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    Home » Recipes » Recipes

    January 6, 2021 100 Comments

    Easy Sticky Teriyaki Tofu

    4.9K shares
    Jump to Recipe

    Sometimes I wonder why it takes me so long to discover such easy and delicious recipes. Back in the day, I used to enjoy teriyaki chicken, but since going vegan I seemed to forget about that. Then the other day, it struck me: why haven't I veganized this dish? So I did just that, by simply swapping out a few ingredients (mainly tofu for chicken), and let me tell you, this easy sticky teriyaki tofu is a new household fave!

    Easy Sticky Teriyaki Tofu! 10 minutes to cook, this tofu recipe is so easy to make and insanely delicious. In this recipe I share with you the key to making tofu taste like chicken!! (Yes, I'm aware of the irony)! Haha. #itdoesnttastelikechicken #veganrecipes #tofu

    The key to making teriyaki tofu irresistibly delicious is to prepare the tofu correctly. First the tofu is pressed. This removes excess water and gives the tofu a more chewy meaty texture.

    Then the tofu is torn into chunks. THIS IS KEY. I discovered the idea of tearing tofu into chunks (as opposed to cutting it into cubes) when I made my baked tofu bites recipe. When tofu is torn, the shape of the pieces are random and the surface is textured. This is the key to making tofu have chicken-like vibes. The random sizes mean that some pieces are chewier than others, while some pieces are more juicy. The the textured surface not only makes for an amazing mouth-feel, but it also helps hold the sauce on better. Trust me when I say, that tearing tofu is a game changer.

    Easy Sticky Teriyaki Tofu! 10 minutes to cook, this tofu recipe is so easy to make and insanely delicious. In this recipe I share with you the key to making tofu taste like chicken!! (Yes, I'm aware of the irony)! Haha. #itdoesnttastelikechicken #veganrecipes #tofu

    Then for the pièce de résistance, the sauce. The tofu is coated in a sticky, sweet, salty, tangy, garlicy, gingery, every perfect flavour sauce. Sprinkled with green onions and sesame seeds, I can predict that this dish will become a go-to staple for many.

    Oh and did I mention that this recipe only takes about 10 minutes of cook time!? Yeah, it keeps getting better and better.

    How to Make Easy Sticky Teriyaki Tofu:

    Press the tofu.

    First you will need to prepare the tofu. Prepare the tofu by draining it, and then pressing it for 30 minutes to 1 hour. I love using my Tofuture tofu press (as seen above), but you can also follow these instructions for a DIY tofu pressing method.

    Pressing the tofu squeezes excess water out so that the tofu can suck up more of the marinade and also will make the texture a bit chewier.

    Max the simple teriyaki sauce by mixing the sauce ingredients together.

    In a bowl or measuring cup, mix together the teriyaki tofu sauce ingredients: the water, soy sauce, brown sugar, rice vinegar, sesame oil, ginger, and garlic. Set aside.

    tear the tofu and toss in cornstarch

    Once the tofu is pressed, remove the tofu and pat dry, then use your fingers to tear into chunks about 1" in size. Some chunks will be bigger and others will be smaller and that's perfect! Tearing the tofu will make for the best chicken-like texture and also helps grip the sauce better.

    Add the tofu to a medium bowl, and sprinkle over the cornstarch. Toss well to coat.

    Pan fry until lightly browned all over.

    Heat the light oil over medium-high heat in a cast iron skillet or non-stick pan. Once hot, add the tofu, and cook for about 5 minutes, flipping as needed until the tofu is lightly browned all over.

    Add the sauce to the tofu.

    Pour all of the teriyaki sauce into the pan with the tofu, and cook for another 2- 3 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly.

    Cook until the sauce as thickened. Serve hot

    Serve the tofu or rice if or noodles (if desired) and garnish with green onions and sesame seeds. See how sticky delicious that is!!! YUM!

