Teriyaki Tofu Stir Fry

Try this healthy teriyaki tofu stir fry for a quick and easy plant-based dinner.

Stir fry is always a great choice for an easy dinner. This one features plenty of veggies, tofu and a simple teriyaki sauce for a flavourful and tasty combo.

Why You’ll Love this Recipe

• Dietary: This stir fry is gluten free, vegan and nut-free.
• You’ll need less than 30 minutes to make it.
• It’s easy to adapt with any veggies and you can switch up the protein and use chickpeas, tempeh, a plant-based meat alternative, seitan or edamame.
• Try it serve over rice or add cooked noodles for a satisfying meal.
• A good source of plant-based protein – 16 grams per serving!

Ingredient Notes

Please see the recipe card at the end of the post for the complete ingredient list with measurements and detailed instructions.

• Extra Firm Tofu: You can use firm or extra-firm tofu (not silken) but extra firm is best!
• Vegetables: The recipe calls for red onion, broccoli, carrot, red bell pepper, yellow bell pepper and snow peas but is easily customizable to whatever you have on hand.
• Pineapple juice: You can use broth or orange juice instead.
• Tamari: Soy sauce or coconut aminos can be used as an alternative. Use the tamari or liquid aminos if you need the recipe to be gluten-free.
• Maple Syrup: You can use brown sugar or coconut sugar instead.
• Rice Vinegar: White vinegar works okay too.
• Sesame Oil: Sesame oil adds flavour to the sauce and overall dish, so I’d suggest using it though the oil for cooking can be substituted wth water or broth for a low-fat recipe.
• Avocado Oil: You can substitute with another vegetable oil, like olive oil or coconut oil, or use water or broth for an oil-free stir fry.
• Fresh ginger: Can be substituted with 1/2 teaspoon of ground ginger.
• Garlic: Can be substituted with 1/2 tsp garlic powder.
• Cornstarch: Can be substituted with arrowroot powder.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Scroll down for the complete written recipe. This sections features step-by-step photos for those that find them helpful as a quick visual reference.

Step One: Make the sauce.

Mix the cornstarch and water together in a bowl or sealable jar then add the rest of the ingredients and stir or shake to combine. Set that aside for now.

Quick Tip: For a smoother sauce, use garlic powder and ground ginger in place of whole garlic and ginger.

Step Two: Fry the tofu.

Heat your choice of oil (or water or broth for oil-free) in a large pan, wok or skillet, then add the tofu and cook for 8-10 minutes, flipping frequently, until crispy and golden on all sides.

Step 3: Cook the veggies.

Start with the onions for 2 minutes until softened, then add the carrots and cook for another 5 minutes or so.

Add the rest of the veggies and cook for 5-7 minutes until the they’re tender but still crisp and brightly coloured.

Quick Tip: Other veggies that work well are bok choy, green beans, snap peas, mushrooms, baby corn, and zucchini.

Step Three: Add the Sauce and Tofu.

Add the tofu back to the pan along with the sauce and mix to coat everything in the sauce.

Cook for another 2-3 minutes until the sauce becomes thick and sticky.

Serve over rice, topped with sesame seeds and thinly sliced scallions. Enjoy!

Notes

Veggie Options: You can use approximately 5 cups of chopped vegetables, mixing and matching from zucchini, broccoli, bell pepper, bok choy, mushroom, snow or snap peas, cauliflower and carrot.

Pressing the Tofu: If you plan ahead time-wise, you can take the extra step to press the tofu for a better result.

Either use a tofu press or wrap the block of tofu in a dish cloth and place a heavy object on it. Press it for at least 20 minutes to remove excess water before proceeding with the recipe. You can also purchase pressed tofu. You can find more details on how to press tofu here.

Baked Tofu: If you prefer, you can bake the tofu instead of frying it. To bake the tofu, preheat the oven to 400 F. Toss the tofu with 1 tbsp soy sauce or tamari, 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil and 1 tbsp cornstarch until well coated. Bake for 20-30 minutes until crispy and brown, flipping once half way through.

Serving: Tofu stir fry is delicious served over basmati or jasmine rice but brown rice, quinoa or cauliflower rice works well too. You can also add cooked noodles like udon to the stir fry when you add the tofu and sauce to make teriyaki noodle stir fry.

Storing & Making Ahead

Prep Tip: Chop and prep the vegetables in advance to save time when cooking. You can also buy pre-chopped vegetables and/or teriyaki sauce for a super quick recipe.

You can also prep the stir fry sauce in advance. Add all of the ingredients except for the cornstarch and store for 3-4 days in the fridge. Mix the cornstarch with water and add to the sauce just prior to cooking.

Storing: Leftover stir fry can be stored in the fridge for up to 5 days. Reheat in a skillet or in the microwave until heated through. This recipe is not ideal for freezing.

Did you try this recipe? I’d love to hear about it! Scroll down to the comment section to leave a star rating and review.
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