These Mediterranean tofu and rice bowls are loaded with vibrant taste and healthful components. Crispy baked tofu, tender roasted veggies, briny Kalamata olives, and fluffy lemon basmati rice come collectively in a single scrumptious bowl, all completed with a drizzle of creamy tahini dressing. The perfect half? This delicious dinner is nice for meal prep and straightforward sufficient for a busy weeknight!
It is arduous to imagine there was a time once I thought tofu was boring. It was a very long time in the past, and the issue was that I merely did not know the best way to prepare dinner it! Right now, tofu is a staple in my weight-reduction plan, and I’ve one million and one methods to make it scrumptious. My braised tofu, fried tofu, lemon and herb baked tofu, and grilled tofu are only a few of my favorites, and you’ll find a lot extra in my assortment of tofu recipes. However at present I’ve an entire new method of cooking up some scrumptious tofu, and I am unable to wait to share it with you.
Leap to:
This tofu and rice recipe stars crispy, double-baked tofu. You may begin by coating the tofu in seasonings, olive oil, and cornstarch, then baking it till golden and crisp. This step is borrowed from my crispy air-fryer tofu. However then you definitely’ll coat it in a mix of olive oil and tomato paste and bake it a second time, which makes the tofu even crispier and provides tons of taste. I received the concept from this tofu recipe from New York Instances Cooking (it was scrumptious, by the best way), though my methodology varies fairly a bit from theirs, utilizing diced tofu as an alternative of shredded. Nonetheless, it labored nice!
However the goodness would not cease there. Your crispy Mediterranean baked tofu is served over lemon turmeric rice with roasted veggies, olives, and tahini dressing. The medley of flavors and textures is unreal! If you happen to cherished my Mediterranean chickpeas and rice, you completely want to do that Mediterranean tofu and rice.
Components You may Want
Beneath you may discover a record of components on this recipe, with notes and substitutions. Scroll all the best way to the underside of the put up to see the complete recipe, together with the quantity of every ingredient.
- Tofu. I like this recipe greatest with super-firm tofu. Further-firm tofu is a high quality substitute, however you may must press it earlier than utilizing it.
- Cornstarch.
- Olive oil.
- Soy sauce. Tamari or liquid aminos could be substituted, if wanted.
- Spices. We’re utilizing floor cumin, coriander, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, and turmeric. All could be discovered within the spice aisle of nearly any grocery retailer.
- Salt and pepper.
- Tomato paste.
- Basmati rice.
- Lemon juice. We’re utilizing lemon juice to season each the rice and the dressing. It is a key taste on this recipe, so positively use freshly squeezed juice.
- Lemon zest.
- Veggies. You may want a pink bell pepper, an onion, and a few cherry tomatoes.
- Tahini.
- Kalamata olives. If you happen to desire one other number of olive, be at liberty to make use of it.
- Recent cilantro. You possibly can skip this in the event you’re a cilantro-hater.
- Scallions. Also referred to as inexperienced onions.
How They’re Made
Beneath is an in depth picture tutorial on the best way to make this dish. Scroll all the best way down if you would like to skip proper to the recipe!
Prepare. Preheat your oven to 400°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. You may want one for the tofu and one for the veggies.
Put together the tofu. Place the tofu right into a bowl and toss it with cornstarch, olive oil, soy sauce, cumin, coriander, garlic powder, cayenne pepper (if desired), and salt. Get the tofu good and evenly coated.
Bake the tofu. Prepare the tofu cubes on certainly one of your baking sheets, then stick it into the oven. Bake the tofu for about half-hour, till flippantly browned. You possibly can work on the remainder of the recipe within the meantime.
Prepare dinner the rice. Add it to a saucepan with water, olive oil, turmeric, and salt. Prepare dinner the rice for about 20 minutes, then depart the lid on and let it sit for 10 minutes. Fluff the rice with a fork and add your lemon juice and zest.
Roast the greens. Prepare them on a baking sheet, then rub them with olive oil. Pop them into the oven with the tofu and roast them till they’re tender. Season them with salt and pepper after they’re carried out.
Second tofu coating. Stir tomato paste and a few extra olive oil collectively in a small bowl. Take the tofu out of the oven and put it again within the bowl you used for the primary coating. Add the tomato paste combination and stir to coat.
Second tofu bake. Return the tofu cubes to the baking sheet and unfold them into a fair layer. Bake the tofu for one more ten minutes. Preserve an in depth eye on it, as it might burn rapidly at this stage.
Make the dressing. Whisk the tahini, lemon juice, cumin, garlic powder, and salt collectively, then skinny the combination with water.
Serve. Divide up the rice, tofu, and roasted greens onto plates or bowls. Add some Kalamata olives, drizzle with the dressing, then sprinkle with chopped scallions and cilantro. Dig in!
Variations
- Swap up the grains. Substitute the rice with quinoa, millet, farro, or your favourite grain. Merely observe the package deal directions to prepare dinner your grain, however add ¼ teaspoon of turmeric, and season it with lemon juice, zest, and salt when completed.
