Easy Sticky Teriyaki Tofu • It Doesn’t Taste Like Chicken

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!

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.

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:

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.

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.

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

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!

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

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

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

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