Chili Crisp Tofu Bowls
Spice up your dinners with this Chili Crisp Tofu Bowl that is packed with bold flavor! The tofu is marinated in a savory, spicy chili crisp sauce and pan-fried to perfection. It is paired with complimentary Chinese-inspired veg like bok choy and snow peas.
Other tasty tofu recipes to try:
- If you love tofu bowls, try out my Thai Peanut Tofu Quinoa Bowl with the most delish peanut sauce!
- This Asian Tofu Buddha Bowl is great for those who prefer less spice, but love the asian flavors!
- My Mongolian Tofu Stir Fry incorporates a sweet and spicy brown sugar sauce that tastes out of this world!
Ingredients
Ingredient notes:
- Extra firm tofu: I recommend an extra firm tofu for this recipe for the flavor.
- Chili crisp: Chili crisp is a spicy Chinese condiment made from fried red chilies, Sichuan peppercorns, garlic, and various seasonings, creating a flavorful and crispy sauce that adds heat and texture to a variety of dishes. You can find it in the Asian aisle at many grocery stores and at Asian grocery stores.
See recipe card for full ingredient list and quantities.
📝Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Start by cooking your brown rice to package instructions, as this is the longest step.
Dice your pressed tofu into 1/1 1/2 inch cubes or triangles. *I prefer triangles for pan-frying because there’s less sides to cook!
Step 2: Whisk your Chili Crisp Marinade together in a medium-large bowl (big enough to fit your tofu).
Step 3:Add your tofu to the marinade. Gently mix until each piece of tofu is coated.
Place the tofu with marinade in the fridge for 20 minutes while you prepare the other ingredients.
Step 4: In a large pan, begin heating sesame oil over medium-high heat. Add in the minced garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes until fragrant, stirring occasionally.
Add in your bok choy pieces, snow peas, and carrots. Toss the veggies in the oil/garlic mixture. Cover for 1-2 minutes, then uncover and toss the veggies so each side gets evenly cooked. Cover again for a few minutes and repeat this step for a total of 3-5 minutes until the veggies have a nice sear.
*If you want a little spice for your veggies too, I like to add a little more chili crisp on top of the veggies.
Step 5: Remove veggies from pan. Over medium heat, add the marinated tofu (save marinade). Spread tofu evenly in the pan and cook for 3-4 minutes per side to get golden, then flip. Continue cooking each side of the tube pieces until cooked to your liking. I like to add in a splash of marinade over the tofu as its cooking to add more flavor and “crisp”.
Step 6: Serve Chili Crisp Tofu Bowls with rice at the base, then veggies and tofu. Drizzle leftover marinade on top if desired for more flavor!
Sprinkle with diced green onion, sesame seeds, and cilantro if desired. Enjoy!
❓Recipe FAQs
Store in airtight containers for up to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave or stovetop.
Yes, chili crisp is made from red chilis and packs some heat for this tofu. It’s not outrageously spicy, but if you enjoy a little “medium” heat, you will love this recipe.
This is a fairly common Asian condiment that you can find in the Asian aisle at most grocery stores. It comes in a small jar usually. This is different from chili oil, which contains much more oil that chili pepper flakes.
You can also find this product on Amazon.
▶︎Love tofu? Check out this amazing honey mustard tofu from Easy Chickpeasy or the best tofu recipes from Share the Spice!
Pro Tips
- I love baby bok choy for this recipe and if you are unfamiliar with cooking this vegetable, it’s really easy! Make sure to wash it under cold running water to get rid of any dirt. Slice off a small part of the base, but still leaving it in intact so the stems are connected. Slice in half and then again if you want quartered pieces.
- Chili crisp is such a flavorful condiment that can even be added to the top of tofu and veggies after you have assembled your bowl.
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Chili Crisp Tofu Bowls
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Ingredients
- 16 oz block extra firm tofu drained and pressed for 15 minutes
- 1 cup uncooked brown rice or grain of choice
- 1 baby bok choy stalk halved or quartered
- 1 cup julienned/shredded carrots
- 1 heaping cup snow peas
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 3 cloves minced garlic
Chili Crisp Marinade
- 3 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp chili crisp sauce* homemade or store bought
- 1/2 tbsp sesame oil
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
- 2 tsp rice vinegar
- 2 cloves minced ginger
- 1 tsp ginger paste or grated fresh ginger
Optional Toppings
- diced green onion
- sesame seeds
- chopped cilantro
Instructions
- Start by cooking your brown rice to package instructions, as this is the longest step.1 cup uncooked brown rice
Tofu & Marinade
- Dice your pressed tofu into 1/1 1/2 inch cubes or triangles. *I prefer triangles for pan-frying as there less sides to cook!16 oz block extra firm tofu
- Whisk your Chili Crisp Marinade together in a medium-large bowl (big enough to fit your tofu).Add your tofu to the marinade. Gently mix until each piece of tofu is coated.Place the tofu with marinade in the fridge for 20 minutes while you prepare the other ingredients.3 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp chili crisp sauce*, 1/2 tbsp sesame oil, 1 tbsp maple syrup, 2 tsp rice vinegar, 1 tsp ginger paste or grated fresh ginger, 2 cloves minced ginger
Pan-Fry Veggies
- In a large pan, begin heating sesame oil over medium-high heat. Add in the minced garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes until fragrant, stirring occasionally.1 tbsp sesame oil, 3 cloves minced garlic
- Add in your bok choy pieces, snow peas, and carrots. Toss the veggies in the oil/garlic mixture. Cover for 1-2 minutes, then uncover and toss the veggies so each side gets evenly cooked. Cover again for a few minutes and repeat this step for a total of 3-5 minutes until the veggies have a nice sear. *If you want a little spice for your veggies too, I like to add a little more chili crisp on top.1 baby bok choy stalk, 1 cup julienned/shredded carrots, 1 heaping cup snow peas
Pan-Fry Tofu
- Remove veggies from pan. Over medium heat, add the marinated tofu (save marinade). Spread tofu evenly in the pan and cook for 3-4 minutes per side until golden brown, then flip. Continue cooking each side of the tube pieces until cooked to your liking.*I like to add in a splash of marinade over the tofu as its cooking to add more flavor and "crisp".
Assemble
- Serve Chili Crisp Tofu Bowls with rice at the base, then veggies and tofu. Drizzle leftover marinade on top if desired for more flavor!Sprinkle with diced green onion, sesame seeds, and cilantro if desired. Enjoy!
Notes
- Feel free to use any other veggies you like: sliced red pepper, snap peas, broccoli or broccolini, spinach, and more.
- This bowl can easily be doubled (or tripled) to have leftovers!
Really good and I loved that it was ready in under an hour. That chili crisp is super good. Great recipe!
Thanks so much for your review Astra!
Had these tofu bowls for dinner and they were delicious! So flavorful and the chili crisp added such a great kick. So happy to have found this recipe—thanks for sharing!
Thanks for your review Victoria! Glad you enjoyed it!!