Crispy Sticky Teriyaki Fried Tofu (Copycat Pei Wei)

To get perfect crispy Teriyaki Tofu sometimes it is not about the ingredients, but the method of preparing them. In this case, to get it crispy we used a technique of slicing and frying we saw in Pei Wei Restaurant. The end result is a crispy, sticky fried tofu which you can serve with rice or various stir-fried veggies.

Do you need more flavorful tofu dishes? One of the most flavorful tofu dish we have ever made are these Copycat Chipotle Sofritas. Oh, and you must try these Grilled Buffalo Tofu Skewers and our Chinese BBQ Tofu Burger. Check out all of our Vegan Tofu Recipes.

If you are looking for more vegan copycat recipes, take a look at Copycat IKEA Veggie Balls or Copycat Panda Express Vegan Orange Chicken or Copycat Chipotle Veggie Bowl.

Why Pei Wei teriyaki tofu?

Pei Wei is one of those restaurants where you can build you own entree. You can choose the protein base (i.e. tofu), you can choose the sauce (i.e. teriyaki sauce), and you can choose the side (i.e. rice, noodles, even cauliflower rice). You can read more about what kind of vegan options are available in Pei Wei here.

If you have been using tofu, you might just cut tofu into cubes and go from there. However, there are many ways to cut and prepare tofu. If I haven’t seen Pei Wei Tofu Teriyaki, I might have just go with diced tofu. But not anymore as in Pei Wei they slice the tofu into thin strips. What difference does it make? I give you 3 reasons:

1. Tofu will soak up the marinade all the way through. Compared to this Tofu Steak recipe, where the tofu should remain whole to look more or less like a steak. You will either need more marinade or longer marinating time and still tofu may still not soak it up all the way through.
2. It is easier and faster to turn them crispy. Compared to cubed or diced tofu, any moisture left can be evaporated much quicker.
3. It reminds me of teriyaki chicken slices more than cubes like on this photo.

Ingredients

• Tofu obviously (see below info on which type of tofu to choose to stir fry)
• Teriyaki sauce (if you need to eat gluten-free, please choose gluten-free teriyaki sauce as it main ingredient is soy sauce, which is not gluten-free)
• Maple syrup (alternatively you can use honey (not vegan though), brown sugar or cane sugar, although I prefer liquid sweetener to make stir fry.
• Vegetable oil or sesame oil.

Best tofu to stir-fry?

You can buy silk, regular, firm, extra firm or super firm tofu. If you want crispy fried tofu at the end, definitely choose firm or extra firm tofu. We usually use firm as they soak up marinade better than extra or super firm, but still easy to make them crispy by frying. However, slicing thinly the tofu like Pei Wei makes even extra and super firm tofu to soak up any marinade easier. It is a bit of trial and error at your end to see which texture and taste fits best for your tastebuds. Smoky flavors go perfectly with teriyaki, so you can try smoked tofu as well.

How to make tofu with teriyaki sauce?

Marinating tofu

1. After you pressed the tofu cut them into thin slices. If you use a 12 oz block (approx. 360g) then cut in half horizontally. You should end up with 1 inch wide and 3 inches long and thin slices.
2. Take an oven-safe shallow glass bowl and layer the tofu slices in one layer if possible.
3. Pour teriyaki sauce over them and gentle mix them. We use a silicone brush or a spoon to make sure it is throughly covered. If you want to make your own, try this 4-ingredient Homemade Teriyaki Sauce.
4. Let the tofu to marinate for at least 15 minutes. You can see from the below picture that the tofu soaked up all the sauce nicely.

How to fry tofu crispy?

1. Heat the frying pan or wok over medium heat and add a bit of oil. Place the tofu slices on it leaving a small space in between them.
2. Brush them with half of the teriyaki sauce left after marinating and half of the maple syrup amount. (If you are not vegan, you can use honey as well.)
3. Fry one sides for approx. 7-8 minutes. Flip and brush the slices with the remaining teriyaki sauce and maple syrup.
4. Fry until crispy and sticky. You can serve them as part of a stir-fry or add it to Homemade Sushi or to these Rice Paper Spring Rolls.

What to serve with Teriyaki Tofu?

We served it with white rice, quick garlic sautéed green beans, bell peppers and sprinkled them with white sesame seeds. It was absolutely delicious, crispy and sticky. But there are lots of options. Here is our recommendation if you want to mix and match.

• Stir-fried or sautéed vegetables like: eggplant, asparagus, mushroom, carrot, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, onion, snow peas or snap peas, or even kimchi.
• Grains like: Steamed, cooked or fried white rice, brown rice, quinoa, buckwheat, millet or the combination of them. If you need to eat gluten-free, please make sure you use gluten-free grains. (Please note: Couscous is not gluten-free)
• Riced veggies like: cauliflower rice or sweet potato “rice“
• Noodles like soba aka buckwheat noodles. If you need to eat gluten-free, please choose gluten-free noodles as soba noodles may contain wheat flour which is not gluten-free.
• Toppings: edamame beans, sesame seeds, sliced green onion or scallions, peanuts or other chopped nuts, or bean sprouts.

FAQs and substitutions

Can you bake it instead of frying?

Yes, you can. Use a non-stick baking sheet or baking mat as the maple syrup or any other sugar-content will make them sticky. Pre-heat the oven on 400 Fahrenheit (200 degrees Celsius). Bake them for approx. 10 minutes, turning them half time.

Can you make them in an air fryer?

Yes, you can. However, you need to spray a bit of oil to avoid sticking.

Is teriyaki sauce gluten-free?

The main ingredient is soy sauce, which is not gluten-free. Read more about it in our “Is soy sauce gluten-free?” post. However, there are certified gluten-free brands, like Kikkoman Teriyaki Sauce*, which is safe to use in the gluten-free diet.

This Fried Teriyaki Tofu recipe is vegan so meat-free, dairy-free, and egg-free. It is suitable for a vegetarian and nut-free diet. This recipe is WFPB-friendly (whole foods plant-based) if you skip the oil. It is only gluten-free if you use gluten-free teriyaki sauce.

More vegan tofu recipes

Check out the most flavorful tofu marinade recipes, or choose one from the below list:

• Chinese BBQ Tofu Burger
• Grilled Buffalo Tofu Skewers
• Spicy Tofu Steak with Chimichurri Sauce
• Copycat Chipotle Sofritas (aka Braised Tofu)
• Vegan Spinach Lasagna with Tofu Ricotta
• Thai Red Curry Tofu