Teriyaki Tofu with Edamame Fried Rice

Sticky, savoury teriyaki sauce clinging to golden tofu, piled on top of egg-fried rice packed with edamame — this one looks impressive but comes together in about 30 minutes. It's the kind of meal that makes a Tuesday feel a bit more interesting.

What You'll Need

This recipe serves 2 and works brilliantly with day-old rice, which fries up far better than freshly cooked.

For the teriyaki tofu:

• 280g firm tofu, pressed and cut into cubes
• 3 tbsp soy sauce (low-sodium works well here)
• 2 tbsp mirin
• 1 tbsp rice vinegar
• 1 tbsp honey or maple syrup
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 1 tsp cornflour mixed with 1 tbsp cold water
• 1 tbsp neutral oil for frying

For the edamame fried rice:

• 300g cooked rice (day-old is ideal)
• 150g frozen edamame, defrosted
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 3 spring onions, sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 1 tbsp neutral oil for frying

To serve: sesame seeds, sliced chilli, extra spring onion

How to Make It

Start by pressing your tofu if you haven't already — wrap it in a clean tea towel and set something heavy on top for 10–15 minutes. This removes excess moisture and helps it crisp up properly in the pan.

While the tofu presses, mix together the soy sauce, mirin, rice vinegar, and honey in a small bowl. Set aside.

Heat a non-stick frying pan or wok over a high heat with neutral oil. Add the tofu cubes and cook for 3–4 minutes per side until golden and crisp. Pour in your teriyaki sauce mixture and let it bubble for a minute, then stir in the cornflour slurry. The sauce will thicken quickly and coat the tofu in a glossy, sticky glaze. Remove from the heat and set aside.

For the fried rice, heat oil in the same pan (or a second one if you prefer). Add the garlic and fry for 30 seconds, then add the cold rice, breaking up any clumps. Stir-fry on high heat for 2–3 minutes until the rice starts to colour slightly. Push the rice to one side, add the beaten eggs to the empty space, and scramble them gently before folding through the rice. Add the edamame, soy sauce, and sesame oil, and toss everything together for another minute. Scatter in most of the spring onions.

Serve the fried rice in bowls, top with the teriyaki tofu, and finish with sesame seeds, chilli, and the remaining spring onion.

What Makes This Work Nutritionally

This dish pulls together a surprisingly solid macro profile without any complicated planning.

Tofu is a complete protein, meaning it contains all nine essential amino acids — something that's less common in plant-based ingredients. A 140g serving (half the tofu used here) provides around 14–16g of protein before the rice even enters the picture.

Edamame adds another layer of protein and fibre. Unlike most carbohydrate-heavy rice additions (sweetcorn, peas), edamame brings meaningful protein — around 8–9g per 100g — which helps bump up the overall protein content of the bowl without adding much in the way of saturated fat.

The egg in the fried rice rounds things out further, adding richness, fat-soluble vitamins, and another 6g of protein per egg. Together, each serving of this bowl lands at roughly 30–35g of protein, which makes it genuinely filling for a plant-forward meal.

The sesame oil and eggs also contribute to the fat content, helping with the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins present in the edamame and spring onions.

Practical Takeaways

A few things worth knowing before you make this:

• Press your tofu properly. Skipping this step is the main reason tofu turns out soggy instead of crisp. Even 10 minutes makes a real difference.
• Cold rice is non-negotiable for good fried rice. Freshly cooked rice is too wet and will steam rather than fry. Cook your rice the night before, or use a microwave rice pouch cooled in the fridge for 20 minutes.
• The teriyaki sauce thickens fast once the cornflour hits the heat — have your tofu ready to coat and don't walk away at this stage.
• Swap the eggs out for extra edamame or a silken tofu scramble if you want to keep it fully plant-based.

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> Macrology tip: Add this recipe to your Macrology meal plan and the app will automatically balance your remaining meals for the day around it — no spreadsheet required.

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