Buffalo Tofu Bowl

The tofu is tossed in a paste made from nutritional yeast, soy sauce, and cornstarch to give it a crispy coating.  After it has crisped up in the oven, it’s tossed in buffalo sauce for a hot and spicy addition to a rice bowl.  The plant-based meal is packed with bursts of cherry tomatoes, refreshing crisp cucumber, and crunchy sweet carrots, all layered on white rice and then drizzled with a creamy vegan ranch dressing.

The buffalo tofu rice bowl recipe is easy and customizable.  Add any other veggies you want or make it into a buffalo tofu salad by skipping the rice.  The recipe combines my tofu buffalo nuggets and vegan ranch dressing into a vegan nourish bowl for a hearty plant-based meal.

For more tofu bowls, try a tofu burrito bowl, a tofu Buddha bowl with peanut sauce, or a black bean burrito bowl with dairy-free chipotle dressing.

Ingredient notes and substitutions

Please see the recipe card below for a complete list of ingredients, measurements, and additional links to the recipes for buffalo tofu and vegan ranch dressing.

Rice - White rice, jasmine, or brown rice can work with the recipe.  

Tofu - The recipe calls for vegan buffalo tofu.  Super firm tofu is best for the recipe.  It doesn’t break apart as much as the extra firm tofu does, and it doesn’t need to be pressed.  The extra firm can still work for the recipe, but it does need to be pressed, and be careful stirring it with the paste so it doesn’t break apart.  I wouldn’t recommend using firm tofu.

Hot sauce - We use Frank’s RedHot original; it’s a cayenne pepper-style hot sauce.  A lot of buffalo sauce recipes call for Frank’s RedHot and butter to be mixed together.  In this recipe, instead of adding butter, I use nutritional yeast.  The nutritional yeast tames the heat of the hot sauce like butter would, but it also thickens it, so I wouldn’t add more than the recommended 1 ½ tablespoons.  To make buffalo bites less spicy, use less hot sauce; to make them spicier, skip the nutritional yeast.  To make them even spicier, after the last 5 minutes of cooking, toss them again with more hot sauce.  

Frank’s RedHot Buffalo sauce can also be used without the added nutritional yeast.  It does contain oil, and it will be a little milder in heat.  

Veggies - Add any kind of veggies that sound good or that are in season.  I add cucumbers to a lot of nourish bowl recipes because they add a lot of bulk to the bowls and they add a refreshing, crisp taste.  The shredded carrots add a slightly sweet flavor and crunchy texture.  The cherry tomatoes add bursts of sweetness.  Romaine lettuce adds bulk and a crispy texture.  Sliced celery and radishes also work well. 

Vegan oil-free ranch dressing - The dressing is cashew-based, and no mayo is needed to make this creamy, tangy, oil-free dressing.  The recipe calls for the cashews to be soaked overnight or use my quick soak method below.

For a quicker soaking method, boil enough water to cover the cashews by at least 1 inch and pour the hot water over the nuts in a heat-tolerant container.  Soak for around 30 minutes on the counter.  If you don’t have a high-speed blender you may need to soak them longer than 30 minutes.

Tips

• The dressing can be prepped ahead of time, but the buffalo nuggets are best enjoyed immediately after preparing.
• If you prefer the buffalo nuggets spicier, after they have baked for the last 5 minutes with the hot sauce, toss with more hot sauce.  Add to taste.
• Check out the post for buffalo tofu for notes, tips, and how to prepare it.
• Check out the post for vegan oil-free ranch dressing for notes, tips, and how to prepare it. 

How to make a vegan buffalo tofu bowl

1. Start the rice first, and it can cool while the tofu finishes cooking.  Prepare the rice according to the package instructions.  I prefer to serve the rice cooled (close to room temperature).

2. Start the buffalo tofu nugget recipe. Preheat the oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat to prevent the tofu from sticking to the tray.

3. In a large bowl, combine the 2 ½ tablespoons of nutritional yeast, cornstarch, tamari, water, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, and salt.  Mix to form a paste. (Check out the buffalo tofu bites for exact measurement and instructions.)

4. For super firm tofu, drain the tofu, don't pat dry (the extra liquid helps thin out the paste), break off pieces of tofu into bite-size pieces, and add them to the paste.

5. Gently stir the tofu and the paste.  I like to use a silicone stirring spatula to almost fold the tofu and paste to help prevent the tofu from crumbling.

6. Spread the tofu out in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet.  If you have excess paste, don’t pour it on the baking sheet. Cook for 30 minutes or until golden brown.

7. Mix the hot sauce and 1  ½ tablespoons of nutritional yeast in a large bowl.

8. After 30 minutes, remove the tofu nuggets from the oven, add them to the large bowl, and toss with the hot sauce mixture to coat.

9. Spread the tofu back out on the baking tray and cook for another 5 minutes.

10. While the tofu and rice are cooking, make the vegan ranch (the cashews will need to be soaked to soften). Please see the post for exact measurements and instructions.

11. Drain the cashews and add them to a high-speed blender with the remaining ingredients. 

12. Blend until smooth, taste, and adjust if needed. 

13. When the tofu and rice are done, assemble the bowls.  Add the rice and buffalo tofu to each bowl, and top with shredded carrots, sliced tomatoes, chopped romaine lettuce, sliced cucumber, and a drizzle of vegan ranch.

Storage and reheating

Refrigerator: The tofu nuggets are best enjoyed immediately but can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for about 5 days.  They won’t be as crispy. I wouldn’t recommend freezing them.  I would store the rice, nuggets, dressing, and veggies in separate airtight containers for about 4 to 5 days in the refrigerator. 

Sliced cucumbers are usually only good for about 2-3 days in the refrigerator.  I would wait on slicing cherry tomatoes until you’re ready to enjoy the bowl.  The tofu does soften after being stored in the fridge.

Reheating: Reheat the tofu nuggets in the oven at 350 F for about 7-10 minutes, or until warmed through for a crispy texture.  They can also be reheated in the microwave, but they will be softer.

Relate recipes

• Black bean and mango rice bowl
• Vegan hummus bowls
• Vegan southwest sweet potato bowl

I hope you enjoy the recipe!  If you did feel free to rate it and leave a comment.