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
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.
This was a perfect meal: quick, simple and satisfying! Next time, I will change the ratio sprouts-tofu since I had left over sprouts, but no tofu. Also, next time I will put some oil on my wax paper, as the tofu got stuck. I will also bake the sprouts an extra 10 minutes. My only change tonight: I used the glaze on the tofu and sprouts, but seasoned the rice with gomasio. Thanks, Kate. I just love your recipes!
Thank you, Regine!I’m glad you love this recipe too!
I have been making this recipe at least once every two months for three years! Sometimes I use broccoli instead of sprouts, when they’re not available and it’s equally good. One thing I started doing was creating a tofu coating with nutritional yeast flakes and salt and then frying the cubes in a pan. It turns out amazing, and almost tastes like Halloumi. It’s just important to put enough salt on the tofu before coating.
Long time user of this one! Love it. Thank you, Steph for sharing!
Hi there ;) I have basically overcooked everything… But still it was delicious! Will try to do it better next time:)
Thanks a lot for the recipe!
I’m sorry to hear this was overcooked! Always start with the minimum time and then go from there. Ovens and stoves can be tricky! :) Thanks for sharing, Gabriele. I’m glad it still tasted delicious, though!
Made this for dinner tonight, and it is very tasty. Both the hub and I agreed that it DID need more sauce, so next time I will double the sauce recipe. The only change I made was using a 16 oz. package of tofu, and using a tofu press to get out excess water. Since others had said that they had wanted a bit more tofu, figured that for the first-time use of this recipe when I like to follow a recipe as it is written, that would not be any big change. Oh, and I used maple syrup to keep it vegan, and because I could not find organic low-sodium tamari (the regular variety of which is as much a staple in our kitchen as, say, flour), I used low-sodium organic shoyu. Which since it has rice wine vinegar as an ingredient, also figured it would not be much of a significant change. That all said, this recipe is a keeper, and thank you Kate, for giving it to us!
Thanks for sharing your experience, Jeanne! I appreciate your details. :)
Turned out great, and finally tried Tofu! Always been like spooked by it. I should also point out that Asian flavors are not my favorite, but very much enjoyed this recipe. I love Brussels Sprouts, especially roasted. Even hunted down a large bag of black sesame seeds. I did not have a low sodium Tamari, but my organic bottle seemed to work ok, at least for me. Thank you, love your receipes, and instructions are very easy to follow.
I’m glad you finally tried it! Made the right way, it’s so tasty. Thank you, Lisa for your review!
Thank you so much for this, it’s perfect!!! I really appreciate you sharing, will make many times.
You’re very welcome, Kacee!
“The best brussels sprouts I’ve ever had” – me and my partner all dinner long!
Thank you!
Love that! Thank you, Maclean for sharing.
This is a really interesting marriage of sprouts and tofu! These are two foods that my daughters just can’t get enough of. Marrying them up is a surefire win.
Thank you, Sam! Happy to hear you and your daughters loved them.
Have you ever used Date syrup? I just tried one by “Date Lady.’ in place of honey- its’ nutritious & delicious.
I will try it soon, Susan!
5 star meal! Made the recipe as is and it was delicious. I cut the amounts in half as it was for 2 people, but made the full amount of glaze. Will use that half tomorrow night on roasted veg & quinoa.
Thanks for sharing, Valerie!
So delicious! I had some broccoli and cauliflower in the fridge and roasted it up too. I used the peanut sauce (thanks for the recommendation) and it was a huge hit. Our six-year-old had seconds (she had hers over rice noodles).
Thanks for sharing, NC!
I made this with tofu, Brussels sprouts, bell pepper, rutabaga, and shallots and the glaze was fantastic with all of it!
Thank you for sharing your variation, Rebecka!
Yummy!! My husband, the carnivor, loved it!! I will definitely be making this again. I added mushrooms to the brussell sprouts and baby bok choy cooked in a pan on the stove top. I am looking forward to playing with other vegetables. I used agave instead of of honey or maple syrup. It worked too. Thanks for this great recipe!!
Great to hear, Samantha!
Top notch and easy peasy with a terrific result. I made this and had a friend over, and she is now “obsessed” (her words) with the sauce. My non-tofu, meat loving boyfriend asked me to double it when I make it next. And I was able to get a quick bike ride in while the vegees were roasting in the oven. I made the rice in my Instant Pot, so that also added to the ease of prep. Thank you C & K!
Love how you started this comment! :) Thanks, Amber!
We had this for dinner last night and loved it. Thanks for all of your recipes, Kate!
You’re welcome, Jessica! Thanks for taking the time to comment and review.
This was very yummy! The tofu was crisp and flavorful. It was also picture perfect!
Thank you on all fronts, Marcia! :)
Made this for dinner last week. It was excellent! Currently eating the leftovers with broccoli as I ran out of brussels sprouts and its also good!
