Skip to main content
万博官网
Search
Search

Sesame Broccoli With Crumbled Tofu

4.7

(3)

Read Reviews Triangle
Broccoli and crumbled tofu with sesame and butter beans.
Photo by Hetty McKinnon

There are not many recipes in life where I’d call for boiledbroccoli. But for this dish, I’m making an exception.The salted boiling water is the unlikely hero here, first seasoning the tofu, and then the broccoli, extracting just enough sweetness, imparting just enough salinity. The texture of the broccoli should be tender yet crisp, while a brief soak gives ustofuthat is bouncy and supple. This is a refined dish, with delicate flavors that illustrate how boundless vegetables can be when we exercise restraint. I’ve added creamy butter beans here to make this a hearty one-bowl meal, though you could leave out the beans and serve the tofu and broccoli with a side of brown rice. Though the flavors are chiefly clean, you can lend a heavy hand with the sesame seeds, which add a breath of intensity to the dish.

This recipe was excerpted from 'Tenderheart' by Hetty McKinnon. Buy the full book onAmazon. Click through for moremust-make Hetty McKinnon recipes.

All products featured on Epicurious are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

What you’ll need

Ingredients

Serves 4

1-pound block of medium–firm tofu
1 large head of broccoli (about 1 lb), cut into florets, stem peeled and cut into discs a scant ¼ inch thick
1 garlic clove, grated
1 cup cooked butter beans (about one 15 oz. can, drained)
2 tsp. sea salt
¼ tsp. white pepper
1 tsp. rayu (Japanese sesame chili oil) or ¼–½ tsp. red pepper flakes
1 Tbsp. toasted sesame oil
2–3 Tbsp. toasted white sesame seeds
2 green onions, finely chopped

  1. Step 1

    Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil and season well with salt (taste it—it should taste salty, but not as salty as sea water). Add the whole block of tofu and let it simmer over medium heat for 3–4 minutes, until softened. Remove the tofu with a large slotted spoon (I like to use a traditional Chinese spider ladle) and drain in a colander.

    Step 2

    To the same pan of water, add the broccoli and simmer for 3–4 minutes, until the broccoli is just tender, but still a little crisp and bright green. Drain immediately and run under cold water until completely cool to stop it from cooking further (alternatively, you could plunge the drained broccoli into an ice bath). Drain again.

    Step 3

    Place the block of tofu in a large bowl and gently squeeze with your hands to break it up into rough chunks (it doesn’t have to be uniform at all). Squeeze out any excess liquid from the broccoli florets and stem and add these to the bowl as well. Add the garlic, butter beans, sea salt, white pepper, rayu oil or red pepper flakes, sesame oil, sesame seeds and green onion and, using a large spoon (or your hands), toss well to ensure that everything is combined. Serve immediately.

Cooks' Note

Use any leftovers forfried rice. Leftovers can be kept in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Cover photo of the cookbook
Excerpted by permission of Alfred A. Knopf, a division of Penguin Random House LLC. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.

Buy it on Amazon or Bookshop
Sign InorSubscribe
to leave a Rating or Review

How would you rate Sesame Broccoli With Crumbled Tofu?

Leave a Review

Reviews (3)

Back to Top Triangle

  • 固体4星。干净,简单的菜the added bonus of minimal prep and few dishes to clean up afterwards. As a Cantonese-American, these flavors were quite familiar and reminiscent of congee/porridge which is often garnished with toasted sesame seed oil, white pepper, and scallions. I love the veg-forward take here and found the meal to be light and refreshing. The only minor changes I made were to dial up the amount of tofu (to use both 10oz blocks I had), as well as the broccoli (used 1lb 10oz) since there was no way that the original quantities would have fed my ravenous family of 5—even with the beans (which I had to sub cannellini for since I didn't have butter beans on hand). Upped the flavoring agents by 50% to accommodate for the added bulk, but left the salt at a scant 2tsp and felt that it was sufficiently seasoned, so it might be good for the salt-sensitive to start off easy and add more as needed. Hubs was running late, so we ate this nearly a full hour after I had tossed everything together and it held up quite well. As the weather starts to cool more, I look forward to trying this again with a few complements to make for a heartier meal, such as some nice, basic grilled shrimp or a jammy egg. The broccoli and tofu are a great neutral foil for just about any seasoning, so it would also be nice to just keep the technique and try alternative spices, too. Overall, I'm glad to add this easy, affordable, and healthy recipe to the rotation and will enjoy experimenting with future riffs.

    • andreayung23

    • Northern California

    • 9/8/2023

  • I like the technique a lot. I made it without the beans and enjoyed the subtle delicate flavor. But I can see the potential for this dish with a gochujang tahini sauce for something with punch. An easy recipe for a quick meal.

    • Teresa F.

    • Sacramento, CA

    • 8/4/2023

  • This was quite good, but only after I added soy sauce. I substituted white beans for lima beans, and served it over rice.

    • Don Gaede

    • San Luis Obispo

    • 7/14/2023

Tags Cookbooks Broccoli/Broccolini Vegetable Tofu Bean and Legume Simmer Easy Quick Vegan Vegetarian Weeknight Meals

See Related Recipes and Cooking Tips

Read More
Sheet-Pan Orange Tofu and Broccoli
A take-out favorite meets sheet-pan dinner in this vegetarian take on orange chicken, featuring extra-firm tofu and a fresh, zingy sauce.
Chili Bean Tofu and Vegetable Skewers
These tofu vegetable skewers are a little sweet and a little salty with tons of umami from chili bean paste.
Tofu and Green Pea Curry
A heavily spiced sauce and pops of green peas makes bland tofu a distant memory. Easy to veganize (just skip the butter), this curry is an excellent make-ahead meal.
Char Siu Tofu Bao Sliders
For a lighter take on traditional pork belly bao sliders, fill yours with char siu tofu slices, which get coated in savory-sweet-spicy char siu seasonings.
Stir-Fried String Beans With Tofu
Other types of plant-based protein, such as tempeh or seitan, can be used in this green bean stir-fry.
Tofu and Tomatoes With Spinach and Basil
Sizzling, juicy tomatoes with tofu is a popular dish at the Vietnamese table—it has a wonderful umami and is quick and easy to prepare.
Almost Alfredo Broccoli and Chickpeas
Canned chickpeas and frozen broccoli keep this one-skillet dinner fast and thrifty, while cream cheese delivers on the creamy Alfredo front.
Paella Verde
You can use just about any green vegetables in this vegan twist on one of Spain’s most famous dishes, but broccoli, artichokes, and zucchini are sure bets.