Peanut Tofu Buddha Bowl (Vegan and Gluten-Free)

By Alexandra Caspero on January 4, 2016
A 5-star rated peanut buddha bowl! If you're unsure about how to cook tofu, then you've gotta try this recipe.
Makes 4 bowls

Peanut Tofu Buddha Bowl! A gluten-free and vegan lunch or dinner. Brown rice, the BEST peanut tofu, vegetables and roasted broccoli in a simple peanut sauce. If you are looking for a healthy buddha bowl recipe, this is it!

Grain buddha bowl recipes are hands down one of my favorite ways to eat. I love how incredibly customizable they are based on what you have on hand. Grab a grain, like brown rice for this version, a protein, like my peanut tofu and finish the entire think off with a drinkable sauce and plenty of veggies. 

We eat this tofu buddha bowl at least once a month, but my sweet potato buddha bowl, tofu rice bowl, winter buddha bowl, and coconut Thai buddha bowls are also popular favorites in my house. Vegan buddha bowls are like a salad, but heartier!

The Best Peanut Tofu With Vegetables And Rice

Ingredients and Substitions

As mentioned above, the real beauty of bowl recipes like this one is the fact that they are incredibly customizable. I usually recommend making the recipe as is, especially the peanut tofu, to get the hang of the tofu technique. From there, you can swap in other sauces and fresh vegetables for endless pairings.

  • Brown Rice. My favorite grain to use in this one-bowl meal, but farro, quinoa, couscous and bulgur wheat also work.
  • Vegetables. Roasted broccoli pairs with fresh spinach and shredded carrots! Roasted sweet potatoes, Brussels sprouts, butternut squash or hearty beets would also be a great sub for the broccoli. I really like a fresh green with this bowl, and arugula, chopped kale, microgreens or other fresh leafy greens would also work.
  • Tofu. A must! My peanut tofu is so delicious in this recipe– you have to try it! Even if you think you don’t like tofu. More on that below.
  • Chickpeas. To make this buddha bowl incredibly nourishing and satisfying, I’m using a combo of both chickpeas and tofu for a double source of plant-based protein and fiber.
  • Peanut Sauce. Drinkable! This one is a workhorse in my kitchen, and shows up in these tofu spring rolls, farro salad and my tofu lettuce wraps.
Healthy Vegan And Gluten-Free Tofu With Peanut Sauce

How to make this Vegan Buddha Bowl Recipe

With a step by step video, I’ll show you exactly how to make this tofu buddha bowl. For the full recipe with ingredient amounts, make sure to scroll down to the recipe card below.

Make the tofu

Press, cube and bake the tofu. Once the tofu is baked, toss it with 1/2 of the peanut sauce to marinade. You’ll then finish cooking the tofu on the skillet to crisp up the edges and create golden brown, crispy tofu!

Roast the broccoli

While the tofu is cooking, toss the broccoli with either olive or sesame oil and roast until tender.

Assemble the dish!

Now that all of your components are ready, it’s time to combine. Layer into a bowl the cooked rice, cooked tofu, broccoli, chickpeas, carrots and broccoli. Then drizzle the remaining peanut sauce on top!

How to Make Peanut Tofu

This tofu. Please try it. Please try it. 🙏 Make this your New Year’s resolution, the year you will love tofu at home. Getting you to love tofu is one of the reasons I created my free 7-day Plant-Based Protein course and I also teach you how to make the best baked tofu and how to cook with tofu. I forget where I learned this technique but it’s pretty foolproof in creating chewy, crispy chunks of tofu that aren’t drenched in oil.

To achieve the faux-fried texture, bake the tofu until it’s almost dry then remove from the oven and marinate in peanut sauce! From there, you’ll lightly sauté the marinated tofu in more sauce until hot and crispy and then pile on top of cooked grains and vegetables.

Or eat the entire thing straight out of the skillet. I’ve done both and they are equally good.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make this recipe for meal-prep?


To prep this meal ahead of time, bake the tofu and marinade it in the peanut sauce, chop the broccoli and cook the brown rice. For a faster meal, saute the marinaded tofu while you roast the broccoli, then assemble.

