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Home » Recipes » Grilled Teriyaki Tofu Steaks (Vegan + Gluten-Free)

Grilled Teriyaki Tofu Steaks (Vegan + Gluten-Free)

Aug 17, 2020 by The Pesky Vegan | 2 Comments

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These grilled teriyaki tofu steaks are the perfect vegan barbecue food. Delicious, crispy, meaty, and gluten-free, they’re also great when pan-fried.

Grilled Teriyaki Tofu Steaks on Rice

The marinade is sweet, savoury, salty, aromatic, and slightly sticky, with plenty of umami flavours to boot. Brush it over the seared tofu during cooking for some of that classic teriyaki glaze.

You can marinate the tofu for as little as 30 minutes, but for the best results I'd recommend doing it for several hours or even overnight. It'll then provide a main serving for two people, or can be a side to share around at your next barbecue get-together.

Looking for more vegan BBQ recipes? Check out this grilled teriyaki aubergine (eggplant) and these king oyster mushroom steaks.

I create new content every single week. Subscribe to keep in touch and get a free download of The Vegan Kitchen – My Top 10 Tips.

Marinated Tofu Grilling on the Barbecue

What is teriyaki?

Teriyaki – translating roughly as 'glazed and grilled' – is a Japanese cooking technique whereby food is grilled with a glaze or marinade that includes soy sauce, sake and/or mirin, and sugar. Aromatics like garlic, ginger, and sesame are popular additions.

While teriyaki refers to the technique as a whole, it can also describe a sauce or marinade comprised of the ingredients above. Whereas a teriyaki sauce is often heated to dissolve the sugar, this marinade uses agave syrup and so it's good to go without prior cooking – just like in this teriyaki tempeh stir-fry.

What is mirin?

Mirin is a type of rice wine and a key ingredient in Japanese cooking. It's similar to sake, but sweeter and with a lower alcohol content.

If you don't have mirin, you can swap this out for e.g. sake, dry sherry, marsala wine, dry white wine, or rice wine vinegar. If using any of these substitutes, you'll want to add an extra teaspoon of agave syrup or sugar for every tablespoon.

Note: Depending on the filtration process, alcohol such as wine and sherry may not always be strictly vegan.

Which tofu is best for grilling?

Smoked Tofu Slices on Plate

When it comes to grilling or frying, I always favour extra-firm tofu. It holds its shape well during cooking and doesn't require pressing – simply drain the water from the pack and you're good to go (just like with this tofu cream cheese).

For even more flavour, you can use a smoked variety of extra-firm tofu (pictured above). This is also what I use in my recipes for smoked tofu risotto and the ultimate vegan fish pie.

If you don't have extra-firm tofu, you may want to press it first. This gets rid of some of the water content, allowing the tofu to then soak up all the flavours from the marinade.

To do this, you can either use a tofu press or simply press between two plates over the sink for a minute or so. Once there’s no more water coming out, pat dry with kitchen roll and then it’s ready to use.

Is this recipe healthy?

Tofu is an incredible source of plant-based protein, containing all nine of the essential amino acids that make it a complete protein. It is also a good source of vitamins and minerals such as calcium and iron, and doesn't include the cholesterol and saturated fat found in animal products.

It's worth pointing out that the nutrition info for this recipe reflects the full amount of the marinade ingredients. Since you're not likely to consume all of the marinade when grilling the tofu, it means items like fat and sodium will be even lower than stated.

How to make the teriyaki marinade

Tofu, Soy Sauce, Mirin, Agave Syrup, Garlic, Ginger, Spring Onions

In a large bowl, mix together the tamari/soy sauce, mirin, agave syrup, sesame oil, garlic, and ginger. Once combined, add the tofu slices and coat these well, gently turning them over once or twice. 

Note: You could also use a freezer bag for the marinade – just be gentle with the tofu slices as they may start to fall apart if you move them around too much.

