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This Teriyaki Tofu Stir Fry is made with crispy tofu, sautéed broccoli and spinach, and homemade teriyaki sauce. It’s a super quick 30-minute dinner that just happens to be naturally vegan!
Vegan dinners don’t come much easier than this Teriyaki Tofu Stir Fry. It’s a simple 30-minute dish that’s perfect for quick weeknight dinners or meal prep. Every bowl features three simple elements:
- Pan fried cubed tofu
- Sauteed broccoli and spinach
- Homemade teriyaki sauce
Stir the three together, serve over rice, and enjoy! You won’t be able to get enough of every saucy, savory bite. Even the tofu-skeptics will love it!
Looking for even more easy stir fry recipes? Then you have to try my Broccoli Rice Stir Fry and Peanut Crockpot Stir Fry as well!
Recipe features
- Crispy pan fried tofu, sauteed broccoli, and wilted spinach are the stars of this recipe.
- It’s almost TOO easy. Turn to it during busy weeknights, when you don’t feel like cooking, or for a healthy, yet comforting lunch.
- There’s no marinating required in this teriyaki and tofu stir fry. Just toss the tofu in cornstarch and soy sauce, fry, and enjoy!
Ingredient notes:
Firm tofu - To press the brick of tofu, wrap it in paper towels and place a heavy skillet on top. The more water that’s removed from the tofu, the crispier it will be.
Soy sauce - Try to use low sodium soy sauce to reduce the amount of salt in this recipe. You can replace it with tamari or coconut aminos if you need the teriyaki sauce and fried tofu to be gluten free.
Cornstarch - Arrowroot starch should work as a substitute.
Maple syrup - A touch of sweetness will bring balance to the homemade teriyaki sauce. You can use honey (for a non-vegan option), white sugar, brown sugar, or agave instead.
Rice vinegar - Try not to substitute this with anything else. It’s a tangy seasoned vinegar that gives the teriyaki sauce an unmatched vibrancy.
Vegetables - This tofu stir fry recipe is made with simple sauteed vegetables, like broccoli, spinach, and garlic cloves.
Step-by-step instructions
Step 1: Coat the tofu. Place the cubed tofu in a plastic bag. Pour in the soy sauce and cornstarch, seal the bag closed, and shake to coat.
Step 2: Pan fry the tofu. Transfer the coated tofu pieces to an oiled skillet over medium heat. Fry until they’re golden brown on all sides.
Step 3: Make the sauce. Whisk all of the sauce ingredients together in a bowl.
Step 4: Sauté the vegetables. Sauté the broccoli in a separate skillet until it is fork tender, then add the garlic and spinach to the skillet. Sauté until the spinach is wilted.
Step 5: Add the sauce. Pour the sauce into the pan with the tofu and leave it to thicken.
Step 6: Assemble. Divide cooked rice into bowls and top with spinach, broccoli, and crispy tofu. Sprinkle green onion on top, then serve.
Tips and FAQs
- If the sauce is thickening too quickly in the pan, take it off of the heat and thin it out with 1 tablespoon of water.
- You can lessen the oil in the recipe by baking or air frying the tofu, and steaming or roasting the broccoli instead of pan frying.
- This recipe works just as well with fried tempeh!
- Add more sauteed vegetables to the stir fry, like edamame, bell peppers, onion, or carrots.
What’s the secret to crispy tofu?
Cornstarch acts as a seal that, when heated, sticks to the tofu and crisps up. Also, leave the tofu alone while it cooks in the pan. Once you see that the bottom is golden brown, flip each piece and continue frying until all sides are crispy.
Is it gluten free?
Soy sauce is needed to season the tofu and teriyaki sauce, meaning this recipe is not inherently gluten free. However, it can easily be replaced with tamari or coconut aminos for a gluten free option.
Storage
Make ahead: Fry the tofu, saute the broccoli and spinach, and make the teriyaki sauce 1 to 2 days ahead of time. Keep them in separate containers in the fridge, then toss and reheat together when it’s time to eat.
Refrigerator: Any leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
More easy vegan dinners
If you made this recipe, please leave a comment and star rating below. Thanks!
Teriyaki Tofu Stir Fry
Ingredients
- 1 block extra firm tofu pressed and sliced into cubes
- 2 tablespoon soy sauce
- ¼ cup corn starch
for the sauce:
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- 2 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- ½ teaspoon fresh ginger grated
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
for serving:
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 5 cups spinach
- 2 cups broccoli
- 1 ½ cups white rice cooked
- 2 tablespoon green onion optional; for garnish
Instructions
- To press the tofu: either use a tofu press and press the tofu for at least 1 hour. Or, place the block of tofu onto a clean kitchen towel, then place a second towel on top and either use your hands to press the liquid out, or place a heavy pot on top and let it sit for 20 minutes or so. Then, slice the tofu into 1" cubes.
- Place the pressed tofu into a plastic bag or a bowl, then add the soy sauce and cornstarch, seal the bag, and shake until the tofu is coated. If using a bowl instead, gently stir to combine.
- Next, heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large, nonstick skillet over medium heat. Once it starts shimmering, add the tofu and pan-fry it until it's golden brown and crispy on all sides.
- While the tofu is cooking, make the sauce: whisk all sauce ingredients together in a glass measuring cup and set aside.
- In a separate skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of oil over medium heat, then add the broccoli and sauté for 2 minutes before adding 2-4 tablespoons of water and cooking until it's fork tender. Then, add a little more oil, along with the spinach and garlic and cook until the spinach is soft, 1-2 minutes.
- Once the tofu is done cooking, reduce the heat to low and pour in the sauce, stirring until the tofu is coated. If the sauce is thickening too quickly, remove the skillet from the heat and add 1 tablespoon of water. If it isn't thickening quickly enough, turn the heat back up to medium.
- Assemble the stir fry: divide the rice into two bowls, then top it with the tofu, broccoli and spinach. Sprinkle with green onions and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
UPDATE NOTE: This post was originally published in August 2019. It was updated with new text and photos in August 2022.
Kara says
Sad! The old recipe was better.
Erin says
I'm sorry you feel that way. After retesting, I found the new recipe to work a bit better. If you want to email me, I'd be happy to send you the old recipe.
Kallen says
Meal prepped this recipe for work lunches and it was even better reheated! Is the nutrition you listed for one serving or the whole thing?
Erin says
I'm glad you enjoyed it! The nutrition info is per serving 🙂
JP says
Way too salty. I couldn’t even eat the tofu and I’m not normally sensitive to salt.
Erin says
Hi! Soy sauce is pretty salty (I try to always opt for the low sodium kind), but if you really want to cut back on the salt I'd recommend coconut aminos next time.