Crispy Teriyaki Tofu

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Recipe from Two Peas and Their Pod

Crispy baked tofu tossed in a sticky homemade teriyaki sauce with garlic, ginger, and sesame oil. This easy vegetarian dinner is better than takeout and perfect served over rice or noodles with broccoli.

Prep Time30

Cook Time30

Total Time1

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Asian

Keyword: teriyaki, tofu

Servings:

Calories: 230kcal

Ingredients

For the tofu:

1 (14 oz) block extra firm tofu
1 tablespoon avocado oil
1 tablespoon soy sauce, or tamari
2 tablespoons cornstarch

For the teriyaki sauce:

1/4 cup water
3 tablespoons soy sauce, or tamari
3 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
3 tablespoons brown sugar
2 teaspoons cornstarch or potato starch
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
2 cloves garlic, grated or minced
2 teaspoons grated ginger
Dash of crushed red pepper flakes
3 green onions, sliced
1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
For serving cooked rice, or noodles and broccoli (or favorite veggie)

Instructions

Preheat oven and press the tofu: Preheat oven to 425°F Wrap the tofu block in paper towels or a clean kitchen towel and place on a plate. Set a heavy object (like a skillet or a few books) on top and press for 20–30 minutes to remove excess moisture.
Cut or Tear the tofu. Tear or cut into bite-size pieces (tearing creates more craggy edges for extra crispiness).
Season and coat: Place the tofu on a baking sheet. Drizzle with avocado oil and soy sauce, then sprinkle with cornstarch. Toss gently to coat evenly and spread into a single layer.
Bake: Bake for 25–30 minutes, flipping halfway through, until the tofu is golden and crispy.
Make the teriyaki sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together water, soy sauce, rice vinegar, brown sugar, cornstarch, sesame oil, garlic, ginger, and red pepper flakes.
Cook the sauce: Pour the sauce into a large skillet and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thickened, about 2–3 minutes.
Combine: Add the crispy tofu to the skillet and toss to coat in the sauce.
Serve: Serve over rice or noodles with broccoli. Top with green onions and sesame seeds.

Notes

For extra crispy tofu, press it for at least 20 to 30 minutes before baking.
Tearing the tofu instead of cutting creates crispier edges.
Use tamari instead of soy sauce to make the recipe gluten-free.
Don’t add the tofu to the sauce until right before serving for the crispiest texture.
The teriyaki sauce thickens quickly, so stir constantly while cooking.
Air fryer option: Cook tofu at 400°F for 15 to 18 minutes, shaking halfway through.

Nutrition