Tofu Slices in Teriyaki Marinade

Leave to marinate in the fridge for at least 30 mins, but ideally for several hours or even overnight. Turn once or twice during this time to coat with the marinade.

Barbecuing / grilling the teriyaki tofu

Preheat the barbecue/grill to a medium heat (not scorching hot or else the tofu will quickly burn). Add the tofu slices and cook for approx. 5 minutes on each side, brushing regularly with the leftover marinade.

Barbecued Tofu

The tofu should be crispy on both sides with slight char marks. Remove from the grill and serve, adding a final brush of the teriyaki marinade.

Pan-frying the teriyaki tofu

In a frying pan or griddle pan, heat a small amount of cooking oil on medium heat. Add the tofu slices and cook for 3-4 minutes on each side or until crispy.

Once the tofu is crispy, add some of the remaining marinade to the pan and cook for a few more minutes, turning the tofu once or twice. This will help to add a little extra flavour, glaze the tofu slices, and create a sauce for serving.

Teriyaki Tofu Steaks with Rice and Spring Onions

Remove from the pan and serve, drizzling over any sauce left in the pan.

Serving suggestions

To serve this teriyaki tofu, remove it from the heat and brush once again with the marinade to add a final glaze. Serve the steaks either whole or sliced, with sides such as boiled rice, steamed veg, toasted sesame seeds, and sliced spring onions.

Sliced Teriyaki Tofu on Rice

You could also enjoy it as part of a larger barbecue meal, or along with other sides including:

  • Rainbow Slaw with Sesame Ginger Dressing
  • Courgette and Carrot Salad with Peanut Dressing
  • Three-Bean Salad with Lemon, Mint and Parsley
  • Mediterranean Couscous Salad
  • Moroccan Couscous with Roasted Veg
  • Easy Roasted Cauliflower
  • Crispy Baked Potato Wedges

Recipe FAQ

What else can I use the marinade for?

My recipe for Teriyaki Grilled Aubergine (Eggplant) is similar to this one, so check it out if you fancy giving it a go. You can also use this marinade with other ingredients such as tempeh or mushrooms.

What about leftover marinade?

I’d encourage you to not throw it away – it’s full of flavour that you can use as the base for stir-fry sauces or other savoury dishes such as soups or stews.

Is this recipe gluten-free?

Tamari is a Japanese variant of soy sauce that’s usually gluten-free. If this recipe needs to be 100% gluten-free, make sure you use tamari or a GF soy sauce.

How long will this keep in the fridge?

You can store the cooked tofu steaks in the fridge for up to four days.

Can I freeze it?

I wouldn't recommend freezing cooked tofu, as it may take on a porous texture and lose the flavour of the marinade. But if you really want to, you can store the tofu in a sealed container or resealable bag and freeze for up to six months.

Variations and tips

  • Quantity: This amount of tofu is good as a main for two people, with sides such as boiled rice and steamed veg. If part of a larger barbecue meal, you can turn it into several servings as a side.
  • Marinating time: I would marinate this tofu for at least 30 mins, but ideally for several hours or even overnight.
  • Sear marks: If you want some fancy-looking criss-cross marks on your tofu steaks, position them at a 45° angle to the grill bars and then rotate 90° after a few minutes, before flipping over and doing the same on the other side.
  • Cooking oil: If your tofu seems to be burning or sticking to the grill, reduce the heat and brush with a little cooking oil. 
  • Agave syrup: If you don’t have agave syrup, you can replace this with maple syrup or sugar. If using sugar, you'll want to make sure that this has dissolved in the marinade mix.
  • Salt/pepper/seasoning: I find that the salty tamari/soy sauce and other aromatics provide tonnes of flavour, but feel free to add any additional seasonings you like.

