Crispy Tofu Teriyaki (Vegan)

This Crispy Tofu Teriyaki stir fry combines fried tofu chunks with sweet veg and a deeply sticky savoury sauce packed with umami. It’s a vegan recipe that’s enough to satisfy a carnivore and a perfect addition to an Asian style feast or served simply with rice for an easy weeknight dinner.

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Anyone that knows me terribly well will probably be quite surprised to see how many tofu recipes have made it onto this site. Not to mention the number of vegan recipes that I’ve come up with!

But I actually really like tofu and I understand that many people are vegan, veggie or cutting down on the amount of meat and fish. So here we are! Teriyaki Tofu. I really like it. Honest!

Teriyaki is a sweet and sticky soy based sauce from Japan. Just like with my Satay Sauce recipe, when I started researching how to make it from scratch, the options seemed endless. So I did a little experimenting and came up with a version without any too-obscure ingredients but with tonnes of flavour.

I’m super happy with it and I think you’ll love it too.

How to Serve Teriyaki Crispy Tofu

I most often serve stir frys with rice. In particular, I love the Sticky Rice that I also serve with my Sweet Chilli Salmon. I do also quite often use the packets of microwave rice. I tend to stick with the plain long grain rices rather than the artificially flavoured “Chinese style” or “egg fried” rices.

My favourite dishes to use are my set of melamine Chinese style bowls and dishes. I know that makes this a Japanese dish served in a Chinese bowl but there are no plate police and no rules. I would generally choose a bowl over a plate however.

My tendency is to use chopsticks but a spoon and a fork will work just as well!

Ingredients for Tofu Stir Fry with Teriyaki Sauce

Tofu

You can buy various types of tofu. The most common are silken, soft, firm and extra firm. Firm or extra firm is what you are looking for here. It is also called beancurd so look out for that label too.

You might find it in the supermarket chiller on in tetrapaks in the world food aisle. Fresh is generally preferable if possible but I do often keep a long life option in the pantry.

The biggest thing to remember with tofu is that as much moisture as possible needs to be removed before cooking. This can be achieved by using a mixture of kitchen roll and pressing it.

Garlic & Ginger

I buy both of these items as jarred pastes from the world food aisle. So much easier, convenient and it cuts down on food waste. Use fresh if you prefer.

Mirin

Mirin is a sweet rice wine used extensively in Japanese cooking. It’s an Asian cooking staple that I always keep in the pantry and it really is essential to make a true Teriyaki sauce.

But you can substitute sake or white wine at a pinch. Sweet sherry also makes a good alternative. But the major supermarkets and Asian brands like Blue Dragon do all sell a version of Mirin so I would recommend picking up a bottle.

Be Flexible

The teriyaki sauce element of this recipe can be used in a multitude of ways. As a stir-fry, it can be added to any combination of proteins and/or vegetables. Beef and broccoli, quorn pieces and sugar snaps or chicken breast, carrot and beansprouts are just a couple of the options that spring to mind.

The teriyaki sauce can also be simmered down and thickened in its own right. It can then be used in exactly the same way as the Satay Sauce in my Chicken Satay Skewers recipe. Or even used as a dipping sauce for any of my Steamed Dumpling recipes.

This tofu stir-fry recipe can alternatively be prepared with an alternative sauce. This could be a ready prepared teriyaki sauce or another sauce entirely. My Satay Sauce would be a great alternative.

Make it Vegetarian or Vegan

This Tofu Teriyaki recipe contains no animal or dairy products and is therefore suitable for both vegetarians and vegans as written.

Make it Allergy Friendly

The recipe is free from dairy, eggs and nuts.

Gluten Free: The soy sauce in this recipe will generally contain gluten. Gluten Free soy sauces are readily available and make a perfect substitute. Coconut aminos is another alternative that is both free from soy and gluten but isn’t so readily available in the UK.

Please note that this recipe may contain other allergens not referred to above and any variations suggested have not been tested unless otherwise stated. For more information regarding any dietary information provided on this website, please refer to my Nutritional Disclaimer.

Equipment Notes for Tofu Stir Fry with Teriyaki Sauce

It has taken me years to find the right wok. It turns out that the best ones are the cheap ones. Carbon steel woks with bamboo handles are what are used all over China. They are thin, conduct the heat fast and are easy to maintain.

A comprehensive list of the equipment used to make this recipe is included in the main recipe card below. Click on any item to see an example. There are no hard and fast rules so many items can be sensibly substituted to achieve the same results.

Get Ahead

The tofu can be fried. The vegetables can be prepared and fried. The sauce ingredients can be mixed together. All of those elements can be stored in the fridge for a couple of days. The final dish can then be put together within 5 or 10 minutes.

