Sticky, crispy, vegan baked teriyaki tofu is packed with flavor and so easy to make.
This baked teriyaki tofu recipe is based on a mashup of my BBQ tofu wings and baked BBQ tofu. You start with crispy baked tofu, then toss it in sticky, homemade teriyaki sauce and bake again. The results are bubbly, sticky tofu perfection.
Let's do this.
Why make your own teriyaki sauce?
It's incredibly easy to make vegan teriyaki sauce from scratch, and it tastes so much better than most store-bought options.
When I first started testing this recipe, I used bottled teriyaki sauce, and my results were always mixed. Here's the thing: those bottled sauces can vary wildly in flavor and quality. I want you to have a consistent experience, and making your own sauce is the way to do that.
Store-bought teriyaki sauce sometimes contains honey. In this recipe, we're using maple syrup or agave nectar instead. Your choice!
Recipe notes
Before you start getting saucy, it's critical that you press your tofu. Pressing gets that excess water out, leaving just super firm tofu behind that's ready to soak in the teriyaki sauce.
I like to press my tofu in my EZ Tofu Press, because it gets out about ½ cup of water in just 10-15 minutes! It does this while also maintaining the shape of the block, which is perfect for cubed tofu recipes like this one.
The EZ Tofu Press is easy to clean by hand but also dishwasher safe, in case you're ultra lazy about cleaning, like I am.
While the tofu presses, make the 8-minute vegan teriyaki sauce by combining all of the ingredients in a pan and simmering for a few minutes to thicken. Set the sauce aside to cool while you make the crispy tofu.
Toss the tofu with a little bit of vegan milk, then cornstarch, then seasoned flour. Bake this until it's crispy.
The tofu will look pretty dry at this point, and that's fine! Because now, it's sauce time.
Toss the tofu in the sauce in an 8x8" pan, and bake again, so the sauce clinging to that tofu gets bubbly and sticky.
The resulting tofu is:
- toothsome
- sticky
- savory
- addictive
Serving suggestions
While the tofu is baking, you have time to prepare whatever sides you want to serve with your teriyaki tofu. I like to pair mine up with a starchy side and a veggie.
For the starchy side, try sesame udon noodles or rice -- like my Instant Pot sushi rice. You can also use quinoa or other rice or noodles of your choice.
For the veggies, steamed or sautéed broccoli is a classic pick. You can also do air fryer baby bok choy or saute baby bok choy on the stovetop. My ginger-sesame kale stir fry also goes great with this dish.
Serve the tofu up with the leftover sauce on the side for drizzling.
Storage directions
Store leftover baked teriyaki tofu in a covered container in the refrigerator. It will keep for three to five days.
To reheat, bake at 350° F for 10-12 minutes or air fry at 350° F for five to seven minutes until heated through. I don't recommend microwaving, because it will get mushy.
Make-ahead directions
You can make the sauce in advance. Just store it in the refrigerator until you're ready to use it.
Pull it out when you start prepping the tofu, so it can come to room temperature before you toss with the crispy tofu cubes.
📖 Recipe
Baked Teriyaki Tofu Recipe
Ingredients
Teriyaki sauce ingredients
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 cup water
- ¼ cup seasoned rice vinegar
- ½ cup low-sodium soy sauce
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup or agave nectar
- 2 cloves garlic - minced
- 1" piece of ginger - minced
Crispy tofu
- 1 block extra firm tofu - pressed and cut into 1" cubes
- 2 tablespoons vegan milk
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose or white wheat flour
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425° F and press your tofu while you make the sauce.
Make the teriyaki sauce
- In a cold pan, whisk together the cornstarch and water, then mix in all of the rest of the sauce ingredients. Bring to a boil and simmer for a few minutes to thicken. You'll be able to tell that it's thick because the bubbles will start rolling more slowly. Set aside while you prep the tofu.
Make the tofu
- In a large bowl, toss the tofu cubes with the vegan milk, then drain off any extra liquid. Add the cornstarch and toss again. Then add the flour, garlic, and ginger, and toss that with the tofu, as well, to coat.
- Arrange the tofu pieces into a single layer on a lined baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes.
- Transfer the baked tofu to an 8x8" baking pan and add about a cup of the cooled teriyaki sauce. Bake for another 15-20 minutes. Serve with the extra sauce on the side.
Equipment
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Frequently asked questions
In this recipe, you bake for 35-40 minutes total, because you want that sauce to reduce and get nice and bubbly in the oven.
Tofu is a very neutral protein that takes on the flavor of whatever sauce you cook it in. Tofu teriyaki tastes like teriyaki sauce with an incredible, toothsome texture.
Teriyaki sauce is soy sauce-based with vinegar, sugar, and spices. It's a salty, zesty, sweet sauce that makes tofu taste amazing!
You can! Just choose gluten-free teriyaki sauce, and you are in business. Tofu is naturally gluten-free.
This baked tofu is great with rice or noodles and your favorite steamed or sautéed veggies. See the serving suggestions section above for more ideas on how to serve baked teriyaki tofu.
This recipe doesn't require marinating. Instead, you bake the tofu in a small amount of the sauce to seal in that flavor.
Got a question? Tried this recipe? Leave a reply!