My meal-prep lunches always tend to be super simple. They have to be something easy that 1) helps me get my vegetables in, 2) gets me EXCITED about lunch, and 3) is supremely delicious. So that’s where this Sriracha Tofu and Sesame Slaw comes in. This recipe is perfect for meal prep, insanely delicious, and of course – incredibly simple.
You can make it either in a food processor for the fastest way, or you can do it by hand. The main thing is that this recipe has everything you need – protein, carbs, fats and flavor, all of my favorite things!
For more about this Sriracha Tofu and Sesame Slaw, read on for tips, subs and ingredients 🙂 And of course leave a comment or question if you have one!
Table of contents
Why this recipe is my favorite for meal prep
This sriracha tofu and sesame slaw combo was basically designed with meal prep in mind. Every component improves—or at least holds steady—after a day or two in the fridge, which is the golden rule for make-ahead meals.
Here’s why it works so well:
- The tofu stays fantastic over time. The baked tofu firms up as it cools and continues absorbing flavor from the sriracha marinade, making leftovers just as good (if not better) than day one.
- The slaw doesn’t wilt. Unlike leafy salads, cabbage-based slaws stay crunchy for days. The sesame oil and vinegar dressing lightly softens the vegetables without turning them soggy.
- Everything stores separately or together. You can keep the rice, tofu, and slaw in individual containers or assemble them into grab-and-go bowls.
- It’s balanced and filling. You’ve got protein from tofu, fiber from cabbage and carrots, healthy fats from sesame oil and avocado, and carbs from rice.
- It reheats well and is super transportable. Which is everything I need for a weekday lunch!
If you’ve ever struggled with meal prep boredom, this recipe solves that problem. It’s flavorful enough that you’ll actually look forward to eating it all week.
The ingredients for the sesame slaw
The sesame slaw is the heart of this dish. It’s punchy, nutty, slightly sweet, and just spicy enough to keep things interesting. Best of all, both the dressing and the vegetables are made using a food processor, which means less chopping and fewer dishes.
For the dressing:
- Sesame oil: The backbone of the dressing. You can use toasted sesame oil for a more intense flavor, but I prefer standard.
- Rice vinegar: Adds brightness and acidity to balance the richness of the oil.
- Freshly grated ginger: This gives warmth and a subtle bite.
- Sugar: Is crucial to salad dressings imo.
- Kosher salt: Also crucial!
- Gochugaru (or sriracha): Adds gentle heat and depth.
- Toasted sesame seeds: Nutty, crunchy, and essential for texture.
When blended in the food processor, this dressing emulsifies quickly and turns pale and creamy, coating the slaw evenly without feeling heavy.
For the vegetables:
- Carrots: Sweet, crunchy, and colorful.
- Cabbage (white or savoy): The base of the slaw—sturdy, crisp, and perfect for meal prep.
- Scallions: Add freshness and a mild onion bite.
Once shredded and tossed with the dressing, the slaw becomes glossy, vibrant, and irresistibly crunchy.
The ingredients for the sriracha baked tofu
This baked tofu is spicy, savory, and lightly caramelized, thanks to a simple but powerful marinade. No pressing equipment or complicated steps required.
What you’ll need:
- Extra-firm tofu: Holds its shape and bakes up beautifully.
- Dark soy sauce: Adds depth, saltiness, and color.
- Sriracha: Brings heat and a little tang.
- Brown sugar: Balances the spice and helps the tofu caramelize.
- Rice vinegar (optional): Adds brightness and cuts through the richness.
The tofu is sliced into large slabs rather than cubes, which makes it easier to handle, flip, and portion for meal prep. Baking at a high temperature allows the outside to darken and firm up while keeping the inside tender.
A few suggestions and tips for meal prepping this bowl
This recipe is easy to make all at once, but it also breaks down beautifully into steps you can tackle ahead of time.
Meal prep strategy
- Cook the rice first. Let it cool slightly before storing to prevent excess moisture.
- Bake the tofu. Allow it to cool fully before transferring to containers.
- Make the sesame dressing. This can be done up to 5 days ahead.
- Shred the slaw vegetables and toss with dressing. The slaw will soften slightly but remain crunchy.
- Prep toppings. Slice scallions ahead of time; cut avocado fresh when serving.
Storage tips
- Rice: Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
- Tofu: Keeps well in the fridge for 4–5 days.
- Sesame slaw: Best within 3–4 days, but still good up to 5.
- Assembled bowls: While you can assemble and store these as fully assembled meals, I prefer to store them all separately. This makes it easier to to reheat, and it only takes a few minutes to assemble the bowl when you’d like it!
For serving, reheat the rice and tofu gently in the microwave or on the stovetop. Keep the slaw cold and add toppings just before eating.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! Swap the dark soy sauce for tamari or a gluten-free soy sauce.
