This Teriyaki Tofu Stir Fry is my go-to weeknight dinner when I'm in need of something easy and delicious. Made with staple ingredients and simple steps, this dish comes together in under 45 minutes and never fails to impress!
Snow peas, broccoli, carrots, bell peppers, and onions are tossed in a sweet, sticky 5-ingredient teriyaki sauce— finished off by adding crispy tofu!
The tofu can be pan-fried, air-fried, or even baked. Whichever method you prefer works great when it comes to making stir fry.
If you love this teriyaki stir fry sauce recipe, try this vegan stir fry sauce next!
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Ingredients
This vegetarian teriyaki stir fry makes for a simple yet satisfying weeknight dinner that everyone in the family will enjoy!
It's also great for meal prep! Prepare ahead of time and divide servings into these glass meal prep containers.
Extra-Firm Tofu: I recommend using extra-firm for this recipe but if you want to avoid pressing the tofu, look for super firm.
Sambal Oelek: This is a chili paste and it brings a nice amount of heat but also flavor to our teriyaki sauce.
Cornstarch: Sprinkling cornstarch on the tofu helps it achieve that perfect crispiness. It also acts as a thickening agent in the teriyaki sauce.
Stir Fry Vegetables: I used onion, bell peppers, snow peas, carrots, and broccoli. Other great stir-fry veggies include mushrooms, baby corn, bok choy, green beans, and zucchini. Don't worry about the measurements— just add a little of each!
See recipe card for quantities.
Helpful Equipment
You do not need an air fryer for this recipe, you can pan-fry or bake the tofu instead.
But I use a Ninja air fryer and absolutely love it. Makes the best tofu in under 15 minutes!
Another suggestion but not a necessity is a tofu press. I use and recommend the one from Tofuture.
How to Make This Recipe
This tofu stir fry has a great mix of textures, with crunchy veggies and crispy tofu, all coated in a simple teriyaki sauce that adds a touch of sweetness and a bit of spice.
It's ideal for a quick weeknight dinner and can be easily customized. I often make it as a way to use up leftover veggies and avoid food waste.
The full written recipe can be found in the recipe card below.
Step 1: Prepare the tofu by cubing the tofu and place it in a large bowl. Toss with cornstarch, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper and a pinch of salt, ensuring each piece is well-coated.
Step 2: Pan-fry or air-fry the tofu. Once crispy, remove the tofu and set it aside on a wire rack to keep it crisp.
Step 3: In a small bowl, whisk together the teriyaki sauce ingredients including the cornstarch. Set aside.
Step 4: Add the oil to a large frying pan and sauté the sliced onion over medium-high heat until soft and starting to brown, about 5 minutes.
Step 5: Add the carrots, bell peppers, ginger, and garlic. Cook for an additional 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Step 6: Add the snow peas and broccoli to the pan and cook for another 2 minutes, until the vegetables are tender but still crisp.
Step 7: Pour in the teriyaki sauce and let cook until thicken, about 3-4 minutes. Then, add in the tofu.
Step 8: Toss until evenly coated in the sauce, then turn off the heat. Drizzle the toasted sesame oil over the top and give everything one last toss.
Garnish with sesame seeds and sliced green onions. Enjoy over rice or noodles.
Note: Want to save time? Check out my list of time-saving tips below!
Substitutions & Variations
Stir-fries are not only easy to make, but also budget-friendly and highly versatile.
You can mix up the veggies, swap the tofu for another protein, and even change up the sauce to create a new delicious vegan stir-fry every time.
Tofu: Tempeh, seitan, store-bought vegan chicken, or even chickpeas would work!
Stir Fry Veggies: I love using onions, mixed bell peppers, snow peas, carrots, and broccoli but mushrooms, baby corn, bok choy, green beans, and zucchini are all great additions as well. Don't worry about the measurements— just add a little of each!
Soy Sauce: Make it gluten-free by using tamari instead.
Maple Syrup: Brown sugar or agave are good substitutes for maple syrup.
Sambal Oelek: Simply replace with Sriracha or red chili flakes. If you don't want any spice, leave it out.
Serving Ideas
This teriyaki tofu stir fry is delicious on its own, but it's even better served over a bed of fluffy white jasmine rice.
For a different variation, try it with rice noodles, udon noodles, or brown rice— each option is delicious!
Time-Saving Tips
It’s a simple weeknight dinner that comes together in just 45 minutes— but you can cut that time in half with the tips I’ve shared below!
Prep the tofu ahead by pre-pressing the tofu! Drain, press, and place in an airtight container in the fridge until ready to use— use within 3-4 days.