Hey you – let me know what you think

If you made this recipe and enjoyed it – or did anything differently – I'd love to hear from you down below in the comments 👇

You can also find me and let me know on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook @thepeskyvegan 🌿

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More vegan recipe ideas

If you liked this recipe, you may also enjoy:

  • Teriyaki Grilled Aubergine
  • Grilled King Oyster Mushroom Steaks
  • Smoked Tofu Risotto with Lemon & Basil
  • Ultimate Vegan Fish Pie with Smoked Tofu
  • Teriyaki Tempeh Stir-Fry
  • Singapore Noodles with Tofu
  • Vietnamese-Style Rice Paper Rolls
  • Vegan Waldorf Salad with Chickpeas

You can also check out my full list of vegan BBQ recipes.

Grilled Teriyaki Tofu Steaks on Rice

Grilled Teriyaki Tofu Steaks (Vegan + Gluten-Free)

The Pesky Vegan
These grilled teriyaki tofu steaks are the perfect vegan barbecue food. Delicious, crispy, meaty, and gluten-free, they’re also great when pan-fried.
5 from 1 vote
Rate this Recipe Print Recipe
Prep Time 5 mins
Cook Time 10 mins
Marinating Time 30 mins
Total Time 45 mins
Course BBQ, Main Course, Side Dish
Cuisine Gluten-free, Japanese, Vegan
Servings 2
Calories 150 kcal

Ingredients
 

  • 8 oz (225 g) extra-firm tofu, drained and cut into 4 slices
  • 1½ tablespoons tamari or soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon mirin (see notes)
  • 1 tablespoon agave syrup or maple syrup
  • 2 teaspoons sesame oil
  • 1 clove garlic, minced or finely chopped
  • ½ inch piece of ginger, minced or finely chopped
  • Toasted sesame seeds, to serve (optional)
  • Sliced spring onions, to serve (optional)
Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions
 

Marinade

  • In a large bowl, mix together the tamari/soy sauce, mirin, agave syrup, sesame oil, garlic, and ginger. Once combined, add the tofu slices and coat these well, gently turning them over once or twice. Note: You could also use a freezer bag for the marinade – just be gentle with the tofu slices as they may start to fall apart if you move them around too much.
  • Leave to marinate in the fridge for at least 30 mins, but ideally for several hours or even overnight. Turn once or twice during this time to coat with the marinade.

BBQ/grill

  • Preheat the barbecue/grill to a medium heat (not scorching hot or else the tofu will quickly burn). Add the tofu slices and cook for approx. 5 minutes on each side, brushing regularly with the leftover marinade. The tofu should be crispy on both sides with slight char marks.
  • Remove from the grill and serve, adding a final brush of the teriyaki marinade before sprinkling with toasted sesame seeds and sliced spring onions.

Pan-fry

  • In a frying pan or griddle pan, heat a small amount of cooking oil on medium heat. Add the tofu slices and cook for 3-4 minutes on each side or until crispy.
  • Once the tofu is crispy, add some of the remaining marinade to the pan and cook for a few more minutes, turning the tofu once or twice. This will help to add a little extra flavour, glaze the tofu slices, and create a sauce for serving.
  • Remove from the pan and serve, drizzling over any sauce left in the pan and sprinkling with toasted sesame seeds and sliced spring onions.
Rate this recipe 👇