Thank you, Kayla!
Love the strong flavours in this recipe. Really appreciate the ‘Nutrition Information’ as we’re on a diet to lose weight but stay strong and healthy. Thank You C&K!
Thank you, Anne!
I made this last night, and it was so good I had it for breakfast and I’m having it for lunch too! Thank you SO much for the crispy tofu method – I’m still new to tofu and I’m a huge texture eater – learning to make the tofu crispy is a game changer. I cut my tofu pieces a little smaller just in case, and it came out perfect for me. This was my first attempt at one of your recipes – I’m excited to try the rest! Thank you for sharing, and for making your recipes so easy to follow and using ordinary ingredients – I don’t have to be an actual chef to make it turn out delicious :)
You’re welcome! I’m so happy you find this easy to follow. Thanks for your review, Rachel!
I love this recipe- great combination of spices, textures and tastes!
Thank you so much, Hilary!
Made this last night for a vegan potluck. It was a BIG hit—not one morsel left in the bowl! Lots of rave reviews. Great visual appeal and absolutely delicious. Next time, I’ll double the yummy sauce–and increase the Sriracha a bit for kick. Thanks, Kate!
Love to hear that! Thanks so much. Yes, this sauce can go with so much!
Made this last night and it’s amazing! My hubby was very happy, too!
I’m happy to hear that! Thanks for your review, Audrey.
My new favorite meal! I’m just not sure how anyone has leftovers–it’s so good, my husband and I devoured the whole thing! Thanks for the fab recipe, which will surely become a staple around here!
Love to hear that, Caren!
Bf who doesn’t like brussels sprouts loved it, and I did too :-) Thanks for the recipe. Definitely adding it to the repertoire.
Hooray! That’s awesome. Thanks for sharing, JellyBean.
The photo IS doing it justice. Making it this week and it looks fantastic. Cannot wait!
Thanks, Bill!
I did buy your phone app and will be buying your book.
I really enjoy looking for new things to make and you really do a great job of providing the avenue!
Say “hi” to cookie!!
bill
Great recipe, but the glaze was much too salty for us — even when using reduced sodium Tamari. We ended up making the peanut sauce to replace the honey-sesame glaze.
I’m sorry you didn’t love the glaze! Thanks for sharing your experience.
I love this recipe! Made it first time for my newly vegetarian teen daughter. We love all your recipes so far. Thank you for sharing!
You’re welcome, Elaina! I’m glad you liked it.
Oh man! This is probably the 4th or 5th recipe I have tried from Cookie and Kate and I loved it. I’m new to not eating meat due to health issues, so your website has truly been a blessing. :) I used maple syrup and was a bit worried it would be too sweet- but nope! Tasted delicious and I’m looking forward to eating it today for lunch. :)
I’m so happy to hear you are loving the recipes and that they have been so helpful! I appreciate your review, Stephanie. Good luck on your new journey!
One of my favorites!
Wonderful, Bill! Thanks for taking the time to review.
Thanks for including this recipe in your 2018 year end round up. I made this back in November and it was just fantastic! We loved it and I need to make it again. Soon. Every time I make a dish my husband particularly enjoys he says, ‘is this from that cookie or kate person?’…and the answer is nearly always, yes, it is! Thanks for another year of fabulous recipes. Health and happiness to you in the new year.
I’m glad this one is a favorite! I’m glad you husband is familiar. :) Happy New Year, Jennifer.
Can I use frozen Brussel sprouts?
Hi Talli, I’ve never tried roasting frozen vegetables. I’m afraid they might turn out pretty soggy (and they definitely do need to be cut in half before roasting). So I’m afraid they might not be suitable for this recipe.
Thanks for your reply. I ended up substituting red pepper and broccoli for the brussels sprouts. I also substituted date syrup instead of the honey and added some liquid smoke. I ended up overcooking the glaze so I didn’t use it all as it came out quite intense. All in all, it came out very well, thank you!
Loved this recipe. I’m a meat eater, but this was so great… no need for meat. I would double down on the tofu. That glaze is amazing.
You keep up the good work!!!
Thank you, Catherine!
Really enjoyed this meal – the only thing I would change next time is instead of using honey I’d probably go with a more neutral tasting agave syrup. Little lime squeeze and extra sriracha to finish!
Thanks for sharing, Lindsay!
Wow! This was simply delicious! I am not a vegetarian but I like to have at least one meatless day per week. This is the first recipe from your website that I try, and I must say it was amazing! I am sensitive to spicy food, so I reduced the amount of chili garlic sauce, and I think it worked really well. I’ll definitely be trying out more recipes.
Welcome to C+K! I’m glad you liked this one. Please continue to let me know what you think as you try recipes.
