This tofu fried rice is made from savory scrambled tofu, fluffy rice, and colorful veggies flavored with a savory sauce. A simple weekend dinner that is ready in 30 minutes! This amazing dish is highly customizable to suit your needs.
This tofu fried rice is the plant-based version of the classic egg fried rice! Scrambled tofu is used as a substitute for eggs, and tons of veggies are added to bump up this recipe's fiber and nutrient content. I love serving it as an entree or side dish with my vegan chop suey and Chinese spinach soup.
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💚Why you will love this recipe
- A wholesome meal that is loaded with protein and veggies
- Packed with flavors, delicious and incredibly satisfying
- Highly customizable to suit your preference (read on for the list of substitutions)
- An easy 30-minute meal that is beginner-friendly
🍚The best rice for frying
Here are some helpful tips on how to prevent your fried rice from turning mushy and clumpy:
- Use medium or long grain rice - Basmati, brown rice, and Jasmine rice are some varieties that are perfect for frying as they fluff up perfectly without turning mushy.
- Rinse rice thoroughly before cooking - This helps remove excess starch on the rice that causes it to clump together more. I usually rinse my rice at least 3 times or until the water is no longer cloudy.
- Cooking rice -I suggest following the cooking instructions on the package when preparing rice, as the water ratio and cooking time can vary depending on the type of rice. If the rice turns out overly soft, it's likely that too much water was added. Make a note of this and use less water next time.
- Drying them - Typically, fried rice recipes suggest using day-old rice, but freshly cooked rice is also a suitable option! The key is to spread it out on a large plate immediately after cooking and pop them into the freezer for 10-15 minutes to dry them out.
- Breaking them up - If using refrigerated rice, remember to break clumps of rice using your hands before adding it to the pan.
🌿What you will need
📃Ingredients notes and substitutions
- Rice - I am using brown rice, but Jasmine or basmati rice also works. It is recommended to use day-old rice that has been refrigerated overnight.
- Soy sauce - Can be substituted with tamari or shoyu. Use a gluten-free brand if needed.
- Maple syrup - Any other sweetener, like cane sugar, agave syrup, or brown sugar, can be used in place.
- Tofu - make sure to use firm or extra-firm tofu. You do not need to press it beforehand.
- Green onion - Although not pictured above, I highly recommend adding it to your tofu fried rice.
🔪How to make
Making scrambled tofu - Using your hands, crumble tofu into small pieces. Add crumbled tofu, nutritional yeast, and salt into a bowl. Mix until the seasonings are well distributed.
Heat some oil in a skillet or wok and fry tofu for 2-3 minutes. Set aside.
Sauteing aromatics - Add more oil to the same pan, and saute onion for 3-4 minutes or until translucent. Add garlic next and fry for a minute.
Making fried rice - Toss carrot to the pan, and cook for 2-3 minutes. Then, add rice, peas, corn, soy sauce, and maple syrup to the pan. Cook for another 1-2 minutes before adding tofu scramble and sesame oil. Fry until everything is hot.
Remove from heat, then stir in green onion. Your tofu fried rice is ready to be served!
✔Helpful tips
- Using a large enough pan or wok - This is to ensure that the ingredients cook evenly and prevent ingredients from jumping out of the pan.
- Using frozen veggie mix - To save time on prepping, you can use 2 cups of frozen veg mix instead.
- Using day-old rice - Rice that has been refrigerated overnight will dry out slightly, yielding fried rice with fluffy, separated grains. Using freshly cooked rice, especially when it is still warm, will yield fried rice that is mushy and clumpy.
- Storing leftovers - Leftover tofu fried rice can be refrigerated for up to 5 days. You might need to add a splash of water when reheating if the mixture appears dry.
- Go light on liquid seasonings - If you find fried rice bland after adding the suggested amount of soy sauce, season with salt instead of adding more soy sauce. Adding too much liquid will yield soggy fried rice.
- Meal prepping rice - If you make fried rice often, cook a larger batch every time you make rice. Portion out leftover rice using freezer containers or zip-top bags, and defrost it overnight in the fridge before using it in frying.
✨Variations and add-ins
Veggies - As mentioned above, you use 2 cups of frozen veggie mix to save time on chopping. Other vegetables that works great in this tofu fried rice include broccoli, cauliflower, green beans, and bell peppers.
Tofu - You can replace scrambled tofu with ½ cup of Justegg. To further increase the protein content, add other plant-based proteins like edamame, seitan chicken, or chickpeas.
