This bowl, you guys. It may look simple, and it is, but it is good. Really, really good.
I’m not typically a big tofu person, but I wanted to branch out and try something new, and I am so glad I did! It was flavorful, crispy, and perfectly completed the whole of this dish.
Besides the crispy tofu, this bowl combines brown rice, sriracha and vegan mayonnaise, green peas, avocado, fresh arugula and a sprinkle of salt and pepper. If you aren’t a huge tofu fan, this is also great with some vegan Just Eggs scrambled up, or even some pan-fried tempeh.
To keep things super simple, I used frozen peas and one of those microwaveable bags of brown rice, so the only real cooking I had to do was the tofu, and that couldn’t be easier. Don’t let the long instructions fool you! I just wanted to be thorough with the tofu pressing process, as it’s important to remove the majority of the liquid.
I will give you the ratios I used to make this bowl, but please feel free to make it your own. If you want more rice, add more. More spice, more sriracha. You get the idea.
Crispy Tofu Rice Bowl
Author: The Lean Clean Eating Machine
Ingredients:
- 1 cup cooked brown rice per bowl
- 1/3 cup frozen peas per bowl; thawed
- 1/2 ripe avocado per bowl; diced
- Sriracha
- Vegan mayonnaise
- Handful of arugula per bowl
- Salt and pepper to taste
Crispy Tofu:
- 1 block organic, extra firm tofu; drained and pressed
- 1 tablespoon tamari or liquid aminos
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
Instructions:
- Set your oven to 400F and line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper to prevent the tofu from sticking.
- To prepare the tofu: Drain the tofu. Slice the tofu into thirds lengthwise so you have 3 even slabs. Stack the slabs on top of each other and slice through them lengthwise to make 3 even columns, then slice across to make 5 even rows.
- Line a cutting board with a paper towel, then arrange the tofu in an even layer on the towel. Place another layer of paper towel over the cubed tofu, then place something heavy on top (I used another cutting board, topped with a cast iron pan) to help the tofu drain. Let the tofu rest for at least 10 minutes, then remove the cutting board and heavy object on top, leaving the paper towel. With your hands, gently press down on the tofu to get any extra water out.
- Transfer the pressed tofu to a medium mixing bowl and drizzle with the olive oil and tamari. Toss to combine. Sprinkle the starch over the tofu, and toss the tofu until the starch is evenly coated, so there are no powdery spots remaining.
- Place tofu onto the prepared baking sheet and arrange the tofu in an even layer. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, tossing the tofu halfway, until the tofu is deeply golden on the edges.
- Prepare your bowl. Start by placing cooked brown rice in a bowl, and mix with desired amounts of sriracha and vegan mayo (I usually do about 1 tbsp of the mayo and a good drizzle of sriracha). Stir to combine.
- Top with thawed, rinsed green peas, a handful of arugula, cubed avocado, tofu and season with salt and pepper.
- Enjoy!