Do you have some leftover rice loitering around aloof and unused in the fridge? Well, I did too. So I decided to put it to work by making this quick and easy tofu fried rice recipe. Brown or white rice, it matters little, as long as you have a couple cups worth. Bake some marinaded tofu in the oven until crispy and lightly charred, sauté some onions and red peppers, and stain the leftover rice with a little turmeric. And there you go – a super simple and saffron-colored stir fry that’ll fill you up and empty your fridge of those pesky stray rice grains.
“When hungry, eat your rice; when tired, close your eyes. Fools may laugh at me, but wise men will know what I mean.”
– Linji Yixuan
How Do You Quickly Marinate Tofu?
Inevitably, when it comes to extra-firm tofu, you’re going to need to press the darn thing before you can truly marinate it well. The reason for this is because tofu out of the package is pretty imbibed full of water, and so to make room for other flavors, i.e. the marinade, you need to first eliminate some of the moisture.
Once pressed for about 30 minutes, which you can do by placing the tofu – padded in a clean dish cloth – in between two cutting boards with something heavy on top, let the tofu begin soaking up the marinade. At this point, it’s like a high-protein sponge that’s just been wrung-out; the pressed tofu should readily start soaking up all the liquids around it.
Really, for this tofu fried rice recipe, the marinade can be as simple as soy sauce, sriracha and maple syrup; you don’t necessarily need all the other ingredients. However, if you’re looking for the biggest of flavors, go all in and let the tofu soak up the delicious combination of
- soy sauce (low sodium)
- sriracha
- maple syrup
- vegan Worcestershire sauce
- smoked paprika
- liquid smoke
- minced garlic
- ground black pepper
“Rice is great if you’re really hungry and want to eat two thousand of something.”
– Mitch Hedberg
Tofu Fried Rice Recipe Video
The only difference between the video and the tofu fried rice recipe found on this post is that I added the remainder of the marinade much later into baking the tofu (about 5 minutes from when the tofu is finished baking). This prevents the marinade from burning or charring too much in the oven, and also provides a delicious sauciness to the tofu as well.
“With coarse rice to eat, with water to drink, and my bent arm for a pillow – I have still joy in the midst of all these things.”
– Confucius
Why Should You Turmeric-Stain Your Grains?
All of our sense are intertwined. How we see food influences how we experience the taste of it. Therefore, it stands to reason that if food looks more delicious, it will taste more delicious, too.
A little bit of ground turmeric mixed with pretty much any grain will beautify it instantly, thus immediately improving the appearance of this tofu fried rice platter. This is a super simple trick that I learned from Cook With Kelly – thanks!
So consider spicing your grains with some ground turmeric. All you need is a mere 1/4 teaspoon or so for a couple cups worth. Not only is ground turmeric an appetizing color, but it imparts a slightly earthy flavor to this tofu fried rice overall, and is quite good for you, too.
Check out this Roasted Beets Bowl with Turmeric Couscous for another amazingly tasty example of ground turmeric staining a grain a vivid yellow.
“If you give me rice, I’ll eat today; if you teach me how to grow rice, I’ll eat everyday.”
– Mahatma Ghandi
No leftover rice? No problem.
What if you’re in the mood for this tofu fried rice but don’t have any leftover rice in the fridge? You could simply make some beforehand, or just use instant microwaveable rice, too.
Either way, enjoy this tofu fried rice recipe – it’s a delectable platter of food that you’ll love time and time again.
“Rice at present prices provides more food for the money than most of the other cereals.”
– David F. Houston
If you enjoyed this tofu fried rice recipe, consider leaving me a comment or recipe rating (clicking on the stars) before you go – it helps me immensely!
Tofu Fried Rice
Equipment
- Baking Sheet
- Large cast-iron skillet or pan
Ingredients
- ½ (7-ounces) package extra-firm tofu, pressed for 30 minutes and then cubed
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce, preferably low-sodium
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon sriracha
- 2 teaspoons vegan Worcestershire sauce
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ⅛ teaspoon liquid smoke
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- Some ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ yellow onion, finely diced
- 1 red pepper, finely diced
- 1 ½ – 2 cup(s) leftover rice, white or brown
- ¾ cup frozen peas, lightly defrosted beforehand
- ¼ teaspoon ground turmeric
- Additional soy sauce and sriracha, as garnish
Instructions
- Halve the half pack of tofu, press for 30 minutes, and then cut into ½-inch cubes. Marinate the cubes in the soy sauce, maple syrup, sriracha, vegan Worcestershire, smoked paprika, liquid smoke, garlic and black pepper for at least 15 minutes. Then, in an oven at 400°F (204°C), bake the tofu cubes for 15 – 20 minutes, until crispy and beginning to char, turning halfway through. In the last 5 minutes of baking the tofu, add the remaining marinade to the tofu cubes (this is an amendment to the recipe video below).
- Meanwhile, sauté in a large pan over medium heat the onion and red pepper for 5 – 7 minutes. Add a couple cups of leftover rice and heat through, as well as the peas, also heating through. Near the end, add the turmeric, and mix it in well to turn the rice a beautiful yellow.
- Serve the rice on a platter along with the oven-baked tofu, as well as additional soy sauce and sriracha over the top.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
May you have good food in good company,
That Vegan Nephew
This was so good and just as good the next day thrown atop a bowl of romaine lettuce with a spot of sweet chili sauce and tamari as a quick dressing. YUM X 2!