This simple Asian-style rice bowl is so satisfying and packed with flavor. Tofu gets crisped up in the pan, mixed with veggies, and simmered in a spicy, creamy peanut sauce. The saucy tofu and veggies get served over a bed of warm rice for an ultra cozy protein and veg packed dinner. Easily sub with cubed chicken if you’d like (see substitutions section).
Ingredient highlight
Tofu! is a soybean curd is made by curdling fresh soy milk, pressing it into a solid block and then cooling it. It’s a great source of protein, calcium, selenium, iron, magnesium, and zinc to name a few.
I’m personally not a huge tofu fan and usually opt for tempeh, but when you get it crispy and smother it in a sauce, it’s delicious!
Servings 4
Prep Time 15 minutes 
Cook Time 10 minutes Ingredients
- 2 cups jasmine rice (or other grain)*
- 1 14 oz pack extra firm tofu, drained**
- 1 tbsp cornstarch***
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 4 cups chopped veg (broccoli, cabbage, mushrooms, bell pepper, carrot, and/or kale)
- 1 cucumber, peeled and chopped (optional)****
- Chopped toasted peanuts or almonds
- Chopped cilantro or scallions
- Lime wedges
- *You could use any grain as a base for this bowl or even rice, soba, or wheat noodles!
- **Easily sub this with 1-1.5 lbs of cubed chicken.
- ***Cornstarch helps the tofu get crispy/browned and thickens the sauce a bit, but you could totally skip it!
- ****The cucumber adds a cold crunch that I love but you could skip this or use any other raw crunchy veggie.
For the peanut sauce:
- ½ cup water
- ¼ cup natural peanut butter
- ¼ cup soy sauce or tamari
- 2 tbsp sriracha
- 2 tbsp lime juice or rice vinegar
- 2 tsp toasted sesame oil
- 1-2 cloves garlic, grated or chopped
Instructions
- Cook your rice (instructions here).
- Tear the tofu into bite-sized pieces and place on top of a kitchen towel. Fold the towel over (or use another towel) to press the water out of the tofu.
- Transfer to a cutting board or bowl and toss with the cornstarch and salt to coat.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the water, peanut butter, soy sauce, sriracha, lime or vinegar, sesame oil, and garlic until combined.
- In a large 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat, warm the oil. Once the oil is hot, swirl it around to coat the pan, add the tofu and spread into an even layer. Cook, undisturbed, for 5 minutes, or until the tofu is nice and browned. Give them a stir, using a spatula to release them from the pan.
- Stir in the veggies and cook, stirring often, for 2 minutes or until the veggies are softened.
- Turn the heat down to low and pour in the peanut sauce. Stir to coat and gently simmer the sauce for 1 minute or until it has thickened but is still saucy. You can always add a splash of water to thin it out.
- Serve the tofu/veg over rice topped with cucumber (if using), herbs, nuts, and a squeeze of lime.
Items you can prep ahead (optional)
- Cook 2 cups jasmine or short grain white rice
- Chop 4 cups veg (broccoli, cabbage, mushrooms, bell pepper, carrot, and/or kale)
- Whisk together peanut soy sauce
- Peel and chop 1 cucumber (optional)
- Toast and chop peanuts or almonds, for topping
- Chop cilantro or scallions, for topping
Substitutions:
- To make nut-free, use tahini in place of peanut butter.
- If you don’t want it spicy, skip or reduce the sriracha.
- Easily sub tofu with 1-1.5 lbs of cubed chicken.
- Serve with wheat or rice noodles instead of rice.
Storage:
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer:
- Tofu/veggies: up to 6 days in the fridge or 2 months in the freezer
- Rice: up to 5 days in the fridge or 2 months in the freezer
Leftovers + Repurposing:
- Warm up leftover rice and tofu/veggies separately until warm. If the sauce has thickened a lot or been absorbed, stir in a splash of water to thin it out. Serve topped with nuts, herbs, and a squeeze of lime.
- You could also serve leftover tofu/veg over noodles! Add water to thin out the sauce.
- Put a fried egg on top.
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