Crispy Baked Teriyaki Tofu

This baked teriyaki tofu recipe features crispy tofu coated in a sticky and umami-packed sauce. This recipe comes together in 30 minutes and is easy to make, with air fryer option available.

To round out the meal, we love serving it with Japanese sides, including cucumber maki, yasai Itame, or a refreshing wakame seaweed salad.

This sounds cliché, but tofu is one of my favorite plant proteins to work with! Given that you know how to prepare it properly, it works perfectly as a meat substitute, like in my vegan orange chicken, and lemongrass tofu, tofu adobo.

In this recipe, we will be tossing crispy baked tofu in teriyaki sauce made from scratch. The whole process takes less than 30 minutes, making it one of my go-to quick dinners!

If you love simple yet satisfying dinner recipes like this, I recommend checking out my stir-fry rice vermicelli and Szechuan tofu next.

💚Why you will love this teriyaki baked tofu 

• Perfectly crispy tofu is coated in a rich and umami sauce
• Healthier than takeout - tofu are baked (not fried)!
• Simple to prepare and ready in 30 minutes
• A versatile dish that goes well with any rice or noodles, including my vegan yakisoba and frozen vegetable fried rice

🧄What you will need 

• Tofu - Use extra-firm tofu (do not required pressing) or pressed firm tofu. The lower moisture content is what gets tofu nice and crispy.
• Cornstarch - It's the key ingredient in getting that irresistible crispy coating on the tofu.
• Mirin - A mild Japanese cooking wine with a subtly sweet and tangy flavor. If you don't have it, substitute with 1 tablespoon rice vinegar + 3 tablespoons water + 1-2 tablespoons sugar.
• Soy sauce - Use Japanese soy sauce (shoyu) for the best flavor, but regular soy sauce works too.

See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.

✨Substitutions and add-ins 

• Using store-bought sauce - For a quicker option, feel free to use ½ to ¾ cup of store-bought teriyaki sauce.
• Make it saucier - Want more sauce? Simply double the teriyaki sauce ingredients so you've got plenty to drizzle over your rice and veggies.
• Add some heat - For a spicy kick, mix 1-2 teaspoons of chili flakes or sriracha into the teriyaki sauce. Or, make a batch of my spicy teriyaki sauce!
• Substitute the tofu - If you don't like tofu, swap it with tempeh, rehydrated soy curls, or seitan chicken (or check out my vegan teriyaki chicken).
• Add veggies - For more nutrients, feel free to add veggies of your choice. I recommend doubling the sauce to ensure everything is well coated.

🔪How to make baked teriyaki tofu

Step 1: Tear tofu into bite-sized chunks and toss them in cornstarch, soy sauce, and oil. Arrange them on a lined baking tray.

Step 2: Bake in an oven preheated to 200C (400F) for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.

🍚How to serve 

Teriyaki tofu bowl - Serve baked teriyaki tofu with rice, quinoa, or other grains with your veggie of choice.

Sides - This dish pairs well with rice and lighter sides, including my soy sauce green beans, cabbage carrot stir-fry, or cabbage miso soup.

Noodles - For a healthier meal, pair teriyaki tofu with cooked noodles of choice. It also goes well with peanut sauce rice noodles and oyster sauce noodles!

❄️Storing and meal prep tips

Storing - Although you can refrigerate teriyaki tofu as is, I like keeping the sauce and tofu separate to keep the tofu crispy.

Tofu refrigerates well for 3-4 days, while the sauce can be refrigerated for up to a week.

Reheating - Baked tofu at 180C/350F for 5-8 minutes.  Heat teriyaki sauce in a saucepan, adding a splash of water to loosen it, then toss in the tofu.