Shredded Tofu Peanut Bowls

By Maria Lichty

Published on February 24, 2025

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Why You’ll Love Tofu Peanut Bowls

• Crispy and Flavorful Tofu: The shredded tofu is spiced and baked, giving it a crunchy texture on the outside while remaining tender on the inside. It’s an incredibly satisfying base and is a great option for people who think they don’t like tofu. Even my kids love it!
• Nutrient-Packed: Packed with protein, healthy fats, and plenty of veggies, this dish gives you everything you need for a balanced meal.
• Colorful and Vibrant: The combination of fresh veggies, like carrots, cucumber, and cabbage, adds a vibrant pop of color to your bowl, making it as visually appealing as it is delicious.
• Customizable: You can adjust the ingredients to suit your preferences, making this a versatile dish for everyone—from those who prefer a little extra spice to those who like it mild. You can also use rice, cauliflower rice, noodles, or even greens as the base.
• Great for Meal Prep: This bowl is perfect for making ahead, saving time during your busy week, and enjoying delicious leftovers.

Key Ingredients

• Extra Firm Tofu: Extra-firm tofu has a denser, more compact structure compared to softer varieties. This makes it ideal for shredding, as it holds its shape and texture better. It also crisps up better when baked.
• Tamari: To keep the recipe gluten-free use tamari. You can also use low-sodium soy sauce or coconut aminos.
• Peanut butter: I like to use natural peanut butter that is just peanuts and salt. Stir well before using so it is nice and drippy.
• Ginger: Use fresh ginger. I always keep ginger in the freezer so I always have it on hand. It’s also easier to grate with a microplane right out of the freezer.

How to Make Shredded Tofu Peanut Bowls

• Press the tofu. Preheat the oven and press your tofu on a clean towel to remove excess moisture.

• Shred the tofu. Place a box grater on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and grate the tofu, using the largest holes, to create shredded tofu. Just like you are grating cheese!

• Season the tofu. Toss the tofu in tamari, rice wine vinegar, cornstarch, oil, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Spread in an even layer on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

• Bake. Bake for 20-35 minutes, tossing halfway through, until the tofu is slightly crispy and golden.

• Make the peanut sauce. In a bowl, whisk together the peanut butter, tamari, rice vinegar, sesame oil, lime juice, maple syrup, sambal oelek, ginger, garlic, and water. The sauce should be creamy and pourable. If you need to add a little more water, you can.

• Prep the bowl ingredients. Cook the rice or cauliflower rice and chop up vegetables. I like to use cabbage, cucumber, carrots, red bell pepper, green onion. I also like to slice avocado and cop up fresh cilantro and mint. Roughly chop up peanuts or cashews for crunch and slice some lime wedges for serving.

• Assemble the bowls. Start by adding a generous scoop of rice to each bowl. Top with the crispy shredded tofu, colorful veggies, sliced avocado, herbs, and a handful of crunchy peanuts for that extra crunch! Drizzle with the creamy peanut sauce and sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Tips for Making Ahead and Storing

If you want to prepare some of the ingredients in advance for meal prep, here are some tips!

• Make the Tofu and Rice in Advance: You can prepare the shredded tofu and cook the rice ahead of time. Store them in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 5 days. When you’re ready to eat, simply reheat the tofu and rice in the microwave or on the stovetop.
• Peanut Sauce: The peanut sauce keeps well in the fridge for up to a week. Whisk well before using.
• Store Veggies Separately: To keep your veggies fresh, store them separately in containers. This helps maintain their crispness.
• Assemble When Ready: For the freshest bowls, assemble them right before serving. This keeps the veggies and toppings fresh, and ensures everything stays crunchy and vibrant.

More Bowl Recipes

• Burrito Bowls
• Greek Chicken Bowls
• Roasted Vegetable Quinoa Bowls
• Soy Ginger Meatball Bowls
• Chickpea Shawarma Bowls

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Main Dishes

Shredded Tofu Peanut Bowls

Crispy shredded tofu, colorful veggies, rice, and creamy peanut sauce come together in one bowl to create a healthy and satisfying vegetarian meal! Perfect for meal prep too!

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Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 50 minutes mins

Cuisine American

Servings 4

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

For the tofu:

• 14 oz block extra firm tofu
• 1 1/2 tablespoons tamari, or low-sodium soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon avocado oil, or olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

For the peanut sauce:

• 1/2 cup peanut butter
• 3 tablespoons tamari, or low-sodium soy sauce
• 3 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 2 tablespoons sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
• 2 teaspoons sambal oelek or chili paste
• 1- inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and grated
• 1 clove fresh garlic, minced
• 3 tablespoons water

For the bowls:

• Rice or cauliflower rice
• Cucumber slices
• Shredded carrots
• Shredded cabbage
• Thinly sliced red bell pepper
• Avocado slices
• Fresh herbs: cilantro, mint, and/or basil
• Sliced green onions
• Chopped peanuts or cashews
• Sesame seeds
• Lime wedges, for serving

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
• Drain and remove tofu from the package, and gently pat it dry with a kitchen towel. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Place a box grater on the baking sheet and grate the tofu, using the largest holes, to create shredded tofu.
• Add the tamari, rice vinegar, cornstarch, oil garlic powder, salt, and pepper to the tofu shreds. Toss until well coated then spread the shreds into an even, single layer on the baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and use tongs to gently toss. Bake for an additional 5 to 7 minutes or until tofu is slightly golden brown.
• While the tofu is baking, make the peanut sauce. In a large bowl, combine the peanut butter, tamari, rice vinegar, sesame oil, lime juice, maple syrup, sambal oelek, ginger, garlic, and water. Whisk until smooth.
• To assemble the bowls, divide the noodles or rice among bowls. Top with shredded tofu and garnish with toppings. Drizzle with the peanut dressing and serve.

Notes

A great recipe for meal prep! The tofu will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days. The peanut sauce will keep in the fridge for 1 week. Whisk well before using. You can also customize with your favorite veggies!

Nutrition

Calories: 398kcal, Carbohydrates: 20g, Protein: 17g, Fat: 29g, Saturated Fat: 5g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 8g, Monounsaturated Fat: 14g, Sodium: 1480mg, Potassium: 428mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 10g, Vitamin A: 8IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 65mg, Iron: 2mg

Keywords ginger, peanut butter, tofu, vegetables

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