Tofu Fried Rice (豆腐炒饭)

This easy tofu fried rice is a healthy and delicious one-pot meal that you can whip up in 20 minutes. The charred rice is bursting with flavor and loaded with vegetables and lean protein. {Vegetarian, Gluten-free adaptable}

Tofu fried rice is one of the easy dishes that I cook most frequently during the week. It requires just a couple ingredients that I always have in my pantry. For example, leftover rice, frozen vegetables, eggs, and a block of tofu. It only takes 20 minutes to prep and cook. And it makes a satisfying one-bowl meal that provides me energy throughout the day.

In the past, I’ve shared a few fried rice recipes such as egg fried rice, shrimp fried rice, and potato fried rice. Today, I want to share with you the best way to add healthy protein to your fried rice using tofu. Not only does it create a super healthy dish with great taste, it’s also easier and cheaper to make than one with meat or seafood.

Cooking notes

1. Choose the right tofu

I always use extra firm tofu for my fried rice. It holds its shape during the stir fry, produces a crispy surface, and absorbs flavor well. If you cannot find extra firm tofu, the firm type also works.

Look for House-Foods tofu in the refrigerated section of your grocery store or Asian market. Their tofu is tasty, inexpensive, and made with high-quality non-GMO US soybeans. It is also gluten-free and kosher certified.

2. How to prep tofu

To prepare the tofu, simply drain the water from the container, and use a few layers of paper towel to gently squeeze the water from the tofu. Then slice it into cubes and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Right before cooking, I usually use another few layers of paper towel to gently pat the tofu again to get rid of any moisture from the surface. Not only will this help prevent oil splatter, but the tofu will also crisp up faster.

Although I prefer to coat the tofu with cornstarch to create an extra crispy surface, like I did in this Kung Pao Tofu Recipe, I usually skip this process when making tofu fried rice. The tofu will still brown itself nicely and create a crunchy texture. It might be less crispy, but it speeds up the cooking by a lot and yields great flavor as well.

3. What pan to use

You can either use a nonstick skillet, a cast iron pan, or a carbon steel pan (as shown in the picture). If you’d like to use less oil to create a healthier dish, a nonstick skillet is the best option. If you are looking for a crispier texture for the rice and tofu, a cast iron pan or carbon steel pan is your best friend. However, do note that you’ll usually need 2 to 3 extra tablespoons of oil to prevent the food from sticking to a cast iron or carbon steel pan.

4. Why frozen vegetables

My principle when it comes to making fried rice is to spend the minimal effort to get the best results. Unlike making meat and veggie stir fry, where I use fresh veggies, I tend to use the easiest approach when it comes to fried rice. I find that frozen vegetables work perfectly in this case. Not only do you save time washing and chopping, frozen veggies also allow you to cook quickly without thawing, and they yield great results. The other benefit is that you can add a few types of veggies to effortlessly to add nutrition and color to the dish.

In this recipe I used a blend of broccoli, cauliflower, and carrot. Other vegetable blends containing corn, green peas, snow peas and / or green beans work well too.

More delicious tofu recipes

• Kung Pao Tofu
• General Tso Tofu
• Authentic Mapo Tofu
• Baked Crispy Tofu Nugget
• Crispy Tofu with Garlic Sauce

If you give this recipe a try, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it (once you’ve tried it), and take a picture and tag it @omnivorescookbook on Instagram! I’d love to see what you come up with.

Tofu Fried Rice (豆腐炒饭)

By Maggie Zhu

5 from 1 vote

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes minutes

Servings: 4

0.5x1x2x3x

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This easy tofu fried rice is a healthy and delicious one-pot meal that you can whip up in 20 minutes. The charred rice is bursting with flavor and loaded with vegetables and lean protein. {Vegetarian, Gluten-free adaptable}To make this dish gluten free, use tamari or coconut amino to replace soy sauce, and use gluten-free hoisin sauce.

Ingredients 

• 1 block (16 ounces / 450 g) House Foods extra firm tofu , drained and cut to 1/2” pieces
• Salt and pepper
• 3 tablespoons peanut oil (or vegetable oil)
• 3 cups leftover steamed rice
• 2 large eggs , beaten (Optional)
• 3 green onion , sliced
• 2 cloves garlic , minced
• 2 cups frozen veggies
• 2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce

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Instructions

• Pat dry tofu with paper towels. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
• Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat until hot. Spread the tofu. Cook until the bottom turns golden. Gently shake the pan and flip to cook the other sides, until most sides of the tofu turn golden. Transfer the tofu to a plate and set aside.
• Add 1 tablespoon oil, the cooked rice, green onion, and garlic into the same pan. Cook and chop to separate rice into grains, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Add the frozen veggies. Stir for 1 to 2 minutes to let thaw.
• Move everything to one side of the pan. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the other side. Add the beaten eggs on the oil side. Let the bottom set for 30 seconds. Scramble the egg until almost cooked through. Stir everything together.
• Add back the cooked tofu. Add the hoisin sauce and soy sauce. Cook and stir until the sauce is mixed evenly. Remove the pan from the stove and taste the rice. To adjust the seasoning, sprinkle a bit more salt and mix everything together, if needed. Transfer everything to a serving plate.
• Serve hot as a main or side.

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Nutrition

Serving: 4g, Calories: 441kcal, Carbohydrates: 48.3g, Protein: 20.7g, Fat: 19.8g, Saturated Fat: 3.2g, Cholesterol: 93mg, Sodium: 418mg, Potassium: 486mg, Fiber: 3.9g, Sugar: 4.1g, Calcium: 210mg, Iron: 5.4mg

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