Tofu Fried Rice (Rice Cooker Recipe)

Name: Tofu Fried Rice (Rice Cooker) Recipe
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 40 min
Ingredients: 1 cup white rice (or brown rice ); 1 cup chopped fresh or frozen vegetables; 1 cup sliced shiitake mushrooms (or oyster, cremini (babybella), or white mushrooms); 7 ounces extra-firm tofu (pressed); 1 1/2 tablespoon grated ginger; 4 cloves garlic (minced); 3 green onions (thinly sliced); 1 tablespoon rice vinegar; 2 tablespoon tamari (or soy sauce (low sodium)); 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil ((optional)); 2 teaspoons maple syrup; 2 teaspoons sriracha; 1/2 teaspoon onion powder; Dash of white pepper; Drizzle of coconut aminos; Squeeze of fresh lime juice; Toasted sesame seeds (or chopped peanuts)

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This easy Tofu Fried Rice (Rice Cooker Recipe) can be made in a rice cooker or Instant Pot! With this one-pot cooking method, there's no stir-frying needed, and the rice is still infused with the umami flavors from the mushrooms and Asian-inspired sauce. This healthy rice cooker recipe is packed with plant-based protein. Plus, it's gluten-free, with an option for oil-free.

Rice cooker one-pot tofu fried rice with shiitake mushrooms, green onion, corn, and carrots in a blue and white bowl with a golden spoon.

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👩🏽‍⚕️ Why You'll Love This Recipe:
👩🏼‍🌾 Ingredients
🌱 Substitutions
📝 How to Make Tofu Fried Rice (Rice Cooker Recipe)
💡 Expert Tips
🍴 More High-Protein Grain Bowls
🙋🏽‍♀️ Recipe FAQs
🍽 Related Recipes
👩🏽‍🍳 Made this recipe?
⚖️ Convert the Recipe to Metric (g & mL)
Tofu Fried Rice (Rice Cooker) Recipe
🛍️ Shop Recipe Cookware and Ingredients
💬 Comments

👩🏽‍⚕️ Why You'll Love This Recipe:

Did you know you can cook a complete and balanced meal in a rice cooker in less than 30 minutes? This hands-off recipe uses grated tofu, which tastes just like egg in this recipe. Tofu is rich in protein and heart healthy fats, making this high-protein rice cooker recipe a balanced meal. To pack in more nutrients, I used frozen veggies, but you can use produce you already have on hand. Add some chopped fresh ginger and garlic for extra flavor, and your'e one press of a button away from indulging in a delicious tofu fried rice that tastes just like takeout.

With only one rice cooker pot to clean, and no chopping required, this will likely be your new favorite way to make fried rice on busy weekdays.

👩🏼‍🌾 Ingredients

Below, I share ingredient notes from both a nutrition expert's and trained chef's perspective.

Green onion, ginger, garlic, toasted sesame oil, rice vinegar, sliced shiitake mushrooms, tamari, sriracha, maple syrup, white pepper, rice, mixed chopped veggies, and tofu on a gray backdrop.

Rice: Jasmine rice is most commonly used in fried rice recipes for its fluffy texture. However, short grain and sushi rice also taste incredible in this Tofu Fried Rice recipe, resulting in a delectable sticky-rice dish. Brown rice is a more nutritious choice over white rice because it contains higher amounts of fiber, vitamins, and minerals. The bran layer in brown rice packs in fiber, which may help regulate blood sugar levels, and promote heart health. However, the lack of the bran and germ in white rice makes it easier on the stomach, so it might be better for those with digestive issues. Plus, white rice is not devoid of all nutrients. It is typically enriched with iron, thiamine, folate, and niacin to replace the nutrients lost in the milling process.
Extra firm tofu or super firm tofu are best suited for this recipe. Super firm tofu contains the highest amount of protein and comes pre-pressed so it is very convenient, but it is sometimes hard to find. I typically use Nasoya or Wildwood brands.
Frozen veggies cut down on prep time and are just as nutritious as freshly chopped veggies.

See the printable recipe card below for quantities.

🌱 Substitutions

This easy rice cooker recipe is versatile and easy to adapt. Below are some simple ingredient substitutions.

Rice - Use short, medium, or long grain brown, white, or black rice. Brown and black rice will take longer to cook and require twice as much water.
Mushrooms - Instead of shiitake, use oyster, cremini, or white mushrooms.
Tamari - Substitute with soy sauce or a combination of regular soy sauce and dark soy sauce.
Garlic and ginger - Omit as desired or use one-quarter teaspoon garlic and one-quarter teaspoon ginger powder instead.
Green onion - Use chopped yellow onion or shallots as needed.
Toasted sesame oil - Omit entirely or use sesame, or a neutral flavored oil instead.
Tofu -Substitute with dry lentils or cooked beans.
Veggies - Use fresh veggies you have on hand or add thawed shelled edamame for more protein.
For serving - Add a drizzle of coconut aminos and chili crisp.

🍚 Rice to Water Ratio

Use short, medium, or long grain rice to make this rice cooker recipe. Long grain rice tends to cook up light, fluffy and separate when cooked rather than clumping together. Medium grain rice tends to cook up moist and tender while short grain rice tends to clump together when cooked and forms what is called glutinous rice and tastes more like sticky rice.