To avoid spending time pressing tofu, look for super firm tofu. This eliminates the need to press out excess water, saving you at least 10-15 minutes.
Skip the frying pan and use an air fryer to cook tofu. It’s a hands-off method that results in crispy tofu with minimal effort. While the tofu is cooking, you can make the remainder of this dish in under 15 minutes!
Save time by chopping all your vegetables in advance or buying a bag of stir fry veggies in the produce or frozen section. Keeping a bag of frozen stir-fry vegetable mix in your freezer can be a lifesaver on those busy days!
Storage
Storage: Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days. I do not recommend freezing this recipe.
Reheating: Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop until warmed through, adding a splash of water if you prefer a saucier consistency.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, store-bought teriyaki sauce can be used instead.
I would recommend it if you're using extra-firm or medium firm but if you're using super firm, you can skip it!
Make this teriyaki tofu recipe gluten-free by swapping the soy sauce with a gluten-free tamari.
Add red pepper flakes, sriracha, or more chili paste to the sauce for a bit of heat!
More Tofu Recipes
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Don't forget to leave a comment and ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ star rating down below if you try this recipe! Subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Instagram for more recipes and updates.
Recipe
Teriyaki Tofu Stir Fry
Ingredients
Crispy Tofu
- 1 14 oz block Extra-Firm Tofu drained and pressed
- 2 teaspoons Cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon Garlic Powder
- ½ teaspoon Onion Powder
- ¼ teaspoon Black Pepper
- Pinch of Kosher Salt
- Avocado Oil for cooking
Sauce
- ¼ cup Low-Sodium Soy Sauce
- 2 tablespoons Maple Syrup
- 2 tablespoons Rice Vinegar
- 1-2 teaspoons Sambal Oelek or sriracha
- 1 teaspoon Cornstarch
Stir Fry
- 1 tablespoon Avocado Oil for cooking
- ½ medium Yellow Onion thinly sliced
- ½ medium Red Bell Pepper thinly sliced
- ½ medium Green Bell Pepper thinly sliced
- 1 large Carrot coined
- 1 tablespoon Fresh Ginger grated
- 2 Garlic Cloves minced
- ½ cup Snow Peas
- 1 cup Broccoli Florets
- 1-2 teaspoon Toasted Sesame Oil optional
- 1-2 tablespoons Sliced Green Onions for garnish
- Sesame Seeds for garnish
Instructions
- Press the tofu for at least 10-15 minutes to remove excess water. I recommend a tofu press.
- Prepare the tofu by cubing the tofu (I did 16 large cubes) and place it in a large bowl. Toss the tofu with cornstarch, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper and a pinch of salt, ensuring each piece is well-coated.
- To pan-fry, heat a pan over medium-high heat and add a thin layer of oil. Fry the tofu in the pan until golden and crispy, about 7-10 minutes.
- To air fry, transfer the tofu to an air fryer and drizzle or spray with oil— no need to preheat. Air fry at 400F for 12-13 minutes or until golden brown. Shake the basket occasionally to evenly brown each side.
- Once crispy, remove the tofu and set it aside on a wire rack to keep it crisp.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the teriyaki sauce ingredients including the cornstarch. Set aside.
- Add the oil to a large frying pan and sauté the sliced onion over medium-high heat until soft and starting to brown, about 5 minutes.
- Add the carrots, bell peppers, ginger, and garlic. Cook for an additional 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add the snow peas and broccoli to the pan and cook for another 2 minutes, until the vegetables are tender but still crisp.
- Pour in the teriyaki sauce and let cook until thicken, about 3-4 minutes.
- Toss the crispy tofu in the stir fry until it’s evenly coated in the sauce, then turn off the heat. Drizzle the toasted sesame oil over the top and give everything one last toss. Garnish with sesame seeds and sliced green onions, and enjoy!
Notes
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Anna Rosemarie says
My whole family loves this dish - it's hard to find something everyone likes! Will definitely make this regularly.
Liv says
That's incredible! I'm thrilled it was a hit with the fam! Thank you so much.
Adrian Cois says
So yummy. Very easy to make and gave the perfect sticky toffee like texture to the sauce. It stretches a long way too. I've done it for soy curls and the recipe covered a whole bag including veggies. Also fun to try out different types of citrus - I've don't lemon and mandarin. Keep up the good work Liv!!
Liv says
So glad you enjoyed the teriyaki sauce! I love the idea of replacing the citrus with lemon or even lime would be good. I'll have to try that out. Thank you!
Alli Smith says
Soo delicious recipe!! I made the cubed tofu in the air fryer and it was so easy!! this will def be a staple dinner for me now (:
Liv says
I'm so happy you enjoyed!! 🙂