This honey soy tofu recipe is the one that made my partner like tofu. It has this incredible sticky glaze that you could literally lick directly off the spatula and it'll have even the biggest tofu sceptics rubbing their heads in disbelief over how good it tastes.
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Why you'll love this recipe
Honey soy. Sweet, salty, sticky and comforting-just like my honey soy chicken
Tofu. Don't turn your nose up-this version is crispy, golden, and delicious. Don't believe me? Try my satay tofu and veggies next, or even blend it into a sauce like my orzo pesto pasta salad.
Quick. Weeknight friendly and ready in under 30 minutes-similar to my bok choy and tofu stir fry or spaghetti aglio olio e peperoncini
Ingredients
Extra-firm tofu. Holds its shape better than other varieties. Softer tofu crumbles more and silken is best for sauces like in my creamy sundried tomato pasta.
Honey. Any honey will do. If you need a vegan alternative, you could use maple syrup.
Soy sauce. Use an all purpose or low-sodium soy sauce, but don't substitute for a dark soy as this will change the flavour balance.
White wine vinegar. This acts to balance the sweetness.
You can substitute with other vinegars like white vinegar, apple cider vinegar or even lemon if you don't have any vinegars.
Fish sauce. Adds a punch of umami and depth. It's my secret ingredient, but you can leave it out if you need a vegan option or if you don't have it in your house.
Garlic and ginger. I highly recommend fresh varieties, but you can use jarred if you don't have any.
Cornstarch. This helps make the tofu actually taste good because it crisps it up and helps the glaze cling. Don't skip it.
How to make honey soy tofu
Step 1: Wrap tofu in paper towel and press under a heavy pan or objects for at least 15 minutes to remove excess moisture.
Step 2: Cut or rip tofu into cubes and toss in cornstarch and soy sauce until evenly coated.
Step 3: In a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, honey, vinegar, fish sauce, sesame oil, garlic, and ginger.
Step 4: Pan-fry in a little oil until golden on all sides for approx. 5 minutes, or bake/air fry at 200°C (400°F) for 20 minutes.
Step 5: Add the cooked tofu to a pan, pour over the marinade, and cook for 2-3 minutes until sticky and glossy.
Step 6: Plate with rice, broccoli, and carrots for a complete meal (or just eat like candy straight out of the pan which is what I did hahah!)
Top Tip
Cheat's tofu press. If you don't have a spare 15 minutes, or you're lazy, just press really hard on the tofu with paper towels. You'll notice excess liquid coming out.
Glaze quickly. Don't simmer too long or the honey may burn.
Honey soy tofu meal prep
I've added in rice for carbs and veggies for colour to this honey soy tofu recipe for a balanced vegetarian meal prep option.
You could swap out for your choice of carbs and veggies, depending on what your preference is.
Storing and Reheating cooked tofu
Store the tofu with the glaze on one side of a meal prep container with the rice and veggies separated (like pictured in thirds).
This helps preserve the crispiness of the tofu and the texture of the rice.
If you want more meal prep information, check out my Meal Prep for Beginners post and my Meal Prep Basics E-Book.
FAQs
I know a lot of people who own a tofu press. I personally don't use one because I have found success in other methods (which I will describe below), but I do see a benefit in using a specific tofu press because my method can sometimes be a bit difficult.
A tofu press basically screws your tofu between two pieces of plastic which presses out the liquid. It takes the fear out of your DIY tofu press toppling over in your kitchen (something that has happened to me way too many times).
If you don't have a tofu press then you can press tofu with something heavy. This is what I do:
1. Wrap tofu with a handful of paper towels or a tea towel.
2. Place it on a cutting board and a heavy object on top such as a frying pan.
3. Add extra weight to the frying pan with other objects such as large books, cans or jars.
4. Leave for 15-30 minutes before using the tofu as intended.
Yes you can freeze it, but you won't have the same crispness when reheated as the freezer can impact some of the texture.
However, tofu does freeze really well and some people even prefer the texture once thawed as it's slightly more "meaty".
If you do want to freeze, I recommend adding the glaze (or more glaze) when you're reheating.
A marinade infuses flavour throughout, while a glaze coats the outside. This recipe does both for maximum flavour.
Yes-bake at 200°C (400°F) for about 20 minutes, flipping halfway. Finish in a pan with the glaze for best texture.
Other vegetarian meal prep recipes
Or, you can have a browse through my vegetarian recipe category for more delicious eats.
Recipe
Honey Soy Tofu (Meal Prep)
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Equipment
Ingredients
Honey Soy Tofu
- 450 g (1 lb) extra firm tofu, See Note 1
- 80 g (½ cups) soy sauce
- 30 g (2 tablespoon) soy sauce
- 40 g (2 tablespoon) honey, See Note 2
- 10 g (2 teaspoon) white wine vinegar, See Note 3
- 10 g (2 teaspoon) fish sauce, (or vegan alternative)
- 5 g (1 teaspoon) sesame oil, optional but recommended
- 1 clove garlic, crushed/grated
- 5 g (2 ½ teaspoon) ginger, crushed/grated
- 40 g (¼ cups) cornstarch
Serve with
- 200 g (1 cups) rice, yields approx.3 cups cooked
- 200 g (7 oz) zucchini, approx.1
- 150 g (5 oz) carrots, approx.2
Instructions
Press tofu
- Wrap 450 g (1 lb) extra firm tofu in paper towels and place between a cutting board and heavy objects for at least 10 minutes. Alternatively, press the tofu hard with the paper towels to reduce the liquid)
Cook rice
- Cook 200 g (1 cups) rice your own way or read my post for tips & tricks.
Prepare ingredients
- Grate/mince: 5 g (2 ½ teaspoon) ginger, 1 clove garlic. Mix together with: 80 g (½ cups) soy sauce, 40 g (2 tablespoon) honey, 10 g (2 teaspoon) white wine vinegar, 10 g (2 teaspoon) fish sauce, 5 g (1 teaspoon) sesame oil. Set aside.
- Cut or rip 450 g (1 lb) extra firm tofu. Add to a bowl with 40 g (¼ cups) cornstarch and 30 g (2 tablespoon) soy sauce. Combine until tofu is well coated.
- Slice into equally sized pieces: 200 g (7 oz) zucchini and 150 g (5 oz) carrots.
Cook tofu
- Heat small amount of oil on a large pan over high heat. Add tofu pieces and cook approx. 2-4 minutes each side until crispy.
- Lower the heat to medium, then add sauce to the pan.
- Bring to a boil (it'll bubble) then lower the heat to low. Mix well to coat (it should all attached to the tofu and be quite sticky) (approx. 5 minutes). Remove.
Cook vegetables
- Add chopped 200 g (7 oz) zucchini and 150 g (5 oz) carrots to the same pan (you might have to do it in batches). Cook for approx. 5 minutes until lightly browned and more vibrant in colour.
- Serve tofu and veggies with 200 g (1 cups) rice.
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