Crispy Tofu Bowl Recipe
Crispy tofu coated in seasoned panko served with couscous, fresh veggies, and spicy mayo for a quick and flavorful meal.
Serving Size 4
Equipment
Ingredients
Tofu
- 340 grams soy-free tofu cut into cubes, 1 block of tofu
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 3/4 teaspoons salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 cup cold water
- 1 cup Panko breadcrumbs
- oil for frying
Bowl
- 1/2 cup couscous
- 1 Persian cucumber sliced
- 6 grape tomatoes halved
- 1 avocado sliced
- fresh parsley
- 1/2 teaspoon sesame seeds
Sauce
- 1/4 cup vegan mayo
- 1-2 tablespoons sriracha hot sauce
- 1 teaspoons lime juice
- 1 teaspoons sesame oil
Instructions
Make the Couscous
- Combine an equal amount of dried couscous with boiling water. Add a pinch of salt. Stir briefly and add a lid. Let sit for at least 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork before serving.
Make the Sriracha Mayo
- Stir together mayo, sriracha, lime juice, and sesame oil until smooth.
Prep the Veggies
- Slice cucumbers, halve tomatoes, and cut avocado into slices.
Prep the Tofu
- Slice tofu into cubes. In a bowl, whisk flour, garlic powder, paprika, salt, pepper, and cold water into a smooth batter. Place the breadcrumbs in another bowl.
- Dip tofu cubes into the batter, then coat with panko breadcrumbs.
Cook the Tofu
- Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
- Fry tofu, in batches if needed, until golden and crispy on all sides. This takes about 3-4 minutes on the first side and then only 2 minutes or so on the other side. Fry for a minute on any other side that isn’t crispy. If your oil is deep enough, you may only need to flip once. If you use minimal oil, you’ll need to flip several times.
- Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and sprinkle with salt.
Assemble the Bowl
- Assemble bowls with couscous, crispy tofu, veggies, and sauce. Garnish with parsley and sesame seeds. Serve immediately.
Video
Notes
Use extra-firm tofu. Softer tofu will fall apart during frying. Be gentle when working with soy-free tofu, if using.
Cold water helps prevent lumps when mixing with flour.
Don’t overcrowd the pan. Fry the tofu in batches if needed. If the pan is too crowded, the tofu won’t crisp up evenly.
Prep everything before frying. Have your veggies sliced and sauce ready to go so you can serve everything hot and fresh as soon as the tofu is done.
Taste the sauce before serving: Everyone’s heat tolerance is different. Start with less sriracha and adjust to your liking.
Store the tofu, couscous, sauce, and veggies in separate airtight containers in the fridge.
The tofu will stay fresh for 3–4 days, but may lose some crispness. To reheat, warm it in a hot pan or air fryer for a few minutes to bring the crunch back.
Store the sauce in a jar or small container, and it’ll keep for up to a week. Avoid freezing, as tofu texture can change, and veggies like cucumbers won’t hold up.