Hi Kate,
This was delicious and perfect amount of food for two nights of dinnfer for my husband and I. The first night, I added a little peanut butter to the glaze so it was a cross between peanut sauce/the honey sesame glaze described in the recipe. The second night, I added a little tahini + blackstrap molasses (ran out of maple syrup) and it was just as yummy. The only thing was I used arrowroot starch to crisp the tofu, and it kind of became congealed in the oven? Almost tacky? Blasting it under the broiler for a few minutes helped, but next time I’ll probably stick with cornstarch. I will say that I forgot to drizzle the tofu with olive oil, so maybe that’s why it happened? In any case, the meal was perfect for a week night dinner and will definitely become part of our regular rotation! Thanks for the delicious recipe!
I’m sorry it didn’t turn out for you. That could be the case! Thanks for sharing, Sammi.
Delicious! Made it today for lunch and the husband was delighted. Thanks for the great recipes and inspiration.
You’re welcome! I’m glad you loved it, Jane.
I just came across your page on Pinterest and I’m so glad I did! This recipe and all of your recipes look amazing, I’m making this one right now and can’t wait to try it!! Thank you
I’m glad you did too, Roberta! What did you think?
This was delicious and the tofu was the best I’ve ever made at home!!! Can’t wait to have it again
I used broccoli instead of brussels! It was delish! I love cookie and kate recipes! Seriously happy to have found this website!
I’m happy you found it too, Terra! Thanks for sharing.
This recipe has been a go to for me for the last year. I’ve made it for my weekly lunches countless times. To be honest my work/school lunches are pretty much a steady rotation of C+K butternut squash chili, enchiladas, and this recipe. I tend to eat larger portion sizes, but this consistently makes 3 meals for me. The sauce is DELICIOUS (but is very fragrant so be careful how you pack it!).
Thank you for sharing, Danielle!
Sorry I can’t post a picture because we dug into this dish too fast! I must say, this was absolutely delicious!!! I made it after getting home from work and going to the grocery store so by the time it was ready we were pretty hungry. I love the flavors and think it will reheat well. My tofu didn’t crip up…maybe I pulled it out of the oven too soon. but it was great .
I’m glad to hear you loved it! Thanks, Susan!
So, this is my New site for tasty recipes. I tried this but didn’t get the Golden Brown on tofu as pictured. I used soy sauce instead of tamari. I was so excited to do this. I tried it 2x but decided not again. Another fail! I tweake the sauce because I’m not a sugar gal so I opted for balsamic vinegar instead of honey. It didn’t taste bad but the look wasn’t attractive as pictured here. I even cooked tofu longer on round 2, but got rubbery with a hint of color. Overall, flavor was there but look wasn’t appealing.
Thanks for sharing, Wendyann!
Delicious (but should have used reduced sodium soy sauce as the recipe specifies).
Thanks for sharing, Nina!
Wow! Love your recipes and this one is for sure a winner. Decided I should start cooking at 10 o’clock tonight because I kept thinking how good this looked and it did not disappoint. Thank you thank you thank you (and cookie) !
That is dedication, Erin!
We’ve made tons of tofu dishes, but this was the best!!!! Thank you, Cookie and Kate!
You’re welcome, Nancy! I appreciate the review!
So great!!! I adapted the recipe to use rainbow chard and carrots as my veggies. And served the dish over farro. My kids loved the tofu. I loved it all!! Fantastic vegan (used maple syrup), easy, weeknight meal! Thank you.
Thank you, Rachel! I love you’re kids enjoyed it too. :)
Hey Kate,
OMG! This was one of the best recipes I have ever tasted! My husband and daughter absolutely loved it. It was absolutely delicious and will definityly be a keeper in my home.
I have never baked my tofu before and now will never do it any other way. I wish I could send you a picture of my plate, looks as beautiful as it tasted. Thank you and I cannot wait to try all of your recipes. :o)
I’m glad it was a hit with the family, Pamela! Thank you for your feedback.
Made these – without the rice – for guests last week. They loved it. I doubled the recipe but next time will make even more….
Great to hear, Miriam! Thanks for the review.
My aunt made me this recipe and it was amazing. I’m vegetarian and a college study so sometimes I get lazy and I don’t want to do long recipes and eat bad food. This dish is so tasty though and the recipe looks like it is relatively easy and doesn’t take much work so I’m making it tonight!
Great, Amy!
Just make the baked tofu and brussel sprouts. Oh my gosh what a treat. There is just two of us and with 2 more meals is great! Love tofu and this makes perfect crispy bites that can go in multi recipes. Now having accomplished the baked tofu I will never try to fry it again.
Thank you for all your efforts and the sharing of your recipes.
You’re welcome, Ruthie!
I tried the Brussels sprouts and honey glazed Sesame tofu with brown rice omg this was so delicous I went for seconds yummy yummy yummy
I love to hear that! Thanks, Tracy.