A flavorful, filling Tofu Rice Bowl recipe drizzled with garlic-ginger peanut sauce! Protein-rich and so nourishing with baked tofu, roasted veggies, and hearty whole-grain rice. (Vegan, gluten-free, oil-free.)
This flavorful, filling Tofu Rice Bowl is a delicious one-bowl wonder! It's healthy, protein-rich, and so satisfying.
We combine fluffy warm rice, savory baked tofu, and tasty roasted veggies. Then top it with a rich, luscious, homemade peanut sauce. (One of my all-time favorite recipes!)
It's a fun family-friendly meal because everyone can garnish their bowl with their own favorite toppings. See below for some ideas to get you started!
Ingredients for Tofu Rice Bowl
For this recipe you'll combine:
- Extra-firm tofu: You'll need one block tofu for this recipe. We'll press it ahead of time to remove the excess moisture. (This helps the tofu soak up more flavor from the marinade sauce.) A tofu press is a helpful gadget to have in the kitchen. But if you don't have one, no worries. Simply press your tofu between kitchen towels or paper towels to remove some moisture before cutting it into cubes.
- Tamari: Or substitute soy sauce, but use tamari for gluten-free. I use regular tamari, but you can use reduced sodium if desired.
- Rice vinegar: I use unseasoned rice vinegar which doesn't contain added sugar or salt.
- Pure maple syrup
- Onion & garlic powder
- Fresh broccoli: You'll need 5 cups fresh broccoli florets, which is about one large, or 2 medium heads broccoli. (Or about 10 ounces cut florets.)
- Carrots
- Red bell pepper: If you don't care for bell pepper, simply leave it out or replace with other veggies.
- Rice: Either use brown rice or white rice. Most often I use organic brown basmati rice. Or try swapping in other grains like quinoa, farro, or couscous.
- Peanut sauce: While the tofu & veggies bake in the oven, we'll whip up my homemade garlic-ginger Peanut Sauce recipe. (It's so good!) Or you can prepare it ahead of time and store in the fridge until ready.
Customizing
Make it spicy: Top your tofu bowl with sriracha or red pepper flakes before serving.
Veggies: Change up the vegetables with your own favorites or whatever's in season. Include asparagus, red onion, cauliflower, zucchini, yellow summer squash, or Brussels sprouts. (I use a sheet pan lined with parchment paper for oil-free roasting, but you can toss them with a small amount of high quality extra-virgin olive oil if desired.)
Sauté: You can also sauté the veggies on the stovetop instead of roasting them in the oven. Toss in baby bok choy, green onions, cabbage, zucchini, sweet peas, or green beans. Or stir in fresh greens like spinach or kale to lightly sauté.
Other variations: Include shelled edamame, or Crispy Tofu instead of the savory tofu. You could also try this Cilantro Lime Rice or cauliflower rice instead of plain rice. If you include oil in your diet, toasted sesame oil can add great flavor as well.
Peanut sauce note: I find one batch of peanut sauce is a pretty great match for this recipe. (Each serving gets 1/3 cup sauce.) But if you like extra sauce, feel free to make a larger (or even double) batch. Then you can drizzle it with reckless abandon without worry of running out! Plus it saves great in the fridge when you have leftovers.
Serving
Toppings: Right before serving, top your bowl with optional sesame seeds, fresh cilantro, peanuts, cashews, slivered almonds, sriracha, mung bean sprouts, or green onions. (I really enjoy peanuts for crunchy texture!)
Storing
Store tofu, rice, veggies, and peanut sauce in separate airtight containers in the refrigerator. I find it keeps for about 4 days. You could also prepare a full bowl for meal prep up to a day ahead of time. Then simply reheat in the microwave when ready to enjoy.
For more inspiration, also browse all vegan tofu recipes or easy vegan dinner recipes.
Tofu Rice Bowl with Peanut Sauce
Ingredients
For the baked tofu:
- 14 oz. block extra-firm tofu (pressed*)
- 1/4 cup tamari
- 1 Tbsp. rice vinegar
- 2 tsp. pure maple syrup
- 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp. onion powder
For the roasted veggies:
- 5 cups fresh broccoli florets (about 1 large or 2 medium heads)
- 2 medium carrots
- 1 red bell pepper
The rest:
- 1 cup brown basmati rice (or white)
- 1 batch Peanut Sauce**
- For serving: Sesame seeds, fresh cilantro, peanuts, cashews, green onions, sriracha, mung bean sprouts, etc.
Instructions
- Begin: Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Line two baking pans with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Cook rice: Rinse and cook rice according to package instructions.
- Prepare the tofu: Cut tofu into small cubes, about 2/3-inch. In a medium bowl, add tamari, rice vinegar, maple syrup, garlic powder, and onion powder. Stir the marinade, then add tofu cubes. Gently toss with a spatula to evenly coat, then set bowl aside to marinate for a few minutes.
- Prepare veggies: Chop broccoli into small florets. Slice carrots. Dice bell pepper into bite-sized pieces.
- Bake tofu & veggies: Spread out tofu on a lined pan in a single layer. (Spoon any remaining sauce over the top for maximum flavor if desired.) On the other pan, spread out veggies. Add salt & pepper if desired. Then place both trays in oven and bake for 30 minutes, stirring each halfway through.
- Make peanut sauce: While everything is cooking, make the peanut sauce.
- Assemble bowls: To a serving bowl, add cooked rice, veggies, and tofu. Then drizzle peanut sauce and any desired toppings. (I like sesame seeds, fresh cilantro, and peanuts for crunch.)
Notes
Nutrition Per Serving (Estimate)
Sodium: This is omitted as I cannot provide an accurate number. I encourage you to calculate your own to provide a much more precise reading based on the exact ingredients, brands, and amounts you're using.
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