Tofu fried rice is a Chinese language homestyle fried rice the place pan browned cubes of marinated tofu take the place of meat. Like my egg fried rice and my vegetable fried rice, it’s a easy, satisfying meal that comes collectively shortly. I really like including tofu as a result of it turns the dish right into a extra protein-rich meal, making it excellent for a busy weeknight. Plus, my 2.5-year-old loves tofu and fortunately picks out the crispy cubes to snack on whereas he eats.
It’s necessary for me to say that I fully redeveloped and improved the model I initially revealed just a few years in the past. In case you’ve been following me for some time, you would possibly do not forget that the unique recipe skipped the tofu marinade, and plenty of of you advised me within the feedback that the rice tasted under-seasoned. I listened to your suggestions and added a fast soy sauce and honey marinade, adopted by a lightweight coating of cornstarch earlier than pan-frying. I really like this new model as a result of the tofu is seasoned right through, with a chewy golden crust and a young heart.
To maintain it easy, I cook dinner this recipe in 3 elements. First, I marinate the tofu whereas I prep the aromatics and the sauce, then I give the tofu a lightweight coating of cornstarch earlier than pan frying. As soon as the tofu comes out, I exploit the identical pan to cook dinner the fried rice with day-old rice, the sauce, frozen greens, and a late scramble of overwhelmed eggs. This up to date model is rather more flavorful, and it’s really easy to make by following my step-by-step directions. Don’t simply take my phrase for it, give it a attempt!
Elements
Most tofu fried rice recipes deal with the tofu like a add-on topping and skip seasoning the cubes. In mine, the marinade and cornstarch mud on the tofu do as a lot for the dish because the sauce does for the rice, so I prep the tofu, the sauce, and the stir fry substances as 3 separate teams:
Tofu
I all the time use additional agency tofu as a result of it stays intact by marinating, dusting, and pan browning. I marinate the cubes in soy sauce and honey for a brief relaxation so the tofu has taste on the within, not simply on the crust. Proper earlier than the pan, I mud the drained cubes with cornstarch, which supplies me the chewy outer layer I would like.
Sauce
I premix soy sauce, darkish soy sauce, oyster sauce, sugar, and white pepper in a single small bowl earlier than I activate the warmth.
Stir fry
I exploit chilly day-old jasmine rice and I separate inexperienced onion whites from greens, because the whites go in early with minced ginger and the greens end the dish off warmth. Frozen combined greens (I exploit peas and corn, generally carrots) go in straight from the freezer, and overwhelmed eggs scramble on an oiled empty aspect of the pan late within the cook dinner. I end with a drizzle of toasted sesame oil for perfume.
The way to Make
1. Marinate the tofu: Pat the tofu dry with paper towels and lower it into 2/3 inch cubes. Switch the cubes to a big ziploc bag. Combine the soy sauce and honey in a small bowl, pour the combination into the bag, and flip the bag just a few occasions to coat. Marinate for 10 to fifteen minutes.
2. Combine the sauce: Whereas the tofu marinates, stir the sauce substances collectively in a small bowl and put aside.
3. Mud the tofu with cornstarch: Open the bag simply sufficient to empty the marinade liquid with out dropping the cubes, then switch the tofu to a shallow tray or a large bowl. Mud with cornstarch one tablespoon at a time, tossing with a lightweight hand between every addition. Uneven coating is okay.
4. Brown the tofu: Warmth a big skillet or wok with 2 tablespoons of oil over medium-high warmth till the oil shimmers, then flip the warmth all the way down to medium. Add the tofu, shaking off any free cornstarch, and lay the cubes out in a single layer with gaps in between so they don’t stick. Prepare dinner with out shifting till the underside turns golden, then flip to brown extra sides. The extra sides you brown, the higher the feel, I goal for two to three properly browned sides per dice, which takes 12 to fifteen minutes whole.
5. Prepare dinner the aromatics: Add 1 tablespoon of oil to the identical pan together with the inexperienced onion whites and minced ginger. Stir for 30 seconds or so till aromatic.
