Crispy Tofu Rice Bowl (Printable version)
Crispy tofu over jasmine rice with fresh vegetables and creamy peanut sauce for a satisfying vegetarian meal.
# What you'll need:
→ Rice Bowl Components
01 - 1½ cups uncooked jasmine or brown rice
02 - 14 oz firm tofu, pressed and cubed
03 - 1 tbsp cornstarch
04 - 3 tbsp vegetable oil
05 - 1 cup shredded red cabbage
06 - 1 large carrot, julienned
07 - 1 cucumber, thinly sliced
08 - 2 green onions, thinly sliced
09 - 1 cup edamame, cooked and shelled
10 - 2 tbsp sesame seeds
→ Peanut Sauce
11 - ¼ cup creamy peanut butter
12 - 2 tbsp soy sauce
13 - 2 tbsp fresh lime juice
14 - 1 tbsp maple syrup or honey
15 - 1 tbsp rice vinegar
16 - 1 tsp grated fresh ginger
17 - 1 garlic clove, minced
18 - 2–3 tbsp warm water, as needed to thin sauce
# Directions:
01 - Prepare rice according to package directions. Once cooked, cover and keep warm until ready to assemble.
02 - Pat cubed tofu dry with paper towels. Place in a medium bowl, sprinkle with cornstarch, and toss gently until all pieces are evenly coated.
03 - Heat vegetable oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Arrange tofu cubes in a single layer and cook, turning every couple of minutes, until golden and crispy on all sides, about 8 minutes total. Transfer to a paper towel–lined plate.
04 - In a small bowl, whisk together peanut butter, soy sauce, lime juice, maple syrup or honey, rice vinegar, grated ginger, and minced garlic. Add warm water one tablespoon at a time until the sauce reaches a smooth, pourable consistency.
05 - Shred the red cabbage, julienne the carrot, thinly slice the cucumber and green onions, and ensure the edamame is cooked and shelled.
06 - Divide the warm rice among four bowls. Arrange crispy tofu, shredded cabbage, julienned carrot, sliced cucumber, green onions, and edamame over each portion of rice.
07 - Drizzle peanut sauce generously over each bowl. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve immediately.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The peanut sauce alone is worth making this recipe, and it doubles as a dip for almost anything you have in the fridge.
- It assembled entirely from pantry staples and whatever vegetables are hanging around, so it never feels like a chore to shop for.
02 -
- Wet tofu in a hot pan is the fastest path to a splattery mess and soggy cubes, so press it for at least ten minutes between towels before it ever sees the cornstarch.
- The peanut sauce thickens as it sits in the fridge, so whisk in another splash of warm water when you use leftovers the next day.
03 -
- Cut all your vegetables before you start cooking because the actual assembly moves fast and you do not want to be juliennning carrots while the tofu burns.
- Let the tofu rest in the pan undisturbed for a full two minutes before you flip, because patience is what creates that crust and fidgeting destroys it.