The whole dish can be cooked and stored to be reheated at a later time. It can also be frozen, either as a full batch or in individual portions. Once, thawed, the stir fry can be microwaved or reheated in a pan.

Leftover Crispy Tofu Teriyaki

Any leftovers can be treated the same as I’ve mentioned above, kept for a couple of days to be eaten for lunches or frozen to be reheated at a later date.

Tofu Stir Fry with Teriyaki Sauce Tips

The tofu may take longer to fry and colour than you think. Don’t be tempted to turn the heat up too high. Just be patient and it will colour nicely.

Don’t stop stirring the sauce once you add it to the pan. To do so might mean that the cornflour thickens unevenly and then you will just have a thin sauce with lumpy bits.

Don’t forget to let me know in the comments if you try making this recipe – I want to know what you think and if you made any substitutions, how did it turn out?

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More Tofu Recipes

The Recipe

Crispy Tofu Teriyaki (Vegan Recipe)

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This Crispy Tofu Teriyaki stir fry combines fried tofu chunks with sweet veg and a deeply sticky savoury sauce packed with umami. It’s a vegan recipe that's enough to satisfy a carnivore and a perfect addition to an Asian style feast or served simply with rice for an easy weeknight dinner.

5 from 4 votes

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KEEP SCREEN ON

Prep Time10 minutes mins

Cook Time20 minutes mins

Servings 2

Author Chloe

Equipment

• Measuring Scales
• Measuring Spoons
• Measuring Jug – Small
• Mixing Bowl – Small
• Wooden Board
• Sharp Knife – Large
• Wok
• Silicone Spatula

Ingredients

 

MetricUSA Measurements

 

0.5x1x2x4x

• 300 g Firm Tofu
• 100 g Onion
• 175 g Red Bell Pepper
• 6 tbsp Vegetable Oil
• 2 tbsp Cornflour (Cornstarch)
• 2 tsp Garlic Salt

Sauce

• 4 tbsp Light Soy Sauce (Gluten free if required)
• 2 tbsp Mirin
• 1 tbsp Cornflour (Cornstarch)
• 1 tsp Garlic Paste
• 1 tsp Ginger Paste
• 2 tbsp Light Brown Sugar
• 1 tsp Sesame Oil
• 100 ml Water

Garnish (Optional)

• 1 Spring Onions (Scallions)
• 1 tsp Toasted Sesame Seeds

Instructions

 

• Drain 300g Firm Tofu and leave to drain on kitchen paper. Add more kitchen roll on top and use some heavy dishes to press the tofu. Leave the tofu to release some of its liquid whilst preparing the other elements of the dish. Change the kitchen roll if it becomes fully saturated.
  
• Make up the sauce by mixing 4 tbsp Light Soy Sauce with 2 tbsp Mirin and 1 tbsp Cornflour. Once a paste is made, add 1 tsp Garlic Paste, 1 tsp Ginger Paste, 2 tbsp Light Brown Sugar, 1 tsp Sesame Oil and finally 100ml Water.
  
• Set the sauce aside and put a wok/large saucepan/large frying pan onto the hob to start heating.
  
• Slice 100g Onion and roughly 175g Red Bell Pepper into chunky inch hunks.
  
• Stir fry the vegetables in 2 tbsp Vegetable Oil over a high heat. Set aside. I leave the veg on kitchen roll to soak up any excess oil.
  
• Remove the tofu from its press and cut into ½ inch cubes. Add to a medium mixing bowl.
• Sprinkle over 2 tbsp Cornflour and 2 tsp Garlic Salt.
  
• Toss the tofu around in the seasoned flour until it is fully coated.
  
• Heat 4 tbsp Vegetable Oil in your cooking vessel of choice.
• Fry the coated tofu in the hot oil until crispy and golden on all sides. Use tongs to turn the tofu rather than stir frying to prevent the tofu breaking up.
  
• Drain any excess oil from the pan then add the cooked peppers and onion back to the pan.
  
• Stir the sauce ingredients then pour them into the pan whist continuously stirring.
  
• Simmer gently until the sauce has thickened and coated the other ingredients.
  
• Serve hot and garnish with 1 Spring Onion (topped, tailed and sliced) and 1 tsp Sesame Seeds.
  

Nutrition (Approx)

Calories: 693kcal | Carbohydrates: 47g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 50g | Saturated Fat: 34g | Sodium: 4487mg | Potassium: 334mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 23g | Vitamin A: 2800IU | Vitamin C: 117.3mg | Calcium: 232mg | Iron: 3.3mg

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