Peanut Tofu Quinoa Bowls {GF + Vegan}

Marinated tofu with roasted veggies, quinoa, and an irresistible peanut sauce. These tofu bowls are the BEST for lunch or dinner!

hand holding black fork over peanut tofu bowl with white napkin

SO. MUCH. YES

Grain bowls are one of my personal go-to’s for meal prepping. They are filling, healthy, and make a complete meal. Also anything with peanut sauce I’m a sucker for so I’m all about going on. Here’s why I love this peanut tofu quinoa bowl (and why you will too):

  • Creamy peanut sauce
  • Pan-fried tofu: No mushy tofu going on here!
  • Perfectly roasted veggies: I’ll get into some tips on achieving the best roasted veggies.
  • Fluffy quinoa: Soft pillowy quinoa that makes the perfect bed for these grain bowls.
  • Chopped cilantro: optional but a game changer.
  • Chopped peanuts: optional but so recommended.

I like to this of this recipe as a little assembly line. We have 4 components. Sauce, tofu, vegetables, and quinoa. Let’s go step-by-step how to make all these pieces for one heck of a grain bowl!

How to make peanut sauce:

Mix soy sauce, sesame oil, rice vinegar, garlic, ginger, peanut butter, and honey in a small mixing bowl. Add hot water until the consistency is achieved. I like my peanut sauce to be thick so about 2 Tablespoons of water suffices.

Tips for making peanut sauce:

  • Swap our creamy peanut butter for crunchy to make an interesting texture
  • Instead of soy sauce, try coconut aminos or tamari for a GF version
  • Add Sriracha or red chili flakes for a spice kick!
  • Substitute honey with agave or maple syrup to make 100% vegan

How to Make Tofu:

In order to achieve nice firm tofu, follow these steps:

  1. Press tofu – I like to wrap my tofu block in paper towels and sandwich between two plates; placing a heavy object on the top plate. Let sit for about 10 minutes.
  2. Cut tofu into uniform cubes and marinate in some of the peanut sauce we made.
  3. In a nonstick pan or cast iron skillet, add oil and cook tofu for about 2 minutes per side until they are nice and golden brown.

How to Roast Veggies:

Roasting veggies seem so basic, but there are a few pointers that make roasted vegetables so much more palatable.

Mix in a bowl with oil, salt, and pepper prior to putting on the baking sheet. I know it’s easier to just drizzle oil on a pan and mix with the vegetables, but they don’t get evenly coated causing unevenly cooked veggies

Cook on a high temperate, rotating pan frequently. This helps even baking and get that nice caramelized outside.

Source: Bon Appetit

How to Perfectly cook quinoa:

This beloved grain is super easy to make (and way less time than rice!)

  • When cooking quinoa, keep a 1:2 ratio with water. 1 cup of uncooked quinoa gets 2 cups of water
  • Rinse quinoa in a mesh strainer for at least 15 seconds
  • Bring water to boil, add rinsed quinoa, cover pot with lid, reduce heat and let simmer for 15 minutes
  • After 15 minutes, turn off the stove and let quinoa rest for 10 minutes
  • Remove lid and fluff with a fork

Voila! Perfectly cooked quinoa!

Ways to customize this grain bowl:

  • Use any combination of veggies you’d like! Sweet potatoes, cauliflower, broccoli, carrots, peppers, onions, brussel sprouts are all solid choices
  • Instead of quinoa, you can use brown rice, farro, millet, sorghum, soba noodles, rice noodles… you get the idea.
  • Not a tofu fan? No problem! You can try tempeh or just omit altogether.

Make this recipe in big batches to have leftovers throughout the week. It’s perfect for lunches on the go or weeknight dinners. Tofu bowls are perfect for all occasions!

If you tried these vegan tofu grain bowls, let me know in the comments below and share a photo using #mindfulavocado. I’d love to hear from you! Want to see more recipes? Let’s get social! CONNECT WITH ME on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or Pinterest to see what I’m currently cooking up!

hands holding bowl of tofu, quinoa, roasted veggies, and peanut sauce

Peanut Tofu Quinoa Bowls {GF + Vegan}

Crisp tofu, fluffy quinoa, and roasted vegetables topped with a delectable peanut sauce. This healthy grain bowl is vegan, gluten-free and the best for lunches on the go or weeknight meals!
5 from 5 votes
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Course: Dinner, Lunch
Cuisine: Asian, Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian
Keyword: how to cook quinoa, how to roast veggies, spicy peanut sauce, tofu bowl recipes, tofu recipes
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 454kcal
Author: Amanda

Ingredients

Peanut Sauce:

  • 5 Tablespoons low sodium soy sauce can substitute with coconut aminos or tamari to make gluten free
  • 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
  • 2 teaspoons sesame oil
  • 1 Tablespoon rice vinegar
  • 1 Tablespoon honey can substitute with maple syrup or agave for vegan version
  • 1-2 teaspoons red chili flakes optional
  • 1 garlic clove minced
  • 1/2 inch-knob ginger peeled and minced
  • 2-3 Tablespoons hot water
  • cornstarch optional; see notes

Roasted Vegetables:

  • 1/2 medium red onion sliced
  • 3 carrots cut into 1.5 inch sticks; quartered
  • 1 cup broccoli florets
  • 1 red pepper sliced
  • 1/2 cup snap peas or snow peas
  • 2 Tablespoons coconut oil melted
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 cup uncooked quinoa
  • 1 block extra firm tofu

Optional Toppings:

  • chopped peanuts
  • chopped cilantro

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit
  • Press tofu: remove from package and wrap in paper towels. Sandwich between two plates and place a heavy object on the top plate. Let rest for 10 minutes.

To Make Sauce:

  • In a small mixing bowl, add all ingredients for peanut sauce minus water. Whisk together. Add warm water starting with 2 Tablespoons and add more if needed until the consistency is reached. If sauce gets too watery, you can add some cornstarch.

To Make Tofu:

  • Once tofu is pressed, cut into uniform cubes and place in mixing bowl. Add about 1/4 of the peanut sauce and mix using a rubber spatula. Let marinate for about 10 minutes.
  • Heat about 1 Tablespoon of oil on nonstick pan or cast iron skillet over medium heat. Add tofu and cook about 2 minutes per side; until all edges are golden brown. Set aside.

To Make Vegetables:

  • Using the same mixing bowl from the tofu, add chopped veggies and mix with coconut oil, salt, and pepper.
  • Disperse onto a baking sheet and bake for 35 minutes, rotating the pan every ten minutes.

To Make Quinoa:

  • Rinse quinoa in a mesh strainer. Bring 2 cups of water to a boil and add quinoa. Reduce heat, cover with lid, and let simmer for 15 minutes.
  • Turn stove off and let quinoa sit covered for 10 minutes. Remove lid and fluff with a fork when done.

Assemble Bowls:

  • Add quinoa, tofu, and roasted veggies to a bowl. Top with peanut sauce, chopped peanuts, and cilantro.
  • Leftovers keep for about 5 days in the fridge.

Notes

Peanut sauce recipe was adapted from Life Made Sweeter
If sauce gets too thin by adding too much water, you can add 1-2 teaspoons of cornstarch to thicken it up.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving (1/4 recipe) | Calories: 454kcal | Carbohydrates: 48.6g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 23.7g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Sodium: 795mg | Potassium: 767mg | Fiber: 7.2g | Sugar: 11.6g | Calcium: 80mg | Iron: 5.4mg

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