Indulge in the vibrant flavours of Japan with our Homemade Japanese Teriyaki Tofu Poke Bowl, where succulent tofu meets a symphony of mango and avocado and tangy teriyaki sauce. Elevate your weeknight dinners with this easy recipe that promises a burst of umami in every bite!
I am obsessed with the combination of sweet and savoury flavours. The teriyaki tofu's savoury profile finds delightful companionship with the sweetness of the mango and richness of the avocado. It's the perfect contrast!
This Teriyaki Tofu Poke Bowl makes the perfect recipe for a hot summer's night. There's no need to have it scorching hot, making it very welcomed when it's 35C. I've also give you my best tips and tricks for how to make this into a meal prep and use the leftovers effectively!
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Ingredients
Tofu. Extra-firm tofu is best for this recipe because you want the tofu to retain its shape once it's in the sauce. If you're after a meat version, I suggest trying my Teriyaki Chicken Poke Bowl.
Soy sauce. I recommend a low-sodium soy sauce to make a Japanese teriyaki sauce because the recipe calls for a lot!
Sweeteners. I use brown sugar, maple syrup and mirin for the sweet profile to help balance the saltiness from the soy sauce. You can substitute mirin for other sweeteners, but the complexity of the condiment really makes this sauce the best sauce for poke bowl.
Grain. The grain is the bed on which the teriyaki tofu and poke bowl toppings rest on. I use a combination of brown rice and quinoa, but you could use any type of grain. A lot of recipes actually call for sushi rice as these recipes are sometimes called a sushi bowl, but I find it's not as versatile and I don't want to add yet another type of rice to my pantry for one dish.
Freshness. The addition of freshness into the poke bowl adds to the complexity of flavour and pairs extremely well with the teriyaki sauce. I've topped this poke bowl with: avocado (see how to make my avocado rose), seaweed, fresh carrot, pickled red onion, mango and cucumber. It's also a fantastic crunch!
Please check the recipe card for full list of ingredients and quantity. See below for substitutions and variations
How to make a tofu poke bowl
- Prepare tofu
Press your tofu either using a tofu press, or covering the tofu in paper towels and placing it between a chopping board and a heavy object. Let it sit for about 20 minutes to allow the excess moisture to be removed. This will help the teriyaki sauce sink into tofu better.
Once pressed, cut into cubes and coat with cornstarch. - Prepare sauce
Combine all sauce ingredients (except for the water and cornstarch) into a large bowl. If you have the time, add in the cubed tofu and marinate in the fridge for a few hours or overnight to give the teriyaki sauce a good chance to sink all the way through the tofu.
- Cook tofu
On a large pan over medium heat, add the tofu and teriyaki sauce mixture. Combine the cornstarch with the water and add in.
Once the homemade teriyaki sauce begins to bubble, lower the heat and stir every few minutes until the sauce thickens over the tofu and it doesn't sit on the bottom of the pan. - Assemble
Assemble the poke bowl. I like to put down the layer of grains first, and then add each of the ingredients on top. And then, unlike the pictures I have shown in this post, I give it a BIG MIX so I get a bite with all the flavours.
If you're like me and enjoy a bit of pickle, check out my homemade pickled onions recipe to add on top.
Substitutions and variations
Chicken. Chicken and teriyaki sauce go fantastically together so I've also made a Teriyaki Chicken Poke Bowl recipe for you to check out.
Toppings. You can pretty much add any toppings you like into this poke bowl. I like the mix of sweet and savoury flavours which is why I like the mango, but you can omit and add in some grilled peppers (capsicums), zucchini and eggplant for a more "Mediterranean" feel.
Grain. I used a microwave packet of brown rice & quinoa rice for this recipe, but you could use any type of grain you want. Sushi bowls commonly have sushi rice, but I find that this rice isn't as versatile for other recipes and I'm all about convenience. You could really use whatever you have in your house as a grain base and it would still be delish! See my top tips for making rice.
Meal prep and leftovers
Japanese teriyaki tofu
Japanese teriyaki tofu can be prepared beforehand and stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. It can also be frozen in an airtight container or vacuum sealer for up to 6 months.
It doesn't actually need to be reheated if stored in the fridge - and it also doesn't actually need cooking (but I like the sauce to be really thick so I cook mine). If you do want to reheat the tofu for your poke bowl with mango, keep it separate from the other ingredients and heat it up on 1 minute intervals (you could heat it up with the rice).
Rice
For convenience, I use microwave rice for these bowls. No need to pre-prep these ahead of time and it goes against the convenience of them to freeze (also, they have a really long shelf life).
Poke bowl toppings
The other toppings I have included in this Japanese teriyaki tofu bowl such as the mango and avocado, don't hold up too well in the freezer. I would recommend preparing these fresh.
You can prepare them for the week though and keep them in separate containers (if you plan on reheating the tofu) or together if you want to have this as a no-heat meal prep.
If you want more meal prep information, check out my Meal Prep for Beginners post and my Meal Prep Basics E-Book.
FAQs
A poke bowl typically includes a base of rice or greens, topped with marinated seaweed or tofu, assorted vegetables like cucumber, avocado, and edamame, and flavourful sauces like soy sauce, sesame oil, and sirarcha.
But, you're really not limited to what you put in - mix-and-match your toppings and figure out what you do and don't like.
The best rice for poke bowls is typically short-grain white rice as it has a slightly sticky texture that pairs well with the other ingredients and helps hold it all together. But, don't feel like you have to go out and purchase this type of rice - any rice will still work great.
Yes, you can use premade teriyaki sauce in a poke bowl. Just ensure it is a high-quality sauce without unnecessary additives for the best taste. Or you can use my recipe 😉
Other tofu recipes
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Recipe
Homemade Teriyaki Tofu (Poke Bowl with Mango and Avocado)
Ingredients
Teriyaki tofu
- 400 g firm tofu pressed & cubed
- ½ cup soy sauce low sodium
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 3 tablespoon mirin
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon ginger minced
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- ¼ cup water
- 2 tablespoon cornstarch/cornflour
Other toppings
- 2 cups cooked brown rice See Note 1
- 1 cup cooked quinoa See Note 1
- 1 avocado sliced
- 1 mango sliced
- 1 cucumber sliced
- 1 carrot julienned
- ½ red onion pickled
- 5 g seaweed
Instructions
- Add 1 tablespoon cornstarch to the tofu, toss.
- Add 1 tablespoon cornstarch to the water and stir until combined. Set aside. In a separate bowl, combine the rest of the sauce ingredients together then add to the tofu.
- On a large pan over medium-high heat, add the tofu with the teriyaki sauce. When it begins to bubble, add the water/cornstarch mixture and stir (it will begin to thicken). Lower the heat and stir every couple of minutes until sauce thickens over the tofu (approx. 10 minutes)
- In the meantime, assemble the rest of the bowl then top with the tofu (it can also be made ahead of time and added cold).
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