Two of my favorite things in the culinary universe are tofu and BBQ sauce, so this sheet-pan dinner is a win-win in my book. BBQ-spiced tofu is baked alongside sweet potatoes and broccoli until it’s crisp and then lacquered with BBQ sauce for a no-mess meal that’s craveable enough to eat straight off the pan, standing over the stove (take it from someone who’s done it more than once).
Prepping the tofu:
While many recipes will prompt you to press the tofu to expel its interior water, I prefer to douse it in salted boiling water. It might sound counterintuitive, but the temperature shock causes the proteins in the tofu to tighten, pushing out the water inside. At the same time, the salt in the boiling water seeps into the tofu, seasoning it all the way through. In testing, I tried both the boiling water and the pressing methods side by side, and I ultimately found that I preferred the boiling water because of its superior seasoning and its less compact texture; however, if you’re just dying to break out your new tofu press—be my guest.
Prepping the sweet potatoes & the broccoli:
How a vegetable is cut is surprisingly important when roasting. It’s even more crucial when the vegetables are roasting on the same sheet pan with other items and everything is supposed to be done at the same time. After a lot of trial and error, I determined that 1/3″ was the perfect thickness for the sweet potatoes to reach that tender-but-not-mushy place, and that florets that are 1 1/2″ wide and 3″ long are ideal for the broccoli. (Yes, I used a ruler. No, you don’t have to…but if you’re into making sure your roasted vegetables have a superlative final texture, it wouldn’t be a bad idea.)
Storage:
Leftovers will keep for up to 3 days stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. You can store the elements separately or together. I personally enjoyed them cold, but if you wanted to reheat, the microwave is the best option.
Made this? Rate and review it below!
