Sheet pan BBQ tofu and sweet potatoes
Sticky, smoky BBQ tofu roasted with sweet potatoes and red onion until the edges caramelize, an easy two-pan dinner that tastes like a backyard cookout.
- 60 min total
- 20 min hands-on
- Anyone can make this
- Serves 4
- About $2.29 a serving
- 520 calories
- Good the next day
- Vegan
- Gluten-free
- Dairy-free
Dolly says: Make the full amount. It’s just as good for lunch the next day.
Ingredients
For 4 servings.
- 2 packages extra-firm tofu, drained
- 2 sweet potatoes, cut into ¾-inch cubes
- 1 red onion, cut into wedges
- ⅔ cup bbq sauce, divided
- 2 stalks green onions, thinly sliced (optional)
From your pantry
- 3 tbsp olive oil, divided
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp salt, divided
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
Each serving has about 520 calories, 27 g protein, 55 g carbs and 23 g fat, and costs about $2.29 at typical US grocery prices. Both are estimates from what the recipe uses.
Missing something?
- No extra-firm tofu? Firm tofu works.
- No red onions? White onions or yellow onions work.
- No green onions? Chives work.
Steps
Tap an underlined word for a quick explanation.
the oven to 425°F with racks in the upper and lower thirds. While it heats, wrap the tofu in a clean towel and press it under something heavy for 15 minutes.
Preheat. Preheating means turning the oven on before you start, so it’s fully hot when the food goes in. Food that starts in a cold oven cooks unevenly and doesn’t brown the same.
How you’ll know: The oven beeps or its light clicks off, usually 10 to 15 minutes after you turn it on.
Timer: 15 min
Dolly’s tip: Pressing squeezes out water so the tofu roasts chewy and golden instead of soft.the sweet potatoes and onion on a with 2 tablespoons oil, the smoked paprika, ½ teaspoon salt and the pepper. Spread them out in one layer.
Toss. Tossing means gently lifting and turning food so everything gets coated, like pasta in sauce or vegetables in oil. It coats every piece evenly without mashing anything.
How you’ll know: Every piece looks glossy or evenly coated, with no dry spots hiding underneath.
Sheet pan. A sheet pan is a flat metal baking tray with a low rim all the way around. The rim catches juices, and the wide surface lets food spread out and brown.
How you’ll know: Everything fits in one layer with a little space between the pieces.
the potatoes on the lower rack for 10 minutes while you get the tofu ready.
Roast. Roasting means cooking in a hot oven, around 400°F to 450°F, usually spread out on a sheet pan. The dry heat browns the outside and brings out sweetness, especially in vegetables.
How you’ll know: The edges are browned and a little crisp, and a fork slides easily into the thickest piece.
Timer: 10 min
Dolly’s tip: Sweet potatoes take longer than tofu, so they get a head start.the tofu dry and cut it into 1-inch . them on a second with the rest of the oil, the garlic powder, ½ teaspoon salt and the cornstarch.
Pat dry. Patting dry means pressing paper towels onto food to soak up the moisture on its surface. Wet food steams instead of browning, so this is how you get a good sear and crisp skin.
How you’ll know: The surface feels tacky, not wet, and the last paper towel comes away barely damp.
Cube. Cubing means cutting food into chunky, even squares, usually three quarters of an inch to an inch. Same-size cubes cook at the same speed and brown on every side.
How you’ll know: Your pieces look like a handful of sugar cubes, a little bigger than diced, all close to the same size.
Toss. Tossing means gently lifting and turning food so everything gets coated, like pasta in sauce or vegetables in oil. It coats every piece evenly without mashing anything.
How you’ll know: Every piece looks glossy or evenly coated, with no dry spots hiding underneath.
Sheet pan. A sheet pan is a flat metal baking tray with a low rim all the way around. The rim catches juices, and the wide surface lets food spread out and brown.
How you’ll know: Everything fits in one layer with a little space between the pieces.
Put the tofu on the upper rack and both pans 20 minutes, stirring the potatoes and turning the tofu halfway, until the tofu is and the potatoes are tender.
Roast. Roasting means cooking in a hot oven, around 400°F to 450°F, usually spread out on a sheet pan. The dry heat browns the outside and brings out sweetness, especially in vegetables.
How you’ll know: The edges are browned and a little crisp, and a fork slides easily into the thickest piece.
Golden brown. Golden brown is the color of good toast, somewhere between yellow and light brown. It means the outside is cooked and crisp but not burnt.
How you’ll know: It looks like toast and smells toasty; dark brown with a bitter smell means it went too far.
Timer: 20 min
Food safety: Tofu is safe to eat straight from the package; cooking is only for texture and flavor.
Pour half the BBQ sauce over the tofu and right on the pan.
Toss. Tossing means gently lifting and turning food so everything gets coated, like pasta in sauce or vegetables in oil. It coats every piece evenly without mashing anything.
How you’ll know: Every piece looks glossy or evenly coated, with no dry spots hiding underneath.
5 minutes more, until the sauce turns sticky and dark at the edges.
Roast. Roasting means cooking in a hot oven, around 400°F to 450°F, usually spread out on a sheet pan. The dry heat browns the outside and brings out sweetness, especially in vegetables.
How you’ll know: The edges are browned and a little crisp, and a fork slides easily into the thickest piece.
Timer: 5 min
Dolly’s tip: Watch the last few minutes. BBQ sauce goes from sticky to burnt quickly.Pile the tofu over the sweet potatoes, over the rest of the sauce, and scatter the green onions on top.
Drizzle. Drizzling means pouring a thin, slow stream over the top of something. A thin stream spreads a little flavor a long way.
How you’ll know: You see thin lines across the food, not a puddle collecting underneath.
Plan this in Dollop, and get the grocery list
Dollop puts this dinner on a night that suits your week, lists only what you still need to buy, and walks you through each step while you cook.
