You will love this quick teriyaki tofu stir fry with crispy tofu pieces, mouthwatering homemade teriyaki sauce, fresh crisp vegetables, and warm, sticky rice. It's an easy weeknight dinner you can make in just 30 minutes!
Hey friend-do you love a quick, delicious meals? This teriyaki tofu stir is a tasty, easy meal you make during the week. It's a great way to use up leftover vegetables like broccoli, peppers, carrots, and more. You can really use any veggie you have in the fridge!
Make this for meatless Monday to impress non-vegans and they will be shocked by the delicious teriyaki tofu marinade (this is the best part!).
Try out this other delicious tofu recipe with another incredible sauce that make you want to lick it straight from the bowl.
Ingredients
- Extra firm tofu: I highly recommend using extra firm tofu as this will give the best texture. Use a tofu press or heavy objects to release some of the water
- Corn starch: This is used to coat the tofu to create the crispy texture.
- Stir fry vegetables: For convenience, I use a stir fry vegetable pack from a grocery store in this recipe, but this is not required. It contains broccoli, snap peas, and carrots. I also add in sliced red bell pepper. If you don't have access to the bag of stir fry veggies just choose your favorite veggies for this recipe.
- White rice: I love basmati rice for this recipe but you can also use brown rice.
- Olive oil: This will help crisp up your vegetables when you fry them over the stove.
- Green onion: Great for a topping over on your stir fry. Use the green part of the green onion for a garnish.
- Sesame seeds: A great crunch (an pretty garnish) for the stir fry
Homemade Teriyaki Sauce Ingredients
- Soy sauce: This is the base for a homemade teriyaki sauce. You can use a light soy sauce for less salt if desired.
- Maple syrup: Add a touch of sweetness to teriyaki sauce with some maple syrup.
- Rice Vinegar: The slight acidity of rice vinegar compliments the sweet and saltiness
- Garlic and Ginger: Deepens the flavor of the teriyaki sauce
- Cornstarch mixed with water: You will add this add the end to thicken the sauce.
Substitutions & Variations
Substitutions:
- Soy sauce: If you are gluten-free use use coconut aminos or tamari
- Veggies: Try out some different vegetables like green beans, baby corn, bok choy, onions, and more
- Oil: You can use sesame oil, avocado oil, or another type of oil
Variations:
- Like it spicy? Try out red pepper flakes on top or in the sauce
- Love pasta? Try this out with some soba noodles or rice noodles.
Equipment
- Tofu Press (optional)
- Cutting board
- Chef's knife
- Frying pan
- Baking sheet
- Large bowl
- Small bowl
Instructions
Step 1: If your tofu is not yet pressed, make sure to press to remove excess water. Press it for at least 15 minutes either with a tofu press or wrapped in paper towels or dish cloth and place a heavy object on top. Dice your tofu in small 1 inch cubes.
Step 2: Preheat oven to 425F. Place your tofu cubes in a gallon-sized resealable plastic bag, sprinkle in corn starch, and seal. Gently shake bag until tofu is evenly coated.
Step 3: Place on parchment lined baking sheet in a single layer and bake for 24-26 minutes, flipping halfway, until golden brown and crisp.
Step 4: While tofu is cooking, make your stir fried veggies and rice. Cook rice to package instructions. Cook veggies in a large pan with 1 tablespoon of olive oil for 8-10 minutes until cooked (but still have a crunch).
Step 5: Make your homemade teriyaki sauce. Start by mixing cornstarch and water in a small bowl. In a small saucepan, begin heating over medium heat all other sauce ingredients and whisk until combined. When the sauce starts to low boil add in cornstarch and turn heat to low. Stir for another few minutes until sauce starts to thicken. Don't overcook or it will get "gloopy". Sauce will continue to thicken even when it's taken off the heat.
Step 6: In a large bowl, coat cooked tofu cubes with teriyaki marinade. Create your teriyaki tofu stir fry bowl with the marinated tofu, white rice, and stir fry veggies. Top with sliced green onion and sesame seeds!
Hint: Instead of pouring all the sauce over the tofu you can save some to pour over your final teriyaki tofu stir fry bowl.
Storage
Store teriyaki tofu stir fry in an airtight container for up to 4 days. FYI the tofu will not be very crispy after the first day due to the moisture accumulation as it sits. You can pan fry it again but it will not have the same consistency as the first day.
Reheating: Reheat in the microwave for 45-60 seconds or heat over the stove for 5-7 minutes in a large pan over medium heat.
I do not recommend freezing this recipe.
