Weeknight Dinners Vegetarian

Teriyaki Tofu & Rice Bowl

Name: Teriyaki Tofu & Rice Bowl
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: East Asian
Ingredients: 600 g firm tofu, pressed for 20 minutes; 2 tbsp cornflour; 2 tbsp neutral oil; 3 tbsp dark soy sauce; 3 tbsp mirin; 2 tbsp sake or dry sherry; 1 tbsp soft brown sugar; 1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated; 300 g cooked short-grain rice; 1/2 cucumber, ribboned; 1 tbsp rice vinegar; 2 spring onions, sliced; 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds

Tofu only gets crisp if the surface is almost desiccated.

By Dana Reyes

Tested at least twice · Updated September 2026

Teriyaki Tofu & Rice Bowl — Crispy edges, sticky glaze, and a bowl that tastes like it took far more effort than half an hour.

10 min

Prep time

20 min

Cook time

Serves

4.7

1,128 RATINGS

Why the tofu needs to be dry

Tofu only gets crisp if the surface is almost desiccated. Press it, cut it, then leave it cut-side down in a hot pan without touching it. The crust forms where the tofu meets the metal; moving it around ruins that.

The glaze is soy, mirin, sake and a little sugar reduced until syrupy. It goes into the pan in the final minute so it coats the tofu without burning. The pickled cucumber is the cooling contrast.

Instructions

About 30 min from start to finish

Cut the pressed tofu into 2 cm cubes and toss with the cornflour and a pinch of salt. Shake off the excess.

Heat the oil in a large non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the tofu in a single layer and cook for 6-7 minutes without moving, until a deep golden crust forms. Flip and repeat.

Whisk the soy, mirin, sake, sugar and ginger together. Pour into the pan and let it bubble for 1-2 minutes, turning the tofu until glossy.

Toss the cucumber with the rice vinegar and a pinch of salt. Let it pickle while the tofu finishes.

Divide the rice between bowls. Top with the tofu, pickled cucumber, spring onions and sesame seeds. Spoon any pan glaze over the top.

Testing notes & substitutions

Three rounds of testing turned up three things worth knowing before you start cooking.

Pressing tofu quickly

Wrap in a clean tea towel, place a heavy pan on top and leave for 15 minutes. The towel absorbs far more water than paper towels.

Cornflour purpose

It dries the surface further and gives the tofu a crackly crust that the glaze sticks to.

Make it gluten-free

Use tamari instead of soy sauce and check your mirin is gluten-free.

Questions we get a lot

Can I bake the tofu instead?

Yes — 200°C for 25 minutes, turning once. It will not be quite as crisp, but it works if you want less hands-on time.

What rice is best?

Short-grain or sushi rice is ideal because it clings to the glaze. Basmati works but feels looser.

How long does it keep?

Two days in the fridge. Reheat the tofu separately in a hot pan to re-crisp the edges.

Dana Reyes

Dana has cooked professionally for eleven years and has been testing recipes for Hearth & Thyme since 2019. She writes about weeknight cooking, slow breads, and the small techniques that quietly change a dish. Every recipe she publishes is cooked at least twice, in an ordinary home oven.