Vegan Fried Rice with Tofu

Make takeout at home! This Vegan Fried Rice is made with crispy tofu, carrots, peas, and cashews for a hearty and delicious plant-based and gluten-free meal the whole family will love. Make it in under 30 minutes!

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As a vegan, we end up eating a lot of fried rice and vegetable stir fry at my house. When in doubt, it’s stir fry night.

And why not? These one pot meals are:

• Easy to make. Most can be made in under 30 minutes with just a handful of ingredients
• Wildly versatile. Vegetables, sauces, and proteins can be swapped out to make a different meal every time.
• Good for you. They are typically packed with veggies, protein, and healthy fats and are easily made vegan and gluten-free
• A meal even the most novice of cooks can master and make 100% delicious!

And this recipe is no exception.

Ingredients & Substitutions

I love this recipe. It is filled with delicious flavors, it’s high in protein and veggies, and it can be made in under 30 minutes! Beyond that, it is wildly adaptable. Change it up depending on what vegetables you have on hand!

Here is everything you need.

Ingredient Notes

• Rice – I recommend long-grained rice such as basmati or jasmine. You can use either brown or white rice just note that brown rice takes about twice as long to cook.
• Extra-Firm Tofu – Look for high-protein extra-firm tofu. This particular tofu does not need to be pressed. If you can only find water-packed tofu, make sure to thoroughly press out the water with a tofu press. Softer tofu will crumble and not give you the same chewy texture. If you don’t like tofu, try this recipe with tempeh or soy curls instead. (<<affiliate link)
• Oil – You will need a high heat oil for stir-frying the tofu and vegetables. I recommend coconut or peanut oil, both of which add a nice flavor to this dish. You will also need sesame oil for the sauce.
• Onions – You will need both white or yellow and green onions for this dish.
• Vegetables – I use a combination of carrots, mushrooms, and peas. I have also made this recipe with baby corn, bell peppers, and/or broccoli. You could also add pineapple for a little sweetness. You can substitute as you please, just aim for about 5-6 cups of veggies.
• Cashews – Feel free to omit for a nut free option.
• Tamari – Tamari is a gluten-free soy sauce. You can use regular soy sauce if you aren’t gluten-free.
• Sugar – This is to sweeten the sauce. For an unrefined sugar option, use equal amounts of coconut sugar or maple syrup.
• Rice Vinegar – You can also use Mirin, rice wine vinegar, or even white wine vinegar if that’s all you have on hand.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step Two – Sauté the Tofu

If you are using water-packed tofu make sure to press as much water as you can out of it first by using a tofu press or a weighted, towel-lined cutting board. Press the tofu for at least 1 hour. If you don’t press the tofu, it will likely stick to the bottom of your pan which will prevent it from browning.

Pat the tofu dry and cut it into 1/2″ cubes. Heat the oil over medium-high heat. Test the hotness of the oil by adding a couple of drops of water to the pan. It should immediately sizzle. Add the tofu and sautéfor about 5 minutes, stirring often, until the tofu is brown on all sides. Remove from heat and set aside.

Step Three – Sauté the Veggies

Wipe the skillet down and return it to medium heat. Add the additional two tablespoons of oil.

Sauté the onions for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until translucent. Add the ginger and garlic and sauté for another minute. Once fragrant, add the carrots, mushrooms, and peas and cook until tender and the mushrooms have reduced in size. This should take about 5 minutes.

Step Four – Mix Together

Stir together the sauce ingredients and set aside.

Once your vegetables are tender and your rice is cooked, create a well in the center of the wok. Add cooked rice and sauté for 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently. Try to keep the vegetables to the side of the wok and only stir fry the rice.

Once the rice is lightly cooked, stir in vegetables, add tofu, cashews, and sauce and stir to combine.

Serving and Storing

Serving – Serve immediately. For a complete meal, serve this vegetable fried rice with fresh spring rolls or curry noodle soup.

Storing – Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. To heat it, gently reheat it in a wok with a tablespoon of oil or in the microwave.

Frequently Asked Questions

More Vegan Take-Out Recipes

• Sticky Sesame Cauliflower
• Vegetable Spring Rolls
• Orange “Chicken”
• Vegan Pad Thai with Tofu
• Thai Green Curry

Vegan Fried Rice w/ Tofu

Make takeout at home! This Vegan Fried Rice is made with crispy tofu, carrots, peas, and cashews for a hearty and delicious plant-based and gluten-free meal the whole family will love.

4.84 from 6 votes

Print Pin Rate

Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes minutes

Servings: 6 people

Calories: 354kcal

Author: Sarah McMinn

Ingredients

Vegetable Fried Rice

• 1 1/2 cups uncooked basmati rice
• 8 oz extra firm tofu, cut 1/2″ cubes
• 3 tablespoons coconut or peanut oil, divided
• 1/2 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
• 4 cloves fresh garlic, minced
• 1 inch fresh ginger, peeled and minced
• 3 medium carrots, peeled and diced
• 1 1/2 cups mushrooms, quartered
• 1 1/2 cups peas
• 1/3 cup raw cashews
• salt and pepper

Sauce

• 3 tablespoon tamari
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 2 green onions, minced

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• Cook the rice according to package instructions. Once cooked, fluff with a fork and let cool for 5 minutes.
• While rice is cooking, heat 1 tablespoons of oil in a wok or a large cast-iron skillet. Pat the tofu dry and cut it into 1/2″ cubes. Sauté in over medium heat for about 5 minutes until the tofu is brown on all sides. Remove from heat and set aside.
• In the same skillet, heat the addiitonal 2 tablespoons of oil. Sauté onions for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until translucent. Add ginger and garlic and sauté for another minute. Once fragrant, add the carrots, mushrooms, and peas and cook until tender, about 5 more minutes.
• Stir together the sauce ingredients and set aside.
• Once vegetables are tender, create a well in the center and add cooked rice. Sauté for 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently. Once the rice is lightly cooked, combine with vegetables, add tofu, cashews, and sauce and stir to combine. Serve immediately.

Notes

Serving and Storing – Serve immediately. For a complete meal, serve this vegetable fried rice with fresh spring rolls or curry noodle soup. Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. To heat it, gently reheat it in a wok with a tablespoon of oil or in the microwave.

Recipe Tips

1. Do not overcook the rice. Overcooked rice will get mushy and won’t stir fry when added to the vegetables. Use long-grain rice and cook it until it is al dente.
2. Use a non-stick wok or large skillet. If your wok is not non-stick, the tofu and rice will stick to the bottom and never pan fry.

Variations 

• Feel free to swap out the veggies. Other veggies to try are baby corn, bell peppers, and/or broccoli. You could also add pineapple for a little sweetness. You can substitute as you please, just aim for about 5-6 cups of veggies overall.
• You can substitute tempeh or soy curls. Soy curls are similar to the texture of chicken and make a great substitution. You can also omit the tofu all together and add extra veggies instead.

Nutrition

Calories: 354kcal | Carbohydrates: 51g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Sodium: 532mg | Potassium: 414mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 5413IU | Vitamin C: 19mg | Calcium: 45mg | Iron: 2mg