Baked Tofu Buddha Bowl with Peanut Sauce

A Buddha bowl is a delicious and nutritious meal that can be customized to fit any taste preference.  Our flavor-packed baked tofu Buddha bowl is loaded with fresh veggies, sweet mango, and a rich spicy peanut sauce.

Tofu Buddha bowls have become increasingly popular in recent years as a healthy and delicious meal option. These vibrant bowls typically feature a rice or quinoa base, topped with colorful vegetables, protein-rich tofu, and a flavorful sauce.  Not only are they visually appealing and full of nutrients, but they're also customizable to fit any dietary restrictions or preferences. 

Whether you're vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free, or simply looking for a satisfying plant-based meal, the tofu Buddha bowl is sure to satisfy your cravings while nourishing your body. In this article, we'll share some tips on how to create your own at home.

These nourishing bowls are how my family and I eat many of our meals, hence the list at the bottom of the page for related recipes. For more vegan Buddha bowl meals try my mustard tempeh Buddha bowl and butternut squash Buddha bowl.  For more tofu recipes, try oil-free crispy tofu or oil-free marinated tofu.

Jump to:

• Ingredient notes and substitutions
• How to prepare the baked tofu
• How to make peanut sauce
• Assemble your Buddha bowl
• How to build your own plant-based Buddha bowl
• Storage
• Related recipes
• Recipe
• Comments

Ingredient notes and substitutions

Check out the recipe card below for exact measurements and instructions.

Brown rice - The cooked rice can be substituted with white rice or quinoa.  For more options see the list below on creating your own Buddha bowl.

Extra firm tofu or super firm - The recipe calls for extra-firm tofu, but firm tofu can be used.  It will be softer than extra firm.  If your tofu comes vacuum-packed and there’s barely any liquid to drain, you can probably skip the pressing (ex. super firm tofu). 

Tamari - This can be substituted with low-sodium soy sauce.  If you have kecap manis (which is an Indonesian sweet soy sauce), replace 1 tablespoon of tamari and the maple syrup with 1 tablespoon kecap manis.  The sweet soy sauce is thick, so I try to spread it over the tofu gently.  

Maple syrup - Agave syrup can also be used.

Flake nutritional yeast - There is no substitution for nooch, but if you don't like it or don't have it on hand it can be skipped.

Natural peanut butter - I use natural peanut butter, the kind that’s just peanuts and maybe salt.  It will have natural oil separation, stir it back into the peanut butter before measuring.  If you substitute with regular peanut butter that has sweetener and oil it may alter the taste and texture of the peanut sauce.

Fresh lime juice - This can be substituted with rice vinegar.

Freshly grated ginger - Personal preference, fresh ginger tastes best but if you’re out, skip it or try ⅛ teaspoon of ground ginger.

Garlic powder - I prefer the flavor of garlic powder in this sauce.  It's not as pungent as fresh but the teaspoon can be substituted for 1 clove of freshly crushed garlic.

Crushed red pepper - Skip it if you don't like spicy food, or add more if you want a little more heat.

Mango - Fresh or frozen (thawed) can be used.

Veggies - The vegetables can be substituted with anything that sounds delightful with tofu and peanut sauce.  For more inspiration see the list below on ideas to create your own Buddha bowl.

How to prepare the baked tofu

Tofu is very bland on its own, so in this recipe, we’ll be cooking it with tamari and maple syrup and coating it in nutritional yeast.  Tamari is my go-to for flavoring tofu, after pressing a block of tofu to extract the water it soaks up the tamari to flavor not only the outside but the inside too.  

The recipe calls for extra firm tofu, which will need to be drained and then pressed for 20-30 minutes.  If you use super firm it doesn’t contain much liquid, you should be able to drain it and skip the pressing part.  I use paper towels to pat dry the outside to get rid of any excess water.  

Cube the tofu then mix the tamari and maple syrup together, and add the tofu.  If you need a visual on how to cube tofu check out this recipe for oil-free tofu.  Gently toss the tofu cubes to coat them in the sauce.  Then sprinkle on the nutritional yeast and gently toss again. 

Next, spread the cubed tofu out in a single layer on a silicone mat or parchment paper-lined baking sheet.  Bake for 40 minutes in a preheated oven set to 350 F (180 C) or until they turn golden brown.  Flip the tofu halfway through.  

How to make peanut sauce

To make the simple peanut sauce for this tofu grain bowl, mix all of the sauce ingredients together and start with 3 to 5 tablespoons of water.  How much water you’ll need will depend on how thick the peanut butter is and how thin you like your sauces.  

The sauce can be mixed with a blender, a whisk, or a fork.  I prefer a whisk, it creates a smoother sauce compared to a fork, and there’s no need to wash a blender (which makes a smoother sauce).

I use natural creamy peanut butter, the kind that’s just peanuts and maybe salt.  It will have natural oil separation, stir it back into the peanut butter before measuring.  Even after doing this sometimes with natural peanut butter the contents at the bottom of the jar can be drier than what’s at the top. Each time I measure nut butter, I give the contents a stir to redistribute the natural oils.

