Tofu Egg Roll in a Bowl (Printable)

Crispy tofu meets crisp vegetables in a savory Asian-style bowl with umami sauce

# What You'll Need:

→ Tofu

01 - 14 oz extra-firm tofu, pressed and cubed
02 - 1 tablespoon cornstarch
03 - 1 tablespoon neutral oil

→ Vegetables

04 - 2 cups green cabbage, thinly sliced
05 - 1 cup kale, stemmed and thinly sliced
06 - 1 cup spinach, roughly chopped
07 - 1 large carrot, julienned
08 - 3 green onions, sliced
09 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
10 - 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated

→ Sauce

11 - 3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce or tamari
12 - 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
13 - 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
14 - 1 teaspoon maple syrup or agave
15 - 1/2 teaspoon white pepper

→ Garnish

16 - 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
17 - Chili flakes, optional
18 - Extra sliced green onions

# Directions:

01 - Pat tofu dry and cut into small cubes. Toss with cornstarch to coat evenly.
02 - Heat neutral oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add tofu and pan-fry until golden on all sides, approximately 6 to 8 minutes. Remove and set aside.
03 - In the same pan, add garlic, ginger, and green onions. Sauté for 1 minute until fragrant.
04 - Add cabbage, kale, and carrot. Stir-fry for 3 to 4 minutes until just tender but still vibrant.
05 - Add spinach and cook for 1 minute until wilted.
06 - In a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, maple syrup, and white pepper.
07 - Return tofu to the pan. Pour sauce over tofu and vegetables. Toss gently until everything is well coated and heated through, approximately 2 minutes.
08 - Serve hot, garnished with sesame seeds, extra green onions, and chili flakes if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Crispy tofu and tender greens come together in one pan without any fussy layering or timing tricks.
  • It's genuinely high in protein but doesn't taste like diet food—this tastes like something you'd crave on a Tuesday night.
  • The whole thing comes together in 30 minutes, making it perfect for weeknight cooking when you're hungry but don't want to overthink dinner.
02 -
  • Pressing tofu isn't optional—it's the difference between crispy edges and a mushy mess, and I learned this the hard way by skipping the step once.
  • Don't overcrowd the pan with tofu or it'll steam instead of fry, so work in batches if your skillet is small, and your patience will be rewarded with actual crispiness.
03 -
  • Keep your sesame oil in the cool part of your pantry or it'll go rancid, and a rancid oil ruins the entire bowl, so this matters more than it sounds.
  • If you're making this for a crowd, you can prep all your vegetables ahead of time and just cook everything fresh when people arrive—it's one of those dishes that tastes best made to order.
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