This recipe can also be made completely ahead of time, then just reheating the warm items and tossing with the fresh carrots and spinach. That’s how we did it when we used this recipe at rootberry.

What makes this recipe healthy?


This tofu bowl is a perfectly balanced meal– complex whole grains, protein, vegetables and a fresh sauce.

Tofu Buddhas Bowl Recipe On Serving Board

Bowls as a nourishing meal choice

We arrived back home late Friday night from our New Zealand trip, wired with caffeine and buzzing from the post-vacation high. After plowing through 5 episodes of Making a Murderer with take-out pizza, we greeted the sunrise by finally heading up to bed.

Of course, when your vacation ends on New Year’s Day, there’s a slight sense of anxiety that follows. Is everyone making plans and goals without me? It seems like my facebook and instagram have been taken over with pledges to do better, be better, look better.

I totally get the desire to want an overhaul come January 1st. I’ve spent the last three weeks sustaining on take out, cheese, and more Sauvignon Blanc than I’d care to admit. I’m sure there were vegetables in there somewhere but when you are relying on restaurant meals three times a day, healthy isn’t always what you get.

After sleeping off some of our jet lag, I got up the courage to head out to the grocery store to put together something that would nourish us both. These vegan buddha bowls are my favorite way to get back on the healthy eating track. They are packed with nutrition, flavor and contain enough protein and fiber to keep me full for hours.

While we are on the subject of New Year, New You, can we pledge to enjoy food more? It’s almost impossible to have a healthy relationship with food with the words Master Cleanse, detox, diet or fasting. As a Registered Dietitian with over a decade of experience working with disordered eating clients, I can almost promise that those fads will leave you hungry, unsatisfied and more hard on yourself.

There is an easier way. Eat until you are satisfied, enjoying each bite with acceptance and not punishment.Love food that loves you back. Fill your plate with colorful produce, lean protein, healthy fat and complex carbs. These vegan buddha bowls are the perfect balance of protein and carbohydrates to keep you full.

Vegan And Gluten-Free Buddha Bowl

If you make these peanut tofu buddha bowls, make sure to come back to rate this recipe and leave a comment. Your feedback helps other readers and seeing you make my recipes makes my day! 

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Peanut Tofu Buddha Bowl

Peanut Tofu Buddha Bowl

  • Author: Alex Caspero
  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 15 minutes
  • Total Time: 35 minutes
  • Yield: 4 bowls 1x
  • Category: Buddha Bowl, Healthy, Dinner
  • Method: Oven, Stove Top
  • Cuisine: Buddha Bowl, Vegan
  • Diet: Vegan

Description

Peanut Tofu Buddha Bowl! A healthy lunch or dinner, perfect for the New Year! Brown rice, the BEST tofu, vegetables, roasted broccoli in a simple peanut sauce. Vegan and Gluten-Free.


  • Author: Alex Caspero
  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 15 minutes
  • Total Time: 35 minutes
  • Yield: 4 bowls 1x
  • Category: Buddha Bowl, Healthy, Dinner
  • Method: Oven, Stove Top
  • Cuisine: Buddha Bowl, Vegan
  • Diet: Vegan
  • Author: Alex Caspero
  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 15 minutes
  • Total Time: 35 minutes
  • Yield: 4 bowls 1x
  • Category: Buddha Bowl, Healthy, Dinner
  • Method: Oven, Stove Top
  • Cuisine: Buddha Bowl, Vegan
  • Diet: Vegan
Scale

Ingredients

Tofu Buddha Bowl

  • 2 cups cooked brown rice
  • 1 cups shredded carrots
  • 2 cups spinach leaves
  • 2 cups broccoli florets
  • 2 teaspoons olive oil or additional sesame oil, divided
  • 1 cup chickpeas (drained and rinsed, if using canned)
  • salt/pepper
  • 16 oz extra firm tofu, pressed and drained

Peanut sauce

  • 12 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
  • 1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce
  • 1/4 cup 100% pure maple syrup
  • 2 teaspoons chili garlic sauce
  • 1/4 cup creamy or crunchy peanut butter

