These colourful, easy bowls celebrate the time-honoured classic combo of tofu with peanut sauce. Add a nutritious swag of vegetables, and you’ve got a quick, healthy plant-based meal.
Once you’ve made the tofu and peanut sauce, the rest is pretty freestyle – create a salad bowl for a light, luscious lunch, or add cooked grains and veges to transform it into a satisfying dinner. I’ve listed plenty of ingredients ideas below, but I invite you to simply play around with what you have, what’s seasonal and what you love.
Make it as full-on or low-key as you like. If it’s winter, you might choose to use only cooked, warming vegetables and grains. If it’s summer, it might be a fresh, crisp salad bowl. The delicious peanut sauce will make it all sing!
For the sauce
2 Tbsp peanut butter
1 Tbsp sugar (I use coconut or raw)
1 Tbsp nutritional yeast (gives an umami flavour, plus B vitamins & protein)
2 Tbsp fresh lime or lemon juice
1 Tbsp tamari/GF soy sauce
1 tsp grated fresh ginger
4 Tbsp water
For the tofu
1 block of tofu (medium or firm, not silken)
1 – 2 Tbsp oil for frying
1 Tbsp tamari or gluten free soy sauce
1 Tbsp apple juice or mirin
1 tsp sesame oil
Your choice of cooked grains & veges. Some ideas…
✅ rice, quinoa, millet or noodles ✅ potato, kumara or pumpkin chunks
✅ broccoli, cauliflower florets ✅ Asian greens like bok choy
✅ green beans ✅ shelled edamame beans
Your choice of chopped raw crisp freshness. Why not throw in some…
✅ lettuce ✅ coriander ✅ carrot ✅ capsicum
✅ spinach or kale ✅ cucumber ✅ onion ✅ avocado
✅ spring onion ✅ shredded cabbage ✅ celery ✅ sprouts
Optional toppings:
🥜 chopped peanuts 🌿 hemp seeds 🌶️ chili flakes
To make the sauce: add all ingredients into a bullet or blender and blitz until smooth.
For the tofu: Cut the tofu into roughly 2cm cubes. Heat the oil in a large fry pan over a medium heat. Add the tofu and toss often until each side is a little golden. Then add the remaining liquid ingredients and stir well, ensuring the cubes are coated. This can splatter a little, since the pan is hot. Turn off the heat once most of the liquid has been reduced.
Cook or chop your veges as required.
Now it’s time to play! Load up your bowls to your liking – and feel free to drizzle the peanut sauce over everything.
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