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Why you'll love this vegetable fried rice
- This rice dish is a great recipe for the whole family, and the best thing is that it's quick and easy for busy nights!
- It's a recipe that both vegans and non-vegans will enjoy, popular with both kids and adults too.
- Fried rice comes together in the blink of an eye, all you need is 15 minutes to whip up this masterpiece of a recipe.
- For this recipe, you don't have to press the tofu, so there's no need for a tofu press.
- This brown rice version is more nutritious than Chinese takeout, and it will be on the table faster than takeout can arrive!
- This vegetarian recipe is also vegan-friendly, gluten-free and boasts 9 grams of protein, making it. good source of proteins for dinner.
- Vegan Fried Rice is a great way to use day-old rice or leftover rice you have in the fridge taking up space.
Ingredients you'll need to make this easy tofu fried rice recipe
- Avocado or Olive Oil
- Yellow Onion
- Frozen Green Peas & Carrots Blend
- Extra Firm Tofu
- Turmeric
- Kala Namak (you can leave this out, but it does add an "eggy" flavor to the dish)
- Frozen Brown Rice (I used 365 brand) or leftover rice
- Reduced Sodium Gluten-Free Tamari (you can use soy sauce instead if not avoiding gluten)
- Toasted Sesame Oil (optional for garnish, but adds a nice nutty flavor))
How to make vegan tofu fried rice
If using frozen rice, prepare in the microwave according to the package directions.
If using leftover rice, skip and move on to the next step.
While the rice is cooking, dice the onion on a cutting board and heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet or sauté pan over medium-high heat.
Once the oil is heated, add the onion to the hot pan and sauté for 2-3 minutes until translucent.
Open the package of extra firm tofu and drain any excess liquid.
You can also pat the tofu a little with a paper towel to soak up some excess water.
Use your hands to crumble the tofu into the pan.
Add turmeric and kala namak.
Stir to combine the tofu and seasoning mixture.
Cook for 2 minutes.
Add the frozen veggies, warm rice and tamari and cook until veggies are warmed throughout, stirring frequently.
If you are using leftover cold rice, it may take a few minutes longer as you want to be sure the rice is thoroughly heated.
Drizzle with toasted sesame oil if desired.
You could also garnish with toasted sesame seeds if you'd like.
Storing and reheating
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Leftover rice can be reheated in a non-stick skillet over medium heat with a bit of avocado or olive oil or in a covered microwave-safe dish in the microwave until warmed throughout.
You can also choose to freeze leftovers, or make a double or triple batch to freeze the extra fried rice for later. Store this in a freezer-safe container or a freezer-safe bag, labeled, for up to 3-4 weeks.
To thaw your frozen fried rice, remove the container or bag from the freezer the night before and place it in the refrigerator to thaw overnight before reheating when you're ready to enjoy your vegan tofu fried rice again.
Top Tips and Variations
- You can make this recipe in a large wok, on the skillet, in a cast iron pan (adjust recipe as necessary), or on a Blackstone griddle.
- Toasted sesame oil is essential. That's what brings the nutty flavor and really sets your homemade vegan fried rice up to restaurant quality, if not better! You don't want to use olive oil, vegetable oil, canola oil, or even plain sesame oil - the toasted version is what you need.
- If you want to add a nice kick, consider adding some ginger to this fried rice recipe.
- If you want to add a nice pop of sweetness to this dish, add some pineapple chunks.
Frequently asked questions
Take-out fried rice is typically not vegan as it is usually made with scrambled eggs. Some versions also contain sauces that are not suitable for vegans, such as fish sauce or oyster sauce.
To make this fried rice vegan, this recipe uses scrambled tofu instead of the scrambled egg that is traditionally used.
If you prefer you can use white rice or jasmine rice, or a long grain rice instead. Using white rice gives your vegan fried rice more of a traditional fried rice taste and end result.
Try some bean sprouts, bok choy, and edamame with your rice. Garnish with some green onions. Be sure to check out this collection of side dishes to serve with fried rice for more ideas.
If you want to step away from the traditional fried rice recipe, you can add in some other vegetables to bulk out the rice a bit and get more vegetables in. Some great ideas to use in this vegan rice recipe would be: red pepper, red onion, chopped kale or spinach, mushrooms, broccoli floriets, snow peas, zucchini, and a little bit of edamame.
This can be left out in this recipe, but it's what brings the "egg" flavoring to the dish. Kala Namak is a wildly popular vegan tofu scramble seasoning used a lot in Pakistani and Indian food, that brings a nice eggy flavoring to any vegan dish while also providing some minerals and iron that is needed in a well balanced diet. It's also known as "black salt" and is said to be good for relieving heartburn and intestinal gas.
Now that you see just how incredibly simple it is to make this homemade vegan fried rice recipe, gather up your ingredients and make a batch to enjoy with your family!
More tofu recipes
Easy Vegan Fried Rice with Tofu Egg
Ingredients
- 20 oz bag of frozen brown rice or (2) 10 oz. bags (you can use 4 cups of leftover cooked rice if preferred)
- 2 tablespoon avocado or olive oil
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 2 cup frozen peas/carrots blend
- 14 oz extra firm tofu, excess water drained
- ½ teaspoon turmeric
- ½ teaspoon kala namak (aka Indian black salt) (you can leave this out, but it does add an "eggy" flavor to the dish)
- ¼ cup reduced sodium gluten-free tamari, plus more for serving if desired (you can use soy sauce instead if not avoiding gluten)
- toasted sesame oil, for garnish, optional
Instructions
- Cook rice in the microwave according to package directions. If using leftover rice, skip and move on to the next step.
- While the rice is cooking, heat the oil in a deep 12-inch nonstick skillet or sauté pan over medium-high heat. Once the oil is heated, add the onion and sauté for 2-3 minutes until translucent.
- Use your hands to crumble the tofu into the pan. Add turmeric and kala namak. Stir to combine the tofu and seasoning mixture. Cook for 2 minutes.
- Add the veggies, rice and tamari and cook until veggies are warmed throughout, stirring frequently. If you are using leftover rice, it may take a few minutes longer since the rice will be cold, and you want to make sure the rice is thoroughly heated.
- Drizzle with toasted sesame oil if desired.
(Please refer to the post above for instructional photographs and other helpful information for this recipe)
Notes
Nutrition
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