Vegan Teriyaki Tofu

 This Vegan Teriyaki Tofu recipe is easy to make and perfectly crave-worthy. Crispy tofu is covered in a delicious teriyaki sauce for a hearty, healthy meal any night of the week.

Jump to:

• What is Vegan Teriyaki Sauce Made Of?
• Should I Marinate Tofu Before Cooking? If So, For How Long?
• Why Is This Recipe Healthy
• How to Make Teriyaki Tofu
• Serving and Storing
• Tips and Tricks
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Other Tasty Tofu Recipes
• 📖 Recipe
• Serving and Storing
• Tips and Tricks

What is Vegan Teriyaki Sauce Made Of?

Once you see the ingredient list for teriyaki sauce, you’re going to kick yourself for not making it sooner! All you need to make this yummy vegan teriyaki tofu is:

• Water – Easy enough, right?
• Tamari (low-sodium) – I try to live mostly gluten-free, so I opt for Tamari over soy sauce most of the time. If it doesn’t matter to you, Bragg’s liquid aminos, soy sauce, and coconut aminos will all do the trick.
• Rice Wine Vinegar – Beautifully light in flavor, rice wine vinegar is a favorite in my pantry. If you don’t have any on hand, swap in apple cider vinegar instead.
• Maple Syrup – Maple is my sweetener of choice. Regardless of whether you grab grade A or B, it will be delicious. You can also choose to use agave nectar or date syrup instead.
• Garlic – For the most potent flavor, I suggest using fresh cloves. In a pinch, swap in 1/4 teaspoon of dried garlic for each clove.
• Ground Ginger – Ginger gives teriyaki sauce the requisite bite. I always have ground ginger on hand for convenience. If you keep fresh around, you can substitute about a tablespoon of grated fresh ginger root instead.
• Cornstarch – Used as a thickening agent, be sure to dilute it in a small amount of liquid to create what is known as a “slurry.” If you don’t, it’ll clump up in the sauce. If corn is not on the menu for you, swap in an equal amount of arrowroot powder instead.
• Firm Tofu – Extra Firm will also work if that’s what you have on hand.

Should I Marinate Tofu Before Cooking? If So, For How Long?

Think of tofu as a flavor sponge. It will take on the flavor of anything that you throw at it! Without the addition of a sauce or marinade, tofu is rather bland.

For that reason, I generally try to marinate my tofu for a minimum of 15 minutes before using. If you happen to be one of those people who plan in advance (you go!), tofu will continue to become more flavorful if you marinate it for up to 24 hours.

TIP: In order to ensure the best possible absorption of flavor, be sure to press your tofu prior to marinating it. This will release any excess water, making plenty of space for all the flavor to soak in.

Why Is This Recipe Healthy

As a nutritionist, I do my darndest to make things both taste yummy and be nutritious. For this particular teriyaki tofu recipe, I use:

• Organic, non-GMO tofu.
• Maple syrup instead of refined sugar. Also, I only use 1 tablespoon in the whole recipe!
• Low sodium (sometimes branded as “light”) tamari or soy sauce to cut back on sodium content.
• A big helping of veggies alongside the tofu to boost nutrient intake.

How to Make Teriyaki Tofu

I promised you, this is a simple recipe. All you need to do is press and marinate your tofu, decide how you’d like to cook it (I give you three options!), and quickly simmer the sauce. Read on for more details!

Step 1 – Press and Marinate Tofu

First, as with most tofu recipes, you need to press the cube of tofu to remove any excess liquid. Open your package of tofu and drain the water.

Next, place the cube into a tofu press, or, if you don’t have one, on a paper towel-lined plate. Add more paper towels to the top and clamp the press, or set a cookie sheet on top with a few heavy cans. Leave for about 15 minutes.

While the tofu is pressing, mix all the marinade ingredients together. Remove the tofu from the press and cut it into cubes. Add the cubes to a bowl with the marinade and toss to coat. Allow to marinate for at least 15 minutes and up to 24 hours.

Step 2 – Cook the Tofu

Now this recipe turns into a choose-your-own-adventure story. Bake, fry, or air fry the tofu per your liking. Instructions for each method are below:

Bake {Oil-Free}

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• Place the tofu on a baking tray (optional – line baking tray with parchment paper for easy cleanup) and bake for 20-25 minutes, flipping halfway.

TIP: If you opt for this method, feel free to double down on the sheet pan action and roast some veggies too! I love teriyaki tofu with broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower or carrots.

Pan Fry

• Add the tofu to a pan with a tablespoon of oil and cook over medium heat. Fry for about 2 minutes on each side until golden in color.

Air Fry {Oil-Free}

• Add tofu to air fryer basket and air fry at 400F for 10-15 minutes (or until done to your liking) tossing halfway through.

If you prefer more of a smoky flavor, you can also opt to grill your tofu instead!

Step 3 – Make Sauce and Assemble

Once the tofu is cooked, mix all of the sauce ingredients except the cornstarch and 2 TB of water in a saucepan. Heat on low-medium until bubbling.

Mix cornstarch and 2 TB of water in a separate small bowl to create a slurry. Add to the bubbling sauce. Stir and cook for a few minutes until the sauce has thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon.

Toss the cooked tofu cubes with the sauce and serve. Bonus points if you sprinkle some toasted sesame seeds and sliced green onions on top for a pretty and tasty garnish. Enjoy!

Serving and Storing

Teriyaki tofu is delicious in many ways. While I personally love scooping this teriyaki tofu over some brown rice and serving it with steamed or roasted veggies, that’s just one way of doing things. Here are a few more ideas to get you started:

• Over noodles (rice, lentil, buckwheat, and chickpea are all good gf options)
• Over quinoa, brown rice, “fried” rice or other grain
• Add to a buddha or veggie bowl
• Cook tofu as “steaks” rather than cubes and turn into a sandwich or wrap

However you choose to serve your takeout fake-out teriyaki tofu, I’m pretty sure you’re going to love it!

While this recipe is best served immediately after cooking, leftovers will keep in the fridge for about 5 days or in the freezer for up to a month.

To reheat, microwave for 2-4 minutes or place in a pan on the stovetop with a couple tablespoons of water as needed.

Tips and Tricks

1. Don’t skimp on pressing your tofu! Not only will it not absorb as much of the marinade flavors, it will also not cook as well.
2. Marinate for a minimum of 15 minutes or risk having your tofu be bland.
3. Keep an eye on your sauce! It will burn quickly if you let it. I recommend waiting until your tofu is done to turn on the stovetop. As soon as it hits a simmer, add the cornstarch slurry and cook for just about a minute or two more.

Frequently Asked Questions

Other Tasty Tofu Recipes

• Tofu in Garlic Chili Sauce – for those spicy lovers (I see you!)
• Green Bean and Tofu Stir Fry – another quick and easy fakeout takeout recipe
• Tofu Crumbles – a staple recipe in any vegan household!
• Thai Basil Noodles – my vegan version of drunken noodles
• And if you want to try something other than tofu, check out my popular Teriyaki Tempeh recipe!

If you make this recipe and LOVE IT, please give it 5 stars ★★★★★!

📖 Recipe