FAQ
There could be a couple reasons why it didn't turn out crispy. Make sure you use extra firm tofu and press it long enough (15 minutes minimum). Pat it dry and cut it into small cubes. The larger the pieces, the less crispy it will be. Cook your tofu on high heat for at least 24 minutes but this can vary based on the oven temperature. Tofu can take up to 30 minutes in the oven to get crispy.
Stir fry is one of the best recipes for meal prep and this teriyaki tofu stir fry tastes amazing even the next day. You can double the recipe and portion into a few containers for on-the-go lunch or dinner. If your rice becomes dry consider adding 1-2 teaspoon of water to it before microwaving to restore moisture.
Yes, if you want to save time you can use store bought teriyaki sauce. You need about ¾ cup (up to 1 cup) depending on how much sauce you like on your stir fry.
PRO TIPS
- Don't overcook your homemade teriyaki sauce. Once you add the cornstarch it will start to thicken within a minute. Remove from the heat and continue to stir for a couple minutes. It will continue to thicken even when taken off the heat. If you overcook it it will become gloopy.
- To make crispy tofu make sure to press your tofu long enough (at least 15 minutes), evenly coat in cornstarch (using a large plastic bag and gently shaking with cornstarch really helps!), and cook your tofu on high heat. You can alternatively air fry your tofu if you have an air fryer (400F for 14-16 minutes, shaking halfway through).
- Using pre-cut stir fry veggies saves a lot of time. Break up your broccoli pieces into smaller pieces if needed.
- Cook your vegetables faster by adding in 2 tablespoon of water to the large pan of vegetables, cover, and steam for a few minutes.
Other delicious tofu recipes:
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Quick Teriyaki Tofu Vegetable Stir Fry (Vegan)
Ingredients
- 16 oz block extra firm tofu drained + pressed
- 3 tablespoon corn starch
- 1 cup uncooked basmati rice
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 12 oz stir fried vegetables includes broccoli, carrots, and pea pods
- 1 medium red pepper sliced into strips
Homemade Teriyaki Sauce
- 1 tbsp corn starch + 2 tablespoon water mixed in a small bowl
- ⅓ cup soy sauce
- 2 tablespoon water
- 3 tablespoon syrup
- 1 teaspoon rice vinegar
- 1 clove garlic minced
- ½ tsp ginger minced
Optional Toppings
- sesame seeds
- green onion diced
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 F or 218 C.
- Cut tofu into small 1 inch cubes.
- In a large resealable plastic bag, add tofu cubes and cornstarch. Gently shake until combined.
- On a large parchment lined baking sheet, evenly spread out tofu in a single layer. Bake for 24-28 minutes, flipping halfway through, until crisp with a light golden brown outside.
- While tofu is baking, make rice and vegetables. Cook rice to package instructions.
- Stir fry vegetables in a large pan with 1 tablespoon of olive (optional) over medium heat. Pan fry for a few minutes and then add in 1-2 tablespoon of water, cover, and steam for a few minutes. Cook until veggies are crisp and not overcooked.
- Stir frequently for about 5 minutes until sauce becomes caramelized on tofu.
Homemade Teriyaki Sauce
- In a small saucepan, add in soy sauce, maple syrup, water, rice vinegar, garlic and ginger. Cook over medium heat until it begins to low boil.
- Turn heat down to low and add in cornstarch water mixture. Stir to combine.
- Cook for a few minutes, stirring frequently, until it begins to thicken. Remove from the heat once it starts to thicken. It will continue to thicken even when taken off the heat.
Arrange Stir Fry
- In a large bowl, gently mix tofu with teriyaki marinade.
- Arrange stir fry bowl with rice, then veggies, and top with tofu. Sprinkle with green onion (sliced) and/or sesame seeds. Enjoy!
Notes
- Don't overcook your homemade teriyaki sauce. Once you add the cornstarch it will start to thicken within a minute. Remove from the heat and continue to stir for a couple minutes. It will continue to thicken even when taken off the heat. If you overcook it it will become gloopy.
- To make crispy tofu make sure to press your tofu long enough (at least 15 minutes), evenly coat in cornstarch (using a large plastic bag and gently shaking with cornstarch really helps!), and cook your tofu on high heat. You can alternatively air fry your tofu if you have an air fryer (400F for 14-16 minutes, shaking halfway through).
- Using pre-cut stir fry veggies saves a lot of time. Break up your broccoli pieces into smaller pieces if needed.
- Cook your vegetables faster by adding in 2 tablespoon of water to the large pan of vegetables, cover, and steam for a few minutes.
- Soy sauce: If you are gluten-free use use coconut aminos or tamari
- Veggies: Try out some different vegetables like green beans, baby corn, bok choy, onions, and more
- Oil: You can use sesame oil, avocado oil, or another type of oil
[…] Crispy Teriyaki Tofu […]