This easy baked Teriyaki tofu recipe is the perfect knock your socks off delicious vegan dish that you can put together in just a few minutes, perfect for a weeknight dinner.
Pan fried tofu is tossed in a sticky and savory Teriyaki sauce, cooked to perfection and served on a bed of steamed rice.
This dish is perfect to satisfy all those Asian takeout cravings you have, and can also be great for meal prep.
I always love pairing my proteins with some veggies, which is why I’ve included some broccoli into the mix.
If you’ve never experimented with tofu yet, this is the perfect recipe to try it out. Tofu may not be as flavorful as animal protein, but it is actually a great vehicle for flavor, which is exactly what you’ll enjoy in this dish. I also tried a simple teriyaki stir fry veggie dish too, and it turned out a total treat for the taste buds.
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What's So Great About the Recipe?
The fact that I can actually prep this baked Teriyaki tofu recipe in advance is what I love the most about it.
The dish is super healthy, ultra delicious and incredibly comforting too- my whole family loves it.
It comes together super quick, and is actually a great meal to make and serve for your guests when you’re looking for a well put together vegan dinner recipe.
Ingredients
Ginger and garlic: Ginger and garlic are two key ingredients that add flavor and depth to almost any Asian sauce or base you’re trying, and so it is with this teriyaki sauce too.
Green onions: Chopped green onions really brighten up the dish and take its flavors to the next level.
Tofu: I used extra firm tofu for this recipe, and I highly suggest you do that too. If you use a softer version of tofu, it might end up losing its texture and structural integrity once it is tossed in the Teriyaki sauce.
Broccoli: Broccoli florets add a nice bit of texture to this Teriyaki tofu dish, and make it more nutritious and healthy too.
Brown sugar: Brown sugar helps bring some sweetness and stickiness to the Teriyaki sauce base.
Chili flakes: Chili flakes lend the Teriyaki sauce a bit of heat. You can use cayenne pepper too if you want to.
Soy sauce: Soy sauce is an absolute must in most Asian dishes, and I’ve used it for the sauce for this baked Teriyaki tofu recipe too.
Vinegar: Vinegar lends a bit of tanginess and sourness to the Teriyaki sauce. You can skip this if you want to, but I highly recommend adding it.
Cornstarch: Cornstarch helps coat the tofu pieces and gets them a bit of crispy texture on the outside.
Sesame seeds: Sesame seeds bring some crunchy texture to the dish, and lends it that little extra oomph that makes the dish look so well put together.
Cooking oil: I’ve used sesame oil for this recipe, because it lends the dish that perfect Asian flavor. You can substitute this with avocado oil or olive oil if you want to.
Salt, pepper and garlic powder: A simple seasoning combination of salt, pepper and garlic powder can work well, but if you want to go the extra mile, you can use your choice of seasonings too.
See recipe card for quantities.
How to Make the Baked Teriyaki Tofu
Soak up all the excess moisture from the tofu using a clean towel and cut it into bite sized pieces. Toss it in a bowl with some salt, pepper, garlic powder and cornstarch until all the pieces are coated well.
Wrap the marinated tofu and broccoli florets in a sheet of aluminum foil with a little drizzle of oil, and bake it for 10 minutes. You may want to check for the broccoli to be cooked midway through the cooking process, and remove it if needed.
In a pan, heat the oil and add the chopped ginger and garlic and saute for 2-3 minutes on low heat. Now add the soy sauce, vinegar, brown sugar, sesame seeds and stir again until the Teriyaki sauce has the perfect consistency.
Now add the baked tofu in and give it a good stir, adjusting the consistency of the sauce such that it coats all the tofu nicely.
Top with some more sesame seeds, red chili flakes, chopped green onions and serve hot!
Substitutions & Variations
- While soy sauce is the classic choice for this recipe, you can also use low sodium sauce or light soy sauce instead.
- Liquid aminos can also be a great alternative to soy sauce for this baked Teriyaki tofu recipe.
- You can use either minced or chopped aromatics for this recipe- it all depends on your personal preference. I like those chunky bits of ginger and garlic, so I’ve used finely chopped bits.
