Baked Teriyaki Tofu
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients
- 1 block tofu, extra firm or super firm
- 2 tablespoon soy sauce/tamari
- 2 teaspoons sambal oelek
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons olive oil or sesame oil (optional)
- 1-2 tablespoons cornstarch
Homemade Teriyaki Sauce
- ¼ cup soy sauce/tamari
- ¼ cup mirin*
- 1 - 1 ½ tablespoons maple syrup
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes (to taste)
- 1-2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1" knob ginger, grated
- ¼ - ⅓ cup water
Cornstarch Slurry
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons water
Garnish
- 2-3 green onions, sliced
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
Instructions
Preparing the Tofu
- Wrap tofu (12-16 ounce block) in a clean kitchen towel, gently squeeze any extra water and pat dry. If your tofu is softer, it would benefit from being pressed. (see notes).
- Cut into ~1" cubes. Place in a large mixing bowl.
- Sprinkle the tamari, sambal, garlic and oil over the tofu and shake the bowl to toss and evenly coat the tofu. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon cornstarch and shake again to coat the tofu. If the tofu is still watery (not sticky), add another 1 -2 tablespoons cornstarch until everything is coated and sticky.
Baking the Tofu
- Cover a baking sheet with parchment or a silicone mat, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and spread evenly.
- Arrange tofu on the baking sheet in a single layer with space between.
- Bake 400º F for 12 minutes. Flip the tofu pieces and return to the oven for an additional 6 minutes. Bake for additional time as needed.
Air Fryer Cooking Option
- Rub the air fryer basket with oil or spray with cooking spray. Preheat the air fryer to 370º F for 5 minutes while you prepare the tofu as per the recipe.
- Arrange the tofu in a single layer with space between and cook for 6 minutes. Shake the basket so the tofu gets crispy on all sides and cook for another 2-3 minutes until crispy and golden. Extra Time: It may require more time depending on your air fryer and how big the tofu pieces are. Crispy Tip: For a crispier tofu crust, give another light spray of oil at the 6 minute mark.
Making the Teriyaki Sauce
- Place all ingredients in a saucepan and heat over medium-high heat. Bring up to a boil then reduce heat to medium.
- Optional - add red pepper flakes or 2-3 teaspoons sambal, garlic chili or sriracha sauce for a spicy teriyaki sauce.
- Whisk the cornstarch and water together to create a slurry.
- Pour the slurry into the teriyaki sauce whisking until smooth. Once it starts to thicken and get glossy, remove from heat. Taste and adjust flavors as necessary.
- The sauce does thicken as it cools so leave it slightly thinner than you'll need. Add in another splash or two of water if your sauce gets too thick.
- Toss the crispy tofu and the teriyaki sauce together - serve over rice with a sprinkle of green onions and sesame seeds.
Notes
Do I have to press the tofu?: If using extra firm* or super firm tofu, you can probably get away without press it. If the tofu is firm or medium firm (which means it is less compressed and therefore has a higher water content) or if it feels soft (saturated), it will benefit from being pressed.
*In my experience, not all extra firm and super firm tofu is created equally. So some Brands of extra firm tofu can still be pretty soft (looking at you Costco), in that case, go ahead and press it for the crispiest baked tofu. If you live in Canada and use Sunrise Soya Tofu, their extra firm tofu is very firm and compressed!
Pressing tofu ahead: Pressing tofu is super simple and can be done days in advance: press then store the tofu block in the fridge wrapped in paper towels in a plastic bag until ready to use.
How to press tofu: Wrap the tofu in a clean kitchen towel (or paper towels) and stack a few heavy cookbooks or a heavy cast iron skillet on top. Or use a tofu press if you have one. Let the towel absorb the excess water for ~15 minutes (or longer) while you prepare the other recipe components.