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Make this Sticky Teriyaki Tofu Recipe for a quick and delicious dinner tonight! Crispy baked tofu is tossed in a homemade vegan teriyaki sauce and served over rice and veggies. Vegan, Gluten-Free Option.
Who can say no to Baked Teriyaki Tofu for dinner? Crispy baked tofu nuggets are tossed in a glistening and perfectly sticky homemade teriyaki sauce and served with rice and vegetables. With only 10 minutes of prep and the same great flavors as your favorite Japanese restaurant, it’s a surprisingly wholesome takeout-style dinner you can throw together any night of the week.
Table of Contents
A Weeknight Meal with Takeout-Worthy Flavors
It doesn’t matter if you’re tofu’s #1 fan or if you still need to learn to love this block of soy; baking it and covering it in a great sauce is the best way to turn tofu into your favorite food. Those crispy, meaty, and protein-packed nuggets are totally irresistible once you hit them with General Tso’s, orange, sweet and sour, or teriyaki sauce!
Personally, this 30 Minute Teriyaki Tofu Recipe is one of my favorites. Crispy and chewy baked tofu nuggets are drenched in an umami-rich homemade teriyaki sauce and tossed with sesame seeds and green onions to give you a simple meal that mimics your favorite teriyaki chicken. Pair the warm, sticky tofu with white jasmine rice and your favorite steamed veggies, then serve hot for dinner, meal prep, or lunch.
Ingredients for Teriyaki Tofu
Like many of my other tofu recipes, you’ll need a mix of everyday ingredients, Japanese staples, and fresh items to put this simple dinner together. Here’s what you need:
- Tofu: the firmer, the better! I used extra firm tofu because it isn’t very watery and has a meaty texture. Super firm is even better if you can find it.
- Soy Sauce: this adds color, a kick of umami, and some saltiness to the baked tofu and teriyaki sauce.
- Mirin: this sweet and slightly acidic Japanese rice wine is one of the key components of authentic teriyaki sauce recipes. You can usually find it in the international aisle of well-stocked grocery stores, in Asian grocery stores, or online.
- Cornstarch: sprinkling cornstarch over the tofu helps it crisp up in the oven. It’s also used as a thickening agent in the teriyaki sauce, ensuring each piece of perfectly crispy baked tofu gets nice and saucy.
- Fresh Ginger: I like my teriyaki sauce with plenty of zing and a hint of spice, so I’ll always make it with the full 2 tablespoons of grated fresh ginger. However, if you prefer a mild, more traditional teriyaki flavor, only use 1 tablespoon.
- Finishing Touches: sliced green onions and sesame seeds are tossed with the teriyaki tofu to help every bite feel like it came from your favorite Japanese restaurant.
How to Make Teriyaki Tofu
- Tear the tofu into bite-sized chunks and add it to a bowl with the oil and soy sauce. Toss to coat, then sprinkle the cornstarch on top and toss again.
- Lay the tofu pieces in an even layer on the baking sheet and bake until they’re golden brown.
- Whisk the teriyaki sauce ingredients together in a small bowl.
- Warm the oil in a large pan over medium heat. Sauté the garlic and ginger in the pan until fragrant, then pour in the sauce. Simmer until it thickens.
- Reduce the heat, then add the baked tofu, sesame seeds, and green onions to the pan and toss to coat.
- Serve the warm teriyaki tofu in bowls with vegetables and cooked rice. Enjoy!
Caitlin’s Cooking Tips
- Always press the tofu: Taking the time to press the brick of tofu, either in a tofu press or by placing something heavy on top, will yield crispier and meatier baked tofu pieces. Check out my Crispy Tofu Recipe for even more tofu tips!
- Tear it up! Another secret behind the meatiest-tasting baked tofu is to tear the brick into bite-sized nuggets. Those uneven edges are what make this dish feel just like authentic chicken teriyaki.
- Taste as you go: Taste the teriyaki sauce as it’s simmering (this is when the flavors will deepen and change) and adjust the flavors as needed. Add another pinch of brown sugar or coconut sugar for a sweeter teriyaki sauce. For a tangier teriyaki, add another splash of mirin. Craving a touch of heat? Stir in a pinch of dried chili flakes or a couple of teaspoons of Sriracha.
Serving Suggestions
I can’t think of a better and simpler way to enjoy saucy and sticky teriyaki tofu stir fry than atop a bed of fluffy white jasmine rice or brown rice with steamed veggies on the side, such as broccoli, cauliflower, green beans, or bok choy. Enjoy it as a flavor-packed lunch, make it for Sunday meal prep, or turn to it for an easy dinner after a long week. If you’d like to take every bite over the top, serve the tofu over this Instant Pot Garlic Rice with my Roasted Garlic Sesame Broccoli and this Smashed Cucumber Salad on the side.
If you’re looking for more easy takeout-style tofu recipes, you’ll also love this Chinese Lemon Tofu, this Saucy Gochujang Tofu, this Sesame Tofu, and this Vegan Kung Pao Tofu!
How to Store Leftover Teriyaki Tofu
The leftover sauce-covered tofu will keep for up to 5 days in an airtight container in the fridge. You can also freeze the leftovers, but thawing will change the texture of the tofu and cause it to drain more moisture. This will water down the teriyaki sauce, but it will still taste delicious!
The teriyaki sauce can also be stored on its own for up to 1 week in the fridge. Wait for it to cool to room temperature before transferring it to an airtight container or sealed glass jar, then store it in the fridge.
