Za’atar Roasted Tofu With Chickpeas, Tomatoes and Lemony Tahini

Updated Nov. 16, 2022

Za’atar Roasted Tofu With Chickpeas, Tomatoes and Lemony Tahini
Johnny Miller for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Cybelle Tondu.
Total Time
40 minutes
Rating
5(3,789)
Comments
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Tofu and chickpeas form the hearty base for vibrant, woodsy za’atar, the popular Middle Eastern spice blend. The tomatoes, when roasted, become acidic, little bursts in the salad, a great complement to the earthiness of the other ingredients. The roasted vegetables, chickpeas and tofu and the tahini dressing will keep for days once refrigerated. Assemble your bowl to order, and enjoy it for lunch or as a light dinner. 

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings
  • 1(14-ounce) package firm tofu, drained and patted dry
  • 1(15½-ounce) can chickpeas, drained, rinsed and patted dry
  • 1pint cherry or grape tomatoes
  • Salt and pepper
  • 3garlic cloves
  • 2lemons
  • ½cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • tablespoons za’atar dry spice mix (see Tip)
  • 1teaspoon dried oregano or marjoram
  • ½cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
  • 2tablespoons soy sauce
  • ¼cup tahini
  • 1tablespoon honey
  • 1(8-ounce) bag leafy greens, such as baby spinach, baby kale or mixed greens
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

693 calories; 47 grams fat; 6 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 25 grams monounsaturated fat; 13 grams polyunsaturated fat; 47 grams carbohydrates; 15 grams dietary fiber; 13 grams sugars; 31 grams protein; 1077 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Heat oven to 425 degrees. Cut the tofu into ½-inch-thick slices and place them on a kitchen or paper towel to dry out.

  2. Step 2

    Combine the chickpeas and tomatoes on a half-sheet pan and sprinkle with salt and black pepper to season.

  3. Step 3

    Using a Microplane or other fine grater, grate the garlic cloves and zest 1 lemon into a large bowl. Squeeze ¼ cup juice from the lemon (using the second lemon if needed) and reserve. Add the oil, za’atar, oregano and ¼ cup chopped parsley to the garlic mixture and stir to combine. Pour half of the marinade over the chickpeas and tomatoes, toss to combine and spread in an even layer. Roast until the tomatoes are just beginning to burst open and the chickpeas are warmed through, about 15 minutes.

  4. Step 4

    Meanwhile, add the soy sauce to the remaining marinade and stir. Add the tofu slices to the bowl and carefully turn each piece to coat both sides. Allow the tofu to marinate while the chickpea mixture cooks, then nestle the tofu slices, topped with any leftover marinade in the bowl, among the chickpeas and tomatoes on the sheet pan.

  5. Step 5

    Roast until the tofu begins to brown around the edges and top, the tomatoes have burst open releasing their juices and the chickpeas are golden brown and crunchy, about 15 minutes.

  6. Step 6

    While the tofu roasts, whisk together the tahini, honey, reserved lemon juice and 2 tablespoons of water. Season to taste with salt and black pepper.

  7. Step 7

    Divide the leafy greens among 4 bowls. Dress the tofu, chickpeas and tomatoes on the baking sheet with 4 tablespoons of the tahini mixture and sprinkle with the remaining ¼ cup parsley. Divide evenly among the bowls and spoon additional dressing all over everything.

Tip
  • Za’atar, the classic Middle Eastern seasoning, is a mix of savory dried herbs, sumac and sesame seeds. It can be purchased as a pre-made blend or made at home.

Ratings

5 out of 5
3,789 user ratings
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Comments

Nice weeknight meal.Added more tomatoes. Prepped in advance: marinated both the chickpea/tomato blend and sliced tofu all day. Dinner was ready in 35 minutes! Tahini dressing a bit flat-I added little cayenne and half clove grated garlic along with hefty pinch salt and some pepper. @James W:Roast Chickpea/tomato for 15 min, then add Tofu to sheet pan and roast for another 15 min.

The full 1/4 c of lemon juice goes into the tahini sauce in step 6. Only the zest goes into the marinade. The only reason you need 2 lemons is in case you can't get 1/4 c of juice from 1 lemon, which happens sometimes.

Adding all of the marinade to the sheet pan when you add the tofu makes for way too much oil. Instead, reserve the remaining half of the marinade; stir in the honey (or maple syrup), lemon juice and a couple of tablespoons of peanut butter, instead of the tahini. Thin it with a bit of water if you need to. This becomes your dressing. Delicious! Round out the bowl with steamed farro and sliced zucchini roasted alongside the tofu.

Enough food to maybe feed 3 people but not 4. It is delicious as written. The directions could be clearer. Step 3 should read: Make marinade - using zester, zest 1 lemon and grate the garlic cloves into a large bowl. Add ¼ cup lemon juice, ½ cup olive oil, 1½ tablespoon za’atar, 1 teaspoon dried oregano and ¼ cup chopped parsley and stir to combine. (Reserve the other ¼ cup lemon juice and ¼ cup parsley for dressing.) Pour half of the marinade over the chickpeas and tomatoes, toss to combine...

Loved this dish!

This recipe has promise but yes it needs some tweaks. Would highly recommend baking the tofu on its own for longer and turning halfway so it becomes crispy. Adding a grain as others have suggested such as quinoa would also make it more of a complete meal.

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