Tofu Rice Bowl Peanut Sauce (Printable Version)
Crispy tofu over rice with fresh veggies and creamy peanut sauce — a quick, satisfying vegetarian bowl.
# What You Need:
→ Rice Bowl
01 - 1½ cups uncooked jasmine or brown rice
02 - 14 oz firm tofu, pressed and cubed
03 - 1 tablespoon cornstarch
04 - 3 tablespoons 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 cooked and shelled edamame
10 - 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
→ Peanut Sauce
11 - ¼ cup creamy peanut butter
12 - 2 tablespoons soy sauce
13 - 2 tablespoons lime juice
14 - 1 tablespoon maple syrup or honey
15 - 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
16 - 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
17 - 1 garlic clove, minced
18 - 2–3 tablespoons warm water, as needed to thin sauce
# How-To Steps:
01 - Prepare rice according to package directions. Keep warm and set aside.
02 - Place cubed tofu in a medium bowl and toss with cornstarch until evenly coated on all sides.
03 - Heat vegetable oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Arrange tofu cubes in a single layer and cook, turning occasionally, until golden and crispy on all sides, about 8 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel–lined plate to drain.
04 - In a mixing bowl, whisk together peanut butter, soy sauce, lime juice, maple syrup or honey, rice vinegar, ginger, and minced garlic. Add warm water one tablespoon at a time until the sauce reaches a smooth, pourable consistency.
05 - Divide the cooked rice among 4 bowls. Arrange crispy tofu, shredded red cabbage, julienned carrot, sliced cucumber, green onions, and edamame over each portion of rice.
06 - Drizzle peanut sauce generously over each bowl and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Serve immediately.
# Helpful Tips:
01 -
- The peanut sauce alone is reason enough to keep this on repeat, and it tastes even better on leftovers the next day.
- Everything cooks in under forty minutes, which means dinner is possible even on your most chaotic days.
02 -
- If you do not press the tofu long enough, it will steam instead of fry, and you will end up with rubbery cubes that no sauce can save.
- Adding the water too fast to the peanut sauce can make it seize and turn grainy, so go slow and whisk constantly.
03 -
- Let the tofu sit undisturbed in the pan for at least two minutes before you even think about flipping, because patience is the real secret to a good crust.
- The sauce thickens as it sits, so make it slightly thinner than you think it needs to be and it will be perfect by the time you serve.