This quinoa tofu bowl combines nutty quinoa, crispy tofu, stir-fried broccoli and carrots, and a rich peanut ginger sauce. It’s a satisfying vegan meal with plenty of flavor and texture in every bowl.
We eat a lot of tofu, but we’re always looking for different ways to turn it into a complete meal. This quinoa tofu bowl brings together several things we already love: Jeff’s crispy air-fryer tofu nuggets, plenty of vegetables, quinoa, and a peanut sauce that ties it all together.
There are a few components to prepare, but they cook at the same time, so the meal comes together in under 40 minutes. We especially like the contrast between the warm quinoa, crisp tofu, lightly cooked vegetables, and creamy sauce.
What you need to make our quinoa tofu bowl with Thai peanut sauce
Main ingredients
- Quinoa – forms the base of the bowl and adds a slightly nutty flavor
- Firm tofu – we make our air fryer tofu nuggets so the outside gets crisp before adding the sauce
- Fresh vegetables – we prefer broccoli and carrots
- Oil for stir-fry – avocado oil or olive oil
- Sesame oil – added near the end for flavor
- (Optional) Chili flakes – if you like a little heat
Sauce
- Peanut butter – forms the creamy base of the sauce
- Soy sauce (gluten-free) – provides salty, savory flavor while keeping our bowl gluten-free
- Rice vinegar – adds acidity to balance the peanut butter
- Ginger, minced – adds a fresh, slightly spicy note to the sauce
- (Optional) Green onion, crushed peanuts, and lime – garnishes that add freshness, crunch, and acidity
Tips for making our quinoa tofu bowl with peanut sauce
The easiest way to make this meal is to have several components cooking at once. Start the quinoa, then get the tofu into the air fryer. You can make the peanut sauce and prepare the vegetables while both cook.
After the quinoa has simmered for 15 minutes, turn off the heat but leave the lid on. The trapped steam finishes the cooking while you prepare everything else.
Cut the broccoli and carrots into fairly small, consistently sized pieces. This helps them cook quickly while retaining some bite.
For the peanut sauce, hot water softens the peanut butter, making it easier to combine with the other ingredients. We put everything in a jar and shake it rather than whisking it in a bowl.
Serving suggestions
We serve this quinoa tofu bowl as a complete meal, usually topped with sliced green onion, crushed peanuts, and a squeeze of lime.
For extra heat, add more chili flakes or your favorite chili sauce. You can also put the peanut sauce and garnishes on the table and let everyone finish their own bowl.
If you’re preparing the components ahead of time, keep the peanut sauce separate until you’re ready to serve.
Our Thai peanut quinoa tofu bowl recipe
Quinoa tofu bowl with Thai peanut sauce
This quinoa tofu bowl combines crispy air-fried tofu, quinoa, broccoli, and carrots with a creamy peanut-ginger sauce for a flavorful vegan meal.
Ingredients
- ¾ cups quinoa, dry (140 grams) (makes 2¼ cups cooked)
- 10.5 ounces firm tofu block (300 grams)
Stir fry
- 1 head broccoli
- 1 large carrot
- 2 teaspoons avocado or olive oil
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- ⅛ teaspoon chili flakes (optional)
Peanut sauce
- ⅓ cup peanut butter
- 2 Tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 Tablespoon rice vinegar
- ½ teaspoon minced ginger
- ⅓ cup hot water
Garnish options
- Green onion
- Crushed peanuts
- Lime slices
Instructions
- Rinse the quinoa and add it to a saucepan with 1½ cups of water. Bring the water to a boil, reduce the heat to a simmer, cover the saucepan and cook for 15 minutes. At the end of 15 minutes, turn the heat off and let the quinoa continue to steam in the covered pot
- While the quinoa is cooking, make tofu nuggets in an air fryer.
- While the tofu is in the air fryer and the quinoa is cooking, mix the peanut butter, soy sauce, rice vinegar, minced ginger, and hot water in a jar. Cover the jar and shake until the sauce is well mixed.
- Cut the broccoli and carrots for stir-frying. I typically cut the carrots into half or quarter rounds that are ¼" thick, and the broccoli into pieces that are 1½-2" long and ½" maximum stem width and 1" maximum crown width.
- Preheat a wok or large skillet to medium-high temperature, add the avocado oil (or olive oil), and sprinkle the chili flakes into the oil. Fry the chili flakes for 30 seconds, then add the carrots and broccoli pieces and fry, stirring constantly for 2-4 minutes.
- Turn the heat to the wok off and sprinkle the broccoli and carrots with sesame oil. Stir the vegetables to spread the sesame oil flavor.
- By now, the quinoa and air fryer nuggets should be ready. Put a large scoop of cooked quinoa (¾ cup) into each bowl or on each plate, then portion out the stir-fried vegetables and tofu nuggets.
- Top the meals with peanut sauce and any other garnishes, then serve.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 3 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 384Total Fat: 26gSaturated Fat: 5gUnsaturated Fat: 22gSodium: 667mgCarbohydrates: 24gFiber: 6gSugar: 4gProtein: 20g
Nutritional information isn't always accurate and it will vary based on the specific ingredients used.
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