Rice - Any long or short-grain rice, like brown, Jasmine, or basmati rice, will work in this recipe. You can also substitute part of the rice with cauliflower rice.
Spice it up - Add some sliced chilies or chili flakes to your tofu fried rice if you love heat. Or, you can drizzle on some sriracha before serving.
🍚How to serve
This tofu fried rice is highly versatile and can be served for either breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Here are some dishes I love serving alongside with this recipe:
- Condiments - Chili oil, sriracha
- Side dishes - Asian cucumber salad, cabbage carrot stir-fry, vegan egg rolls, air fryer rice paper rolls
- Chinese mains - Hoisin tofu, black bean sauce tofu, vegan orange chicken
- Soups - ABC soup, napa cabbage soup, tofu vegetable soup
❔Commonly asked questions
To achieve fluffy and separated grains in your fried rice, start by using day-old rice that has been refrigerated overnight. This type of rice has less moisture. Also, thoroughly drain your vegetables and avoid adding too much liquid seasonings, which can cause your fried rice to become mushy.
It is not recommended to freeze your fried rice. Tofu will release water upon freezing and thawing, which might cause fried rice to turn soggy.
If you want to use freshly cooked rice for fried rice, it's important to cool it first. To do this, spread the rice on a plate or baking tray and place it under a fan. Wait until the rice has completely cooled down before using it.
🍽More recipes using leftover rice
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📖 Recipe
Vegan Tofu Fried Rice
Ingredients
For scrambled tofu
- 1 14 oz block extra firm tofu
- 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
- pinch of salt (or to taste)
For the fried rice
- 1 medium yellow onion diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 carrot diced
- 3 cup cooked rice brown, basmati, or Jasmine (preferably refrigerated overnight)
- ½ cup green peas frozen or canned
- ½ cup corn kernels fresh, frozen or canned
- 3 tablespoon soy sauce or tamari/shoyu (use gluten-free if needed)
- 1 teaspoon maple syrup or another sweetener
- ½ tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 stalk green onion chopped (optional but recommended)
Instructions
Making scrambled tofu
- Using your hands, crumble up your tofu into small pieces.1 14 oz block extra firm tofu
- Combine crumbled tofu, nutritional yeast, and salt in a bowl and mix until seasonings are well incorperated.1 tablespoon nutritional yeast, pinch of salt
- Heat about ½ tablespoon of neutral oil in a large cast iron skillet or non-stick pan on medium-high heat. Place in tofu and fry for 3-4 minutes. Set aside for later use.
Making fried rice
- In the same pan, add another ½ tablespoon or so of oil. Place in onion and saute until translucent, for 4-5 minutes.1 medium yellow onion
- Next, stir in garlic and cook for another 1-2 minutes.3 cloves garlic
- Now, add in carrots or other hard vegetables you are using. Cook until softened, for 4-5 minutes.1 carrot
- Add rice, peas, and corn along with soy sauce and maple syrup. Cook for another 2-3 minutes until everything is thoroughly heated, stirring often.3 cup cooked rice, ½ cup corn kernels, ½ cup green peas, 3 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 teaspoon maple syrup
- Lastly, stir in scrambled tofu and sesame oil. Mix until everything is well incorporated. Give it a taste and add some salt, if needed.½ tablespoon sesame oil
- Optionally, stir in green onion before serving your tofu fried rice!1 stalk green onion
Notes
- Using frozen veggie mix - To save time on prepping, you can use 2 cups of frozen veg mix instead.
- Using day-old rice - Rice that has been refrigerated overnight will dry out slightly, yielding fried rice with fluffy, separated grains. Using freshly cooked rice, especially when it is still warm, will yield fried rice that is mushy and clumpy.
- Storing leftovers - Leftover tofu fried rice can be refrigerated for up to 5 days. You might need to add a splash of water when reheating if the mixture appears dry.
Nutrition
Nutrition info calculated is just a rough estimate and is provided as a courtesy. Bear in mind that value will vary based on variables like specific brand or type of product used. To obtain the most accurate representation, it is highly recommended that you calculate it on your own with the actual amount and type of ingredient used.
Denise C.
To cook brown rice, what is the ratio of water to rice? Also, does tofu need to be pressed?
Meesha
It is about 1 cup rice to 2 1/2 cups water, but you might have to adjust the ratio slightly depending on the variety of rice used. And no, you will not need to press the tofu as excess moisture will evaporate upon cooking! Hope you find this helpful. 😁