- Swap up the veggies. Substitute any of the roasted greens together with your favorites, like broccoli, carrots, cauliflower, or Brussels sprouts.
- Uncooked veggie bowls. Preserve the veggies uncooked, and be at liberty to modify them up together with your favorites. Attempt cucumbers, child spinach, cabbage, radishes, or tomatoes.
Ceaselessly Requested Questions
Sure! Merely substitute gluten-free tamari for the soy sauce.
Yep! This tofu and rice recipe is nice for meal prep. The rice and roasted greens could be simply reheated within the microwave. To reheat the tofu, place the cubes on a baking sheet and stick them underneath a broiler for a couple of minutes on all sides, till they begin to sizzle and crisp again up.
Leftovers will preserve in an hermetic container within the fridge for 3 to 4 days. If you happen to’re in a position to retailer the elements individually, try this and reheat them utilizing the strategies described simply above. If you happen to’ve already mixed all the things, no large deal! Simply reheat all of it within the microwave — the tofu won’t get crispy once more, however it’s going to nonetheless be scrumptious.
The cayenne pepper provides it a slight kick. Merely omit it in the event you desire no warmth, and use further for extra warmth.
Extra Tofu Recipes
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📖 Recipe
Mediterranean Tofu & Rice
These Mediterranean tofu and rice bowls are loaded with vibrant taste and healthful components. Crispy baked tofu, tender roasted veggies, briny Kalamata olives, and fluffy lemon basmati rice come collectively in a single scrumptious bowl, all completed with a drizzle of creamy tahini dressing. The perfect half? This delicious dinner is nice for meal prep and straightforward sufficient for a busy weeknight!
Components
For the Baked Tofu
- 1 (16 ounce/454 gram) package deal super-firm tofu, diced (about ½-inch)
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon floor cumin
- ½ teaspoon floor coriander
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- Pinch cayenne pepper
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
For the Lemon Basmati Rice
- 1 ½ cups basmati rice
- 2 ¼ cups water
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric
- ½ teaspoon salt, plus extra to style
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
For the Roasted Greens
- 1 medium pink bell pepper, roughly chopped
- 1 small onion, roughly chopped
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Salt and pepper, to style
For the Tahini Dressing
- ¼ cup tahini
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon floor cumin
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt, plus extra to style
- Water, as wanted to skinny (3-6 tablespoons)
For Serving
- â…“ cup pitted Kalamata olives
- ¼ cup chopped recent cilantro
- 2 scallions, chopped
Directions
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Preheat the oven to 400°F and line a few baking sheets with parchment paper.
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Place the tofu, cornstarch, 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, soy sauce, cumin, coriander, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, and salt into a big bowl. Toss the components properly to coat the tofu within the seasonings.
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Prepare the tofu cubes on a baking sheet and bake for half-hour. Preserve the bowl useful, as you may use it later.
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Prepare dinner the rice whereas the tofu bakes. Mix the basmati rice, water, olive oil, turmeric, and salt in a medium saucepan and place it over excessive warmth. Deliver the liquid to a boil, then cut back the warmth to a low simmer and let the rice prepare dinner, coated, for about 20 minutes, till the entire liquid has been absorbed. Let the pot sit with the lid on for 10 minutes when the rice has completed cooking.
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Whereas the rice cooks and the tofu bakes, prepare the greens in a single layer on a baking sheet. Drizzle them with olive oil, then rub it evenly into the veggies together with your palms. Place the baking sheet into the oven with the tofu and roast the greens for about 20 minutes, till tender and browned in spots. Season them with salt and pepper to style after they come out of the oven.
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When the tofu has only a few minutes left to bake, stir the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil along with the tomato paste. After the tofu has baked for half-hour, take away the baking sheet from the oven and punctiliously switch the tofu again to the bowl. Toss it with the tomato paste combination, utilizing a spoon to stir it up (it will likely be sizzling, so keep away from utilizing palms).
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Prepare the tofu in a fair layer on the baking sheet and return it to the oven for about 10 minutes, till crispy and really darkish. Preserve an in depth eye on it throughout this last baking stage, as it might burn quick.
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After the rice has sat coated for 10 minutes, take away the lid and fluff it with a fork. Stir within the lemon juice and zest, and season it with further salt, if desired.
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Whisk the dressing components collectively in a small bowl, thinning the combination with as a lot water as is required to realize a creamy however pourable consistency. Season with further salt to style, if desired.
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Divide the rice, greens, tofu, and olives onto plates or amongst bowls. Prime every serving with a drizzle of the dressing and a sprinkle of recent cilantro and scallions. Serve.
Vitamin
Energy: 631kcal | Carbohydrates: 74g | Protein: 18g | Fats: 30g | Saturated Fats: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fats: 7g | Monounsaturated Fats: 18g | Sodium: 1313mg | Potassium: 636mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 1368IU | Vitamin C: 56mg | Calcium: 112mg | Iron: 4mg
