This crispy tofu bowl with an easy chipotle tahini sauce is served along side a bed of quinoa, kale, sweet potatoes and avocado. As soon as you take a bite, you’ll be obsessed with how flavorful and filling it is!
If you’re looking for a delicious and satisfying lunch or dinner, this vegan bowl is going to be a staple in your routine. It’s one of my favorite meals in my dinner rotation for sure! Not only is it easy and tasty but it’s also perfect for meal prep. You can make everything on Sunday and enjoy it throughout the week.
Even if you’re not a tofu fan, I promise this crispy tofu will have you convinced. And pair it with a delicious, smoky chipotle sauce? It’s hard to resist. The fact that it’s filled with good-for-you ingredients is just the cherry on top!
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WHY YOU’LL LOVE THIS RECIPE
Easy to Customize – If you’re missing any of the ingredients for this bowl, don’t stress. Make sure to read the ingredients section for ideas on any substitutions you can make.
Easy to Make – While there’s a few different parts to this bowl, each one is super easy. Like, super easy! Plus, you can make any of the sections ahead of time to cut down on prep.
Perfect for Meal Prep – Bowls like this are perfect for meal prep. Not only do they taste just as good the next day, but they’re easy to heat back up (or even enjoy cold)! They’re a great weeknight dinner.
INGREDIENTS NEEDED (WITH SUBSTITUTIONS)
To make this vegan crispy tofu bowl you will need the ingredients listed below.
BOWL INGREDIENTS
Extra Firm Tofu: One of the main ingredients in this bowl, tofu is a great plant-based protein! To make the crispiest tofu possible, it’s important to use an extra-firm block of tofu.
Corn Starch: By dusting the tofu in a light layer of corn starch, it helps create that crispy exterior and soft interior. If you don’t have corn starch, you can substitute all-purpose flour. Or, even nutritional yeast – it will also add a slight cheesy taste.
Olive Oil: Olive oil is used to massage the kale and pan fry the tofu, but you can use any neutral oil you have one hand.
Quinoa: I love using quinoa in this bowl because it’s a great source of plant protein and fiber. Plus, it’s gluten-free. However, feel free to substitute your favorite whole grain such as brown rice.
Sweet Potato: Roasted sweet potato adds fiber, Vitamin A, and is absolutely delicious in this bowl.
Avocado: Avocado adds the perfect creaminess to this bowl and is a great way to incorporate healthy fats into your diet.
Kale: This crispy tofu bowl sits on a bed of massaged kale. Even if you’re not a huge kale fan, you’ll be surprised how tasty it is when combined with the rest of the ingredients!
Lemon Juice: Massaging the kale with a bit of lemon juice and olive oil makes it tastier and easier to digest.
CHIPOTLE SAUCE INGREDIENTS
Tahini: Tahini creates a rich and creamy base for this chipotle sauce. Plus, it acts as an antioxidant and helps to lower inflammation!
Chipotles in Adobo Sauce: Chipotles in adobo sauce is a canned good that can be found at your local grocery store. It is jalapeño chiles that are dried and smoked then placed in a sauce consisting of tomatoes and spices. It lends a smokey flavor to this sauce that is absolutely delicious.
Water: A bit of water is used to thin out the sauce, feel free to add more or less depending on your desired texture.
Avocado Oil: Any neutral oil is fine to use, I like avocado because it doesn’t overpower the rest of the flavors.
Lemon Juice: A bit of lemon juice adds a nice tangy flavor to this sauce.
Maple Syrup: Using sweetener in this sauce helps tone down the smokiness. Any sweetener is fine, but personally I love maple syrup because it pairs well with the smokey flavor!
Sea Salt: A pinch of salt helps bring out all the flavors.
Garlic Powder: I’m a firm believer that EVERY sauce can benefit from a bit of garlic! Garlic powder is used in this recipe to avoid fresh garlic overpowering the other flavors.
HOW TO PAN FRY TOFU
Pan frying tofu is extremely easy, even if it’s your first time. Plus, it’s one of the best ways to get crispy, delicious tofu. So, here’s how to make it:
- To start, press tofu to get rid of excess moisture.
- Once the tofu has been pressed, chop into cubes.
- Then toss the cubed tofu in corn starch. Gently stir to coat.
- Heat up 2-3 tablespoons of oil in a medium sized non-stick pan on medium to medium high heat. When the oil is hot enough, add the tofu (it will sizzle when it’s ready to cook).
- Add the tofu in a single layer on the hot oil (you may need to do multiple batches). Let cook for 2-3 minutes, until golden brown. Flip and cook an additional 2-3 minutes.
- Repeat until all the tofu is cooked.
