Teriyaki Tofu
on Jan 29, 2024, Updated Apr 12, 2024
This crispy Teriyaki Tofu Recipe with homemade teriyaki is better than takeout! Serve with rice and steamed broccoli for a delicious weeknight vegan dinner.
You’ll love this teriyaki tofu!
Crispy tofu triangles are drenched in sticky sweet homemade teriyaki sauce and served with rice and steamed broccoli for a delicious vegan dinner that could rival your favorite takeout!
Teriyaki Tofu is a vegan dinner recipe that not only looks impressive, but tastes amazing! It really is so easy to make homemade takeout style dinners at home.
Once I mastered homemade teriyaki, I knew I needed to make teriyaki tofu!
This tofu recipe will be one of your new favorite dinners! It’s one of our favorite ways to eat tofu along with these tofu wraps.
More takeout style recipes
The full recipe and instructions can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of this post, but here’s what you will need to make this tofu recipe.
Ingredients to make teriyaki tofu
- extra firm tofu: pressed to release the liquid
- olive oil
- corn starch: to coat the tofu
- homemade teriyaki sauce: we use the best simple recipe
- green onions and sesame seeds: to garnish
How to make Teriyaki Tofu
Step 1: Drain and press a block of extra firm tofu for at least 30 minutes. If you do not have a tofu press, simply wrap the tofu block in a dish towel and place something heavy on top of it (I use a cast iron skillet).
Step 2: Cut the tofu into triangles.
Step 3: Place the cut tofu in a large bowl. Add 1-2 tablespoons of corn starch to the tofu triangles.
Toss the tofu gently until totally coated in corn starch on all sides. This will help it get crispy when we pan fry it in the skillet.
Step 4: Now it is time to cook the tofu. Add enough olive oil to coat your skillet, then add the corn starch coated tofu.
Pan fry the tofu for around 20 minutes or so, until golden brown and crispy on all edges. Check often to flip the tofu around so that it can get crispy on all sides.
Alternate ways to cook the tofu
- In an air fryer: (no cornstarch needed) . Spray your air fryer basket with olive oil spray. Place the tofu triangles inside, then spray the tops again with more spray. Air fry the tofu at 400 degrees for 15 – 20 minutes, checking to shake around every 5 minutes or so, until crispy
- In the oven: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place the tofu cubes on it. Spray with olive oil spray and bake at 400 degrees for 20 – 25 minutes, flipping at least once, until desired crispiness is achieved.
Making the homemade teriyaki sauce
Step 5: While the tofu is cooking, make the homemade teriyaki sauce according to the recipe’s instructions. This sauce is so easy to make and comes together in minutes.
In a sauce pan, combine the soy sauce, orange juice, water, brown sugar, fresh ginger, and minced garlic. Heat the sauce until the brown sugar dissolves, around 5 minutes.
In a bowl, mix together the corn starch and cold water to make the slurry.
This is what helps get the sauce to the desired thickness. Add the corn starch slurry to the teriyaki sauce and whisk or stir for 3 – 5 minutes, as the sauce thickens.
This teriyaki sauce is fool proof and so yummy! If you have never made homemade teriyaki before, you will be surprised just how easy and delicious it is.
Step 6: Once the tofu is crispy and the teriyaki sauce is finished, add them together to a skillet and heat for around 5 minutes, until the tofu is coated in the sauce.
What to serve with teriyaki tofu
- serve over: white rice, cauliflower rice, brown rice, ramen noodles, or brown rice noodles
- veggies: serve with broccoli, sugar snap peas, cauliflower, or veggies of choice for a complete meal
This recipe is very saucy, and would be delicious alone or with vegetables on the side. If you like a lot of sauce with your dish, you may prefer the tofu alone with a bed of sticky rice! I roasted frozen broccoli to go along side of the teriyaki tofu and it was amazing.
Garnish the tofu with sesame seeds and green onions on top. Serve immediately and enjoy!
Want more teriyaki recipes? Be sure to check out these yummy teriyaki mushrooms.
This tofu is sweet and sticky and so satisfying. A delicious meatless stir fry dinner that you can make at home! This is one recipe we love to make again and again.
Teriyaki Tofu
Ingredients
For the tofu
- 1 block extra firm tofu
- olive oil spray
- corn starch
for the teriyaki sauce
for serving
- white rice
- broccoli or other veggie of choice
- sesame seeds
- sliced green onions
Instructions
- Drain and press tofu for 30 minutes. If you do not have a tofu press, wrap the tofu in a dish towel and place something heavy on top
- Once tofu is pressed, cut it into triangles (see the picture in the post for how I did this)
- Add the tofu triangles to a bowl and toss with 1-2 tablespoons of cornstarch, or enough to coat the tofu.
- Pan fry the tofu in a skillet with enough olive oil to coat the skillet until golden brown on all sides, around 20 minutes or so. Stir and flip often to get it crispy on all sides.
- While the tofu is cooking, make the homemade teriyaki sauce linked in the recipe card above
- Once the tofu and teriyaki sauce are finished, mix them together in a skillet
- Cook over medium high heat for around 5 minutes, until tofu is coated and sticky and sauce is bubbling
- Serve with rice and optional broccoli or other vegetables
- Garnish with white sesame seeds and sliced green onions
Notes
Alternate options for cooking the tofu:
- In an air fryer: (no cornstarch needed) . Spray your air fryer basket with olive oil spray. Place the tofu triangles inside, then spray the tops again with more spray. Air fry the tofu at 400 degrees for 15 – 20 minutes, checking to shake around every 5 minutes or so, until crispy
- In the oven: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place the tofu cubes on it. Spray with olive oil spray and bake at 400 degrees for 20 – 25 minutes, flipping at least once, until desired crispiness is achieved.
