Teriyaki Tofu

This easy stir-fried Teriyaki tofu bowl is a quick and easy, healthy, flavorful meal that the whole family will love!  Perfect for a quick weeknight dinner and pretty and tasty enough for a dinner party, this tofu teriyaki will impress!

You will LOVE this tofu teriyaki because it’s…

• quick and easy.
• vegan, gluten-free, and packed with healthy veggies.
• great for meal prep and make-ahead lunches!
• simply delicious!

What you will need to make a teriyaki bowl with vegetables:

• Tofu – you will need extra firm or high protein tofu.  Soft tofu will fall apart when you cook it.
• Teriyaki Sauce – you can you either use store-bought sauce or easily make your own homemade teriyaki sauce.
  • To make your own you’ll need:
    • tamari or Bragg’s Liquid Aminos (for gluten-free) or regular soy sauce if not gluten-free.
    • water – to dilute the strong flavor of the soy sauce.
    • brown sugar – to sweeten the sauce. (you can also use white sugar or maple syrup)
    • vinegar – to give the sauce the needed acidity.
    • sesame oil – for flavor and a little richness.
    • ginger – to give the teriyaki the authentic flavor.
    • garlic – for flavor.
• Sesame Oil – to stir fry the tofu and veggies in and to give it an authentic Asian flavor. (You can use any oil that you like though).
• Vegetables – any veggies that you like will probably work well in the stir-fry. 
  • My favorites to use are…
    • broccoli
    • bell peppers
    • mushrooms
    • carrots
    • celery
• Rice or Noodles – to serve the tofu and veggies over.  Use your choice of brown, basmati, long or short grain rice or even spaghetti noodles, rice noodle or soba noodles work well too.

How to marinate teriyaki tofu…

I highly recommend that you marinate the tofu before you cook it to get the best flavor.  You have two choices when marinating the tofu.

• teriyaki marinade – this is simply my teriyaki sauce recipe without the added corn starch that causes it to thicken.  (I find that if I use the starch thickened teriyaki sauce, the tofu doesn’t crisp up as well.  Using a thinner sauce allows it to soak into the tofu and doesn’t burn or stick when you cook).
• soy sauce – this gives the tofu a nice flavor without the work of making another batch of teriyaki sauce.  (This method is quicker and easier, and you don’t lose too much flavor).  You can use regular soy sauce or if you want it to be gluten-free use Tamari or Bragg’s Liquid Aminos.

How do I make stir fried teriyaki tofu?

1. Make the homemade teriyaki sauce.  (Omit this step if using store-bought sauce).
2. Drain and press your extra firm tofu to get as much excess water out of it as possible.
3. Cut the tofu into 1/2 inch cubes.
4. Marinate the tofu in soy sauce or the teriyaki marinade for at least 15 minutes.
5. Stir fry the tofu in 1 tbsp of sesame oil on medium-high heat, flipping frequently until the tofu cubes become crispy on all sides. 
6. While the tofu is cooking, wash and cut about 3 cups of any veggies that you want to add to the dish.
7. Remove the cooked tofu from the skillet, add an additional 1 tbsp of sesame oil.
8. Stir fry the veggies for about 3-5 minutes over medium-high heat until they are cooked, but not mushy.
9. Add the tofu back into the skillet with the veggies and drizzle with about 1  cup of teriyaki sauce.
10. Mix well and serve over rice or noodles.

Tips for perfect tofu teriyaki:

• Make sure to drain and press your tofu well.
• Add the thicken teriyaki sauce after cooking to avoid it sticking and burning to the pan.
• Marinate the tofu for at least 15 minutes.  You can marinate it a day or two in advance, but be sure to keep it refrigerated until ready to cook.

To make spicy teriyaki tofu: Add 1 tsp of garlic chili paste akaSambal Oelek to the teriyaki sauce.

Variations of teriyaki tofu:

Extra Crispy Teriyaki Tofu:  You can use my recipe for crispy fried tofu and then pour the teriyaki sauce over top of it.  This tofu is deep-fried in a light corn starch batter like the crispy tofu you may find at your favorite Chinese restaurant. 

Baked Teriyaki Tofu:  If you prefer to bake your tofu, simply place the marinated tofu on a cookie sheet and bake it at 400° F for about 40-45 minutes, flipping it every 10 minutes until it is as crispy as you would like it. Pour the teriyaki sauce over the baked tofu after it comes out of the oven. Pro Tip: Use the soy sauce method or the teriyaki marinade without the cornstarch added.  A thickened sauce will get sticky and burn on the cookie sheet.

Grilled Teriyaki Tofu:  If you would like to cook your tofu on the grill, cut the tofu into large rectangles about 1/2 inch thick and marinate it in the teriyaki marinade.  Grill it four about 4-5 minutes on each side.  Pro Tip:  Copper grilling mats work great for grilling tofu!  They give it extra support so it doesn’t fall through the spaces in the grill. 

Want more tofu marinade ideas?  Check out my family’s 6 favorite tofu marinade recipes.

Don’t forget to follow me on Instagram for daily inspiration and clickable links to all my recipes!

5 from 4 votes

Print

Teriyaki Tofu

Prep Time

20 mins

Cook Time

10 mins

Total Time

30 mins

 

Tofu and veggies with teriyaki sauce served over rice or noodles.

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Asian

Keyword: teriyaki tofu, teriyaki tofu stir fry

Servings: 4

Calories: 419 kcal

Author: Monica Davis | The Hidden Veggies

Ingredients

• 1 cup teriyaki sauce store bought or my homemade teriyaki sauce
• 16 oz extra firm tofu or high protein tofu
• 3 cups mixed vegetables
• 1/2 cup soy sauce or teriyaki marinade (for marinating) (or Tamari or Bragg's liquid amino for gluten-free)
• 2 tbsp sesame oil (for frying)
• 4 cups cooked rice or noodles

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

1. Make the homemade teriyaki sauce.  (Omit this step if using store bought sauce).
2. Drain and press your extra firm tofu to get as much excess water out of it as possible.
3. Cut the tofu into 1/2 inch cubes.
4. Marinate the tofu in soy sauce or the teriyaki marinade for at least 15 minutes.
5. Stir fry the tofu in 1 tbsp of sesame oil on medium-high heat, flipping frequently until the tofu cubes become crispy on all sides.

6. While the tofu is cooking, wash and cut about 3 cups of any veggies that you want to add to the dish.

7. Remove the cooked tofu from the skillet, add an additional 1 tbsp of sesame oil.
8. Stir fry the veggies for about 3-5 minutes over medium-high heat until they are cooked, but not mushy.

9. Add the tofu back into the skillet with the veggies and drizzle with about 1 cup of teriyaki sauce.

10. Mix well and serve over rice or noodles.

Recipe Notes

Pro Tips:

• Make sure to drain and press your tofu well.
• Add the teriyaki sauce after cooking to prevent it from sticking and burning. 
• Marinate the tofu for at least 15 minutes.  You can marinate it a day or two in advance, but be sure to keep it refrigerated until ready to cook.

Nutrition Facts

Teriyaki Tofu

Amount Per Serving (2 cups tofu veggies and rice)

Calories 419 Calories from Fat 72

% Daily Value*

Fat 8g12%

Saturated Fat 1g6%

Sodium 2825mg123%

Potassium 507mg14%

Carbohydrates 74g25%

Fiber 6g25%

Sugar 10g11%

Protein 13g26%

Vitamin A 6930IU139%

Vitamin C 14.2mg17%

Calcium 68mg7%

Iron 2.8mg16%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.