This sticky tofu bowl (crispy tofu rice bowl) comes together in about 20 minutes with crispy tofu, rice, and fresh toppings. It works well for meal prep and makes a really easy weeknight dinner or lunch.
If you don’t already have it, start with my sticky tofu recipe, then add a creamy peanut sauce, or chipotle sauce, whatever sounds good to you.
A Quick Look: Sticky Tofu Bowl
- Recipe Name: Sticky Tofu Bowl (Crispy Tofu Rice Bowl)
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Serves: 4
- Key Ingredients: sticky tofu recipe, rice, cabbage, avocado, sauce
- Dietary Info: Vegan, plant-based, meal-prep friendly
- Best For: easy tofu rice bowls, meal prep, quick dinners
- Why You’ll Love It: crispy tofu, flexible ingredients, and easy to build
Jump to:
This vegan tofu bowl is everything I love about bowls. It’s sweet, spicy, creamy, crunchy, with plenty of plant-based protein, much like my Thai noodle salad with peanut sauce and vegan egg roll in a bowl.
It’s simple, full of layered texture, and easy to customize. I switch it up often, leaning toward Asian, Mexican, and Mediterranean flavors, depending on what I have.
Whether you need a quick weeknight dinner or something for easy vegan meal prep, this crispy tofu bowl won’t disappoint.
Want more tofu lunch ideas? Check out this crispy baked tofu and air-fried sweet and spicy tofu recipe.
Why This Recipe Works
- Sticky tofu steals the show. Crispy edges and a maple glaze that clings to every bite.
- Simple ingredients. Nothing complicated, but it tastes like you planned ahead.
- Flexible and customizable. Use whatever grains, veggies, or sauces you have.
- Great for meal prep. Swap the base, change the sauce, or build your own at the table.
Ingredients & Substitutions
Here’s what you’ll need to build this sticky tofu bowl:
- Sticky tofu: Use my sticky tofu recipe (this is the base for this bowl)
- Cooked rice : cilantro lime rice, white, or brown all work
- Cabbage — green or red, both work, thinly shredded
- Avocado — Look for one that’s plump, ripe, and just slightly firm to the touch
- Green onions — or red onions if you prefer
See the recipe card for quantities.
Grain Options
This easy tofu rice bowl works with whatever grain you have, or none at all. A few go-tos:
- Brown or white rice
- Mexican rice with cilantro or simple Mexican rice for tacos
- Quinoa or couscous
- Rice noodles — especially good with creamy peanut sauce and glaze sauce
- Shredded greens or cabbage — if you’re skipping grains
Tip: Prep grains ahead of time so it’s easy and fast.
Can I use pre-cooked tofu for this bowl?
Yes, just warm it up and toss it in the glaze at the end. It still turns out really good.
Tested Tips
- Tofu: Use pre-pressed tofu for the easiest option. Otherwise, press it if you have time, or just pat it really well; it still works. Cut into even pieces before cooking.
- Cook rice ahead: Cooling slightly helps it fluff and prevents sogginess when sauced.
- Slice veggies thinly: Thin slices equal better texture contrast and more flavor in each bite.
- Add sauce right before eating: Keeps toppings fresh and tofu edges crisp. Especially for meal prep lunches.
How to Make a Crispy Tofu Rice Bowl
- Step 1: Start with the rice in a bowl.
- Step 2: Top with crispy sticky tofu.
- Step 3: Add cabbage, radishes, avocado, and green onions.
- Step 4: Drizzle with your favorite sauce and top with sesame seeds or herbs. Enjoy!
This rice tofu bowl is one of the easy and healthy dinner recipes I always come back to. Just the same, it’s one of my go-to quick vegan lunch recipes, too.
Make it Your Way
You can build this tofu rice bowl differently, depending on what you have.
- Experiment with different sauces: Drizzle with sriracha mayo, tahini, or the best egg roll dipping sauce (it’s so easy and good!).
- Swap the protein. Try tempeh, tofu taco crumbles, or tofu sausage crumbles for a different flavor. Or skip the bowl and use the tofu in tofu salad rolls or a simple salad instead.
- Top with crunch: crushed peanuts, pumpkin seeds, or crispy shallots. Or go a different direction and use taco-style toppings, like I do in this nacho bowl recipe. Add a creamy jalapeno sauce to drizzle, and you're set.
- Add-ins: Cucumbers, red onions, sautéed bok choy, or even air fry sweet potato wedges.
Storage & Meal Prep
- Refrigerator: Store components separately in airtight containers for up to 3 days.
