Teriyaki Tofu is a quick and simple dinner that’s faster than take-out! Served with rice and roasted broccoli, the teriyaki-slathered tofu is tender, crisp, and so satisfying.
Everyone will love this Teriyaki Tofu for dinner! Crispy golden tofu squares are coated in a sticky, savory, and sweet homemade teriyaki sauce and layered over white rice with roasted broccoli. Topped with sesame seeds and green onion, it’s a satisfying, easy, and flavorful option for your weeknight dinners.
All you have to do is bake the pressed tofu cubes to golden brown perfection before tossing them in the homemade sauce. Wondering how it’s possible to get tofu super crispy without frying it? Use cornstarch! A layer of cornstarch, sesame oil, and soy sauce surrounds the cubes before they go in the oven so they can crisp up and taste amazing without needing to be marinated.
This vegan Teriyaki Tofu is:
- Made with super simple ingredients that are SO flavorful!
- Baked, not fried. Though if you’d rather pan fry the tofu, that’s totally fine.
- Really easy to make gluten free.
- Perfect for meal prep with Vegan Fried Rice and veggies on the side.
How to make tofu with teriyaki sauce
Arrange the broccoli florets on a baking sheet and season them with oil, salt, and pepper. The broccoli will bake at the same time as the tofu! You can also skip this part and simply steam the broccoli instead. Or serve with Roasted Brussels Sprouts instead.
Don’t forget: press the tofu before you get started! Pressing out the extra water from the tofu block will help it crisp up in the oven. Once this quick step is over with, you’re ready to bake the tofu:
- To prepare the teriyaki tofu, cut the brick into cubes and place them in a large ziplock bag or bowl along with the soy sauce, sesame oil, and cornstarch.
- Toss until each cube is well coated.
- Next, arrange the seasoned tofu on a baking sheet.
- Bake the broccoli and tofu until the cubes are golden brown and the broccoli has browned edges.
While the tofu is baking, prepare the easy homemade teriyaki sauce:
- Add the soy sauce, water, agave, brown sugar, rice vinegar, sesame oil, ginger, and garlic to a large skillet.
- Stir it all together and bring the mixture up to a simmer.
- Make the cornstarch slurry in a small bowl, then stir it into the sauce.
- Keep stirring until the teriyaki sauce thickens, then turn off the heat.
When it’s time to eat, add the tofu in the skillet with the sauce and stir so every piece is well coated. Serve the teriyaki tofu over a bed of rice next to the roasted broccoli and top it with sesame seeds and chopped green onions.
Serving suggestions
A quick and easy way to serve teriyaki tofu is layering it over a bowl of brown or basmati rice with roasted broccoli on the side. Cauliflower, carrots, bok choy, green beans, or asparagus would also be delicious on the side.
Baked teriyaki tofu has plenty of other uses if you’re looking to spice things up. Instead of topping it on a bowl of rice, mix the tofu into vegan stir fry, teriyaki noodles or on its own with a side of fried rice.
Frequently asked questions
- Is it gluten free? To make gluten free teriyaki tofu, substitute the soy sauce for gluten free tamari.
- Can I make it with less salt? You might find that the tofu is just a touch salty because of the soy sauce. Using a low sodium soy sauce will help lower the amount of sodium in the recipe.
- Can I make it ahead of time? Sure! Prepare the sauce a few days ahead of time and store it in an airtight container in the fridge. When the baked tofu is almost ready, heat the sauce in a skillet until it’s warmed through and back to its smooth consistency.
- How long does it last? Leftover teriyaki tofu will stay fresh in the fridge for about 4 or 5 days.
Looking for more saucy tofu recipes?
Teriyaki Tofu
Ingredients
For the tofu
- 2 (16-oz) blocks extra-firm tofu
- 2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
For the broccoli
- 1 pound broccoli florets
- olive oil spray or a few tablespoons olive oil
- salt + pepper, to taste
For the sauce
- 1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/4 cup agave or maple syrup
- 3 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons water
For serving
- 4-5 cups basmati rice or brown/white rice/quinoa
- sesame seeds, optional
- chopped green onions, optional
Instructions
Bake the tofu and broccoli
- Press the tofu: Wrap each block of tofu in paper towels. Place a plate or pan on top of the wrapped tofu, and put a couple of heavy books on top of that. Let the tofu press for 20 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and lightly grease 2 large baking sheets with oil or line with parchment paper.