6. Toast the rice: Add the chilly day-old rice and switch the warmth to medium-high. Stir to separate the grains and coat them with the oil. Let the rice toast, stirring sometimes, for 4 to five minutes, till the grains look dry and a bit crispy. Drop the warmth to medium if the pan will get too sizzling.
7. Add the sauce and greens: Pour within the premixed sauce. Stir and cook dinner till the rice is coated right through with no white grains left. Add the combined greens and stir-fry for an additional minute.
8. Scramble the eggs: Push every little thing to at least one aspect of the pan, add the final 1 tablespoon of oil to the empty aspect, and pour the overwhelmed eggs over the oil. Let the underside set, then scramble evenly till the eggs are largely cooked with just a few runny elements. Combine every little thing collectively and chop the egg curds into small items with the spatula in order that they distribute by the rice.
9. End with tofu and aromatics: Add the browned tofu again to the pan and stir with a lightweight hand so the cubes keep complete. Flip off the warmth. Stir within the inexperienced onion greens and toasted sesame oil. Serve sizzling in broad bowls.
Cooking notes
Prepare dinner solely half a block of tofu per portion of rice: Half a block per the rice amount right here offers the very best ratio, the cubes brown higher in a smaller batch and the rice nonetheless tastes like fried rice as an alternative of tofu stew. If I need to cook dinner the entire block without delay, I double the marinade and brown the cubes in 2 separate batches.
Save a small handful of browned tofu for the highest of the bowl: As soon as the tofu is browned, I put aside a small handful earlier than the remainder goes again into the pan. These reserved cubes go on high of the completed bowl, which supplies me a visual crispy layer that has not softened in opposition to the nice and cozy rice.
Use chilly rice that has been refrigerated in a single day: Day-old jasmine rice straight from the fridge has dried out sufficient on the floor that the grains keep separate within the pan. Recent sizzling rice releases steam and turns the fried rice right into a mushy clump regardless of how a lot warmth I run.
Premix the sauce earlier than the warmth comes on: As soon as the rice hits the pan, the cooking strikes quick and there’s no time to measure soy sauce out of three totally different bottles. One small bowl with every little thing stirred collectively pours in after I want it.
Thaw frozen greens when there may be time: Thawed peas and corn launch much less water into the pan and end in underneath a minute.
Watch the marinated tofu carefully on the warmth: The honey within the marinade makes the cornstarch crust brown sooner than plain pan fried tofu. I flip the cubes often within the first jiffy and drop the warmth to medium-low on the first signal of darkish spots so the crust comes out golden, not bitter.
Serving Suggestion
I serve tofu fried rice as a one bowl meal on weeknights at residence after I don’t need to plate two dishes. The marinated tofu, the eggs, and the combined greens already give me protein, fats, carbs, and a inexperienced from the onion tops in the identical bowl, so a aspect dish can be additional plates to clean for no actual achieve. I scoop a beneficiant portion into a large bowl, high it with the reserved crispy tofu cubes, and eat it with a soup spoon.
For a fuller meatless dinner with just a few dishes on the desk, I serve the fried rice subsequent to a inexperienced vegetable like bok choy with oyster sauce, a chilly appetizer like spicy cucumber salad, and a bowl of Chinese language egg drop soup for the soup course.
If I’ve one non-vegetarian buddy or member of the family on the desk, I add a fast protein like straightforward shrimp and broccoli on the aspect so the meal works for everybody with out rebuilding the entire menu.
Continuously Ask Questions
Can I skip the marinade to save lots of time?
The marinade is the entire cause I redeveloped this recipe, so don’t skip it. With out the soak, the tofu tastes plain in opposition to the seasoned rice and the dish finally ends up under-seasoned even with a superb sauce. If the marinade time is a wait, I like to recommend to begin the tofu first, then prep the remainder of the substances whereas the bag sits on the counter, so the soak doesn’t add to the entire cook dinner time.
How do I make this vegetarian or vegan?
For a vegetarian model, swap the common oyster sauce for vegetarian oyster sauce, which is extensively offered at Asian markets and on-line and pours the identical method out of the bottle. To go absolutely vegan, do the oyster sauce swap above, then swap the honey within the tofu marinade for maple syrup or sugar and skip the scrambled eggs in step 8. I change the eggs with additional browned tofu cubes added in step 9 for a similar protein.
