The best crispy teriyaki tofu for your next weeknight dinner! The crispy baked tofu is coated in a sticky, rich sauce, which features plenty of bold umami flavors. Serve it with sesame seeds and scallions over a bed of rice for a meal that’s easy, but impressive.
Have you ever had a bad experience with tofu? I think all of us have. Whether bland, dry, or undercooked, it can for sure put you off from this ingredient.
But as I explain my beginner’s guide to tofu, when prepared correctly, tofu can without a doubt become a staple in your fridge.
As this crispy teriyaki tofu exemplifies, with the right preparation and sauce this ingredient can take on a whole new character. More specifically: crispy, flavorful, and a great meatless dinner you’ll love.
Crispy baked teriyaki tofu
Now, let’s talk about what makes this Japanese-inspired teriyaki tofu so special. Put shortly, it’s effortless comfort food at its best. You can feel like you’re eating at a restaurant in the comfort of your own home.
The tofu is coated in cornstarch and baked to achieve the most phenomenally crispy result. Then, the star of the show is for sure the teriyaki sauce.
It’s sticky and pairs perfectly with the tofu, carrying incredible umami flavors and a hint of sweetness. You can even make extra and use it for other meals, too – for instance, as a stir-fry sauce.
Garnish the tofu with sesame seeds and scallions, and serve over a bed of rice. This may become one of your go-to weeknight dinners that takes just 30 minutes to make from start to finish!
Ingredients and substitutions for teriyaki tofu
Tofu. Here, we’re using the extra firm tofu variety. If you can’t find extra firm tofu, you may need to press it before cooking. I have detailed instructions on how to press tofu within my post on how to make crispy tofu.
Cornstarch. This is a key ingredient here, used both to coat the tofu and make it crispy, and to make a cornstarch slurry in order to thicken the sauce.
Sesame oil. I would recommend using sesame oil for this recipe as opposed to any other oil variety because this will achieve the most authentic flavor.
The aromatics: garlic and ginger. These work really well together to release an amazing amount of flavor and will make your kitchen smell amazing.
Soy sauce. To make this recipe gluten-free, use tamari or liquid aminos.
Maple syrup. You can also use any other liquid sweetener of your choice, or coconut sugar.
Mirin. You can also use rice vinegar.
Sesame seeds and scallions to garnish.
How to make teriyaki tofu
Bake the tofu
Start by preheating the oven to 350 degrees F/180 degrees C and lining a large baking tray with parchment paper.
Press the tofu if necessary, then cut it either into cubes or triangles. Add to a mixing bowl with the cornstarch and stir together well.
Arrange the tofu on the baking tray and bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes, flipping half way through, until crispy and lightly golden.
Make the sauce
When the tofu is almost ready, add the sesame oil to a wok or skillet over a medium heat. Add the garlic and ginger, cooking for 3-4 minutes, until fragrant.
Next, add the soy sauce, maple syrup, mirin and cornstarch slurry. Stir continuously for a few minutes, until the sauce thickens.
Mix and serve
When the sauce thickens, add the tofu and stir together well. At the last minute, add the sesame seeds and serve with rice or noodles of your choice, garnished with scallions.
Recipe
Ingredients
For the baked tofu
- 10 oz extra firm tofu
- ¼ cup cornstarch
For the sauce
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tbsp ginger peeled and grated
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- 2 tsp mirin
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- ½ cup water
To serve
- 3 tbsp sesame seeds
- ½ cup scallions chopped
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F/180 degrees C and lining a large baking tray with parchment paper.
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Cut it either into cubes or triangles. Add to a mixing bowl with the cornstarch and stir together well.10 oz extra firm tofu, ¼ cup cornstarch
-
Arrange the tofu on the baking tray and bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes, flipping half way through, until crispy and lightly golden.
-
When the tofu is almost ready, add the sesame oil to a wok or skillet over a medium heat. Add the garlic and ginger, cooking for 3-4 minutes, until fragrant.1 tbsp sesame oil, 2 cloves garlic, 2 tbsp ginger
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Make a cornstarch slurry by stirring together the cornstarch and water.1 tbsp cornstarch, ½ cup water
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Add the soy sauce, maple syrup, mirin and cornstarch slurry. Stir continuously for a few minutes, until the sauce thickens.¼ cup soy sauce, 2 tbsp maple syrup, 2 tsp mirin
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When the sauce thickens, add the tofu and stir together well. At the last minute, add the sesame seeds and serve with rice or noodles of your choice, garnished with scallions.3 tbsp sesame seeds, ½ cup scallions