For white rice, use one cup water for each one cup rice (water:rice, 1:1). For brown or black rice, use 2 cups water for each one cup rice (water:rice, 2:1).

📝 How to Make Tofu Fried Rice (Rice Cooker Recipe)

The complete recipe with exact amounts is below. These additional tips will help you get the best results.

Rinse the rice: Place the rice in a fine-mesh strainer. Run cold water over the strainer until the water runs nearly clear.

Green onion, rice, corn, carrots, green peas, and grated tofu in a rice cooker on a gray backdrop.

Transfer the rice to the interior of a rice cooker. Add the vegetables, mushrooms, ginger, garlic, green onion, rice vinegar, tamari, toasted sesame oil, maple syrup, sriracha, and white pepper.

Green onion, ginger, garlic, toasted sesame oil, rice vinegar, sliced shiitake mushrooms, tamari, sriracha, maple syrup, white pepper, rice, peas, carrot, corn, water, and grated tofu in a rice cooker.

Grate the tofu directly into the rice cooker inner bowl using the largest holes on a box grater. Add 1 cup water, mushroom broth, no-chicken broth, or vegetable broth.

Tofu, rice, green onion, sliced shiitake mushrooms, rice, peas, carrot, and corn in a rice cooker next to a blue and white bowl.

Use your rice paddle to combine ingredients. Close the rice cooker and switch it on to cook. Once the rice cooker switches off, or to the warming function, mix the ingredients with a spatula to distribute any remaining moisture evenly.

One-pot rice cooker tofu fried rice with green onion, sliced shiitake mushrooms, rice, peas, carrot, corn, water, and grated tofu in a rice cooker with a white spatula for mixing.

Season the cooked Tofu Fried Rice with additional tamari, coconut aminos, or chili crisp to taste.

💡 Expert Tips

Stovetop Tofu Fried Rice: Add the ingredients to a medium saucepan. Add 1 cup plus 1 tablespoon cold water, or broth. Bring the water to a simmer. Reduce the heat, cover, and cook over low heat for 15 minutes. Remove the saucepan from the burner and set aside for 5 minutes before fluffing with a fork, and seasoning to taste.
Chop your ginger and garlic using a cordless electric mini chopper in just 10 seconds! This little gadget saves a whole lot of time.
Use kitchen shears to snip the green onion directly into the rice cooker.
Use frozen veggies to save time. They are at least as nutritious as fresh produce.
Substitute water with no-chicken broth for a tofu fried rice that tastes just like chicken fried rice, but vegan.
I recommend Jasmine rice, but most varieties will work well.
For brown rice, or a different whole grain variety, add the vegetables about halfway through cooking so they don't become mushy. If you have a clear glass lid on your rice cooker, once the rice grains are half-cooked (plump but still wet), add the vegetables. Cover the rice cooker and let it finish the cycle.
Storage: Refrigerate leftover One-Pot Rice Cooker Tofu Fried Rice in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Reheat in an oven at 360ºF, microwave, or saucepan.

🍴 More High-Protein Grain Bowls

This was inspired by my no-chop Simple Tofu Noodles recipe on this site.

Looking for a high-protein meal-prep friendly recipe? Try my Crunch Salad Jars.

Try my Tempeh Orzo Bowl with Chipotle Dressing. You don't taste the tempeh and it's easy to make ahead.

🙋🏽‍♀️ Recipe FAQs

What is the ratio of rice to water in a rice cooker?

The golden ratio in a rice cooker is 1:1. That means 1 cup white rice to 1 cup water. For brown rice, the golden ratio 1:2. That means 1 cup brown rice to 2 cups water.

Can I make Tofu Fried Rice in an Instant Pot?

Add rinsed Jasmine rice, vegetables, mushrooms, ginger, garlic, green onion, rice vinegar, tamari, toasted sesame oil, maple syrup, sriracha, and white pepper to the inner pot of an Instant Pot. Grate the tofu directly into the inner pot using the largest holes on a box grater. Add 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons cold water, or broth.
Close the lid and pressure cook for 5 minutes on High Pressure. Let the pressure release naturally (NPR) for 10 minutes and then release any remaining pressure using the Quick Release (QR) method. Open the lid and let the Instant Pot Fried Rice rest for 5 minutes before mixing.

Do I need leftover rice to make Tofu Fried Rice?

Typically, leftover rice is used to make fried rice. Chilled leftover white rice undergoes a process called retrogradation, in which the starch molecules form crystalline structures that make the grains firm enough to withstand the second round of cooking. Whereas freshly cooked rice becomes mushy, chilled leftover rice holds up well to stir-frying. However, the rice-cooker method of making tofu fried rice uses raw rice. No leftover rice is required.

Can I put soy sauce in a rice cooker?

You can add soy sauce, or any sauce you like to a rice cooker. However, if you are cooking plain rice, if the sauce is a liquid, subtract this amount from the water you are adding. For example, for 1 cup white rice with 2 tablespoons soy sauce, subtract the 2 tablespoons soy sauce from 1 cup water and add 14 tablespoons (¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons) water instead of 16 tablespoons (1 cup).