Reheat the leftover tofu and teriyaki sauce in a skillet over medium heat or in the microwave until they’re warmed through.
Substitutions and Variations
- Gluten-Free Option: Make this recipe with tamari or gluten-free soy sauce to keep it gluten-free.
- Low-Sodium Option: The homemade teriyaki sauce isn’t overly salty; however, if you’re watching your sodium intake, go ahead and substitute the regular soy sauce with low-sodium soy sauce or coconut aminos.
- Cornstarch Substitute: Potato starch works just as well as cornstarch and will keep this recipe grain-free!
- Mirin Substitute: Replace the mirin with 1 tablespoon of rice vinegar and 2 tablespoons of water, plus a pinch of brown sugar to mimic its sweetness. An equal amount of dry white wine should work as a substitute, too.
Recipe FAQs
A tofu press is the easiest way (I like the Simple Drip Tofu Press), but if you don’t own one, you can also wrap the brick of tofu in a clean tea towel and place a heavy frying pan or cookbook on top. Set it aside to drain for at least 10 or 15 minutes, or until the towel is very damp.
You can, but I personally prefer the chewy crispiness that baking provides.
1-2 teaspoons of ground ginger also works, but your sauce won’t have the same spicy punch of flavor.
Enjoy! If you make this recipe and decide to share it on Facebook or Instagram, don’t forget to tag me @FromMyBowl + #FromMyBowl! I would also love it if you could leave a comment below with a recipe rating! Thank you for the support 😊
30-Minute Teriyaki Tofu
Ingredients
For the Tofu:
- 1 14 ounce block extra firm tofu pressed
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil or another high-heat cooking oil
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce or tamari
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
For the Teriyaki Sauce:
- 1/4 cup water
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari
- 3 tablespoons mirin (sweet rice cooking wine)
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar or coconut sugar
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch or potato starch
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- 1 clove garlic crushed (or 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder)
- 1-2 tablespoons ginger finely grated*
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
- 3-4 green onions sliced into 1” pieces
- Serving suggestions: cooked rice steamed vegetables, etc
Instructions
- Prep: Preheat the oven to 425F and line a baking sheet with a silicone mat or parchment paper. Tear the tofu into bite-sized chunks for a more meat-like shape and texture, or cut into small cubes.
- Tofu: Add the tofu to a medium bowl and add in the oil and soy sauce. Toss with a spatula until evenly coated, then sprinkle the cornstarch on top and toss again. Transfer to a baking sheet and spread out the tofu pieces so they aren’t touching. Bake on the top rack of the oven for 30 minutes, flipping the tofu halfway through.
- Sauce: Whisk the water, soy sauce, mirin, sugar, and cornstarch together in a small bowl. Set aside.
- Teriyaki Sauce: Warm the sesame oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and ginger and sauté for 30 to 60 seconds, until fragrant. Stir the sauce again to make sure the cornstarch is dissolved, then pour it into the pan. Bring to a simmer and cook for an additional 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has thickened to your liking. If the sauce gets too thick you can thin it out with additional water.
- Final Touches: Turn the heat to low, then stir in the baked tofu, sesame seeds, and green onion. Taste the sauce and add more soy sauce to taste, if necessary. Divide the tofu between serving bowls and serve warm, with vegetables and rice or as desired. Leftovers will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Recipe Notes
- Gluten-Free: Use a gluten-free soy sauce or tamari to make this recipe gluten-free
- Ginger: For a mild, more traditional teriyaki flavor, use only 1 tablespoon of fresh ginger. If you prefer a stronger and spicy ginger flavor like me, I recommend using up to 2 tablespoons!
- Mirin Substitute: replace the mirin with 1 tablespoon of rice vinegar and 2 tablespoons of water. Rice vinegar is significantly less sweet, so if using, add an additional tablespoon of brown sugar to counterbalance this if needed.
Absolutely loved this recipe! I served it over rice and broccoli, topped with some cashews. It was a huge hit with my non vegan husband and my toddler! Will definitely be making again. Minimal effort with big flavour!
So happy to hear that, Kyla!
This is by far the best tofu teriyaki recipe I have ever had, I liked it even more than my favorite take out place. This will definitely be in my dinner rotation from now on.
So happy to hear that, Tiffany!
Elite. Made it twice.
So glad!
Everything about this was fabulous… so easy to put together. Also I loved the way you test the tofu; so crunchy and perfect!!
So happy you loved it!
Caitlin, you’ve done it again! Your recipes never ever disappoint. This is now my favorite tofu recipe. I will be fixating on this until further notice. 12/10. Gave some to my friend and she agreed that it was delicious. Can’t say enough good things about this recipe- so crispy, flavorful and filling. If you’re on the fence about making it,, please do, you won’t be disappointed.
So happy you loved it, Toyo!!
Absolutely delicious! We had some meals from a meal kit program the same week we tried this recipe, and it outshined them all! This recipe has definitely earned a spot in our rotation!
I’m so happy you enjoyed!
Can you air fry the tofu? If so, what temp and how long?
Hi Allie! Yes, you can air fry the tofu instead. Air fryers usually heat the food faster, so I would recommend air frying at only 400F, shake the basket at around 10 minutes, and check for doneness around 15-18 minutes. Also, the tofu pieces should not be touching when baking or they will stick together. Depending on the size of your air fryer you may need to cook the tofu in batches.
Amazing Tofu recipe!!! Hands down the best tofu I’ve had. Tofu is never been my thing because I could never get enough flavor in it. This recipe works! We had it with vegetable fried rice and broccoli. Delicious!