery for glazing but it’s a frozen vegetable I stocked up on during this fun time.
You could try it! Make sure to thaw them first. Let me know how it goes!
Yummy and simple. We substituted green beans for sprouts! Thank you.
delicious! we were craving something chinese take-out like and this was perfect. i had made your kung pao brussels before and this was even better!
Hi Cookie and Kate,
Thanks for teaching me a MUCH smarter way to press tofu! Can’t believe it hasn’t gone viral!!!!
AND at last, a way to get crispy tofu without all of the oil, and stovetop hovering, only to have the crispiness stay in the pan! I will now BAKE my tofu when needed!
Here are a few changes.
I substituted cauliflower for half of the Brussel sprouts and they carmalized nicely!
Here’s a hint on tossing the veggies with oil that my sister-in-law taught me. Place veggies in a large ziplock bag with the oil and tamari, and gently toss them together until coated.
I used only one Tablespoon of honey, and one Tablespoon of Red Curry Paste as a substitute for the spicy garlic sauce or siracha. It was just right for us!
BTW: my husband LOVED this recipe!
Looking forward to trying more of your recipes!
Really appreciated this recipe tonight. Middle of our ‘stay at home weeks/months’. Brussel Sprouts and Tofu have long shelf lives …. brown rice made with 50% water and 50% of homemade vegetable stock was a bonus. Easy, yummy – will make it again – oh and we added the chili paste with garlic sauce – but just 1tsp since these days there is a toddler eating in the house – in the past we would have done at least 2 tsp. Compliments from whole crew here.
Thanks for sharing! I’m happy it was a hit.
This recipe was so good. It’s one of my favorites!
Do you think the honey-sesame glaze would keep in the fridge for a month or two?
Hi Bob, I’m glad you loved it! I’m not sure about the glaze keeping that long. I would suggest giving it a sniff test before using it.
I cooked this recipe for my family tonight and we all loved it! I used a brown rice medley from Trader Joe’s and I was excited with how it turned out. Your recipes have been my go-to for cooking and I’ve loved watching my family enjoy your recipes!
I hope you’re staying safe, thank you!
Thank you, Riley! I’m happy to hear this one was a hit.
I love this recipe so easy and delicious! I personally rarely cook (except pasta) so this was a fantastic way to get into cooking. Thanks for the easy to follow recipe!
I just love making this. I’ve made it dozens of times. It is simple, healthy and delicious.
Thank you for letting me know you loved it, Haydene!
Made this with quinoa and chicken, absolutely delicious! Been binge making your recipes for about 2 weeks now! The peanut Thai quinoa salad is our favourite so far!!
This recipe was perfect! The steps were explained super well and easy to follow. We added green beans and it was great!
This is so flavorful! All the kids loved it too :) If I need a new meatless dish, I have found Kate’s recipes always trustworthy and are something carnivore’s would love too. The flavors are never dull and I always feel good feeding my family these healthy meals!
I just made it- 1/2 the recipe JUST for me-and devoured it all!
It’s amazing! Thank you!!
Loved this recipe! I used rice paper noodles, kale and red cabbage instead of rice as I them leftover and absolutely adored the meal. The glaze is so perfectly soaked up by the sprouts, and the tofu was perfect.