    Easy Sticky Teriyaki Tofu! 10 minutes to cook, this tofu recipe is so easy to make and insanely delicious. In this recipe I share with you the key to making tofu taste like chicken!! (Yes, I'm aware of the irony)! Haha. #itdoesnttastelikechicken #veganrecipes #tofu

    I love this easy sticky teriyaki tofu is delicious served on rice with a side of broccoli or another green. It's also great served with rice noodles or in a lettuce wrap. Trust me when I say, that this tofu dish is so scrumptious, you're going to find any excuse to make this again and again.

    Bon appetegan!

    Sam Turnbull.

    Print Recipe
    4.94 from 45 votes

    Easy Sticky Teriyaki Tofu

    10 minutes to cook, this tofu recipe is so easy to make and insanely delicious. In this recipe I share with you the key to making tofu taste like chicken!! (Yes, I'm aware of the irony)! Haha.
    Prep Time30 mins
    Cook Time10 mins
    Total Time40 mins
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: Japanese
    ingredient tag: tofu
    Servings: 4
    Calories: 257kcal
    Author: Sam Turnbull • It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken

    Ingredients

    For the tofu:

    • 1 block (12 oz) extra-firm tofu, (see step 1 for prep)

    For the sauce:

    • ½ cup water
    • ¼ cup soy sauce (gluten-free if preffered)
    • 3 tablespoons brown sugar
    • 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
    • 2 teaspoons sesame oil
    • 1 inch fresh ginger (1 tablespoon), minced
    • 3 cloves garlic, minced

    To cook the tofu:

    • 2 tablespoons cornstarch
    • 1 tablespoon light oil (such as canola or vegetable)
    • 4 green onions, chopped
    • 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
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    Instructions

    • To prep the tofu: Prepare the tofu by draining it, and then pressing it for 30 minutes to 1 hour. I love using my Tofuture tofu press, but you can also follow these instructions for a DIY tofu pressing method. Pressing the tofu squeezes excess water out so that the tofu can suck up more of the marinade and also will make the texture a bit chewier.
    • In a bowl or measuring cup, mix together the sauce ingredients: the water, soy sauce, brown sugar, rice vinegar, sesame oil, ginger, and garlic. Set aside.
    • Once the tofu is pressed, remove the tofu and pat dry, then use your fingers to tear into chunks about 1" in size. Some chunks will be bigger and others will be smaller and that's perfect! Tearing the tofu will make for the best chicken-like texture and also helps grip the sauce better.
      Add the tofu to a medium bowl, and sprinkle over the cornstarch. Toss well to coat.
    • Heat the light oil over medium-high heat in a cast iron skillet or non-stick pan. Once hot, add the tofu, and cook for about 5 minutes, flipping as needed until the tofu is lightly browned all over.
    • Pour all of the sauce mixture into the pan with the tofu, and cook for another 2- 3 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly. Serve the tofu with rice or noodles (if desired) and garnish with green onions and sesame seeds.

    Notes

    Serving: Teriyaki tofu is great served over rice with broccoli or another green. It's also delicious served on rice noodles, or you can even use it to make lettuce wraps. Yum!
    Make-ahead/ Leftovers: Teriyaki tofu tastes even better the next day, so this is a great dish to prep ahead. Simply follow the recipe as written, allow to cool, then store in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
    Oil-free: to make oil-free, omit the sesame oil in the sauce. Whisk in 1 tablespoon of cornstarch into the sauce. For the tofu, do not coat it in cornstarch, and instead to a water or broth sauté to fry the tofu until golden all over. Add the sauce with the added cornstarch and cook for 2 - 3 minutes until the sauce is thickened.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1serving (recipe makes 4 servings) | Calories: 257kcal | Carbohydrates: 19g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Sodium: 822mg | Potassium: 244mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 120IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 118mg | Iron: 3mg
    Did You Make This Recipe?Tag @itdoesnttastelikechicken on Instagram and Hashtag #itdoesnttastelikechicken
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Saraswati says

      January 18, 2023 at 10:38 am

      5 stars
      This is a delicious recipe and easy to make. However, my tofu had a soft texture instead of a chewy one. I pressed the extra-firm tofu in my Tofuture press for about 45 minutes and it took longer than 5 minutes to get a good brown color when cooking it prior to adding the sauce. I'll try it again and press the tofu longer and see if I can achieve a firmer texture. Thanks for the great recipe!

