Spring Roll Bowl with Baked Tofu
A healthy plant-based Spring Roll Bowl with rice noodles, raw, crunchy veggies, fresh herbs and scallions, topped with marinated and baked tofu and a creamy peanut sauce. Vegan and gluten-free.
Servings: 4 people
Ingredients
Marinated & Baked Tofu
- 14 ounces extra firm tofu
- 2 tablespoons tamari
- 2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon mirin
- ½ teaspoon ginger powder
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
Spring Roll Bowl
- 8 ounces rice noodles
- 2 carrots
- 1 red bell pepper
- ¼ head of purple cabbage
- ½ cup basil or mint or cilantro (or a combo of all three)
- ¼ cup peanuts
Peanut Sauce
- ¼ cup peanut butter
- 2 tablespoons tamari
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon lime juice freshly squeezed
- 1 teaspoon sriracha
- ½ teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- 1 garlic clove peeled and crushed
- ½ inch knob fresh ginger peeled and minced (or grated)
Optional Garnishes
- Radish slices
- Sesame seeds
- Scallions sliced
- Lime wedges
- Chili flakes
- Sriracha
Instructions
- Remove tofu from its package and drain. Press gently, but firmly, with paper towels or a clean dish towel to dry and remove excess liquid. Cut into ¾-inch cubes and place in a medium bowl (or bag). Add tamari, toasted sesame oil, maple syrup, mirin, and ginger powder to the bowl. Gently mix everything together with a silicone spoon (or shake the bag). Place in the fridge to marinate for 30 minutes (or for an hour or two if you'd like).
- Preheat the oven to 425F.
- Cook the rice noodles according to package instructions. When done, drain and rinse under cold water thoroughly. Transfer to a bowl or place the colander over a kitchen towel while you prep everything else.
- Begin prepping the vegetables. Slice the red bell pepper into thin strips and then cut those in half to create matchsticks. Peel and cut the carrots into matchsticks, or use a peeler to create thin swirls. Slice the cabbage into strips or dice. Slice the basil (or other herbs). Chop the peanuts.
- Stir the bowl of tofu gently once 15 minutes have passed. (Or flip the bag.) Once the tofu is ready, sprinkle the cornstarch over top and stir to coat all of the tofu. (If using a bag, simply shake.)
- Transfer the tofu to a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes.
- Prepare the peanut sauce by whisking all of the ingredients together until achieving a smooth texture.
- Remove the tofu from the oven to flip the pieces. Use tongs, a spatula, or carefully use your hands. Then bake for an additional 10 minutes, or until the tofu is browned and crispy.
- Remove from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes. This is important to help the tofu firm up! Then transfer to a large bowl and sprinkle sesame seeds over top. Mix gently to coat.
- To assemble* use tongs to place noodles in bowls. Add a handful of tofu to each bowl, then arrange the veggies in the bowls. Sprinkle herbs and peanuts over top, adding any additional garnishes of choice. Drizzle the peanut sauce onto each bowl and serve with sriracha if you want to add spicy flavor. Serve with extra peanut sauce on the side and enjoy!
Notes
- Alternatively, you can add all of the ingredients to a large mixing bowl (including the garnishes) and mix together with the peanut sauce so that the noodles are well coated. I like doing it this way, but it is not as pretty as it is to assemble as pictured. :)