Extra-firm tofu marinated in a flavorful homemade teriyaki sauce, crisped up in the air fryer, then paired with fluffy rice and steamed vegetables makes an appetizing, balanced lunch or dinner meal prep.
With grocery prices higher than ever, I’m always looking for smart and simple ways to decrease the bill. One easy thing I started doing? Prepping more meatless meals.
My wife and I have found that we actually prefer tofu in place of chicken breast in most recipes. Pair that with the reality that quality chicken in our area is $6-7 lb, and tofu is only $1.99 – it became a no-brainer swap.
If you’re a meat eater who’s skeptical of tofu, I encourage you to give it a chance! I’m a meat lover, but it is so delicious! And also quite healthy…as well as easy on the wallet. I think it even reheats better than my chicken teriyaki meal prep.
This teriyaki tofu is a great recipe to test out the waters. Thanks to the air fryer, it’s crispy on the outside, tender on the inside, and full of sweet-savory umami flavor that’s even better than your favorite takeout spot.
It’s also a great clean out the fridge meal – use whatever fresh veggies you have on hand. Canned and frozen vegetables also work great…or whatever is on sale.
Ingredients
- Tofu – Be sure to grab “extra-firm” tofu for this recipe.
- Vegetables – Use whatever you’d like. I chose broccoli, bell peppers, and baby corn.
- Rice – I use jasmine rice, but any brown or white rice works well.
- Pineapple juice – You can substitute orange juice, if you’d prefer.
- Honey – You can substitute brown sugar or coconut sugar.
- Soy sauce – I recommend using reduced sodium soy. Sub coconut aminos for a gluten-free sauce.
- Rice vinegar – Apple cider vinegar or champagne vinegar are good substitutes.
- Pineapple – I love fresh or canned pineapple chunks in the veggies, but it can be omitted.
- Garlic & ginger – I recommend using fresh garlic and fresh ginger for optimum flavor.
- Cornstarch (optional) – Adding a small amount of cornstarch to the sauce will thicken it, and sprinkling it on the marinated tofu will give it a bit of crunch.
Tips
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Press the tofu. I recommend pressing the tofu before marinating. You can use a tofu press, or simply wrap it in paper towels and place between two baking sheets with a heavy pan on top.
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Don’t skip the cornstarch. A light dusting on the tofu cubes before air frying = maximum crispiness. Adding it to the sauce will also help thicken it.
- No air fryer? No problem. You can bake the tofu in the oven at 400°F for 25–30 minutes, flipping halfway.
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Teriyaki Tofu Meal Prep
Air fried teriyaki tofu paired with steamed vegetables and rice makes a balanced lunch or dinner meal prep.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Yield: 3
- Category: Dinner
Ingredients
Teriyaki Tofu
14 oz extra-firm tofu
2/3 cup pineapple juice
2/3 cup soy sauce
1/3 cup honey
1/3 cup water
1/4 cup rice vinegar
1 clove garlic, grated
1 knuckle ginger, grated
2 tablespoons cornstarch (optional), divided
Rice
1 cup long grain rice
1 cup water
Veggies
1.5 cups broccoli
1 medium red bell pepper
1 cup baby corn
8 oz can pineapple chunks
Instructions
Teriyaki Tofu
I recommend pressing your tofu for 30-60 minutes in a tofu press, or wrap it in a paper towel and place between a two baking sheets with a heavy pan on top.
While the tofu is pressing, make the teriyaki sauce. Add the pineapple juice, soy sauce, honey, water, rice vinegar, garlic, ginger, and 1 tablespoon of the cornstarch (optional) to a pot and whisk to combine.
Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for 5-10 minutes until sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Remove from heat and set aside.
Dice pressed tofu into small cubes. Place in a container with a lid or a Ziploc bag. Pour half the teriyaki sauce over the tofu (reserve the other half for later) and seal. Place in the fridge for 30 minutes to marinate and move on to making the rice in the meantime.
Once, tofu has marinated, dust the remaining tablespoon of cornstarch all over the surface area of the cubes. (I find using a small mesh strainer helps distribute it the most evenly.)
Place the tofu in your air fryer basket in a single layer. Cook for 12 minutes at 380° F, shaking halfway through to avoid sticking.
Add the tofu to your meal prep containers. Pour the excess sauce into 2 oz containers and add one to each.
Rice
Rinse the rice under cold water for 60 seconds.
Place rinsed rice in a pot along with 1 cup water and bring to boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for 45 minutes.
Remove rice from heat and fluff with a fork, then distribute evenly among 3 meal prep containers.
Veggies
Add broccoli and sliced bell pepper to a pot with 1″ of water. Cover with a lid and bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer for 3 minutes.
Add steamed veggies along with the corn and pineapple chunks to your meal prep containers and seal once all food has cooled. Store in the fridge up to four days.
Keywords: air fryer meal prep, tofu with teriyaki