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(Last Updated On: May 3, 2023)
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This homemade teriyaki tofu recipe is so flavorful, delicious and easy-to-make.
It’s baked to a golden brown crispiness and tossed in a sticky homemade teriyaki sauce!
There’s simply nothing better than freshly baked teriyaki tofu over a bed of rice.
It’s the best comfort food ever and I’m so excited to share it with you!
Teriyaki is a super flavorful glaze with a subtle sweetness and complementary flavors of sesame, soy sauce, rice vinegar, ginger and garlic.
I love using brown sugar for this recipe because it adds that deep richness and pairs great with the savory flavors.
I also love adding broccoli to this dish, but it’s perfectly delicious on its own as well, preferably with some sesame seeds and green onions on top over a bed of rice!
Sticky Homemade Teriyaki Sauce Recipe
This classic food used to be one of my favorite take out meals – the strong delicious flavors are all I wanted after a long day!
Now I am pleased to share this recipe that is so easy I’d rather make it at home, it’s cheaper and tastes even better when you make it yourself.
You only need a few ingredients and it’s really ready in no time.
It’s high-protein and low-fat with all the comforting flavors you want!
How to Make Teriyaki Tofu
Preparing the Teriyaki Sauce and Tofu
When you’re ready to make this yummy recipe, start by pressing your tofu with a tofu press (if you don’t have one you can wrap the block in a towel and place something somewhat heavy on top, though I do recommend the press for ease), then preheat your oven to 400 degrees F.
Once most of the moisture is removed, cube the tofu and mix together the other ingredients. Then toss the tofu in them evenly and assemble on a baking tray covered with parchment paper, being careful the tofu cubes do not touch.
Bake for 25-30 minutes, flipping half way through, until they are nicely browned and crispy!
To make your teriyaki sauce, add all the ingredients except the cornstarch mixture to a pan over medium heat and bring to a simmer, cook for 5 minutes stirring often.
Mix together cornstarch and water in a small bowl until cornstarch is dissolved. Slowly pour in while whisking constantly until combined.
Return pan to heat and cook for 2 more minutes until thickened, whisking constantly.
Tossing and Serving the Tofu
Add 1/2 of your homemade teriyaki sauce to your baked tofu cubes and gently mix to evenly coat.
That’s it!
Serve over rice with sesame seeds, green onion and a drizzle more of the sauce!
I do recommend enjoying this dish immediately though, it will not be crispy the next day or if you wait too long to dig in!
Vegetarian Teriyaki Tofu from Scratch
This teriyaki tofu recipe is one of the most comforting dishes you can make.
You’ll be surprised at how flavorful and delicious it is with so few ingredients and such little effort!
It’s simple enough to whip up on a week night while still having that tasty homemade feel.
This recipe is:
Quick
Easy
Delicious
Vegan
Vegetarian
Homemade
Healthy
High Protein
Check out these other easy vegan meals:
Vegan Crispy Korean BBQ Tofu
Orange Tofu Recipe
Thai Peanut Ramen Noodles
Tofu Veggie Buddha Bowls
Vegan Yellow Curry
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Yield: 2 Servings
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
This vegan teriyaki tofu recipe is so simple and delicious! With a homemade teriyaki sauce that is so flavorful with a subtle sweet sesame-ginger taste!
Press* and cube your tofu, then preheat your oven to 400 degrees.
Mix together tofu ingredients and gently toss cubes in and coat evenly.
Assemble on a baking tray covered in parchment paper so none are touching, then bake for 25-30 minutes, flipping halfway through, until browned.
For the sauce, add soy sauce, brown sugar, rice vinegar, sesame oil, ginger and garlic powder** to a pan. Bring to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes, stirring often, then remove from heat.
Mix together cornstarch and water in a small bowl until cornstarch is dissolved. Slowly pour in while whisking constantly until combined. Return pan to heat and cook for 2 more minutes until thickened, whisking constantly.
Pour half of the sauce onto the tofu and mix to coat.
Serve tofu over rice with sesame seeds, green onion and extra sauce drizzled on top. Enjoy!
Notes
*Press your tofu with a tofu press or by wrapping the block in a towel and placing something somewhat heavy - heavy enough to drain the liquid out of the tofu but not so heavy it squishes the block.
**If you'd like to use fresh, use 1 tsp fresh minced ginger and 1 clove garlic and before step 4, add to the pan with the sesame oil and cook over medium heat for 3 minutes. Remove from heat and then follow step 4.