- Reheat tofu in a skillet, air fryer, or eat cold.
- Meal Prep: Store tofu, rice, and toppings separately. Slice fresh ingredients like avocado right before eating and add sauce at the end. Reheat or enjoy cold.
Sticky Maple Glazed Tofu Bowl FAQs
A tofu bowl usually includes tofu, a base like rice or grains, fresh vegetables, and a sauce. From there, you can mix and match depending on what you have.
Yes! Spread it on a parchment-lined baking sheet in a single layer and bake at a high temperature (425°F) for 25–30 minutes, flipping halfway. Here is my crispy baked tofu recipe. Add the glaze sauce when finished.
Yes, tofu bowls are great for meal prep, just store the components separately and drizzle any sauce right before eating. This keeps everything fresh.
White or jasmine rice is soft and classic, while brown rice adds more texture and fiber. Cilantro lime rice or Mexican rice also works well for more flavor.
Yes, sticky tofu bowls can be eaten cold or warm, making them great for lunch and quick dinners.
Not Sure What to Make With Tofu?
If you’ve got tofu in the fridge and no real plan for it, I keep all my go-to tofu recipes in one place. Or here are a few great places to start:
Did you try this recipe? Let me know what you thought by leaving a comment below and sharing it on Instagram, Facebook, & Pinterest! 💛
📖 Recipe
Sticky Tofu Bowl (Crispy Tofu Rice Bowl)
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Ingredients
- 1 batch sticky tofu recipe
- 2 cups cooked rice, white, brown, cilantro lime, or Mexican rice, use what you have
- 2 cups cabbage, shredded, green or red
- 4-6 radishes, thinly sliced
- 1 ripe avocado, sliced
- 2 green onions, thinly sliced
- creamy chipotle sauce, for serving, see Notes for more sauce ideas
- sesame seeds, for serving, optional
Instructions
- Make the sticky tofu and cook the rice if needed.
- Build the Bowls: Divide the cooked rice into serving bowls.
- Add toppings: Layer with tofu, cabbage, radishes, avocado, and green onions.
- Drizzle with Sauce: Add a generous spoonful of creamy chipotle sauce, or any sauce of your choice (see Notes for ideas).
- Finish and serve: Sprinkle with sesame seeds if suing.
Video
Notes
- This bowl uses sticky tofu, which takes about 20 minutes. While that cooks, prep everything else (or have it made ahead). If you already have tofu and rice ready, it comes together in 10 minutes.
- Sauces to use: Creamy peanut sauce, Chipotle sauce, homemade egg roll sauce, creamy jalapeno sauce, or sriracha mayo all work well. You can also do a quick Chipotle drizzle by mixing vegan mayo with chipotle powder and a squeeze of lime
- Low-spice option: Try a tahini-lemon sauce or creamy avocado dressing instead.
- Grain swaps: Quinoa, couscous, rice noodles, or even cilantro lime rice all work here.
- Rice tip: Fresh or leftover both work. To reheat, add a splash of water and cover. For an easy option, make jasmine rice in the Instant Pot (2 cups water + 2 cups rice, cook 5 minutes, natural release 10).
- Fresh herbs: Cilantro, parsley, Thai basil, or mint all add a nice finish.
- Meal prep tip: Store tofu, rice, and toppings separately. Slice fresh ingredients just before eating and add sauce right before serving. Keeps well for up to 3 days.
Nutrition
Julie Gaeta is a plant-based recipe creator, certified Integrative Nutrition Health Coach, and mom of nine who's been plant-based for over 20 years. She's cooked approximately 4,382 pots of beans and can't vacation without her juicer and pasta pot. Her work has been featured in HuffPost, Yahoo, YourTango, and other major outlets. She helps others simplify wellness and feel good again through her blog, coaching, and weekly newsletter.
Moira says
Julie deserves it all! This was so easy to make and so delicious! Absolutely amazing the flavour combination is incredible
Julie Gaeta says
Moira, thanks so much for letting me know! This bowl is a go-to in our house. So glad you enjoyed it! 🙂
Alexa says
Absolutely LOVED this recipe! The tofu came out SUPER crispy and the chipotle sauce was delicious! Thank you!! I'm definitely making this again! 😋
Julie Gaeta says
Yay, so glad you loved it! Crispy tofu and chipotle sauce are one of my favorites. Thanks so much for letting me know! 💛
Julie Gaeta says
This maple-glazed tofu bowl is unbelievably delicious in all the right ways. It’s packed with flavor, easy to throw together, and flexible for whatever season or mood I’m in. It's a weekly meal prep go-to that everyone loves.