These Korean Inspired Tofu Bowls are packed with so much flavor! They’re easy to make and great for lunch, dinner or meal prep.
Do you like tofu? Even before I went vegetarian tofu has always been one of my favorite ingredients to cook with. You can use it in all difference cuisines and it’s even used in some desserts. Today I am sharing these Korean Inspired Tofu Bowls and they’re super flavorful and delicious!
For some reason I’ve been seeing a lot of recipes for Korean beef bowls lately and it inspired me to make my own vegan version using tofu. These bowls are so easy to make and great to have on hand for a quick lunch or dinner.
KOREAN INSPIRED TOFU BOWLS
The reason I am calling these “Korean Inspired” is because I am not Korean and I don’t have a ton of knowledge about Korean cuisine, other than the face that I like to eat it! I did a little research and used ingredients that are easy for most people to get at a regular grocery store. I think these tofu bowls taste really good so I hope you enjoy them too!
TOFU BOWL RECIPE INGREDIENTS
- Tofu – You will want to use extra firm tofu for this recipe. I love to use super firm, pre-pressed tofu but if you can’t find that just make sure to press your tofu for 10-20 minutes to get as much liquid out as you can.
- Vegetables – This recipe is great because it can easily be adapted to the vegetables you have on hand. I used carrot, red bell pepper, mushrooms and green onion. Other vegetables that would be good: cabbage, broccoli, green pepper, cauliflower.
- Garlic and Ginger – It’s important to use fresh garlic and ginger for this recipe, rather than dried. The fresh stuff has so much more authentic flavor and makes this dish so good.
- Soy Sauce – Soy sauce or Tamari will work. I like to use tamari because it’s a little thicker and richer in flavor but soy sauce is great too.
- Maple Syrup – Make sure to use pure maple syrup and not the kind in the plastic bottle in the pancake aisle.
- Chili Sauce – Any kind of chili sauce will work. Sriracha is a popular one. I like to use Sambal Oelek chili paste which is Indonesian.
KOREAN TOFU BOWLS FOR MEAL PREP
I’ve been really into meal prep lately and these Korean Tofu Bowls are perfect to use for meal prep! All you need to do is equally portion out your rice and tofu mixture into four air tight containers and they can be refrigerated for 4-5 days.
Re-heating: You can easily re-heat them in the microwave for 1-2 minutes or you can heat a small pan over medium heat and add your tofu and rice and cook until heated through, about 5 minutes.
Freezing: I haven’t personally frozen these Korean tofu bowls yet, but all the ingredients are freezer friendly so I think it would work great!
LOOKING FOR MORE DELICIOUS TOFU RECIPES?
Orange Tofu and Chickpea Bowls
PrintKorean Inspired Tofu Bowls with Vegetables
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
These Korean Inspired Tofu Bowls are packed with veggies and tons of delicious flavor!
Ingredients
- 10 oz extra firm tofu, pressed for at least 10 minutes
- 2 teaspoons olive oil, divided
- 1 cup shredded carrot
- 1 small red bell pepper, thinly sliced
- 1 cup chopped mushrooms, I used baby Bella
- 1/2 small yellow onion, diced
- 1 cup diced green onion
- 3 tablespoons tamari, or soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
- Sriracha, or other chili sauce, to taste
- Salt and pepper
- Cooked rice or quinoa for serving
- Optional garnishes: sesame seeds, green onion, cilantro, extra chili sauce
Instructions
- Crumble the tofu with your fingers into small bite size pieces. Heat a large pan over medium heat and add 1 teaspoon olive oil, tofu and a pinch of salt. Cook tofu until browned, 5-7 minutes.
- Remove tofu from the pan and add the remaining teaspoon of olive oil and all the veggies. Cook veggies until softened and starting to caramelize.
- Add the tofu back in, along with the garlic, ginger, soy sauce, maple syrup and desired amount of chili sauce. Cook until a sauce has formed that coats all the of the tofu and vegetables.
- Serve with a side of rice, or other favorite grain, and top with desired toppings.
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 20 mins
- Category: Dinner, Vegan
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Asian
Jolene says
Just made this tonight! It was delicious and so easy to customize to individual tastes! My husband added more hot sauce and I added more garlic, lol! We both enjoyed this dish! Thanks for sharing.
She Likes Food says
I’m so glad you both enjoyed it!!
Verónica says
I loved the flavor, how quick to cook, everything. I love tofu and this a must in any vegan kitchen ?
She Likes Food says
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Nicole @ Foodie Loves Fitness says
I love dishes like this – healthy, tasty and easy! I also enjoy cooking with tofu. It’s so versatile!