You should aim to marinate tofu for at least 2 hours in the fridge. To infuse more flavour, you can leave it to marinade for up to 2 days before cooking up. Top tip: Don't ditch the leftover marinade when you come to cook your tofu.
Our hand-cut tofu is fried then stir-fried in our house-made sauce and piled onto white rice, brown rice, fried rice or noodles and stir-fried veggies.
If your crispy tofu isn't getting crispy, it could be because there is too much moisture in the tofu. Another issue could be the oil isn't hot enough to fry the tofu. Or you forgot to add the corn flour. These three reasons can cause your tofu to be soggy or not crisp up as much as you'd like.
A light coating of cornstarch will absorb even more moisture from the tofu's surface and contribute to a distinct coating. Sprinkle over the starch (potato starch, tapioca starch, and arrowroot all work too) a little bit at a time and toss the tofu, pressing gently so the starch adheres.
What to not serve with tofu? According to studies, a high volume consumption of tofu and spinach together can increase your risk of kidney stones. Tofu and spinach contain calcium and oxalic acid respectively and the combined can form kidney stones.
Marinade Ingredients: For this recipe, we use a classic and simple marinade of soy sauce, maple syrup, rice wine vinegar, sesame oil, garlic, and ginger. Cornflour: To make the tofu really delicious and crispy, we coat the marinated tofu in cornflour before cooking with it. This is the secret to super crispy tofu!
It can take a while for extra firm tofu to absorb a marinade, so be sure to give it at least 30 minutes. Toss it in cornstarch for crispiness. Coating the tofu in cornstarch gives it extra crispy edges. (For less crispiness, you can also add the cornstarch directly to the marinade.)
Press tofu and cube it. Coat it in garlic, black pepper, salt (plus more of your favourite seasonings), liquid aminos and some olive oil. Then mix it into some cornstarch and toss it all together, then bake for about 20 minutes. Cornstarch also helps to draw out excess moisture so it really gets the tofu crispy.
Pressing can be important but it depends on the recipe. It can make a lot of difference, particularly where the tofu is being pan-fried or baked and you want the slices or pieces of tofu to hold their shape.
Type of oil to use for frying tofu: Canola is great and so are vegetable/soybean oil and refined peanut oil. In general, choose a neutral-flavored oil that has a high smoking point. That is, don't deep-fry with sesame oil.
Many cooking experts champion a quick soak as a way to give the protein more texture and flavor. “Simmering cubed tofu in salted water for 60 seconds pulls out excess moisture and tightens the proteins on its surface,” Lukas Volger told Bon Appétit in 2021.
For the best texture, press the tofu using a tofu press or cast-iron skillet for 20 to 30 minutes. If you're short on time, just drain the tofu and gently press it in a kitchen towel or paper towels over the sink. The tofu won't be as firm this way, but it will still be delicious!
Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of the cornstarch over the tofu, then toss to evenly coat. Continue sprinkling and tossing until all the cornstarch is used. This is most easily done with a small strainer, but can also be done by sprinkling with your hands.
Toss until evenly coated. Try to be gentle with the tofu so that the cubes stay intact. I find using a big rubber spatula helps. Sprinkle the cornstarch over the seasoned tofu and once again toss until tofu is evenly coated and there's no dry cornstarch left at the bottom of the bowl.
Cold, raw tofu rejects marinades because of its high water content and low porosity. It will eventually suck up a marinade, but mostly on the surface, and only after a long, long time (think a couple of days). Par-cooking it speeds up the process by driving out some of that water, leaving more room for seasonings.
I recommend always pressing tofu before baking it, especially if you're marinating it first — removing excess liquid will make room for all that flavorful marinade.
Marinate the tofu for 30 minutes at room temperature, or refrigerate for up to 1 day. Cook according to your preferred method: Baked Tofu, Air Fryer Tofu, or to cook on the stove, heat 1 1/2 tablespoons canola oil (or a similar high-temperature neutral cooking oil) in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
Let marinade stand for 10 minutes to give the flavors in the mixture some time to bloom. Store marinade in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to five days. To use: Marinate red meats for 4 to 12 hours, poultry for 2 to 6 hours, seafood and vegetables for up to 1 hour.
Introduction: My name is Barbera Armstrong, I am a lovely, delightful, cooperative, funny, enchanting, vivacious, tender person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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