How to Make Delicious Vegan Teriyaki Tofu Balls

January 28, 2021 by woonheng 43 Comments

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This Vegan Teriyaki Tofu Ball 照烧豆腐丸 (Zhào shāo dòu fu wán) recipe is easy and simple with a scrumptious sticky sauce. The tofu balls are made from firm tofu that has great crunch from infusesd vegetables and nuts.

What are some of your favorite ways to prepare tofu? I really love tofu as it’s such a versatile ingredient. It easily absorbs flavor and can be tossed in a simple sauce for a quick delicious meal.

Tofu is a great binding agent especially after you have removed the liquid. It will turn into a mashed paste; when paired with finely chopped vegetables, you can make them into patties or balls.

Today I am sharing a simple Tofu Ball recipe served with a delicious Teriyaki sauce that you can quickly make for lunch or dinner. I added finely chopped vegetables and nuts (please check my video to see how fine they were).

Other great alternatives to tofu include mashed chickpeas or potatoes that will go well with chopped vegetables. Let me know how it turns out after you give them a try.

Vegan Teriyaki Tofu Balls Step-by-Step

How to make tofu balls

First, remove tofu from its package and squeeze the tofu to remove its liquid. I placed my tofu in a nut milk bag and it always works.

Then, add in all the finely chopped ingredients along with some starch and roll them into balls.

Heat a large pan or wok and fry these tofu balls until golden brown. For other cooking methods, please check the Cooking Tips section.

How to put everything together

Next, blanch the broccoli in hot water and dish out into a clean bowl. Heat a large pan with oil and sauté ginger until fragrant.

Then, add in the soy sauce, mirin, sugar, and cornstarch slurry. This teriyaki sauce recipe is inspired by FoodNetwork.

Let this mixture simmer for a few seconds and then add in the tofu balls. Quickly toss to coat the tofu balls with sauce. Simmer for another 30 seconds, then push the tofu balls aside and add in the blanched broccoli.

Give it a final toss and garnish with sesame seeds and chopped scallions. Serve warm.

Vegan Teriyaki Tofu Balls Cooking Tips

When using firm tofu, it’s important to squeeze out as much liquid as you can. I love to do this using a nut milk bag. Simply break them into larger pieces so you can squeeze out the liquid with ease. To check if the tofu is ‘dry’ enough, take a small portion and form it into a ball with your palm. If it stays in a ball shape without breaking apart, then, it’s ready.
Finely chop the pairing ingredients. The smaller the better so all the vegetables and tofu can bind properly.

Other ways to cook tofu balls

Can I air-fry or bake the tofu balls? Absolutely!
- For air-fryer, I normally use the ‘fries’ settings and ‘fry’ these until golden brown, about 10 – 12 minutes, and with a shake in between. Please note that the color may be lighter when using this method.
- To bake these, lay the tofu balls on a greased pan. Then, brush them with a thin layer of oil. Bake at about 425°F – 450°F (220°C – 230°C) until golden brown and firm to touch about 25 – 30 minutes.
Can I prep these tofu balls ahead of time? Yes! You can store the tofu balls in a tight container after they are cooked. Store the sauce separately and reheat for a quick meal the next day.

How to Blanch Broccoli

Bring a pot of water to a rolling boil, then add in a drizzle of oil and season with a pinch of salt.
Add in the broccoli florets and cook until they turn a darker green. The darker the color, the softer the florets will be. Adjust the cooking time based on the crunch you prefer.
Using a fine mesh, remove the broccoli florets and drain out as much water as possible. Set aside until ready to use.

Check out my other Tofu recipes:

This Vegan Teriyaki Tofu Ball recipe is

Allium-free (use cilantro instead of scallion as garnish)
Vegan and Delicious
Easy to make with simple ingredients
Easily customizable – please use gluten-free soy sauce for gluten-free options
Kids and Family-friendly meal
Best for meal-prep; simply store the tofu balls and sauce separately

If you try this recipe, I would love to hear your feedback and see your beautiful re-creation. Leave me a comment, rate it, and tag @woon.heng and #woonheng to your photos on Instagram or Facebook. Happy cooking, friends!

Vegan Teriyaki Tofu Balls – 素照烧豆腐球

woonheng

If you are looking for a simple and quick meal, then, give these Vegan Teriyaki Tofu Balls a try. The recipe is easy-to-follow and made with simple pantry ingredients. It has a nice glazed Teriyaki sauce that's made from ginger, soy sauce, mirin, and sugar that is so delicious with a bowl of rice.

5 from 13 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 30

Total Time 50

Course Main Course

Cuisine Asian, Japanese

Servings people

Ingredients

16 oz firm tofu drained well (see instructions)
3 tablespoons finely chopped kale stems
3 tablespoons finely chopped carrot
2 tablespoons chopped toasted cashew
4 tablespoons corn starch
½ teaspoon salt
½ black pepper
2 cups broccoli florets blanched
oil for cooking

Teriyaki Sauce*

1 teaspoon finely chopped ginger
3 tablespoons soy sauce gluten-free
3 tablespoons mirin
1½ tablespoon sugar or 2 tablespoons maple syrup
⅔ cup of water with 1 tablespoon corn starch

Garnish

chopped scallions or cilantro
toasted sesame seeds

Instructions

How to Make Tofu Balls

Prepare the tofu: Remove tofu from its package and place it in a nut milk bag. Squeeze the tofu to mash it into a paste and to remove the liquid. The less liquid the better so the tofu will bind properly with other ingredients.
Transfer mashed tofu into a large bowl.
Add in finely chopped kale stems, carrots, and cashews.
Season with salt and pepper then gradually add in the cornstarch. Mix everything together until well-combined.
Take a heaping tablespoon of tofu and place it on your palm. Roll it into a ball and continue until you finish with the rest of the ingredients.
Heat a large pan or wok, and add in enough oil which is tall enough for the tofu balls to float in it during cooking.
Once the oil is heated, fry tofu balls until they turn golden brown.
Remove tofu balls and transfer to a plate with paper towels to absorb excess oil and set aside. Please see Notes for other ways of cooking the tofu balls.

How to put together

Next, blanch broccoli florets in hot water until they turn into a darker green. Remove and drain out the water. See Notes below.
Heat a large pan and add in about ½ tablespoon oil.
Sauté ginger until fragrant, then add in the rest of the sauce ingredients.
Once the sugar has melted, add in the tofu balls. Quickly toss to coat the tofu balls with sauce and let the mixture simmer until it starts to thicken.
Push the ingredients to the side and add in the blanched broccoli.
Toss to combine and garnish with chopped scallions and toasted sesame seeds. Serve warm.

Video

Notes

Other ways to cook the Tofu Balls:
- For air-fryer, I normally use the ‘fries’ settings and ‘fry’ these until golden brown, about 10 – 12 minutes, and with a shake in between. Please note that the color may be lighter using this method.
- To bake these, lay the tofu balls on a greased pan. Then, brush them with a thin layer of oil. Bake at about 425°F – 450°F (220°C – 230°C) until golden brown and firm to touch about 25 – 30 minutes.
How to Blanch Broccoli
- Bring a pot of water to a rolling boil, then add in a drizzle of oil and season with a pinch of salt.
- Add in the broccoli florets and cook until they turn a darker green. The darker the color, the softer the florets will be. Adjust the cooking time based on the crunch you prefer.
- Using a fine mesh, remove the broccoli florets and drain out as much water as possible. Set aside until ready to use.
Teriyaki Sauce – this sauce is enough to season the blanched broccoli as well. If you prefer less sauce, save the sauce for future use.

Keyword glutenfree, tofu

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