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Cube tofu and place in a single layer on a non-stick baking sheet and cook for 25 minutes. If you aren’t using a non-stick baking sheet, lightly spray with cooking spray. Remove from oven and place in a shallow bowl.
  2. Whisk together the ingredients for the sauce (sesame oil, soy sauce, maple syrup, chili garlic sauce, peanut butter) until creamy and smooth. Add 1/2 of the sauce to the tofu bowl and let marinate while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.
  3. Toss the broccoli with 1 teaspoon sesame or olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper. Place in the oven and roast for 20 minutes until just tender.
  4. Heat remaining olive or sesame oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add tofu, in batches, along with the marinating sauce until crispy and golden browned, about 3-4 minutes.
  5. To assemble, divide the brown rice among 4 bowls, top each bowl with 1/4 cup shredded carrots, 1/2 cup spinach leaves, 1/4th broccoli, 1/4 cup garbanzo beans and a few pieces of tofu. Drizzle with remaining peanut sauce.

did you make this?

Tag @delishknowledge on Instagram and hashtag it #delishknowledge

If you like this recipe, then you’ll want to try these other buddha bowl recipes:

Instant Pot Burrito Bowls, Ultimate Goddess Bowls, Vegan Green Rice Bowl, Vegan Gado Gado Bowl

Meet Alex Caspero

Alex Caspero is a Registered Dietitian, New York Times Bestselling Chef, and mom of two. She aims to cut through the nutrition noise by providing real-life, nourishing tips for body and mind. Learn more about Alex.

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    1. Phil Johnson
      October 16, 2023 AT 7:01 pm

      I’ve made this before but this time I put the sauce on the tofu and threw it in the convection oven. Tossed it a couple of minutes and sprayed it with chili oil. Yum. Id put the spinach on the bottoms and the hot stuff on top to wilt it and it’s good to go. Lots of good things in this simple and delicious dish.

    2. e
      September 29, 2023 AT 11:44 pm

      Yum!






    3. Marilyn
      July 8, 2023 AT 11:30 pm

      Yummy! I like when recipes also include how long it’s good for.






    4. Laura
      December 27, 2022 AT 8:26 pm

      Found on pinterest. Very pleased with how it turned out.






    5. Cara
      November 22, 2022 AT 9:45 am

      This was so delicious! I always struggle to make tofu at home that I like as much as in a restaurant, but I finally was able to make it with this recipe! Highly recommend






    6. Timmy
      October 30, 2022 AT 6:27 pm

      I love sneaking extra veggies in this bowl. This recipe is always on repeat in my kitchen.






    7. Laura Vickers
      October 30, 2022 AT 5:20 pm

      Yep, making this for a take to work lunch tomorrow. Had 2 parties this weekend and I’ll feel so much better after eating peanut tofu.

    8. Rebecca Turrigiano
      May 4, 2022 AT 10:11 am

      Absolutely DELICIOUS!!! I added mushroom and onion to the broccoli because they needed using and it was perfect






    9. Jessica Mauger
      April 20, 2022 AT 11:59 pm

      Made this today. The sauce is SO yum but I added coconut milk and water break up the stickiness. I also added toasted chickpeas, avo, roast carrot and onion. Bliss!

      1. Alex
        April 22, 2022 AT 8:09 am

        So glad to hear, thanks Jessica!

    10. Patty
      March 16, 2022 AT 12:28 pm

      I’m not a huge fan of recipes I find on Pinterest because they tend to be a bit bland. This was probably one of the best recipes I’ve ever made from Pinterest. The tofu for me probably needed a few more minutes in the oven. But the flavors were all so good and I will definitely be making this again!






      1. Alex
        March 17, 2022 AT 6:47 am

        So glad to hear, thanks Patty!

        1. Liz
          January 26, 2024 AT 1:51 pm

          Love this recipe. However, if you aim for a gluten free version, watch your soy sauce. It typically contains wheat. Liquid aminos is a good substitute to keep things gluten free.

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