Za’atar Roasted Tofu With Chickpeas, Tomatoes and Lemony Tahini
Updated March 16, 2026
- Total Time
- 40 minutes
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
1 (14-ounce) package firm tofu, drained and patted dry
1 (15 ½-ounce) can chickpeas, drained, rinsed and patted dry
1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes
Salt and pepper
3 garlic cloves
2 lemons
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 ½ tablespoons za’atar dry spice mix (see Tip)
1 teaspoon dried oregano or marjoram
½ cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
2 tablespoons soy sauce
¼ cup tahini
1 tablespoon honey
1 (8-ounce) bag leafy greens, such as baby spinach, baby kale or mixed greens
Preparation
- 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.
- Step 2
Combine the chickpeas and tomatoes on a half-sheet pan and sprinkle with salt and black pepper to season.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
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.
Private Notes
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.
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.
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.
I messed up and added the lemon juice to the marinade. But it was great! I roasted for 45 minutes total (15 plus 30) and it turned out delicious, did not use the tahini dressing. I also served over rice with the spinach for a grain bowl version and will 100% make again.
Excellent dish! Made with rice and a heap of fresh braised chard from my garden instead of salad greens. Also some green beans from the garden added to the garbanzo/tomato pan. Soaked the garlic in the lemon juice before straining it out, giving more flavor to the tahini dressing. Cut out some of the oil, just cause it seemed like a lot. I was right, 1/4 cup and tablespoon or so was plenty. Will make again :)
A restaurant quality meal, for sure! We’re not tofu fans over here, but we love chickpeas so I decided to try this recipe with swordfish. I stuck to the recipe except that I accidentally added the lemon juice to the marinade and I baked it on convection which blistered the tomatoes nicely and gave the chickpeas a little crunch. I served it family style over fresh spinach on a large platter. They say you eat with your eyes first, and with this recipe you’ll want to dive in. It’s truly a beautiful presentation and the flavors work so well together-even with the lemon juice snafu. Will definitely be making it on repeat and will try other proteins.

