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Easy Sticky-Teriyaki Tofu

Prep Time:

Cook Time:

Serves:

Serves 4

Level:

About the Recipe

Ingredients

For the tofu:

  • 1 block (12 oz) extra-firm tofu (see step 1 for prep)



For the sauce:

  • ½ cup water

  • ¼ cup soy sauce (gluten-free if preffered)

  • 3 tablespoons brown sugar

  • 1 tablespoon rice vinegar

  • 2 teaspoons sesame oil

  • 1 inch fresh ginger (1 tablespoon) minced

  • 3 cloves garlic, minced


Preparation

To cook the tofu:

  1. 2 tablespoons cornstarch

  2. 1 tablespoon light oil (such as canola or vegetable)

  3. 4 green onions, chopped

  4. 1 tablespoon sesame seeds


To prep the tofu:

  1. Prepare the tofu by draining it, and then pressing it for 30 minutes to 1 hour. I love using my Tofuture tofu press, but you can also follow these instructions for a DIY tofu pressing method. Pressing the tofu squeezes excess water out so that the tofu can suck up more of the marinade and also will make the texture a bit chewier.

  2. In a bowl or measuring cup, mix together the sauce ingredients: the water, soy sauce, brown sugar, rice vinegar, sesame oil, ginger, and garlic. Set aside.

  3. Once the tofu is pressed, remove the tofu and pat dry, then use your fingers to tear into chunks about 1" in size. Some chunks will be bigger and others will be smaller and that's perfect! Tearing the tofu will make for the best chicken-like texture and also helps grip the sauce better.

  4. Add the tofu to a medium bowl, and sprinkle over the cornstarch. Toss well to coat.

  5. Heat the light oil over medium-high heat in a cast iron skillet or non-stick pan. Once hot, add the tofu, and cook for about 5 minutes, flipping as needed until the tofu is lightly browned all over.

  6. Pour all of the sauce mixture into the pan with the tofu, and cook for another 2- 3 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly. Serve the tofu with rice or noodles (if desired) and garnish with green onions and sesame seeds.



Notes

Serving: Teriyaki tofu is great served over rice with broccoli or another green. It's also delicious served on rice noodles, or you can even use it to make lettuce wraps. Yum!


Make-ahead/ Leftovers: Teriyaki tofu tastes even better the next day, so this is a great dish to prep ahead. Simply follow the recipe as written, allow to cool, then store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.


Oil-free: to make oil-free, omit the sesame oil in the sauce. Whisk in 1 tablespoon of cornstarch into the sauce. For the tofu, do not coat it in cornstarch, and instead to a water or broth sauté to fry the tofu until golden all over. Add the sauce with the added cornstarch and cook for 2 - 3 minutes until the sauce is thickened.

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