Teriyaki Tofu

This is my go to weeknight meal when I need a balanced and tasty meal in under 30 minutes. This Teriyaki Tofu comes together with a homemade teriyaki sauce that only has 6 ingredients. To me, it's important to make my own sauce because I know exactly what's in it (and I can make extra to pour over all parts of the dish!).

Let's Talk About Tofu

Tofu is one of the stars of this dish. (The other being that sauce I just talked about.) Tofu is a great plant based source of protein and contains calcium and iron. I like buying extra firm tofu so I don't really need to press it. A key to capturing the crispy texture here is ensuring the tofu is fully pressed and the excess water is gone.

In order to achieve this texture, I recommend tearing the tofu into chunks rather than cutting it into cubes. It makes it resemble more of the classically torn pieces of chicken from a Chinese restaurant. The other key to achieving the crispy texture is to coat the tofu in soy sauce then cornstarch before sticking it in the air fryer.

Teriyaki Sauce

This sauce is what the dish is all about! It only requires 6 ingredients and comes together in minutes. Just combine them in a container, shake it up, and then pour in a pan over medium heat. After a minute or two, you'll notice bubbles starting to form and the cornstarch working to thicken up the sauce.

Once the tofu chunks are finished in the air fryer, pour them into the thickened teriyaki sauce and pour on top of the bed of rice and veggies.

Teriyaki Tofu

Tear tofu into chunks and crisp in the airfryer. Simmer in a homemade teriyaki sauce for a savory, restaurant-quality glaze. Serve hot for a quick, satisfying weeknight dinner.

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Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 25 minutes mins

Course Main Course

Servings 4 people

Ingredients

  

Tofu

• 1 packet of firm tofu
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1-2 tablespoon soy sauce tamari if GF

Sauce

• ¼ cup soy sauce
• ½ cup water
• 4-5 tablespoon maple syrup
• 1 tablespoon corn starch
• 3 garlic cloves
• ½-3/4 teaspoon ground ginger

Other

• Brown rice
• Broccoli
• Sesame seeds to top

Instructions

 

• First, make your brown rice, this will take the longest (you can cut this time by doing freezer rice or white)
• Press your tofu, then rip into chunks to achieve a chewier texture
• Coat the tofu with cornstarch and soy sauce then put in the air fryer at 400F for 15 minutes, shaking ½ way. If you don’t have an air fryer, cook in the oven for 25 min at 400F flipping ½ way
• Next, chop your veggies and sauté in a pan on medium heat with a bit of avocado oil for 6-9 minutes
• Make your sauce by combining all of the ingredients in a bowl then pour into a pan on medium-high heat. Stir and let it thicken for 2-3 minutes
• Dice your toppings and set aside
• Add your tofu to the teriyaki sauce pan and combine. To make your bowl, add rice and veggies then top with your coated crispy tofu and more teriyaki sauce
• Storage: store in an air tight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Store your toppings separately

This dish is perfect for those weeknights you're running around and need a quick meal that also is balanced, healthy, and tastes really good. I hope this recipe becomes your new go-to. Don’t forget to share how it turns out, rate, and review the recipe.

If you're looking for other weeknight dinners, be sure to check out this veggie stir fry recipe with crispy tofu!