Description
This fresh and delicious Tofu Poke Bowl couldn’t be any easier to make at home and features delicious baked sesame ginger tofu.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Sesame Ginger Tofu:
- 1 - 16 oz block (454g) super firm tofu (see note 1)
- 2 tbsp fresh grated ginger, to taste
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup (59 mL) reduced sodium soy sauce (use gluten-free tamari for GF)
- 1/4 cup (45g) coconut sugar (cane sugar or agave/maple syrup OK)
- 1 1/2 tbsp rice vinegar
- 2 tbsp tahini OR 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
- 1/4 cup (59mL) + 3 tbsp water, divided
- 1 tbsp cornstarch or arrowroot powder
Vegan Poke Bowl components:
- 4 cups (800g) cooked Jasmine rice
- 2 cups (340g) Shelled edamame
- 1/2 cup (58g) Watermelon radish (any radish is fine)
- 2 cups (238g) chopped cucumber (peel thick skinned cucumber)
- 1 cup (165g) diced mango
- 1 ripe avocado, diced
- 1/2 cup (120g) pickled ginger
- 1/2 bunch green / spring onions, chopped
- 1-2 tbsp sesame seeds, garnish, optional
- 1 tsp chili flakes, garnish, optional
Instructions
- Prep: If you’re baking the tofu, preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit (205 degrees Celsius). If airfrying, you’re welcome to preheat your air fryer but I never bother.
- Cube Tofu: I like bigger cubes, but you can pick. Smaller cubes will cook faster.
- Coat Tofu (optional): So, you’re welcome to coat your tofu in something if you like. A little cornstarch or arrowroot powder would make the sauce even more likely to stick, but unless you’re adding oil to the tofu, it can sometimes give a bit of a powdery taste that I don’t like, and I don’t fry my tofu. So that’s why I say you’re welcome to do it if you prefer, but I personally skip it and the sauce still sticks to the tofu for me.
- Arrange on tray: Place the tofu in a single layer on a silicone mat or parchment paper lined baking tray or in a single layer in your air fryer basket. Single layer is best to ensure all sides get crispy.
- If Baking: Bake for about 20-30 minutes until it’s the texture you like. I do 30 minutes because I like it to be nice and chewy/crispy. Flip the cubes halfway through.
- If Airfrying: Cook for about 15-20 minutes, shaking the basket or flipping each piece occasionally (every 6-8 minutes or so).
- Make the Sauce: While those are cooking, make your sauce. You can either saute your ginger and garlic first, or add them all at once to the pot. Add everything to a large nonstick pot (large because we’ll toss our tofu in it, and that’s hard in a tiny pot, ask me how I know) except for the cornstarch / arrowroot powder and ¼ cup water. Mix those in a small bowl or cup and whisk until smooth, but set aside for now.
- Thicken the Sauce: Bring the sauce to a low boil over medium high heat. Stir in the cornstarch / arrowroot powder mixture and stir until thickened. Keep warm over low heat until the tofu is cooked.
- Add Tofu: Toss the cooked tofu in the sauce and let it simmer on low for 2-3 minutes then remove from heat.
- Assemble: Prepare your tofu poke bowl by starting with a base of rice. Then add each of the toppings--make it pretty or dump it on top, doesn’t matter. Finally use a large spoon to add your tofu on top, grabbing a bit of extra sauce and drizzling it on top.
- Garnish: Sprinkle with sesame seeds, chili flakes, or anything else you like and enjoy!
- Store: I prefer to store leftover components separately in the fridge. It keeps everything fresher and you can customize it a bit each day if you like. Most of the components like the tofu and the veg will last up to 5 days in the fridge. Avocado, not so much :( but you could just cut up a fresh one each day if you’d like.
Notes
- Note 1: You’ll need super firm tofu for this, the kind in the vacuum sealed pack. If you can’t find it, I’d take two packages of firm tofu and press them in a tofu press or between two plates/cutting boards and a heavy weight (like a few big books) for 30 minutes.
- Note 2: I used cute little Persian cucumbers, but any will work. If using a regular cucumber, I might peel the thick skin off.
- Note 3: It’s optional, but I love Jasmine rice as the base for this bowl. It’s like a starchy salad. You can also use brown rice, quinoa, rice noodles, greens, or anything else you’d like.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Entree
- Method: Airfryer, Oven
- Cuisine: American, Health
Keywords: Vegan, Gluten-Free, Oil-Free, Nut-Free, Refined Sugar-Free, Vegan Poke Bowl Recipe, Tofu Poke Bowl