Make this Rice Bowl with Spicy Peanut Sauce as a healthy and satisfying vegan lunch! It features pan fried tofu, brown rice, and creamy peanut sauce.
Rice Bowl with Spicy Peanut Sauce
Coming at you with a 1-hour vegan lunch idea! But it could be dinner too. Or breakfast – you do you!
Fried tofu is up there with my favorite foods. Plus, it is truly incredible in this rice bowl with chewy brown rice, steamed broccoli, and the creamiest spicy peanut sauce. This recipe is a dressed up version of what I eat for lunch most days – the sauces changes from day to day, but the core ingredients stay the same.
Finally, thank you to NOW Foods for partnering with me on this recipe! We’re using their NOW Real Food® Organic Sprouted Brown Rice and Ellyndale® Organics Extra Virgin Olive Oil in this bowl that’s perfect for a healthy lunch.
Ingredients in this Brown Rice Bowl
First, let’s go through the simple ingredients you’ll need for this vegan lunch bowl:
- NOW Real Food® Organic Sprouted Brown Rice. Adding whole grains like brown rice to our diets provides dietary fiber, which helps us feel full and regulates our blood sugar throughout the day so we avoid those annoying spikes and crashes.
- Ellyndale® Organics Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Replacing saturated fats (from animal foods and tropical oils) with unsaturated fats (from nuts, seeds, plant oils, and more) can have beneficial effects on our “bad” LDL cholesterol levels and may lower our risk for heart disease. Ellyndale® Organics Extra Virgin Olive Oil is great for lightly frying the tofu.
- Tofu. This adds plant-based protein to keep us satisfied.
- Soy sauce. Here’s a trick: buy regular soy sauce, then cut it with water to make your own low-sodium soy sauce for cheaper.
- Sriracha. More if you like things really spicy!
- Peanut butter. Creamy peanut butter with no added sugar works best in this rice bowl recipe.
- Rice vinegar.
- Sugar. Just a pinch for the spicy peanut sauce.
How to Make Spicy Peanut Sauce
First off, I highly recommend making a double or triple batch of this spicy peanut sauce to keep in your fridge, because you’ll want to pour it on everything!
This sauce is inspired by Thai peanut sauce – salty, creamy, spicy, with a hint of sweetness. The method for making it couldn’t be easier; just whisk everything in a bowl until smooth. Also, if you’re a spicy-food fiend, you’ll want to add a bit more sriracha than what this rice bowl recipe calls for.
More Vegan Lunch Ideas
If you love this brown rice bowl recipe, you’ll also love these other vegan lunch ideas:
- Easy Vegetable Lo Mein
- Vegan Poke Bowl
- Vegan Tuna Salad Sandwiches
- Soba Noodle Salad by Simple Veganista
Rice Bowl with Spicy Peanut Sauce
Make this Rice Bowl with Spicy Peanut Sauce as a healthy and satisfying vegan lunch! It features pan fried tofu, brown rice, and creamy peanut sauce.
Ingredients
- 1 cup NOW Real Food® Organic Sprouted Brown Rice
- 1 14-ounce block extra-firm tofu, drained and pressed*
- 2 tablespoons Ellyndale® Organics Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon sriracha
- 4 cups broccoli, chopped into bite-size pieces
For the peanut sauce:
- 1/4 cup peanut butter
- 2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1 1/2 teaspoons sriracha
- 1 teaspoon rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon sugar
Instructions
- Cook brown rice according to package directions.
- Cut tofu into 1/2-inch cubes.
- In a medium skillet over medium heat, add olive oil. When hot, add tofu, soy sauce, and sriracha; gently stir. Cook for 3-5 minutes, until crispy on one side, then flip. Cook for another 5 minutes, until crispy on both sides.
- In a medium saucepan, steam broccoli.
- In a medium bowl, add all peanut sauce ingredients. Whisk until smooth.
- Serve brown rice, crispy tofu, and steamed broccoli with peanut sauce, green onions, and sesame seeds.
Notes
*Use a tofu press, or wrap the tofu in paper towels and place in the sink with a heavy object on top. Press for 10-15 minutes.
Thanks to NOW Foods for sponsoring this post! I love working with brands whose products I really love and would honestly recommend. Thank you for your support!