HOW TO MAKE THE SAUCE
To make the chipotle tahini sauce all you need is a food processor. If you don’t have a food processor (or don’t like spicy food) I’ve also included instructions below for a super simple peanut sauce.
For the chipotle sauce, add all ingredients to a food processor and pulse until smooth. Once smooth, slowly add a few tablespoons of water until you reach the desired consistency.
For the simple peanut sauce, whisk together 1/3 cup creamy peanut butter, and a tablespoon of each: maple syrup, rice vinegar and soy sauce until thoroughly combined. Then add in a tablespoon or two of water, or until you get the perfect consistency.
STORAGE & REHEATING
This bowl is great for meal prep, which means it’s easy to store! To store leftovers, you can either store the tofu, quinoa, and sweet potato in one large airtight container or you can store them separately. You can keep these items stored in the fridge for 3-4 days.
To store half an avocado, place the avocado face down in a shallow dish of water. The water will help keep it from browning. When ready to use, just slice off a thin layer off so it’s not soggy.
For the kale, place in a plastic bag and keep in the fridge for up to 3 days.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
If you’ve struggled with not being able to get crispy tofu in the past, make sure to follow my tips below.
1. To avoid soggy tofu, make sure to press all the excess liquid out. To do this, place the tofu on a plate, then place a few layers of paper towels or a tea towel, followed by a heavy object on top (such as a can of beans). Or, you can also use a tofu press.
2. As mentioned above, make sure to use extra firm tofu – not soft or silken.
3. Lastly, generously coat the tofu in corn starch. It helps with both browning and crispiness.
Yes! Air frying makes delicious tofu! After pressing the tofu, toss it in a bowl with the corn starch and give it a shake. Next, add the olive oil and give it another shake until evenly distributed.
Then, add the tofu into the air fryer basket. Set the temperature to 390F and the timer to 15-20 minutes, and shake every 5 minutes to make sure the tofu cooks evenly.
P.S. if you’re searching for a good air fryer this is my favorite of all-time!
OTHER LUNCH & DINNER RECIPES YOU’LL LOVE
If you decide to try this recipe out, let me know! I love seeing your recreations tagged on Instagram @nourishedwithnatalie.
Easy Crispy Tofu Bowl
Ingredients
Tofu
- 1 16 oz extra firm tofu
- ⅓ cup corn starch
- 2-3 tbsp olive oil
Kale
- 2 bunches kale *about 14 oz
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp olive oil
Bowl
- 2 medium sweet potatoes, cubed and roasted
- 2 cups quinoa, prepared
- 1 avocado, sliced
Chipotle Tahini Sauce
- ¼ cup tahini
- ¼ cup avocado oil
- 1-2 chipotles in adobo sauce
- ½ tbsp maple syrup
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ¼ tsp sea salt
- 3-4 tbsp water
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425F
- Chop the sweet potatoes into 1/2 inch cubes. Toss with a bit of olive oil. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until fork tender.
- Next, prepare the quinoa according to the instructions on your package.
- Press the tofu to remove moisture, cut into 1 inch long cubes, about 1/4-1/2 inch thick and toss with the corn starch.
- In a medium sized non-stick pan, heat up the olive oil on medium heat.
- Once the oil is hot enough that the tofu sizzles, place the tofu in a single layer on the pan. Let cook for 2-3 minutes (or until golden brown), flip with a spatula or tongs and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes. Repeat until all the tofu is cooked.
- Wash and chop the kale. Add to a bowl, followed by the olive oil and lemon juice and massage for 2-3 minutes.
- Add all the sauce ingredients to a food processor and pulse until smooth.
- Assemble the bowl: add the kale, quinoa, tofu, and sweet potato to a bowl. Top with sliced avocado and the chipotle dressing and enjoy!
Yum, yum, yum! The chipotle tahini sauce was so good, I can put it on anything. I enjoyed the crispy tofu texture with the sweet potatoes and kale.
So glad you enjoyed!!
Such great tofu! I loved the smokey sauce! Thank you for this, it will be on my regular rotation from now on.
Wooo so glad to hear that!
This was the perfect weekday lunch! So filling, but didn’t weigh me down at all.
Totally agree! SO glad you enjoyed!
I made this tofu bowl for lunch today and it was totally delicious!! The chipotle tahini sauce made this dish so satisfying and flavorful!
Yay so glad you enjoyed 🙂
This is the best tofu bowl I have ever made for dinner. It is so tasty and easy to assemble. Love it.
Ooo love a good smokey sauce, can’t wait to make! Will be perfect for weeknight dinners.
Yay, can’t wait to hear how it goes!