Sheet Pan Tofu Steaks with Veggies and Lemon Caper Sauce
Tofu Steaks and veggies cook side by side on a sheet pan for a simple dinner with easy clean up. The Lemon Caper Tahini Sauce is so tasty I could drink it...but, drizzle it over everything for a super weeknight vegan dinner.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees and line a large rimmed baking sheet with unbleached parchment paper.
Drain tofu and place on a clean dish towel that's been folded over. With tofu surrounded on both sides by the cloth, place something heavy on top (like a cast iron skillet) to press out extra liquid.
Meanwhile, whisk together vinegar, tamari, arrowroot, paprika, turmeric and pepper.
Slice the tofu into 4 rectangular slabs by cutting through the thinner side in half and then into quarters. Score the surface of each with a sharp knife, being careful not to cut all the way through. This will give the marinade a way to easily penetrate into the tofu.
Place the tofu steaks in the center of prepared pan and brush half the marinade onto the tops, pushing some into the crevices. Flip and baste the other side with remaining marinade.
Snap the ends off the asparagus. They will naturally break where the woody part ends. Scatter them around the pieces of tofu.
Trim the ends off carrots and peel them. Slice through lengthwise and then continue to slice into them, until they're about equal thickness to the asparagus. Cut on a diagonal or straight through. Evenly distribute around the tofu and asparagus on the baking sheet.
Drizzle everything with olive oil and sprinkle with the salt, pepper and garlic powder. Bake for 25 minutes in preheated 400 degree oven.
Lemon Caper Tahini Sauce
Measure tahini into a small bowl. Use a microplane to grate the garlic over the bowl. Do the same with the lemon and then squeeze the juice into the bowl.
Whisk well. The tahini will seize up and form a super thick paste...bingo, that's what you're looking for in this step. Now, pour in the water, whisking constantly until it emulsifies and thins out to a pourable consistency. Mix in the capers and voila...the tahini lemon caper sauce is ready!
Transfer the tofu steaks to a serving platter, surrounded by the colorful vegetables. Spoon on the tahini sauce and pass around the rest of the sauce at the table.
Notes
Storage: Store the sauce separately in an airtight container in the fridge. It will last a week and can be made ahead of time. The cooked tofu and veggies will last 5 days in the refrigerator tightly sealed. Reheat: I like to chop the leftovers into bite sized pieces and toss in a hot skillet until heated through. You can also use this method leaving the tofu steaks and veggies whole.