Super easy, quick, and absolutely delicious!
If I had to choose just one way to enjoy tofu, it would definitely be this irresistible teriyaki tofu steak. This recipe is not only packed with flavor, but it also adds a good whack of protein to your veggie rice bowl! The best part is that it's quick and easy to make - no need to marinate the tofu beforehand. Simply coat it in cornflour and garlic powder, fry it in teriyaki sauce, and you'll get a crispy exterior and a tender, melt-in-your-mouth interior with gorgeous teriyaki flavors. For the ultimate experience, pair your teriyaki tofu steak with a bowl of rice and veggies next to a comforting bowl of miso soup.
Tofu makes an awesome focal point for a mid-week dinner! You only need a few basic ingredients to create the teriyaki sauce, add a bit of sesame for crunch and you'll have teriyaki-style vegan steaks in no time! Whether you're into "meatless Mondays" or simply want more plant-based meals in your diet, this one's for you.
Ingredients
For this recipe, it's important to use firm tofu instead of silken tofu. Firm tofu provides a satisfying "meaty" texture. To achieve a crispy exterior and seal in the juices, we'll coat the tofu with a mixture of cornflour and garlic powder. The teriyaki sauce - a classic blend of soy sauce, sake, mirin and sugar - enhances the tofu's natural mildness with a balance of sweet and savory flavors everyone will love.
Serves 4 | Prep time 30 minutes | Cooking time 15 minutes
- Tofu
- Sake
- Mirin
- Soy sauce
- Garlic powder
- Cornflour
- Brown sugar
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
Step 1: Press the tofu to remove excess moisture. Place the tofu block on a cooking rack with paper towels beneath. Weigh it down on top with something heavy, like a plate and a stack of books, or a tofu press. Let it sit for about 15 minutes, then pat the tofu with paper towel to remove excess moisture.
Step 2: Chop the tofu into steaks. Use a sharp knife to cut the pressed tofu into steak-like slices of your desired thickness.
Step 3: Make the teriyaki sauce. In a small saucepan, combine roughly equal amounts of soy sauce, mirin, sake and brown sugar to taste. Then simmer the mixture over low heat until it reduces to a thick, glossy sauce after around 6-8 minutes.
Step 4: Coat the tofu steaks. In a shallow dish or tray, mix garlic powder with cornflower. Dredge the tofu steaks in the flour mixture, ensuring they are evenly coated.
Step 5: Fry the tofu. Heat some oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Next,carefully place the coated tofu steaks in the pan and fry until they turn slightly crispy on the outside.
Step 6: Add the teriyaki sauce and sesame seeds, and fry until crispy. Pour the teriyaki sauce over the tofu steaks in the pan. Continue frying until the sauce caramelizes and the tofu steaks are a golden brown color. Add the sesame seeds. Flip the tofu steaks in the pan and cook further until they reach your desired level of crispiness.
Step 7: Finally, serve and enjoy the teriyaki tofu steaks with steamed rice and a side of green veggies. Sprinkle a few more sesame seeds over the tofu steaks for some extra flavor and a delightful crunch.
Some other green options we love are bok choy, string beans and sugar snap peas, but go ahead and experiment with your own favorite combination of veggies! If you're really hungry, try serving your tofu steaks with a comforting bowl of miso soup on the side.
Tips:
- Be careful not to overcook the tofu steaks when frying! Sear the outside and let them go dark golden brown without allowing them to burn, otherwise they may end up dry. They should still be a little juicy for best results.
- If you're in a hurry you can certainly skip pressing the tofu. This will shave off 15 minutes so you can get your steaks served up in 30 minutes flat!
Substitutions
Although this recipe is simple, there are a number of ways you can mix it up and substitute ingredients with other things you might have at home or simply prefer.
- Tempeh - instead of tofu, try using tempeh. Tempeh is already quite firm so you can skip the first step of pressing.
- Sake - Adding sake to the teriyaki sauce has a similar effect as adding wine to a pasta sauce; it's there to add depth, but isn't essential so feel free to drop it all together if you don't already have it or want to avoid using alcohol.
- Bread roll - switch out a bowl of rice for a bread roll and make a delicious sandwich or burger with your teriyaki tofu steaks! We've loved using pickles, mayo, thinly sliced red onion and watercress to create a fast lunch on the go. We've also made an extra tasty tofu burger which you can try making yourself!
- Veggies - the cornerstone of every meal are a delicious combination of vegetables. Create a rainbow of colors on your plate by making a slaw or salad to serve alongside your tofu steaks.
Variations
- Spicy - crush some chilli flakes with toasted sesame seeds to sprinkle on top of your steaks. For extra heat, use some Japanese chilli oil or try experimenting with some different chilli sauces as condiments. I'm always on the lookout for new chilli sauces to add to my collection, so let me know if you find one you love!
- Kid friendly - remove the sake from the teriyaki sauce. We've served these like fish fingers next to mashed potato and peas for our toddler.
Equipment
If you want to use a tofu press or a chef's press, they're not too expensive and might make a good investment if you're into home cooking and know you'll use it over and over. I've ordered a few to try and will let you know if I think it's been worth it!
Storage
You can certainly store your teriyaki tofu steaks in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Eat them as cold snacks the following day, or reheat them gently in the oven or a frying pan and serve piping hot. Be sure to only reheat them once. I don't recommend freezing these tofu steaks as this will change the texture.
FAQ
Yes! And they will still retain their delightful juiciness and crunch.
You can, although I recommend avoiding oils with a low smoke point, like olive oil. The best oils to use from both a smoke point and flavor perspective, in my opinion, are sesame, sunflower and avocado oils. You can experiment with other oils and find out more about which ones have a higher smoke point (which is better for frying) here.
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Teriyaki Tofu Steak
Equipment
- 1 Tofu press Optional - you could use some heavy books and a cooling rack with some paper towels instead.
Ingredients
- 1 block tofu
- Rice and steamed greens to serve
Teriyaki sauce
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- ¼ cup mirin
- ¼ cup sake optional
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar add more or less to taste
Instructions
- Step 1: Press the tofu to remove excess moisture. Place the tofu block on a cooking rack with paper towels beneath. Weigh it down on top with something heavy, like a plate and a stack of books, or a tofu press. Let it sit for about 15 minutes, then pat the tofu with paper towel to remove excess moisture.
- Step 2: Chop the tofu into steaks. Use a sharp knife to cut the pressed tofu into steak-like slices of your desired thickness.
- Step 3: Make the teriyaki sauce. In a small saucepan, combine roughly equal amounts of soy sauce, mirin, sake and brown sugar to taste. Then simmer the mixture over low heat until it reduces to a thick, glossy sauce after around 6-8 minutes.
- Step 4: Coat the tofu steaks. In a shallow dish or tray, mix garlic powder with cornflower. Dredge the tofu steaks in the flour mixture, ensuring they are evenly coated.
- Step 5: Fry the tofu. Heat some oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Next,carefully place the coated tofu steaks in the pan and fry until they turn slightly crispy on the outside.
- Step 6: Add the teriyaki sauce and sesame seeds, and fry until crispy: Pour the teriyaki sauce over the tofu steaks in the pan. Continue frying until the sauce caramelizes and the tofu steaks are a golden brown color. Add the sesame seeds. Flip the tofu steaks in the pan and cook further until they reach your desired level of crispiness.
- Step 7: Finally, serve and enjoy! Serve the teriyaki tofu steaks with steamed rice and a side of green veggies for a complete and satisfying meal! Sprinkle a few more sesame seeds over the tofu steaks for some extra flavor and a delightful crunch.
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