This super adaptable veggie rice bowl is smothered in a spicy, salty, and sweet curried peanut sauce that you’ll want to eat by the spoonful. Warm rice and roasted veggies + crispy warm tofu + crunchy raw cabbage + crunchy toasted nuts + fresh herbs + salty, spicy, sweet, creamy sauce = bowl perfection! But, honestly, it’s all about the sauce here people, so the rest is totally up to you!
Ingredient highlight
Tofu! is really high in iron and calcium, two very important nutrients for women especially. It also is a good source of selenium, which is important for metabolism and thyroid function. While I’m not the biggest fan of tofu texturally, I’ll eat it smothered in a delicious sauce like this one 🙂 and to get a high dose of some important nutrients.
Servings 4
Prep Time 15 minutes 
Cook Time 20 minutes Ingredients
- 1-2 cups short grain brown rice (or any grain of choice)
- 4-5 (14-16 oz), peeled and roughly chopped into small pieces or cut into ¼-inch thick rounds or matchsticks (3 cups)*
- 1 head (about 1 lb) broccoli, roughly chopped (3 cups)*
- 1 (14 oz) package extra firm tofu, drained, cut into ½-inch cubes, pressed**
- 2 tbsp olive oil, divided
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt, divided
- ½ purple cabbage, quartered, thinly sliced (about 2-3 cups)
- 1 heaping cup fresh herbs (basil, scallions, and/or cilantro)
- Roasted peanuts (for topping)
- Lime wedges
For the curry peanut sauce:
- ½ cup natural peanut butter
- ½ cup water
- 2 tbsp soy sauce or tamari
- 1 tbsp + 1 tsp lime juice or rice vinegar
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tbsp sriracha or other hot sauce (optional, adjust for spice)
- 2 tsp curry powder
- *Use any combo of veggies, enough to fit on one sheet pan (about 6 cups).
- **Use any protein you have lying around (chicken, beef, fish, shrimp, edamame) or fry a couple of eggs!
- **How to press tofu: once you’ve cubed the tofu, lay them in a flat layer on top of a kitchen towel, then fold the towel over and gently press to get out the excess water.
- Note: ~ to lighten this up, turn it into a salad with shredded cabbage, lettuce, and/or any other thinly sliced raw crunchy mix of veggies as your base. I personally love this with brown rice, but sometimes I’ll use less rice and more veg if I want something less starchy. Make it your own – it’s all about that sauce!
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450F or 425F convection. Line two rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Cook the rice or grain of choice (rice cooking instructions here).
- Add carrots and broccoli to one sheet pan and tofu to the other. Drizzle each sheet pan with one tablespoon olive oil and ¼ teaspoon salt and toss to coat. Spread each out into an even layer and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the broccoli is charred and tofu is browned (the tofu may need an extra 5 minutes).
- To make the peanut sauce, add all ingredients to a jar or medium bowl and whisk/stir or shake to combine (it will take a minute to become creamy). If too thick, whisk in a bit more water until it reaches a drizzle-able consistency. Taste and add more lime/vinegar or soy sauce, if needed. If you want your sauce to be warm, just pop it in the microwave or heat on the stove.
- In your bowl, add warm rice/grain, carrots/broccoli, tofu, and cabbage. Generously top with the peanut sauce, herbs, nuts and a squeeze of lime.
Items you can prep ahead (optional)
- Cook 1-2 cups short grain brown rice (or grain of choice)
- Thinly slice/chop 4-5 carrots (3 cups)
- Roughly chop 1 head broccoli (3 cups)
- Cube/press 1 block tofu (or prep other protein)
- Roast veggies and tofu
- Thinly slice 2-3 cups cabbage
- Prep herbs, for topping
- Make peanut sauce
Substitutions:
- Ultimately, you can use any veggie, grain, protein, and herb you want.
- Use any combo of veggies, enough to fit on one sheet pan (about 6 cups).
- Use any protein you have lying around (chicken, beef, fish, shrimp, edamame) or fry a couple of eggs!
- To lighten this up, turn it into a salad with shredded cabbage, lettuce, and/or any other thinly sliced raw crunchy mix of veggies as your base. I personally love this with brown rice, but sometimes I’ll use less rice and more veg if I want something less starchy. Make it your own – it’s all about that sauce!
- To make it nut-free, use tahini in place of peanut butter.
Storage:
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer:
- Roasted veggies: up to 5 days in the fridge or freeze for up to 2 months.
- Rice: up to 5 days in the fridge or freeze for up to 2 months.
- Peanut sauce: up to 7 days in the fridge or freeze for up to 2 months.
