AsianBakedTofuBowls

Asian Baked Tofu Bowls

Ingredients

By The Real Food Dietitians
  • For the Tofu:
  • 1 lb extra firm tofu
  • 2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce (use tamari for gluten-free)
  • 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon pure honey
  • 3 garlic cloves, finely minced or grated (or 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder)
  • 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
  • 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger (or ½ teaspoon dried ginger)
  • 1/2 teaspoon Sriracha (may substitute chile-garlic sauce, gochujang or another hot sauce)
  • 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
  • Cooking oil spray
  • For the Quick Pickled Cucumbers:
  • 1 small (or 1/2 large) English cucumber, very thinly sliced
  • 1/3 cup of rice vinegar
  • 1/3 cup of warm water
  • 1-2 teaspoons cane sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
  • For the Honey-Sriracha Sauce:
  • 1/4 cup mayonnaise (use vegan mayo for egg-free)
  • 2 teaspoons pure honey
  • 1-2 teaspoons sriracha, to taste
  • 1-2 teaspoons rice vinegar to achieve desired consistency
  • For Serving:
  • 3 cups cooked rice of choice (white, brown, or cauliflower rice)
  • 2 small or 1 large avocado, diced
  • 1 1/2 cups shelled edamame, cooked according to package directions
  • Optional: Sesame seeds, red pepper flakes, and/or sliced green onions

Instructions

  1. Prepare the Quick-Pickled Cucumbers by placing the thinly sliced cucumbers in a shallow container with a lid.
  2. In a small bowl, combine the rice vinegar, warm water, sugar, and salt whisking to combine.
  3. Pour the vinegar mixture over the cucumbers ensuring they are submerged in the liquid. Set aside until ready to serve (these may be made up to 3 days in advance and stored in the refrigerator).
  4. Press the tofu: Line a plate with 2-3 paper towels. Place the tofu on the plate and cover with another 2-3 paper towels. Place a second plate over the tofu then place a heavy object (cookbook, can of tomatoes, filled water bottle, etc.) on the plate and allow the excess water in the tofu to drain out for 30 minutes.
  5. Once the tofu has been pressed, cut the block into 1-inch cubes, ensuring the pieces are all about the same size so they will cook evenly.
  6. In a large shallow bowl or pie plate, combine the soy sauce, vinegar, honey, garlic, sesame oil, ginger, Sriracha, and pepper; whisk to combine.
  7. Add the tofu pieces to the marinade, turning each piece a few times to coat well. Set aside to marinate for at least 15 minutes or as long as 4 hours.
  8. Preheat the oven to 400ºF.
  9. Generously spray a rimmed sheet pan with cooking spray. Arrange the tofu pieces on the sheet pan without touching and spray again with cooking spray.
  10. Bake for 15 minutes. Flip each piece and continue baking for another 15-20 minutes or until golden brown with crispy edges.
  11. While the tofu is baking, make the Honey-Sriracha Sauce by combining the mayonnaise, honey, and sriracha. Add one teaspoon of rice vinegar at a time until desired consistency is reached.
  12. Assemble bowls by adding ¾ cup cooked rice to each bowl. Top with ¼ of the diced avocado (½ small avocado or ¼ large avocado), ½ cup quick-pickled cucumbers, ⅓ cup edamame, and ¼ of the tofu.
  13. Drizzle each bowl with 1 tablespoon of sauce. Garnish with optional sesame seeds, red pepper flakes, and/or green onions if desired.
Air Fryer Instructions:
  1. Preheat the air fryer to 375ºF.
  2. When hot, mist the basket of the air fryer generously with cooking spray. Place the tofu pieces in the basket making sure they are not touching. NOTE: If the air fryer basket is small, it may be necessary to cook the tofu in two batches.
  3. Air fry until the tofu is golden brown with crispy edges turning halfway through cooking, about 10-12 minutes.