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This vegetarian Buddha Bowl has everything you need for a balanced meal – brown rice, chock full of vegetables with the crispiest tofu and topped with a delicious miso ginger dressing that you’ll want to use on everything!
Watch the Buddha Bowl Recipe Video!
Table of Contents
Ingredient Tips
Refer to the recipe card for the full list of ingredients and measurements!
- brown rice – I like using brown rice as the base but you can use another grain like white rice, quinoa, bulgur, farro.
- edamame – I like edamame but you can also use another bean of your choice, such as black beans, red kidney beans, or garbanzo beans.
- firm tofu – you’ll be frying the cubed tofu until crispy, so it’s best to use firm tofu that will hold up in the pan, just like my Salt and Pepper Tofu!
- neutral oil – my go to is avocado oil but you can also use canola or vegetable oil.
- white miso paste – if you don’t have this on hand, you can substitute with tahini (which is similar in consistency and will add creaminess) and add a splash of soy sauce (for salt and umami)
- rice vinegar – if you don’t have rice vinegar on hand, you can use apple cider vinegar
- vegetables – I used a combination of shredded red cabbage, cubed red and yellow bell peppers, carrots, cucumbers, and avocado. Feel free to adjust this list to your liking!
How to Make a Buddha Bowl
1. Make the Miso Ginger Dressing and Fry the Tofu
Make the rice and bowl the edamame for 1-2 minutes until tender. Strain and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process. Set both aside.
In a small bowl, combine the white miso paste, grated ginger, sugar, rice vinegar, and avocado oil – whisk unti smooth to make the dressing and set aside.
Cut the block of firm tofu into 1 inch cubes, then pat dry with a paper towel so that all the excess moisture is removed from the tofu. This is key to getting crispy tofu!
Line a bowl with a paper towel. Heat the neutral oil in a nonstick pan over medium high heat until 350F and add the tofu to the oil. Fry for 4-6 minutes, flipping every few minutes so that the tofu cubes become golden brown on all sides. Remove from the oil to the paper towel lined bowl. Season with salt and pepper.
2. Assemble and Enjoy!
In a bowl, add the cooked brown rice and top with your vegetables – I used shredded cabbage, avocado, bell peppers, carrots, and drained edamame! Add the crispy tofu and top with the miso ginger dressing – enjoy!
PRO TIPS
CJ’s Expert Tips + Storage
- Pat dry the tofu as much as possible before frying it – any excess moisture will result in the tofu being “steamed” in the pan instead of “fried” and the tofu will not become crispy!
- Use the recipe as a guide, not as law – use the ingredients you like! For example, you can use white rice or quinoa rather than brown rice. Substitute with the vegetables of your choice – other great ideas are broccoli or cauliflower, different kinds of beans (like lentils, black beans, red kidney beans, or garbanzo beans), sweet potatoes, and microgreens.
Storage
- Store any leftover Buddha Bowl in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 days. The vegetables will continue to release moisture and you may notice the bowl is a bit soggy – it’s still edible but I don’t prefer this.
- Store any leftover components (not mixed together) separately so they can maintain freshness – keep in airtight containers for up to 3-4 days in the refrigerator. I prefer to do this and assemble a bowl when I’m ready to eat.
- Store any leftover Miso Ginger Dressing in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
If you tried this Buddha Bowl Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below!
Buddha Bowl (VIDEO)
Ingredients
- 1 cup brown rice
- 1 cup edamame
Crispy Tofu
- 1 block firm tofu, cut into 1 inch cubes
- ¼ cup neutral oil
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Miso Ginger Dressing
- 1 tablespoon white miso paste
- 1 inch piece of fresh ginger, grated
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- ½ tablespoon avocado oil
Toppings and Vegetables
- 2 cups red cabbage, shredded
- 2 large avocados, sliced
- 1 red bell pepper, cubed
- 1 yellow bell pepper, cubed
- 2 medium carrots, shredded or peeled into ribbons
- 1 large cucumber, sliced into 1/8th inch slices
Instructions
- Rinse the brown rice and cook in a pot or rice cooker according to package directions.
- Heat a small pot of water to a boil. Add the edamame and boil for 1-2 minutes until tender. Strain then rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process. Set aside.
- Cut the block of firm tofu into 1 inch cubes, then pat dry with a paper towel so that all the excess moisture is removed from the tofu.
- In a small bowl, combine the white miso paste, grated ginger, sugar, rice vinegar, and avocado oil. Whisk until smooth and combined and set aside.
- Line a bowl with a paper towel. Heat the neutral oil in a nonstick pan over medium high heat until 350F and add the tofu to the oil. Fry for 4-6 minutes, flipping every few minutes so that the tofu cubes become golden brown on all sides. Remove from the oil to the paper towel lined bowl. Season with salt and pepper.
- In a bowl, add the cooked brown rice and top with the shredded cabbage, avocado, bell peppers, carrots, drained edamame, and crispy tofu. Top with the miso ginger dressing and enjoy!
Notes
- Pat dry the tofu as much as possible before frying it – any excess moisture will result in the tofu being “steamed” in the pan instead of “fried” and the tofu will not become crispy!
- Use the recipe as a guide, not as law – use the ingredients you like! For example, you can use white rice or quinoa rather than brown rice. Substitute with the vegetables of your choice – other great ideas are broccoli or cauliflower, different kinds of beans (like lentils, black beans, red kidney beans, or garbanzo beans), sweet potatoes, and microgreens.
- Store any leftover Buddha Bowl in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 days. The vegetables will continue to release moisture and you may notice the bowl is a bit soggy – it’s still edible but I don’t prefer this.
- Store any leftover components (not mixed together) separately so they can maintain freshness – keep in airtight containers for up to 3-4 days in the refrigerator. I prefer to do this and assemble a bowl when I’m ready to eat.
- Store any leftover Miso Ginger Dressing in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