Notes

Leftover marinade: When it comes to leftover teriyaki marinade, I’d encourage you to not throw it away – it’s full of flavour that you can use as the base for stir-fry sauces or other savoury dishes such as soups or stews.
Quantity: This amount of tofu is good as a main for two people along with sides. If part of a larger barbecue meal, you can turn it into several servings as a side.
Serving suggestions: Serve the steaks either whole or sliced, with sides such as boiled rice, steamed veg, toasted sesame seeds, and sliced spring onions. Other suggestions for sides include rainbow slaw with sesame ginger dressing, courgette and carrot salad with peanut dressing, Cajun-spiced baked potato wedges, and easy roasted cauliflower.
Marinating time: I would marinate this tofu for at least 30 mins, but ideally for several hours or even overnight. Turn once or twice during this time to coat with the marinade.
Cooking time: This will vary slightly depending on the type of barbecue/grill, the cooking temperature, and how thick your tofu slices are.
Reuse your freezer bag: If using a freezer bag for the marinade, remember to wash it out and reuse in future. Note that acidic ingredients may weaken the bag over time, but you should be able to get at least a few uses out of it.
Tofu: I'd always recommend using extra-firm tofu for dishes like this. If you don't have extra-firm, you may need to squeeze out some of the water between two plates or using a tofu press. If pan-frying rather than grilling, you could always cut the tofu into cubes instead of slices.
Sear marks: If you want some fancy-looking criss-cross marks on your tofu steaks, position them at a 45° angle to the grill bars and then rotate 90° after a few minutes, before flipping over and doing the same on the other side.   
Cooking oil: If your tofu seems to be burning or sticking to the grill, reduce the heat and brush with a little cooking oil. 
Mirin: If you don't have mirin, you can swap this out for e.g. sake, dry sherry, marsala wine, dry white wine, or rice wine vinegar. If using any of these substitutes, you'll want to add an extra teaspoon of agave syrup or sugar for every tablespoon (and note that those ingredients may not always be strictly vegan).
Agave syrup: If you don’t have agave syrup, you can replace this with maple syrup or sugar. If using sugar, you'll want to make sure that this has dissolved in the marinade mix.
Garlic & ginger: You want the garlic and ginger to be very finely chopped or minced, almost to a paste. On that note, you could also use shop-bought pastes.
Salt/pepper/seasoning: I find that the salty tamari/soy sauce and other aromatics provide tonnes of flavour, but feel free to add any additional seasonings you like.
Gluten-free: Tamari is a variant of soy sauce that’s usually gluten-free. If this recipe needs to be 100% gluten-free, make sure you use a GF soy sauce or tamari.
Storage: Store the cooked tofu in the fridge for up to four days. You can also freeze it for up to six months, but I wouldn't recommend this as it may take on a porous texture and lose the flavour of the marinade.
If you liked this recipe, you might also enjoy:
  • Teriyaki Grilled Aubergine
  • Grilled King Oyster Mushroom Steaks
  • Teriyaki Tempeh Stir-Fry
  • Singapore Noodles with Tofu
  • Smoked Tofu Risotto with Lemon & Basil
  • Grilled Carrots with Lemon & Thyme
  • Vietnamese-Style Rice Paper Rolls
  • Spicy Tofu Jalfrezi Curry
 
The nutrition info below is for one serving of the teriyaki tofu, based on a total of two servings.
Note: The nutrition info reflects the full amount of the marinade ingredients. Since you're not likely to consume all of the marinade when grilling the tofu, it means items like fat and sodium will be even lower than stated.

Nutrition

Calories: 150kcalCarbohydrates: 16gProtein: 9gFat: 6gSaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 883mgPotassium: 203mgSugar: 10gVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 48mgIron: 2mg
Nutrition Facts
Grilled Teriyaki Tofu Steaks (Vegan + Gluten-Free)
Amount Per Serving
Calories 150 Calories from Fat 54
% Daily Value*
Fat 6g9%
Saturated Fat 1g6%
Sodium 883mg38%
Potassium 203mg6%
Carbohydrates 16g5%
Sugar 10g11%
Protein 9g18%
Vitamin C 1mg1%
Calcium 48mg5%
Iron 2mg11%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Keyword tofu recipe, vegan barbecue, vegan foods for grilling
Did you make this recipe?Leave a comment down below or tag me on Instagram @thepeskyvegan along with the hashtag #thepeskyvegan

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Comments

  1. Vicky

    October 04, 2020 at 1:32 pm

    5 stars
    Sooo satisfying - love these tofu steaks 🙂

    Reply
    • The Pesky Vegan

      October 05, 2020 at 9:06 am

      Glad you enjoyed, thanks for the review!

      Reply

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I'm Alistair and I'm The Pesky Vegan. I create new recipes every single week – always vegan, usually gluten-free.

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