Tofu Rice Bowl with Peanut Sauce

This vegan tofu rice bowl with mushrooms, kale, cucumbers, and peanut sauce is the perfect make ahead-able lunch.

Most days when I go into the office, I bring my lunch from home. It tends to be either dinner leftovers from the night before or something I meal-prepped over the weekend like a responsible adult. Other days, though, our fridge is as bare as a Soviet store’s shelves and I am forced to spend $15 at the fancy salad place around the corner.

The salad place in question is Sweetgreen, where my go-to order is the “Shroomami” bowl: a warm salad with roasted tofu, mushrooms, cucumbers, rice, and peanut dressing. I’m not a huge fan of leafy salads for lunch (or cold food in general) so I adore this bowl for being warm, hearty, and savory, with plenty of healthy veggies and greens nonetheless.

It goes without saying that this homemade copycat version is exponentially yummier (duh) and cheaper (yay). Despite consisting of multiple elements, it’s easy to make, and perfect for toting to the office.

What’s In This Tofu Rice Bowl

These Asian-inspired lunch bowls consist of marinated and baked tofu, soy-balsamic sautéed mushrooms, brown rice, kale, cucumbers, and creamy peanut dressing. They’re vegan and, if you use tamari instead of soy sauce, gluten-free too. Packed with a fun variety of flavors and textures, they’re super easy and fully make ahead-able.

Key Ingredients + Substitutions

• Tofu: Use extra-firm for the chewiest, heartiest results.
• Brown Rice: is packed with fiber, protein, and micronutrients. But you can use white rice, wild rice, quinoa, or barley here if you want.
• Mushrooms: Cremini are widely available, but you can go for shiitake, portobello, or button mushrooms, too.
• Kale: I recommend curly kale for salads because it has a lighter texture; whereas lacinato kale (a.k.a. “cavolo nero” or “dinosaur kale”) is better for cooking. If you wanna go the extra mile, massage the kale with the dressing before eating. If you don’t like kale, sub with romaine or mesclun greens.
• Cucumbers: I like the cool refreshing crunch they add to this savory bowl. Feel free to toss in other crunchy veg too, like shredded carrots, sliced radishes, bell peppers, or roasted broccoli.
• Peanut Sauce: A nutty Asian-inspired dressing that keeps well in the fridge.

How to Make Tofu Rice Bowls

Find complete instructions with ingredient amounts in the recipe card below.

Step 1: Marinate the Tofu

Start by pressing the tofu (either using the instructions in the recipe card below, or a tofu press). Next, combine some neutral oil, soy sauce, maple syrup, garlic powder, and smoked paprika in a bowl. Cube the tofu, add to the bowl, and gently toss to coat. Set aside for 15 minutes to marinate.

Step 2: Bake the Tofu

Bake in a 425ºF oven on a parchment-covered baking sheet until golden, about 25 minutes. (I love a quarter sheet pan for this.)

Step 3: Cook the Rice

Bring some water to a boil in a small pot, season with salt, and add the rice. Simmer the rice [without stirring] until all the liquid is absorbed, about 25 minutes.

Step 4: Sauté the Mushrooms

Next, slice up your mushrooms and cook them in a pan until golden, about 10 minutes. Add soy sauce and balsamic vinegar at the very end, and cook for about 30 seconds more.

Step 6: Assemble the Bowls

To serve, divide the rice, tofu, and mushrooms among 4 bowls, and finish with chopped kale and cucumbers. Serve with peanut dressing.

Storage + Make-Ahead Tips

These tofu rice bowls are great for meal prep – whether you want to take them to the office for lunch or have them on deck for dinner. The baked tofu, mushrooms, and rice can be made ahead and stored in the fridge for up to 5 days; the peanut sauce can be stored for up to 10 days.

You can also pre-chop the kale, though I don’t recommend pre-chopping the cucumbers because they dry out. You can eat the bowls warm or at room temp. If you want to microwave them at the office, I recommend adding the cucumbers and peanut sauce after warming.