- Place the broccoli on one baking sheet, spray with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Slice the pressed tofu into cubes, then add them to a large ziplock bag (or large bowl), along with the soy sauce, sesame oil and cornstarch. Close the bag, and shake gently to coat. Arrange the tofu evenly on the prepared pan. Bake for about 15 minutes, then flip the pieces over. Now place the broccoli in the oven along with the tofu, and bake for 15 minutes. The tofu should be crisp and golden, and the broccoli browned around the edges.
- While the tofu and broccoli bake, make the teriyaki sauce and prepare your rice.
Make the Teriyaki sauce
- In a large skillet (large enough to hold the tofu when it's done baking), add the soy sauce, water, agave, brown sugar, rice vinegar, sesame oil, ginger and garlic.
- Stir and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat.
- In a small bowl, mix the cornstarch and water together to make a slurry, then add it to the skillet. Stir constantly until the sauce thickens, then turn off the heat.
Finish and serve
- When the tofu and broccoli are done baking, add the tofu to the skillet with the sauce and stir to coat.
- Serve over a bed of rice with sesame seeds, chopped green onions and some roasted broccoli. Enjoy!
Notes
- Gluten free: Use gluten free tamari instead of soy sauce.
- If you prefer to pan fry the tofu, that’s fine as well. I like to coat tofu pieces in cornstarch and fry in some vegetable oil until golden brown. Remove the tofu from the pan to make the sauce, then add back to the pan.
- May also serve with steamed broccoli or another vegetable.
I don’t make the whole meal but I make this sauce all the time and people always ask for the recipe. It comes out differently every time I make it but 9/10 times it’s really good. I don’t know why it’s not consistent but I love it anyway and will continue to make it over and over!
Hi Ann. Thanks for shari your great feedback and review! I’m glad you are enjoying the sauce!
Could I use ginger garlic paste and if so how much ?
Sure, it should say on the tube how much equals a clove of garlic, but if it’s a combo ginger and garlic paste, I’d probably use about 6 teaspoons total. A little more or less is totally fine though.
Thank you so much! It was so delicious. I made it exactly as your recipe and I used my own tofu… really good! My husband and I both loved it… he asked for seconds… ? But since I had a dessert, we kept the small leftovers for tomorrow… ❤️
Thank you for sharing your wonderful review and feedback! I’m so glad you guys loved the tofu! Leftovers are always a great thing to have! Happy cooking!
Hi Nora! Can I use powdered ginger if I don’t have fresh? And if so, how much should I do?
Yes, you can use 1/4 teaspoon of powdered ginger instead of fresh.
What could I sub for sugar ?
Agave, maple syrup, date sugar would all work fine.
What is seasoned rice vinegar and will plain rice vinegar work instead?
Seasoned rice vinegar is a touch more flavorful and sweeter compared to plain. Both will work in this recipe!
Made your yummy terriaki tofu. Was delicious.
Yet another GREAT recipe! Thanks, Nora. I had never baked the tofu for these types of dishes. I may never go back to pan frying. Didnt have broccol so for my vegetables, I roasted some asparagus and sliced shiitake mushrooms (adjusted the time in the oven accordingly). I also saureed sliced onion with garlic and fresh ginger root and added some shredded radicchio which I needed to use up.
Hi Ann. I’m so glad you love the tofu! All of your vegetable additions sound wonderful! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review and feedback! Happy cooking to you!
This was SO good! It was much tastier than take out and very easy to whip up on a busy evening.
Thank you for sharing this recipe, I will certainly be keeping it in my rotation.
Your site is my go to for new recipes, everything I have made comes out delicious.
I’m so glad to hear that, thank you!
I made this and the whole family loved it! The broccoli is perfect too! thanks for another winner!
You are welcome, Christine! I’m glad the family loved the tofu recipe! Thanks so much for sharing your wonderful review and comments!
This was soooo gooood! I used half the amount of low sodium soy sauce and only 2 TBS of brown sugar, but it still tasted salty and sweet. The family said it was better than take-out.
Oh this was deeeeelicious! Thank you, Nora❤️
You are welcome! Thanks for sharing your review and comments!