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    Home » Recipes » Easy Recipes

    Broiled Tofu with Cilantro Pesto

    Modified: Jan 9, 2018 · Published: Aug 5, 2015 by Ashley

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    Pesto gets some Asian flair with cilantro, fish sauce, sesame oil and lime in this vibrant tofu dish.

    It's been a while since I cooked with tofu. My family loves it, and it's a nice alternative to meat-filled main courses occasionally.

    This dish is really simple to put together, and the flavor of the pesto goes really well with the tofu.

    Broiled Tofu with Cilantro Pesto

    I cut this recipe in half when I made it, and served it as a main course with a side of steamed basmati rice. Instead of spraying the baking sheet and then brushing both sides of the tofu, I just drizzled a thin layer of oil on the sheet, plopped down the slices of tofu and moved them around a little to coat with oil, flipped 'em and moved them around a little more so that both sides were coated. It worked really well.

    The fish sauce really makes the pesto unique, but if you want to keep this vegetarian/vegan friendly, you can substitute soy sauce.

    My family really enjoyed this meal. I particularly liked biting through the crispy exterior of the tofu and enjoying the silky center. Delicious!

    Oh, and on a funny note - apparently I made this recipe back in 2009 and we didn't care for the Asian twist in the pesto. I think we're more into fish sauce than we used to be, which probably explains it. I mean, I do have more years of cooking under my belt now, so that's probably part of it as well. I guess just proceed with caution if you aren't really into the potent flavor of fish sauce (or go ahead and substitute soy sauce for a more mild flavor.

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    Broiled tofu slices on a plate with cilantro pesto and lime wedges.

    Broiled Tofu with Cilantro Pesto

    5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star No reviews
    • Author: Epicurious
    • Prep Time: 5 minutes
    • Cook Time: 15 minutes
    • Total Time: 20 minutes
    • Yield: 12 as a side-dish or 4-6 as a main course 1x
    • Category: Main Dish
    • Method: Oven
    • Cuisine: Asian
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    Description

    Pesto gets some Asian flair with cilantro, fish sauce, sesame oil and lime in this vibrant tofu dish.


    Ingredients

    Scale
    • ¼ cup mild olive oil plus additional for brushing
    • 2 (14- to 16-oz) packages firm tofu, rinsed and drained
    • 2 cups packed fresh cilantro leaves
    • 2 tablespoons pine nuts
    • 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
    • 2 teaspoons Asian fish sauce*
    • 1 teaspoon Asian sesame oil
    • 1 teaspoon sugar
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
    • Garnish: pine nuts; fresh cilantro leaves; lime wedges

    Instructions

    1. Preheat broiler and lightly oil a shallow flameproof baking pan with olive oil.
    2. Cut each block of tofu crosswise into 6 slices and pat dry between several layers of paper towels. Arrange in 1 layer in baking pan and brush tops of slices with more olive oil. Broil 4 to 6 inches from heat, without turning, until golden brown, about 15 minutes.
    3. While tofu is broiling, purée cilantro, pine nuts, lime juice, fish sauce, sesame oil, sugar, remaining ¼ cup olive oil, salt, and pepper in a food processor until bright green and smooth, about 1 minute.
    4. Transfer tofu with a slotted spatula to a platter and serve with cilantro pesto.

    Notes

    Recipe from Gourmet November 2004 via Epicurious

    Pesto can be made 3 days ahead and chilled in an airtight container.

    *Substitute soy sauce for fish sauce to make this dish vegetarian/vegan friendly

    Nutrition

    • Serving Size: 12 as a side-dish or 4-6 as a main course
    • Calories: 376
    • Sugar: 2.1 g
    • Sodium: 543.1 mg
    • Fat: 29.8 g
    • Saturated Fat: 4.2 g
    • Carbohydrates: 8.3 g
    • Fiber: 3.6 g
    • Protein: 21.1 g
    • Cholesterol: 0 mg

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Joanne (eats well with others)

      August 05, 2015 at 10:32 pm

      I can't believe how crispy that tofu got!! Totally a winner.

      Reply
    2. Kare @ Kitchen Treaty

      August 06, 2015 at 10:57 am

      That tofu just couldn't look more golden-brown perfect. Can't wait to try this one! The pesto clinches it.

      Reply

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    Hi, I'm Ashley and I’ve been writing about food & recipes here at Big Flavors from a Tiny Kitchen since 2006. I want to help you (yes, you!) gain confidence in the kitchen so you are excited to cook at home for yourself and your loved ones.

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