Tofu Teriyaki Bento Box
A delightful and nutritious vegan lunch featuring teriyaki tofu, fluffy rice, and refreshing vegetable salad, perfect for a satisfying meal.
Ingredients
For the Tofu
- 300 g firm tofu, pressed and cut into rectangles
- 2 tbsp cornstarch
- 1 tbsp neutral oil (e.g., avocado oil)
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tbsp mirin
- 1 tbsp sake (or water + pinch of sugar)
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1 tsp sesame seeds
For the Rice
- 1 cup Japanese short-grain rice (uncooked)
- Furikake seasoning, to taste
For the Salad
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1 tsp soy sauce
- ½ tsp shichimi togarashi
For the Veggies
- 1 cup sugar snap peas
- ½ cup cherry tomatoes (halved)
Instructions
Preparation
- Rinse the rice under cold water until the water runs clear. Cook the rice per package instructions, fluff it, and sprinkle with furikake.
- Press the tofu lightly to remove excess moisture and cut it into rectangles. Coat the tofu rectangles with cornstarch.
Cooking
- Heat a bit of neutral oil in a pan until it shimmers, then pan-fry the tofu rectangles until golden brown on all sides. Set aside.
- In the same pan, simmer soy sauce, mirin, sake, and sugar to create the teriyaki sauce. Return the crispy tofu to the pan and coat it evenly with the sauce.
- Toss thinly sliced cucumber with rice vinegar, sesame oil, soy sauce, and shichimi togarashi for a quick marinade, allowing the cucumber to soak up the flavors.
- Blanch sugar snap peas in boiling water for 1-2 minutes, then drain and rinse with cold water.
Assembly
- Layer rice in the bento box, topping it with teriyaki tofu and sesame seeds. Add the cucumber salad, blanched sugar snap peas, and halved cherry tomatoes for color.
Notes
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. To reheat, warm the tofu but keep cucumbers and sugar snap peas fresh.