Teriyaki Tofu Stir Fry
This teriyaki tofu stir fry recipe features crispy fried tofu served in a thick sweet sauce with colorful veggies. Serve it over rice or noodles. Believe it or not, tofu stir fry cooks up fast and delivers a healthy, delicious meal in minutes!
You may be surprised to learn that this teriyaki tofu stir fry is fast and easy! It’s one of the reasons it’s our go-to weeknight meal!
We love fast and easy weeknight meals, such as black bean burritos or vegan minestrone. This easy tofu stir fry is another favorite because it’s ready in minutes and so flavorful!
Key Ingredients
- Lemon — We’ll use both the zest and the juice of the lemon.
- Oats — I used rolled oats for this recipe, but you can substitute instant oats.
- Chia — We’ll add some ground chia seeds to create a thicker texture. You can use whole chia seeds; I just prefer ground because it creates a smoother finished texture.
- Syrup — I used maple syrup, but you can substitute agave nectar.
- Milk — We’ll use almond milk for the best overnight oats! Substitute your favorite plant-based milk.
- Yogurt — I love adding some plant-based yogurt (plain, unsweetened) for an even more tangy flavor.
- Protein Powder — I add some vanilla protein powder for increased flavor and nutrients. If your protein powder is not sweetened, you may want to add an extra teaspoon or two of sweetener.
- Cornstarch — We’ll use cornstarch to thicken the lemon curd topping.
- Turmeric — A pinch of turmeric makes that lemon curd sunny yellow.
- Tofu — I prefer to use a 15-ounce tub of extra firm tofu. You can also use firm tofu.
- Cornstarch — I like coating the tofu in cornstarch to create a crispy crust.
- Vegetable oil — Let’s skillet fry the tofu in vegetable oil. You can use generic vegetable oil, olive oil, or even sesame oil.
- Veggies — I like adding a mixture of veggies such as colorful bell peppers, green beans, sugar snap peas, carrots, mushrooms, baby corn (I buy these canned), broccoli, and water chestnuts (canned). You can substitute frozen Asian veggies.
- Teriyaki Sauce — We’ll need vegan honey (or maple syrup), tamari (or soy sauce if you’re not worried about gluten), ground ginger, minced garlic, vegetable broth, and cornstarch.
- Serving — Serve this tofu over noodles, zoodles, or cooked rice. You get bonus points in my book for serving it over cooked brown rice. Add some sesame seeds and/or chopped green onions for flavor, texture, and drama.
Pressing Tofu
We like firm tofu for recipes such as stir fry. Firm tofu delivers the best texture, and it’s worth the effort to press it before cooking.
When you buy tofu, it comes in a container with water. That water keeps the tofu fresh for longer, but it also makes the tofu pretty soft. Here’s how to press the tofu to remove the packing fluids:
- Wrap the tofu block with a kitchen towel (or paper towels) and sit it on a plate. Top with another plate and something heavy on top, such as a heavy pan. Set this aside for 30 minutes to an hour.
- Use a tofu press. This is my favorite way to press tofu these days. It creates a firm tofu without a lot of effort. See the recipe card below for my favorite tofu press.
Make It Fast
Here are some tips for making stir fry fast:
- Use frozen Asian vegetables —I love the big bag of frozen stir fry vegetables at Costco!
- Buy Pressed Tofu — Speaking of Costco, if you’re lucky enough to have one that sells tofu, it’s usually pre-pressed, meaning it comes out of the package nice and firm. But many health food stores sell pressed tofu as well.
- Storebought Sauce — I think homemade is always better, but when we’re in a hurry, I like using San-J Lite Teriyaki Sauce. It has a great flavor, is lower in sodium, and is gluten-free.
Why This Recipe is a Winner
- EASY — Don’t let the long list of ingredients fool you; this dish comes together in around 30 minutes!
- FLAVORFUL — The flavor from the sauce combined with the veggies and fried tofu? Well, it’s pretty amazing!
- NUTRITIOUS — You’ll love making this quick and easy stir fry infused with healthy tofu and fresh veggies.
Frequently-Asked Questions
What kind of tofu is best for stir fry?
The best tofu for stir fry is either firm or extra-firm tofu. These provide the best firm texture that will soak up the flavors from the sauce.
Can you freeze tofu stir fry?
Once the stir fry is combined with the sauce, it’s not recommended for freezing. The texture of tofu changes once frozen, and the veggies can become mushy once they’re covered in the sauce.
How to Serve Tofu Stir Fry
Here are some delicious dishes to serve with stir-fried tofu:
- You can use regular Brown rice or try something different with this Sticky Brown Rice.
- Cauliflower rice
- Zucchini noodles
- Vegan Spring Rolls
- Vegan Sushi
- Cauliflower Rice Sushi
Storage Tips
Transfer the stir fry to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days. This recipe is not recommended for freezing.
Vegan Asian Meals
Of course, this vegan teriyaki tofu stir fry is the best! If you’re ready for more, here are some more tasty vegan Asian dishes to try:
Subscribe and get a free Easy Vegan Recipes eBook
Plus our latest vegan recipes, delivered right to your inbox!
Teriyaki Tofu Stir Fry
Ingredients
Fried Tofu
- 1 15-ounce tub extra firm tofu
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon olive oil (substitute sesame oil)
Stir Fry
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1 red bell pepper
- 1 yellow bell pepper
- 2 cups green beans
- 1 cup sugar snap peas
- 1 cup carrots, sliced
- 1 cup sliced mushrooms
- 1 cup baby corn
- 2 cups broccoli (cut into small florets)
- ½ cup water chestnuts
Teriyaki Sauce
- ¼ cup vegan honey (substitute agave nectar or maple syrup)
- ¼ cup tamari (or soy sauce)
- 1 teaspoon dried ginger
- 3 tablespoons minced garlic
- ½ cup vegetable broth
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
For Serving
- 4 cups cooked brown rice
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
Instructions
For the Fried Tofu:
- Remove the tofu from its package and press for up to 30 minutes to several hours (tofu that is pressed longer will be firmer). Feel free to do this step the day before and store the tofu as its pressing in the fridge overnight.
- When you're ready to begin cooking, cut the tofu into cubes and toss cubes in cornstarch.
- Add oil to a skillet over medium-high heat and cook until shimmering. Add tofu cubes, allowing each one to sit for several minutes until browned on one side. Use tongs to turn the tofu pieces, cooking on all sides until browned.
- Transfer tofu pieces to a plate lined with paper towels.
For the Stir Fry:
- Add additional oil to the skillet. Then add the vegetables, stirring and sauteing for several minutes until the vegetables are fork tender.
- Once the vegetables are ready, return the tofu to the skillet.
For the Teriyaki Sauce:
- Stir together the sauce ingredients in a small bowl.
- Pour the sauce over the ingredients in the skillet and cook until the sauce has thickened, around 3 to 5 minutes.
- To serve, distribute cooked rice in bowls and top with tofu stir-fry. Top each serving with sesame seeds.
Recommended Equipment
(The products above contain sponsored links to products we use and recommend)
Notes
The nutrition information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator and should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
This stir fry was delicious!
So glad you liked it Tracy!