Tofu is anything but boring when you crisp it up in the air fryer and toss it in a sweet and spicy Thai sweet chili sauce then serve it up in a bowl with veggies and California-grown Calrose rice. These bowls are great for weeknights since they come together quick and are easily customizable.
Tofu is boring, but it doesn’t have to be once you crisp it up and add a flavorful sauce like in these sticky tofu bowls. For this recipe, I’ve teamed up with USA rice since the perfect base for that sticky tofu is California grown Calrose rice. This rice variety is a medium-grain rice that has a soft, slightly sticky texture that is ideal for holding sauces like in these tofu bowls.
This recipe is a simple, no-fuss meal that is easily customizable and comes together in about 30 minutes so you can add it to your weeknight dinner rotation. You can easily mix and match the veggies you add here and even swap out the tofu for other plant-based proteins like chickpeas or tempeh.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Here’s quick rundown of some of the ingredients you’ll need for this recipe. See the recipe card at the bottom of the post for the exact amounts.
- U.S.-grown Calrose rice: This rice variety is a medium-grain rice that has a soft, slightly sticky texture that is ideal for holding sauces like in these tofu bowls.
- Extra Firm Tofu: you’ll want to use extra firm tofu since it holds its shape better than others and crisps well in the air fryer (or oven).
- Cornstarch: helps reduce moisture to give the tofu a more crispy exterior.
- Thai sweet chili sauce: packs tons of flavor into the tofu for this bowl. I toss the tofu in this sauce and then drizzle a bit more over the bowls to serve.
- Veggies: I stir fried some green beans and red pepper for this bowl but you can easily swap with any other veggies you have on hand. Try it with carrots, snap peas, zucchini, broccoli, cabbage, and more.
Substitutions & Variations
Swap the Tofu: If you don’t have any tofu on hand, you can swap the tofu for tempeh or even chickpeas.
Change up the Veggies: I served this with green beans and red bell pepper but you can easily swap out any other veggie that stir fries well.
Make it Gluten Free: you can easily make this recipe gluten free by using a gluten free tamari in place of the soy sauce.
How to Make Sticky Tofu Rice Bowls
Here’s a quick review of the recipe steps.
Cook the Rice: add 1 1/2 cups Calrose rice and 2 cups water to a medium saucepan. Let soak for 15 minutes. Then bring to a soft boil and reduce to a simmer. Cover and simmer 20 minutes or until water is absorbed and rice is tender. Turn off heat and let stand for 10 minutes then fluff with a fork.
Make the Tofu: Tear the tofu into bite sized pieces and add to a bowl. Toss to coat in oil, cornstarch, and soy sauce then transfer to an air fryer and cook for 10-15 minutes. Once golden brown, transfer to a bowl and add the chili sauce. Toss to coat.
Stir Fry the Veggies: Add the olive oil to a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the green beans, bell pepper, and garlic. Saute for 5-7 minutes until tender. Turn off the heat and stir in the sesame seeds and soy sauce.
Assemble: Divide the rice between 4 bowls and top with the tofu and stir fried veggies. Drizzle with more chili sauce and fresh squeezed lime to serve.
Storage & Make Ahead
Make Ahead: You can prep all the different elements of this bowl in advance and store in the fridge until you’re ready to reheat and serve. For the tofu, I’d recommend reheating in the oven or an air fryer as it might lose some of its crispiness in the microwave.
Storage: store any leftovers in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. Unfortunately, this one doesn’t really freeze very well.
More Tofu Recipes You’ll Love
Sticky Tofu Bowl
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups U.S.-grown Calrose rice
- 3 cups water
For the Tofu
- 16 oz extra firm tofu
- 1 tablespoon corn starch
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce
- 1/4 cup Thai sweet chili sauce
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
For the Stir Fried Veggies
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 lb green beans, trimmed, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 red bell pepper, sliced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce
- 1/2 tablespoon sesame seeds
Instructions
- Add the Calrose rice and water to a medium saucepan. Let soak for 15 minutes. Then bring to a soft boil and reduce to a simmer. Cover and simmer 20 minutes or until water is absorbed and rice is tender. Turn off heat and let stand for 10 minutes then fluff with a fork.
- Tear the tofu into bite sized pieces and add to a bowl. Toss to coat in oil, cornstarch, and soy sauce then transfer to an air fryer at 400 degrees Fahrenheit and cook for 10-15 minutes. Once golden brown, transfer to a bowl and add the chili sauce. Toss to coat.
- Add the olive oil to a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the green beans, bell pepper, and garlic. Saute for 8-10 minutes until tender. Turn off the heat and stir in the sesame seeds and soy sauce.
- Assemble bowls. Top with more chili sauce and fresh squeeze lime to serve.
Notes
Nutrition
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