Waffled Miso-Sesame Tofu With Waffled Sticky Rice Recipe

By
Daniel Shumski
Headshot of Daniel Shumski, a Contributing Writer at Serious Eats
Daniel Shumski
Daniel Shumski is a writer, editor, and recipe developer. He has written four cookbooks, including Will it Waffle?, and has written for the Los Angeles Times and The Washington Post.
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Updated March 06, 2019
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A waffle iron's ridges make for beautiful contrasting textures. . Daniel Shumski

Waffling gives tofu a crispy outside and soft inside without the need for deep-frying. And it only takes a few minutes. Paired with a little leftover sticky rice and some condiments, it's a quick and easy meal—and a visual standout.

Why this recipe works:

  • The two-sided heat of the waffle iron crisps the outside of the tofu without any need for deep-frying or standing over a stir-fry pan.
  • It breathes new life into leftover rice, giving it crunchy ridges and a fun, dimpled texture.

Notes: The recipe will work in either a Belgian- or standard-style waffle iron. Use firm or extra-firm tofu sold in water in the refrigerated section. Avoid shelf-stable varieties, which are too fragile to hold together well. Japanese-style rice or Thai-style sticky rice hold together best in the waffle iron; for a little extra insurance, overstuff the waffle iron section a bit—the pressure of the lid will compact the rice and hold it together.

Recipe Details

Waffled Miso-Sesame Tofu With Waffled Sticky Rice Recipe

Active 15 mins
Total 15 mins
Serves 4 servings

Ingredients

  • 1 package (14 to 16 ounces) firm or extra-firm tofu, cut into slices 1-inch thick
  • 2 tablespoons canola or vegetable oil
  • 1 tablespoon sesame oil, plus more for serving
  • 1 teaspoon yellow miso paste
  • 1 teaspoon soy sauce, plus more for serving
  • Nonstick cooking spray
  • 2 cups previously prepared Asian-style short grain rice or Thai sticky rice
  • Sriracha, for serving

Directions

  1. Preheat waffle iron. If it has temperature controls, set it to medium. Place tofu slices on paper towels, top with more paper towels, and press gently but firmly to remove excess moisture.

  2. In a shallow bowl or deep plate, combine canola oil, sesame oil, miso paste, and soy sauce. Place tofu in soy sauce mixture and turn to coat. Coat both sides of waffle iron with nonstick cooking spray. Place tofu in waffle iron, close lid, and cook until golden brown and crispy, about 3 minutes. Repeat until all the tofu is cooked.

  3. Spray both sides of waffle iron with more nonstick cooking spray. Place about one half cup of rice on each section of waffle iron, overstuffing that section a bit. Close lid and cook until rice is just golden and holds together, about 2 minutes. Repeat with any remaining rice.

  4. Chop up rice and tofu along waffle grids and serve in bowl with soy sauce, sesame oil, and Sriracha for drizzling at the table.

Special equipment

Waffle iron

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