Leftovers + Repurposing:
- Warm up leftover grain, veg, and protein. Peanut sauce thickens as it sits, so stir in some water to thin it out, if needed. Top with plenty of peanut sauce, herbs, and a squeeze of lime.
- Use leftover peanut sauce on any bowl! It’s delicious on chicken.
- Turn it into fried rice! Leftover rice makes the best fried rice.
Servings 4 Prep Time 15 minutes Cook Time 20 minutes Ingredients
- 1-2 cups short grain brown rice (or any grain of choice)
- 4-5 (14-16 oz), peeled and roughly chopped into small pieces or cut into ¼-inch thick rounds or matchsticks (3 cups)*
- 1 head (about 1 lb) broccoli, roughly chopped (3 cups)*
- 1 (14 oz) package extra firm tofu, drained, cut into ½-inch cubes, pressed**
- 2 tbsp olive oil, divided
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt, divided
- ½ purple cabbage, quartered, thinly sliced (about 2-3 cups)
- 1 heaping cup fresh herbs (basil, scallions, and/or cilantro)
- Roasted peanuts (for topping)
- Lime wedges
For the curry peanut sauce:
- ½ cup natural peanut butter
- ½ cup water
- 2 tbsp soy sauce or tamari
- 1 tbsp + 1 tsp lime juice or rice vinegar
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tbsp sriracha or other hot sauce (optional, adjust for spice)
- 2 tsp curry powder
- *Use any combo of veggies, enough to fit on one sheet pan (about 6 cups).
- **Use any protein you have lying around (chicken, beef, fish, shrimp, edamame) or fry a couple of eggs!
- **How to press tofu: once you’ve cubed the tofu, lay them in a flat layer on top of a kitchen towel, then fold the towel over and gently press to get out the excess water.
- Note: ~ to lighten this up, turn it into a salad with shredded cabbage, lettuce, and/or any other thinly sliced raw crunchy mix of veggies as your base. I personally love this with brown rice, but sometimes I’ll use less rice and more veg if I want something less starchy. Make it your own - it’s all about that sauce!
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450F or 425F convection. Line two rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Cook the rice or grain of choice (rice cooking instructions here).
- Add carrots and broccoli to one sheet pan and tofu to the other. Drizzle each sheet pan with one tablespoon olive oil and ¼ teaspoon salt and toss to coat. Spread each out into an even layer and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the broccoli is charred and tofu is browned (the tofu may need an extra 5 minutes).
- To make the peanut sauce, add all ingredients to a jar or medium bowl and whisk/stir or shake to combine (it will take a minute to become creamy). If too thick, whisk in a bit more water until it reaches a drizzle-able consistency. Taste and add more lime/vinegar or soy sauce, if needed. If you want your sauce to be warm, just pop it in the microwave or heat on the stove.
- In your bowl, add warm rice/grain, carrots/broccoli, tofu, and cabbage. Generously top with the peanut sauce, herbs, nuts and a squeeze of lime.
Items you can prep ahead (optional)
- Cook 1-2 cups short grain brown rice (or grain of choice)
- Thinly slice/chop 4-5 carrots (3 cups)
- Roughly chop 1 head broccoli (3 cups)
- Cube/press 1 block tofu (or prep other protein)
- Roast veggies and tofu
- Thinly slice 2-3 cups cabbage
- Prep herbs, for topping
- Make peanut sauce
Substitutions:
- Ultimately, you can use any veggie, grain, protein, and herb you want.
- Use any combo of veggies, enough to fit on one sheet pan (about 6 cups).
- Use any protein you have lying around (chicken, beef, fish, shrimp, edamame) or fry a couple of eggs!
- To lighten this up, turn it into a salad with shredded cabbage, lettuce, and/or any other thinly sliced raw crunchy mix of veggies as your base. I personally love this with brown rice, but sometimes I’ll use less rice and more veg if I want something less starchy. Make it your own - it’s all about that sauce!
- To make it nut-free, use tahini in place of peanut butter.
Storage:
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer:
- Roasted veggies: up to 5 days in the fridge or freeze for up to 2 months.
- Rice: up to 5 days in the fridge or freeze for up to 2 months.
- Peanut sauce: up to 7 days in the fridge or freeze for up to 2 months.
Leftovers + Repurposing:
- Warm up leftover grain, veg, and protein. Peanut sauce thickens as it sits, so stir in some water to thin it out, if needed. Top with plenty of peanut sauce, herbs, and a squeeze of lime.
- Use leftover peanut sauce on any bowl! It's delicious on chicken.
- Turn it into fried rice! Leftover rice makes the best fried rice.
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