The way to retailer leftovers?
The fried rice retains in an hermetic container within the fridge for 3 days. I reheat single parts in a skillet over medium warmth with a small splash of oil, which loosens the grains with out making the rice soggy. I don’t freeze this one as a result of the tofu crust softens after thawing and the egg curds flip rubbery.
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This tofu fried rice is a satisfying meat-free one bowl meal made with marinated additional agency tofu, chilly day-old jasmine rice, and frozen combined greens tossed in a savory soy and oyster sauce. I really like making it on busy weeknights as a result of in simply 40 minutes, I’ve a scrumptious dinner prepared for my household.
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Pat tofu dry with paper towels. Minimize tofu into 2/3” (2 cm) cubes and switch to a big ziploc bag. Combine soy sauce and honey collectively in a small bowl, pour into the bag. Gently flip the bag just a few occasions to coat tofu with the liquid. Marinate for 10 to fifteen minutes.
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Combine all of the sauce substances collectively in a small bowl.
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When tofu is marinated, open the bag just a bit bit with out letting the tofu fall out. Drain the liquid and discard it. Switch the tofu to a shallow tray or an enormous bowl. Mud with cornstarch, a tablespoon at a time, and gently toss to coat the tofu. It’s OK if the tofu isn’t coated evenly.
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Warmth a big skillet or a wok with 2 tablespoons of oil over medium-high warmth till it shimmers, then flip to medium warmth. Add the tofu along with your hand, shaking off any additional cornstarch, spreading it into one layer with some gaps in between so the tofu items don’t stick collectively. Prepare dinner with out shifting till the underside turns golden. Flip to brown the opposite sides till most sides have browned and there’s no dry cornstarch on the floor (*Footnote 3). If the tofu begins to brown too quick or burn, flip to medium-low warmth to stop the tofu from burning. Switch cooked tofu to a plate. Put aside.
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Add 1 tablespoon of oil, the inexperienced onion whites and ginger. Prepare dinner and stir to launch the perfume, 30 seconds or so.
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Add the rice and switch to medium-high warmth. Stir to separate the grains and coat the grains evenly with the oil. Let the rice toast, stirring sometimes, till the rice seems dry and crispy, 4 to five minutes. Flip to medium warmth if the pan will get too sizzling.
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Pour within the sauce. Stir and cook dinner till the rice is evenly coated. Add the frozen greens. Stir and cook dinner for 1 minute.
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Transfer every little thing to at least one aspect of the pan, add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil on the empty aspect, and pour the overwhelmed eggs over the oil. Let cook dinner till the underside units, then scramble evenly till largely cooked, with some runny elements. Combine every little thing collectively and lower the rice into small items, till evenly distributed.
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Add the cooked tofu again into the pan. Gently stir every little thing collectively so the tofu stays intact. Flip off the warmth. Stir within the inexperienced onion greens and sesame oil. Serve sizzling as a aspect dish.
Ingredient Substitution Information
- In case you choose to cook dinner the entire block of tofu, double the marinade. I additionally extremely suggest cooking the tofu in two batches for the very best end result.
- I used frozen peas and frozen corn in my recipe. Frozen carrots work properly too. I prefer to thaw the greens earlier than cooking. However it’s OK if they aren’t thawed. On this case, add the greens after step 5, after you cook dinner the inexperienced onion whites and ginger.
- The extra sides of the tofu which might be browned, the higher the feel. However it does take a very long time if you wish to brown all sides. I often be certain at the very least 2 to three sides are browned properly, which takes 12 to fifteen minutes.
Serving: 1serving, Energy: 414kcal, Carbohydrates: 52g, Protein: 13g, Fats: 17g, Saturated Fats: 3g, Polyunsaturated Fats: 9g, Monounsaturated Fats: 4g, Trans Fats: 0.1g, Ldl cholesterol: 82mg, Sodium: 978mg, Potassium: 313mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 4g, Vitamin A: 2582IU, Vitamin C: 7mg, Calcium: 65mg, Iron: 2mg
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