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sticky teriyaki tofu with sweet and sour sauce and rice noodles recipe
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Sticky Teriyaki Tofu

Crispy, salty, sweet and sour sticky Teriyaki Tofu with flavorful ingredients. This comforting Asian weeknight dinner is very tasty and much healthier than take-out! The recipe is vegan, gluten-free, low-fat, and easy to make.
Course Main Course, Side Dish
Cuisine Asian, Japanese
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings 2
Author Michaela Vais

Equipment

  • Tofu press*

Ingredients

For The Tofu

For The Sauce

  • 3-4 tbsp maple syrup (see notes)
  • 2 tsp fresh ginger minced
  • 1 1/2 tsp fresh garlic minced
  • 2 1/2 tbsp soy sauce (gluten-free if needed) or tamari or coconut aminos
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 2 tbsp lemon juice or rice vinegar
  • 1 tbsp cornstarch or arrowroot flour + 2 tbsp water
  • 2 tbsp mirin or dry sherry (optional)

Other Ingredients

  • Cooked rice noodles or rice
  • Fried veggies of choice optional
  • Cooking spray
  • Fresh chives chopped
  • Sesame seeds

Instructions

  • You can watch the video in the post for visual instructions.
    Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit (200 degrees Celsius) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  • Press tofu for at least 15 minutes (read the blog post above to find out how to press it without a tofu press), then cut into 1-inch (2 1/2 cm) pieces.
  • Put the cornstarch, onion powder, garlic powder, black pepper, and salt to a bowl and stir. Add the tofu and carefully stir to coat the tofu from all sides.
  • Transfer the tofu to the lined baking sheet. Spray with cooking spray, then bake in the oven for about 25-30 minutes, flipping halfway through. Meanwhile, cook rice or rice noodles and fry veggies of choice, if using.
  • To make the sauce, add the maple syrup into a saucepan, stir in the ginger and garlic. Also add soy sauce, water, and lemon juice. Stir to combine and bring to a simmer.
  • Mix cornstarch with 2 tbsp water and add it to the saucepan. Let simmer for a few minutes until thickened.
  • Add the baked tofu and stir to cover the tofu with the sauce from all sides.
  • Serve with cooked rice noodles or rice. Top with fried veggies, sesame seeds, and chives. Enjoy!

Notes

  • Sweetener: You can use maple syrup or any other liquid sweetener of choice.
  • Add veggies of choice: I used peppers because they pair well with this sweet and sour sticky tofu, however, you can use other veggies of choice (e.g. broccoli).
  • Air fryer option: Bake the tofu in the air fryer instead of the oven. Or, as mentioned in the blog post, use a frying pan and fry it in oil until crispy from all sides.
  • Use cauliflower instead of tofu: If you can't eat tofu because of a soy allergy, I would recommend using cauliflower instead. Simply substitute coconut aminos for soy sauce.
  • Freeze leftover sauce: You can double the sauce recipe and freeze leftovers! The teriyaki sauce not only tastes great over tofu but also over roasted veggies!
  • Recipe serves two. Nutrition facts are for one serving.
Nutrition Facts
Sticky Teriyaki Tofu
Amount per Serving
Calories
305
% Daily Value*
Fat
 
9
g
14
%
Saturated Fat
 
1
g
5
%
Carbohydrates
 
37
g
12
%
Fiber
 
2
g
8
%
Sugar
 
19
g
21
%
Protein
 
20
g
40
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.