      Reply
      • Jess @ IDTLC Support says

        January 19, 2023 at 8:31 pm

        Thanks for your sharing your experience! It does often firm up once it cools, so I hope you enjoy it more the next time you try it.

        Reply
    2. Nick says

      January 16, 2023 at 12:38 pm

      5 stars
      Made as per the recipe and it was absolutely delicious Sam.
      Many thanks for another one of your masterpieces!

      Reply
    3. Gina Bisaillon says

      January 14, 2023 at 11:14 am

      5 stars
      Why would you need to use extra firm tofu if you're going to be pressing it?

      Reply
    4. Marie Abbott says

      August 14, 2022 at 12:42 pm

      I love to eat healthy and I am passionate about animals. However, I find that most of these recipes are high in both sodium and fat. For example, this Easy Sticky Teriyaki has Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Sodium: 822mg. Are their recipes that are healthier?

      Reply
      • Sam Turnbull says

        August 17, 2022 at 3:02 pm

        Hi Marie, my recipes are not health-focused, they are flavor focused. There are many blogs that have health-focused recipes, I suggest you try looking at those blogs. Enjoy!

        Reply
      • Joan says

        January 21, 2023 at 5:18 pm

        5 stars
        Hello Marie, I think the nutrition calculator is off. Unless I’m missing something I calculated the fat grams to be 10.2 gms. per serving as the recipe is written. Personally I cut the oil and just used broth to sauté. Excellent! The sodium calculator appears to be correct but I used low sodium soy sauce which was an easy and still delicious swap.

        Reply
    5. Jodi says

      June 16, 2022 at 5:42 pm

      5 stars
      Love this recipe! Simple and a weekly staple.

      Reply
    6. Gail says

      February 21, 2022 at 5:05 pm

      Hi Sam,

      I am so happy that I have found you. I have been vegan for two years and am trying to help my husband transition. We started with Meatless Mondays and your recipes have been a blessing to me. Some weeks he has more than one meatless day (he doesn't always know and I don't tell). Your recipes are so amazing the ultimate carnivore doesn't know that it's not me. I had to double this recipe to make sure there was enough.

      Thank you so much for all that you do.

      Reply
    7. Brigitte says

      January 19, 2022 at 3:50 pm

      Hi Sam ,
      I want to make the recipe I watched your video and you don’t coat the tofu with cornstarch . Can I skip this and just add some cornstarch to the sauce ? If yes how much would you add ? Or it’s better to just coat the tofu with cornstarch . Thank you

      Reply
      • Sam Turnbull says

        January 25, 2022 at 4:23 pm

        Hi Brigitte, I haven't made a video for this recipe yet so you must have seen a different tofu technique/recipe I was demonstrating. I recommend you follow the recipe as written for best results 🙂

        Reply
    8. Christina says

      August 23, 2021 at 7:24 pm

      5 stars
      Delicious and toddler approved! Can’t believe how quick and easy this was to make. We served it on top of the veggie fries rice from the Fuss Free Vegan cookbook. Thanks Sam!

      Reply
      • Sam Turnbull says

        August 30, 2021 at 4:43 pm

        You're most welcome, Christina! So happy you enjoyed it 🙂

        Reply
    9. Deserae says

      August 16, 2021 at 5:19 pm

      5 stars
      This is my favorite extra firm tofu recipe so far!! SOOO YUMMY!

      Reply
      • Sam Turnbull says

        August 19, 2021 at 10:58 am

        Awesome! So happy you love it Deserae!

        Reply
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