If you substitute with regular peanut butter that has added sweetener and oil, it may alter the taste and texture of the peanut sauce.

Assemble your Buddha bowl

Once the rice and tofu are done cooking, it’s time to assemble the delicious tofu Buddha bowl.  Remove the stem of the kale leaves and tear them into bite-size pieces. If you prefer kale to be softer and easier to chew you can finely shred it. 

Another option is to take about 1-2 tablespoons of the peanut sauce and massage it into the kale after the stem has been removed and the kale has been torn into bite-size pieces. This will break down some of the fibers, and it will reduce in volume.  

Portion out the rice, tofu, kale, mango, and veggies into large serving bowls.  Then top with the peanut sauce.

How to build your own plant-based Buddha bowl

My method for building a Buddha bowl is splitting my plate into quarters: ¼ for beans, soy products, or lentils, ¼ for grain or pseudo-grain, ¼ for vegetables other than greens, and ¼ for green leafy vegetables (but it actually takes up a lot more than ¼ of my plate to fit in all those greens).  So, here are some vegan bowl ideas for you to build your own or skip down to the recipe for a tofu Buddha bowl with peanut sauce.

Beans, soy, or lentils

• Any kind of bean
• Chickpeas (as you can see in this chickpea vegetable rice bowl).
• Oil-free crispy tofu
• Oil-free marinated tofu
• Tempeh
• Lentils (like in this vegan taco bowl using lentil walnut taco meat).
• Leftover chili (vegan red lentil chili or plant-based quinoa chili).
• Oil-free refried beans
• Edamame
• Falafels

Grains, pseudo-grains (not a grain but used like a grain), or root vegetables

• Any kind of rice (white, brown, jasmine, basmati, black rice)
• Mexican-Inspired Brown Rice
• Cilantro lime brown rice
• Instant Pot Millet
• Quinoa
• Barley
• Couscous
• Farro
• Amaranth
• Pasta
• Starchy vegetables like potatoes (oil-free roasted potatoes)
• Cauliflower rice
• Or try noodles

Vegetables or fruit

• Roasted or raw broccoli florets
• Roasted or raw cauliflower
• Roasted or raw red pepper
• Roasted beets
• Roasted or raw carrots
• Roasted parsnips
• Cooked asparagus
• Roasted Brussels sprouts (mustard-glazed Brussels sprouts oil-free)
• Roasted red onions
• Roasted winter or summer squash
• Roasted sweet potatoes (give them a try in a sweet potato nourish bowl or vegan southwest sweet potato bowl).
• Roasted potatoes
• Roasted mushrooms
• Cherry tomatoes
• Snap peas
• Peas
• Cucumbers
• Apple (delicious in this tempeh mustard Buddha bowl)
• Mango (I like it with spicy peanut dressing and tofu)

Greens

• Kale
• Baby kale
• Spinach
• Romaine
• Red or green cabbage
• Steamed, sautéed, or grilled bok choy
• Swiss chard
• Arugula

Sauces

• Spicy peanut dressing
• Vegan mustard sauce
• Dijon tahini dressing
• Creamy cashew dijon dressing
• Cashew lime crema
• Oil-free hummus
• Cilantro cashew dressing
• Smoky tahini dressing
• Vegan guacamole
• Salsa
• Vegan chipotle sauce
• Lemon herb tahini sauce
• Smoked paprika hummus with roasted red peppers

Other toppings

• Toasted or raw nuts
• Seeds like pumpkin, sesame, or sunflower
• Fresh herbs like cilantro, parsley, dill, chives
• Green onion
• Crumbled nori sheets (like in this vegan deconstructed sushi bowl)
• Avocado
• Sprouts
• Pico de Gallo
• Pickled radishes
• Pickled red onions
• Kimchi
• Sauerkraut
• Crushed red pepper flakes

Storage

The peanut tofu Buddha bowls work great for meal prep.  Store the grains and tofu together, and store the fresh vegetables in separate containers. Wait on adding the sauce until you're ready to eat.

Related recipes

• Mustard Tempeh Bowl
• Vegan Deconstructed Sushi Bowl
• Vegan Taco Bowl
• Butternut Squash Buddha Bowl
• Roasted Sweet Potato Nourish Bowl
• Chickpea Vegetable Rice Bowl
• Peanut Tempeh Bowl
• Vegan Southwest Sweet Potato Bowl

This vegan tofu bowl recipe is a delicious and nutritious meal that can be customized to fit any taste preference. With its high protein content, variety of vegetables, and flavorful dressing options, it's no wonder that this dish has become a fan favorite for vegans and non-vegans alike. Whether you're looking for a quick lunch or a filling dinner, the healthy Buddha bowl is sure to satisfy your hunger and provide you with the energy you need to tackle whatever comes your way.

As always, I hope you enjoy this recipe!  If you like the recipe feel free to rate it and leave a comment.

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