Tofu. That most polarizing of foods. To some, tofu is hippie food––one of those things that you “sacrifice” taste for in the name of health. To others (me included), tofu is a magical substance.
The thing about tofu that those-not-in-the-bean-curd-“know” don’t know is: it takes on the flavor of whatever you cook it with. Translation? It’s a great VEHICLE for flavor.
It’s also a textural thing. A lot of people don’t know about how many different types of tofu there are out there, but it comes in tons of different varieties––for a full overview, check out our Chinese Tofu and Bean Curd ingredients pages, where we list some of the main types of tofu that you can find in your local Asian market.
For all you tofu novices and tofu lovers alike, I give you this Teriyaki Tofu recipe. It’s simple to make, and involves firm tofu––those white blocks that you can find in most grocery stores these days.
It’s cut into cubes, dredged in cornstarch, and then fried in a pan for maximum crispiness. Then it’s tossed in a homemade teriyaki sauce––just add rice and maybe a sautéed vegetable, and dinner is done.
You’ll need:
- 1 14 oz. package of firm tofu
- 1/4 cup cornstarch, plus 2 teaspoons
- ⅓ cup vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon grated ginger
- 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons mirin
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons dark soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1/2 cup warm water
- 1 scallion, chopped (optional)
- Steamed rice, to serve
- Toasted sesame seeds (optional)
Pat the tofu dry with a paper towel, and cut into 1-inch cubes.
Add the ¼ cup of cornstarch to a shallow bowl, and dredge the tofu pieces until they all have a light coating of cornstarch.
You’ll see the cornstarch getting absorbed by the moisture of the tofu––this is normal.
Heat the vegetable oil in a cast iron or nonstick pan over medium heat. Add the tofu pieces to the pan, and fry on all sides until golden. Remove the tofu from the pan and set aside.
Add the ginger to the pan, and cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Add the onions and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes.
Then add the mirin, soy sauce, dark soy sauce, brown sugar, and sesame oil.
Bring the mixture to a simmer. Meanwhile, dissolve the remaining two teaspoons of cornstarch in 1/2 cup warm water. Add to the sauce and onions, along with the cooked tofu.
Toss everything together for 1 minute, until the sauce has thickened and the tofu is coated in the teriyaki sauce.
Stir in the scallions to finish the teriyaki tofu.
Serve your teriyaki tofu over steamed rice with some toasted sesame seeds if desired.
- 1 14 oz. package of firm tofu
- ¼ cup cornstarch, plus 2 teaspoons
- ⅓ cup vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon grated ginger
- 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons mirin
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons dark soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- ½ cup water
- 1 scallion, chopped (optional)
- Steamed rice, to serve
- Toasted sesame seeds (optional)
- Pat the tofu dry with a paper towel, and cut into 1-inch cubes. Add the ¼ cup of cornstarch to a shallow bowl, and dredge the tofu pieces until they all have a light coating of cornstarch. You’ll see the cornstarch getting absorbed by the moisture of the tofu––this is normal.
- Heat the vegetable oil in a cast iron or nonstick pan over medium heat. Add the tofu pieces to the pan, and fry on all sides until golden. Remove the tofu from the pan and set aside.
- Add the ginger to the pan, and cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Add the onions and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes. Then add the mirin, soy sauce, dark soy sauce, brown sugar, and sesame oil.
- Bring the mixture to a simmer. Meanwhile, dissolve the remaining two teaspoons of cornstarch in ½ cup warm water. Add to the sauce and onions, along with the cooked tofu. Toss everything together for 1 minute, until the sauce has thickened and the tofu is coated in the sauce. Stir in the scallions.
- Serve over steamed rice with some toasted sesame seeds if desired.
nichole says
Great recipe! Double the sauce though if you want more on your rice :) also I put orange and red bell peppers in and snap peas, highly recommended!
Sarah says
Awesome, thanks Nichole!
Tamir says
Hands down the best tofu dish I’ve made and eaten, and one of the best dishes in the site.
Sarah says
Thanks Tamir! So glad you enjoyed it :)
Emily says
Finally tried this recipe! As a long time tofu lover, I have been attempting to convert my family! My spicy tofu was a hit, and this recipe seems to have converted my sisters, just my mum who is still holding out on me
Sarah says
haha that’s awesome, Emily! Glad we could help turn the tides a bit on tofu in your family. :) We’ll get to your mum eventually!
Matthew Hollis Damon, author says
This is amazing recipe. Best teriyaki ever! I took pics but it seems I can’t post it. Anyway, phenomenal. My tofu hating daughter even loves it!
I modified the recipe to make large flat rectangles like in the restaurants. I also deep friend some and pan fried other tofu, and in the end it didn’t make a difference. If I had fried it and left it aside til the end before adding sauce, the tofu would’ve been crispy. But instead I cooked it in the sauce and it’s a succulent melt-in-your-mouth texture!
Sarah says
That’s awesome! So glad you and the family liked it Matthew. :)
Matthew Hollis Damon, author says
Thanks Sarah! Making it again tonight for about the fifth time in a month ??
Judy says
hahaha…who’s counting.
Christelle says
Omg this turned out weird ???? So everything started out fine, I actually did the sauce first and it was all going well. However when it came to the tofu part, I lightly coated the tofu with cornstarch etc… but when I started frying, the cornstarch solidified all around the tofu to form a kind of jelly ‘wall’. And when I added the fried tofu to the sauce, the wall refused to allow sauce to coat the tofu pieces. It was hilarious! And you’re probably thinking I used too much cornstarch but it was a very light coat! Anyways, ended up substituting cornstarch with flour when making batch 2. Very tasty dinner, my brother and I had a good laugh! Thanks for sharing
Sarah says
Hahaha weird story! The cornstarch does form a kind of layer around the tofu, but after it’s fried, it shouldn’t prevent sauce from sticking to it. I’m also a bit mystified, Christelle. But I’m glad that you and your brother enjoyed it in the end. And good to know that in your experience, flour worked. Thanks for sharing!
Eike says
Yep, it‘s getting a bit jelly at first but once you thoroughly fried it, the ‚jelly’ is gone. I use to flip each cube separately, that way i get it evenly golden brown and crispy.
Btw super delicious dish, even my picky kids love it ;)
Matthew Hollis Damon, author says
Haha, yes I had that weird coat of cornstarch too— it was shiny and slippery! It didn’t prevent sauce from soaking in for me tho. I used less after my first pieces. And the cornstarch got wet and crumbly in the bowl after the first pieces too so it didn’t cost as much. Great dish!
cricket says
*Did* it turn out weird?
Your use of question marks is confusing. If it turned out weird, then just end the sentence with a period or an exclamation mark. Question marks are for when you’re asking an actual question. Such as “Why did my tofu turn out so weird?” They are not necessary when you are telling us a fact, even if that fact has you baffled as to the reason.