- In addition to the green onions, you can also chop up any other fresh herbs you may have and add them to the dish to make it more flavorful.
💭Top Tip
To get the tofu to have the perfect texture, press it gently to squeeze out as much excess water as you possibly can before using it for this recipe.
Equipment
How to Store the Leftover Baked Teriyaki Tofu
Your leftover baked Teriyaki tofu can be refrigerated for up to 2 days, and reheated in the microwave and served.
You can also choose to meal prep and store the marinated tofu for up to 3 days in advance, refrigerated in an airtight container.
Tips & Tricks to Nail the Recipe
- You can also choose to pan fry the tofu if you want to, instead of baking it.
- I would recommend using a good quality non-stick pan to stir fry the tofu in. Doing this will help keep the tofu from sticking to the pan.
- Cook the tofu on medium heat and make sure it starts to brown up a bit before you flip it and cook it on the other side.
- Remember that this baked Teriyaki tofu tastes best when served immediately. This is because the tofu can start to lose its texture as it soaks up all the Teriyaki sauce.
- As an extra step, you can choose to lightly toast the sesame seeds and then top them on the baked tofu to lend it a more nutty flavor.
- If you want to add some more flavor to the Teriyaki sauce, you can add some stock bouillon into the mix.
- If the sauce seems to be turning too thick, and you want to loosen it up a bit and add more volume to it, you can prepare a quick slurry using cornstarch and water and stir it into the sauce while it is still on low heat.
- If you’re adding this cornstarch slurry, you might need to adjust the seasonings too- just give it a quick taste before you go ahead and add the tofu in.
How to Serve the Baked Teriyaki Tofu
This comforting and flavorful Teriyaki tofu dish can be served in many ways. Here are a few good ideas for you to get started.
With Rice
This Teriyaki tofu tastes perfect when served with some steamed rice. It can turn into a super flavorful, comforting and filling meal that you can enjoy with your entire family.
To make it healthier, you can use brown rice instead of white rice.
With Noodles
If you’re a noodle person, this tofu dish can be teamed up with any simple stir fried noodles too!
As a Side Dish
If the tofu dish is slightly on the drier side, you can serve it as a side dish with any of your Asian mains!
FAQs
I’ve used cornstarch to coat the tofu pieces. You can use rice flour instead if you want the tofu to have an extra crispy texture.
In addition to the broccoli florets, you can also add other veggies to the mix for this baked Teriyaki tofu dish. Carrots, mushrooms, bell peppers, zucchini, bok choy, green beans and baby corn are all great choices.
The Teriyaki sauce can be made ahead of time and stored for weeks in your refrigerator, and used whenever you need to put a quick Asian stir fry dish together. Just remember to use a clean container or glass jar to store it.
Related Recipes
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Baked Teriyaki Tofu
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon Garlic
- 1 tablespoon Ginger
- 2 Green onions
- 1 ounce block tofu extra firm
- 3 tablespoon Soy sauce or tamari
- 3 tablespoon Brown sugar or coconut sugar
- 3 tablespoon Cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon Sesame seeds toasted
- ½ teaspoon chilli flakes
- ½ teaspoon pepper powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 cups Broccoli florets
- 3 tablespoon Neutral cooking oil
- 2 tablespoon vinegar
Instructions
- Soak up all the excess moisture from the tofu using a clean towel and cut it into bite sized pieces. Toss it in a bowl with some salt, pepper, garlic powder and cornstarch until all the pieces are coated well.
- Wrap the marinated tofu and broccoli florets in a sheet of aluminum foil with a little drizzle of oil, and bake it for 10 minutes. You may want to check for the broccoli to be cooked midway through the cooking process, and remove it if needed.
- In a pan, heat the oil and add the chopped ginger and garlic and saute for 2-3 minutes on low heat. Now add the soy sauce, vinegar, brown sugar, sesame seeds and stir again until the Teriyaki sauce has the perfect consistency.
- Now add the baked tofu in and give it a good stir, adjusting the consistency of the sauce such that it coats all the tofu nicely.
- Top with some more sesame seeds, red chili flakes, chopped green onions and serve hot!
