Protein-rich Crispy Tofu Buddha Bowl. Vegan, and healthy with a gluten-free quinoa crust. Served with a delicious creamy dressing. Easy and budget-friendly.
This protein-rich, quinoa-crusted tofu bowl is the most delicious combination of textures and flavors. Plus, it's versatile and easy to adapt. Serve the crispy tofu with a grain of your choice, and use veggies you already have on hand. The 4-ingredient dressing is quick to make and tastes amazing.
This recipe was inspired by my Crispy Tofu Bowl with Chipotle-Tahini on this site, as well as these Cashew Tofu Lettuce Wraps.
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👩🏼🌾 Ingredients
Crispy Tofu
Breading
Buddha Bowl and Dressing
- Quinoa is a protein-rich, high-fiber seed. It is a complete protein, meaning that it contains all nine essential amino acids. Plus, it's naturally gluten-free and cooks in just 15 minutes. It gets crispy and golden in the oven, which is why it's the perfect healthy crust for this Crispy Tofu Buddha Bowl.
- Extra-firm or super-firm tofu work best for this recipe. Its high level of protein makes tofu a good alternative to animal-derived meat. Nasoya's and Wildwood's super-firm tofu come pre pressed which is a huge time saver. Otherwise, press your tofu beforehand.
- Use unsweetened nondairy milk for this vegan breading. The proteins in milk help the flour and quinoa adhere to the tofu, while the natural sugars provide extra browning.
See recipe card for quantities.
🍞 Substitutions
- Quinoa - use breadcrumbs instead (gluten-free, panko, or regular) for the crispy tofu
- Flour - use gluten-free flour (rice flour or gluten-free flour blend) for gluten free
- Vegetable broth - broth adds more flavor but you can cook the quinoa in water instead
- Nondairy milk - I prefer soy milk because of its higher protein content, but most unsweetened nondairy milks will work
- Black rice - use brown rice, farro, leftover quinoa, or a grain of your choice for the Buddha bowl
- Cucumber - substitute with any crunchy vegetable (celery, radish, iceberg lettuce, jicama, fennel) or use leftover roasted veggies instead
- Green onion - omit or use chives, shallot, or white onion instead
You can also serve the crispy quinoa-crusted tofu with this Red Cabbage Salad to mix things up. Visit my Vegan Tofu Recipes page for more easy and healthy protein-rich dinner ideas.
📖 Instructions
Preheat the oven to 425ºF.
Step 1. Cook the quinoa (if using) in water or vegetable broth according to the directions on the packet. Fluff with a fork and set aside to cool.
Step 2. Press the extra-firm tofu and slice the block widthwise into 8 equal-sized rectangles.
Step 3. Dip all sides of the tofu rectangle into the nondairy milk, then into the flour mixture until evenly coated. Then dip it into the quinoa and use the back of a spoon to press the quinoa onto the front and back of the tofu rectangle until evenly coated. Repeat for the other tofu rectangles.
Step 4. Bake the tofu for 15 minutes. Gently flip the rectangles over and bake for about 10 minutes more, or until crispy and golden-brown.
For the Buddha bowl: Serve the crispy tofu with rice, cucumber slices, green onion, and a generous drizzle of the spicy mayo dressing.
💡 Expert Tips
- Use the back of a large spoon to press the quinoa onto the tofu. Do not use your hands as it will stick to them.
- Air fry the tofu to get the quinoa extra crispy in less time.
- For baking, spread the rectangles onto a large baking sheet without overcrowding. This will ensure even browning.
- Storage: Refrigerate the crispy tofu in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Reheat the rectangles in an oven or microwave. Add the cucumber for serving, and refrigerate the remaining Buddha bowl ingredients in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Serve this bowl warm or chilled.
🙋🏽♀️ Recipes FAQs
For a well-balanced bowl, include whole grains, veggies, protein, dressing, and toppings with heart-healthy fats (nuts or seeds).
This Crispy Tofu Buddha Bowl tastes great both warm and chilled. Buddha bowls are often served cold, but some have a warm base.
The quinoa in this recipe makes the tofu extra crispy. You can also use breadcrumbs or crushed cornflakes.
🍽 Related Recipes
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📖 Recipe
Crispy Tofu Buddha Bowl
Ingredients
For the crispy tofu:
- ½ cup dry quinoa or breadcrumbs
- 14 to 16 ounces extra-firm tofu pressed, and sliced widthwise into 8 equal-sized rectangles
- ½ cup whole wheat flour or all-purpose flour, rice flour, or gluten-free flour blend
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon salt or to taste
- ½ cup soy milk or other unsweetened nondairy milk
For the Buddha Bowl (optional):
- 2 cups cooked rice (or 1 cup dry rice, cooked)
- 1 large cucumber thinly sliced into batons
- 2 green onions thinly sliced (green and light green parts only)
- Sesame seeds for garnish (optional)
For the Spicy Mayo Sauce:
- 1 lime juice
- ¼ cup vegan mayonnaise
- 1 teaspoon rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon sriracha or to taste
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425ºF.
- Cook the quinoa (if using) in water or vegetable broth according to the directions on the packet. Fluff with a fork and set aside to cool.
- In a wide bowl or small rimmed baking sheet, mix the flour, baking powder, Italian seasoning, and salt. Add the milk to a separate wide bowl.
- Transfer the quinoa to separate wide bowl or rimmed baking sheet.
- Using a pair of tongs, dip all sides of the tofu rectangle into the nondairy milk, then into the flour mixture until evenly coated. Then dip it into the quinoa and use the back of a spoon to press the quinoa onto the front and back of the tofu rectangle until evenly coated. Place the coated tofu onto a large nonstick baking sheet or parchment-lined sheet. Repeat for the other seven tofu rectangles.
- Bake the tofu for 15 minutes. Gently flip the rectangles over and bake for about 10 minutes more, or until crispy and golden-brown.
- Meanwhile, mix the lime juice, mayonnaise, rice vinegar, and sriracha in a small bowl.
- Serve the crispy baked tofu with rice, cucumber slices, green onion, sesame seeds, and a generous drizzle of the spicy mayo sauce.
Notes
- Use the back of a large spoon to press the quinoa onto the tofu. Do not use your hands as it will stick to them.
- Air fry the tofu to get the quinoa extra crispy and in less time.
- For baking, spread the rectangles onto a large baking sheet without overcrowding. This will ensure even browning.
- Storage: Refrigerate the crispy tofu in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Reheat the rectangles in an oven or microwave. Add the cucumber for serving, and refrigerate the remaining Buddha bowl ingredients in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Serve this bowl warm or chilled.
Nutrition
This information is provided as a courtesy and is an ESTIMATE only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased can change the nutritional information in any given recipe.
Neena Chandiramani
This is divine, I love that quinoa crust ❤️
Nisha Melvani
It's so good! Thank you.