This Teriyaki Tofu recipe is one of my favorite weeknight dinners. Imagine lightly crisp tofu, glazed in a sweet and savory homemade teriyaki sauce that's so delicious and crazy easy to make!
Move over boring bland tofu! Trust me when I say, this Teriyaki Tofu will make you love tofu! Personally I love tofu as it's a bland canvas to create any dish you like. It doesn't have much flavor itself, so it absorbs any dressing or marinate you use. Here I've made a homemade teriyaki sauce which is not only delicious, but it's also much healthier than regular store bought sauces which can include additives and preservatives.
The teriyaki sauce takes minutes to make with 6 ingredients, giving you a salty, sweet, sticky glaze to coat your crisp cubes of tofu. The whole dish comes together in 20 minutes making it the perfect weeknight dinner. It's also high in protein, vegan and can easily be made gluten-free. Serve it with jasmine or basmati rice and your favorite veggies such as steamed broccoli, bok choy or oven roasted veggies for a complete meal 🙂
I absolutely love the flavors of teriyaki and would always order it when visiting my favorite Japanese restaurants. As I no longer eat meat, I now love to use the same flavors to make this teriyaki tofu along with teriyaki salmon. You can also use the same recipe and use it to marinate vegetables and noodles... yum! Once you see how easy it is to make at home, you won't want to buy take-out again!
Some other delicious ways to eat tofu are my sticky tofu, tofu steak and rice paper dumplings.
Table of Contents
What is Teriyaki?
Teriyaki is a Japanese cooking technique that grills or broils food with a sweet and salty sauce that coats the food, giving it a glossy caramelized consistency. The teriyaki sauce includes soy sauce, mirin (sweet rice wine) and sugar, but you’ll find there are many variations and has evolved over the years.
Teriyaki sauce is commonly added to proteins such as teriyaki chicken, tofu and fish such as teriyaki salmon. Whilst its popular and commonly used in Japanese cuisine, other Asian cuisines also use this technique.
Why you'll love this recipe
- Quick & Easy: Made in 20 minutes with 7 basic ingredients, anyone can make it!
- Crazy Delicious: Crisp pieces of tofu coated in a delicious sweet and savory glaze
- Homemade Teriyaki Sauce: Bursting with flavor, it's way better and healthier than store-bought!
- Versatile: Enjoy teriyaki tofu over rice, noodles, stir fries or in a cold Asian salad for a weeknight meal
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Tofu is the base of our protein! It’s best to use firm tofu or extra-firm tofu for the best texture. Ensure to always press out any excess moisture and water so you have more flavor
- Cornstarch helps achieve that crispy tofu texture on the outside that we love. Its also added to the teriyaki sauce to assist with a sticky thicker consistency. You can substitute with arrowroot powder or potato starch
- Extra virgin olive oil is for pan-frying the tofu. Any neutral cooking oil like avocado oil or canola oil works. I love sesame oil, but it can overpower the overall flavor of this dish
Teriyaki Sauce Ingredients
- Soy sauce is the base of the sauce. I always prefer using low sodium soy sauce which is salt reduced. Tamari is a great gluten-free substitute
- Pure maple syrup is my preference as its a natural sweetener with a slight caramel taste. You can also use agave, honey or brown sugar
- Rice vinegar or mirin adds a touch of tanginess and acidity. Substitute with apple cider vinegar if thats what you have on hand
- Garlic & ginger are both grated into the sauce as aromatic powerhouses that give so much flavor and lovely aromas
- Garnish (optional), top with toasted sesame seeds, sliced green onions for finishing touches
- Serving suggestions, serve with jasmine or basmati rice and your favorite steamed or roasted veggies such as broccoli, carrots, green beans or asparagus. You can also serve with noodles or over a salad such as my Asian chopped salad
How to make Teriyaki Tofu
This Teriyaki Tofu recipe has been my go-to easy weeknight dinner - ready in 20 minutes. Here are my simple steps below.
