🌿 What you’ll need:
- Firm or Extra Firm tofu (based on personal preference)
- Your favorite teriyaki or Asian-style sauce
- Cabbage, carrot & cilantro slaw (instructions below)
For the slaw:
Thinly slice (julienne) the cabbage and carrots, then set aside to marinate in:
- Rice wine vinegar
- Lime juice
- Sesame oil
- Sea salt or pink Himalayan salt
- Optional: agave or maple syrup to sweeten
- You can add the cilantro at this step or at the end
Toppings:
- Diced avocado
- Spring mix
- Sriracha aioli (simply mix sriracha, vegan mayo, and lime juice together)
- Green onions
- Sesame seeds
🌿 How to prepare:
- Strain and press your tofu before cutting it into cubes to remove excess water.
- Marinate your tofu in your sauce of choice. I used a pre-made teriyaki marinade, but sometimes I just use soy sauce, sesame oil, chili oil, spices, and whatever else I have in my fridge or pantry.
- Once you’re too impatient or hungry to wait any longer, fry your tofu cubes in a pan on medium-high heat with some avocado oil (my favorite oil to cook with due to the high smoke point and healthy fats). You can also pop them in the air fryer, which is the easiest and quickest method if you have one.
- Once the tofu is crispy on most sides, reduce the heat to low and add more sauce to coat the cubes.
- Now we plate! I built my tacos with spring mix as the base (to keep the slaw from making the tortilla soggy) and then piled everything else on top. ♡
🌿 What’s your favorite way to cook tofu? I’m curious to know who still uses the stove or oven and who has switched over to the air fryer — we could all use some more tofu tips and tricks in our lives!
Frequently Asked Questions
Vegan Teriyaki Tofu Tacos with Sesame Slaw
Ingredients
- Firm or Extra Firm tofu
- Teriyaki or Asian-style sauce of choice
- Flour tortillas
- Cabbage julienned
- Carrots julienned
- Cilantro
- Rice wine vinegar
- Lime juice
- Sesame oil
- Sea salt or pink Himalayan salt
- Agave or maple syrup optional
- Diced avocado
- Spring mix
- Sriracha
- Vegan mayo
- Green onions
- Sesame seeds
Instructions
- Strain and press your tofu to remove excess water, then cut into cubes.
- Marinate tofu in teriyaki sauce or a mix of soy sauce, sesame oil, chili oil, and spices.
- Julienne the cabbage and carrots and toss with rice wine vinegar, lime juice, sesame oil, salt, and optional sweetener. Add cilantro and set aside.
- Mix sriracha, vegan mayo, and lime juice together to make the sriracha aioli.
- Fry tofu cubes in avocado oil on medium-high heat until crispy on most sides. Alternatively cook in the air fryer at 375°F for 15 minutes shaking halfway through.
- Reduce heat to low and add more sauce to coat the tofu cubes.
- Build tacos with spring mix as the base, then slaw, crispy tofu, avocado, sriracha aioli, green onions, and sesame seeds.
Do I need to press tofu before cooking? Yes — pressing tofu removes excess water which allows it to get crispier when cooking. Wrap it in a clean towel and press for at least 15–30 minutes, or use a tofu press if you have one.
Can I bake the tofu instead of frying it? Absolutely. Bake at 400°F for 25–30 minutes, flipping halfway through. The air fryer is even faster — 375°F for about 15 minutes, shaking the basket halfway.
What’s the best tortilla for tacos? Flour tortillas hold up better with juicy toppings like this slaw. Warm them in a dry pan for 30 seconds per side before building your tacos.
Is sriracha aioli vegan? Yes — just mix sriracha with vegan mayo and a squeeze of lime juice. Follow Your Heart Vegenaise is a great option.
What can I substitute for teriyaki sauce? Soy sauce with a splash of sesame oil, a little agave or maple syrup, and some garlic and ginger works beautifully. Add chili oil if you want heat.