Absolutely. This recipe works well with baked tempeh, roasted chickpeas, or even grilled chicken if you’re not keeping it plant-based.
It has a moderate heat level. You can easily adjust the spice by reducing the sriracha or gochugaru—or increasing it if you love heat.
You can, but it will take more time. Finely shred the vegetables by hand and whisk the dressing vigorously until emulsified.
Yes! It’s great on its own, wrapped in lettuce cups, or served over quinoa, brown rice, or even soba noodles!
And that’s it for this Sriracha Tofu and Sesame Slaw recipe!
If you make it, please tag me on Pinterest or Instagram so I can see! It’s my favorite thing to scroll through stories and see what you all are making.
And of course feel free to leave any questions, comments or reviews! This is the best place to reach me, and I’d love to hear from you <3
Equipment
- 1 Food processor or blender any size
Ingredients
- 1 cup uncooked short grain white rice , optional
For the sriracha tofu:
- 1 16-ounce pack of extra-firm tofu
- 1 tablespoon and 2 teaspoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon and 1 teaspoon sriracha
- 1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon rice vinegar or white wine vinegar, optional
For the dressing:
- 1/3 cup sesame oil
- 1/3 cup rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon gochugaru, or you can sub in sriracha
- 2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
For the slaw:
- 2-3 large carrots, 8 ounces
- 1/2 of a small white or savoy cabbage, 16 ounces
- 4 large scallions, bottoms removed
For serving:
- 1 medium avocado
- 2 large scallions, thinly sliced
- Kewpie mayonnaise
- Sriracha
Instructions
- If using, rinse your white rice and add it to a rice cooker, or cook it according to package instructions.
Next, start with the tofu:
- Position a rack to the center of the oven and preheat to 425°F.
- Drain and gently press out the moisture from a 16-ounce pack of extra-firm tofu. Slice it into four long rectangular pieces. Gently press these with a paper towel to get out any moisture.
- In a large bowl, whisk together 1 tablespoon and 2 teaspoons soy sauce, 1 tablespoon and 1 teaspoon of sriracha, 1 tablespoon of brown sugar and 1 teaspoon white vinegar.
- Add the tofu to the bowl and gently mix so that each tofu piece is coated. You can also dip them individually if that's easier.
- Transfer the tofu to a lined baking sheet and bake for 35-40 minutes, or until darkened and slightly firm.
Now, make the slaw:
- Using a food processor, add 1/3 cup sesame oil, 1/3 cup rice vinegar, 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger, 2 teaspoons sugar and 1 teaspoon salt. Process this together until the dressing is emulsified and starts to look white and creamy, this should only take a few seconds.
- Add 1 teaspoon gochugaru and 2 tablespoons sesame seeds and pulse only a few times (you don't want the sesame seeds to break up, just mix in!). Taste and add more salt and sugar as you prefer, then pour the dressing into a bowl.
- Using the shredding or chopping setting on the food processor, shred the carrots, cabbage and scallions into a slaw.
- Pour these vegetables into a large bowl, add the dressing and give the slaw a lot of mixes. It should look glossy.
To combine it all:
- On a plate, add a piece of tofu, a few big scoops of the slaw, and some white rice (if using). Top with a quarter of an avocado, some sliced scallions, and a healthy drizzle of Kewpie mayonnaise and sriracha. Enjoy!
Comments
This was just what I wanted! Love it. You always seem to know what I am looking for… on that note… I really wanted to comment on the saffron crumble! Out of this world!! (It had to be said but for some reason could not comment on its actual page). You are so amazing ❤️
OH thank you!! And I’m getting my site debugged so hopefully you won’t have that issue anymore!
I made this yesterday! Loved it. Your recipes always balance texture so well. I had never tried making slaw in a food processor before- game changer. I have an unbearably small kitchen and this saved so much time and precious counter space.
My husband called this life-changing. That is all.
And that is truly the highest compliment. I’m so glad you both liked it!
Made this recipe for a weeknight dinner tonight – already know I’m gonna make it 101 more times. So happy I’ve got leftovers for lunch for the rest of the week – thanks so much!
I’m so thrilled you liked it!!
The balance of flavors in this dish is just amazing! This was also my first time baking tofu and I loved what it did for the texture.
Is the vinegar listed in tofu step 3 different than the ingredients?
I didn’t make the slaw part of this, but just the tofu was delicious and super easy. Huge fan!
this slaw was so awesome!
YAY! I’m glad you liked it, it’s one of my meal-prep favorites.
Came together super fast and now I have lunch for the week!
Yay!! I hope you love it
I don’t currently have sriracha in my fridge but I do have some other spicy types of sauce. Can the sriracha be replaced by anything else?
Definitely! You can use gochugaru, gochujang, chili-garlic sauce, tabasco, harissa or really any hot sauce. Let me know what you use and how it turns out! 🙂
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