Press tofu for 15 minutes using a tofu press or in between paper towels with a heavy pot on top
Make teriyaki sauce. Add soy sauce, maple syrup, rice vinegar, ginger, garlic and 3 tablespoon of water in a small bowl. Mix to combine
Make cornstarch slurry in a small bowl. Add 1 teaspoon cornstarch and 1 tablespoon of water. Whisk to combine
Cut tofu into small bite sized pieces. I've used my hands to tear into rustic shapes (as pictured)
Add 2 teaspoons of cornstarch and toss to coat it all
In a pan, fry tofu with olive oil for 5 minutes over medium-high heat (flip over half way). Remove tofu and set aside
To the same pan add the teriyaki sauce and simmer for 3-5 minutes until it lightly bubbles
Add the tofu with the sauce and toss so all is coated
Add the cornstarch slurry and stir through. Cook for 1-2 minutes until you see sauce has thickened. It's ready to serve!
Tips and Tricks
- Always press tofu to remove excess moisture and water. This allows it to absorb so much more flavor and taste much better
- Don't overcrowd the pan so the tofu can crisp on all sides. It will also prevent the tofu from steaming instead of crisping
- When adding the cornstarch slurry, move quickly and only cook for 1-2 minutes. You want it to thicken the sauce, not become gluggy
- Make extra teriyaki sauce. It's perfect for marinating veggies, chicken, or salmon for future meals
Storage Instructions
- Store leftover tofu teriyaki in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Reheat gently in a pan over medium heat with a splash of water to help revive the sauce until warmed through. You can also reheat in the microwave, but it can dry the sauce out
- Teriyaki tofu can also be frozen for up to 2 months in the freezer. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating
FAQs
Authentic teriyaki sauce consists of soy sauce, mirin, sake and sugar, however it also can include additions for more flavor such as garlic and ginger. Here I have substituted with rice vinegar along with maple syrup for a natural sweetener
Teriyaki is from Japan, and is a traditional method for grilling or broiling foods with a glaze
Technically no, it's not a requirement as you can cook and eat it as is. I do however recommend to press the tofu, even for a short time such as 15 minutes, to remove excess water which will allow it to absorb much more flavor
It depends on the recipe. Some recipes work best with marinated tofu such as my tofu steak, however this teriyaki tofu is made with pan-fried tofu which is then marinated with the teriyaki sauce
More Tofu Recipes
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with Teriyaki Tofu:
I love seeing your creations and remakes, so be sure to rate the recipe, comment and share your Teriyaki Tofu photo on Instagram so I can share the love!
Recipe
Teriyaki Tofu (Easy Dinner in 20 Minutes)
Ingredients
- 9oz / 250g extra firm tofu
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1.5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Teriyaki Sauce
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce - I've used low sodium
- 3 tablespoons pure maple syrup or agave/honey/brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon rice vinegar or mirin
- 2 garlic cloves - grated
- 0.5 inch cube fresh ginger - grated
- 4 tablespoons water
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
Garnish
- Sesame seeds and / or sliced green onions
- Serve with basmati rice and vegetables
Instructions
- Press the tofu for approximately 15 minutes using either a tofu press or place it in between a clean kitchen towel or paper towels with a heavy object on top such as a pot
- In the meantime, make the teriyaki sauce by adding the soy sauce, maple syrup, rice vinegar, ginger, garlic and 3 tablespoons of water in a small bowl. Mix to combine
- In a separate small bowl or ramekin, add 1 teaspoon of cornstarch and 1 tablespoon of water to make the cornstarch slurry. Mix or whisk to combine well so there are no clumps
- Once pressed, cut tofu into small bite sized pieces. You can also use your hands to tear the tofu into rustic shapes like I have done Place in a large bowl, add 2 teaspoons of cornstarch and toss so that the tofu is coated
- Add olive oil to a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the tofu pieces in a single layer so they're not touching. Pan fry for 5 minutes, flipping the sides over half way so they're all lightly golden brown with a slight crisp
- Transfer the tofu to a plate and add the teriyaki sauce to the same pan. Allow it to simmer for 3-5 minutes until you can see it lightly bubbling
- Add the tofu back to the pan and toss so that all the pieces are coated in the sauce
- Pour in the cornstarch slurry and stir through. Allow it to cook for 1-2 minutes until you see the sauce has thickened up nicely and its ready to serve! Serve some basmati rice in bowls and top with your delicious glazed Teriyaki Tofu and veggies. Garnish with a sprinkle of sesame seeds, sliced green onions and enjoy!
Brushjl says
Delicious. I love tofu and this was great, but even tofu haters would like this.
Ayeh Manfre says
Amazing to hear! 🙂