A vegetarian fried rice recipe is not complete without protein-packed tofu. Full of hearty vegetables, this tasty, healthy tofu fried rice is packed full of familiar flavors you love with a few more wholesome additions. With extra eggs and tofu, this protein-packed meal will keep you fueled for hours.
Vegetarian fried rice with tofu is a comfort food of mine. My husband would say breakfast food is his, but boy do I love a good, hearty rice dish. Give me all the carbs, please. I even found a way to bulk up the nutrients in this delicious recipe to make it healthier. All without compromising taste.
For this healthy version of tofu fried rice, I switched to extra virgin olive oil for a dose of healthy fats. Then I started using coconut aminos, which has much less sodium than traditional soy sauce. I even switched to brown rice. Finally, I added in more protein and vegetables. Now this fried rice dish is all bulked up with hearty, filling nutrients rich in vitamins, minerals, protein, and healthy fats. I love that there is added fiber in, too.
This meal is a great way to fuel your body without feeling like you’ve overdone it. I love when I can make a favorite dish taste the same with more wholesome ingredients.
Now, without further ado, let’s get into how to make healthy tofu fried rice.
Tools You’ll Need
Cutting board and large knife
Small pot with lid
Large cast-iron skillet or other large saucepan for frying
Large wooden spoons
Liquid measuring cup
Measuring spoons
Ingredients
Tofu – Firm tofu is best for this recipe, but a softer variety can be used if you prefer.
Eggs – I use large, farm-fresh eggs in all my recipes.
Brown rice – I recommend brown rice if you want this recipe to be more wholesome.
Olive oil – Use extra virgin olive oil for the best health benefits..
Onions – Yellow or white onion will work in this recipe.
Carrots – Use baby or large carrots in this recipe, as long as they’re diced into small pieces for cooking.
Edamame – Frozen edamame is so convenient to have on hand. They go well in this recipe, but frozen peas also work well.
Coconut aminos – This tastes just like your favorite soy sauce, but has much less sodium and is derived from natural sources.
Vegan chicken less seasoning – I pick this up from Trader Joe’s and sprinkle 1-2 tablespoons in depending on my mood. It’s so flavorful. This recipe wouldn’t be complete without it.
Ginger – I always keep ginger powder on hand, but fresh will do. Just adjust the measurement to 2 tablespoons of fresh ginger if you’re opting for it.
Sriracha – A wonderful flavor enhancer, sriracha is a great spicy element to add some heat tpo your finished fried rice.
How to Make Healthy Tofu Fried Rice
Prepare the rice by adding rice and water to a small saucepan and bringing it to a boil on high. Once it is boiling, stir and turn to a low heat. Simmer, covered, stirring often, for about 30 minutes or until rice is tender. Once it’s done cooking, remove the lid from the pot and let it stand. The rice will dry out a bit, but that’s actually better for this particular dish.
Prepare the veggies (except for the edamame) by chopping all of them into small, diced pieces. Set aside the green onions for topping the dish once it’s finished.
Press excess water from tofu. Cube it into bite-size pieces and set aside.
Heat olive oil in a cast-iron skillet on medium heat. Once it’s ready, add in onion and carrots. Sauté these until they are tender and then stir in the edamame. Once the edamame has warmed through, clear a spot in the center of the skillet. Push the veggies to the sides of the skillet and add a tablespoon more of oil. Then add in the tofu.
Next add in ginger powder, vegan chicken less seasoning, and coconut aminos to flavor the tofu and veggies.
Heat tofu or cook until it’s crispy enough for your liking. You may need to add in even more oil if you want it super crispy.
Push all the ingredients in the skillet to the sides of the skillet and crack four eggs into the middle. Use the spoon you’re cooking with to crack the yolks, stirring and scrambling the eggs in the center of the skillet. Do not mix the eggs throughout the dish yet.
After the eggs are cooked, stir all the ingredients together.
Pour in the cooked rice and thoroughly combine. Serve hot and garnish with green onions and sriracha.
Tips for Success | healthy tofu fried rice
You can also use avocado oil in place of olive oil if you prefer.
Feel free to use frozen peas instead of edamame. I do this pretty frequently with this recipe. It’s still amazing. Consider adding chopped broccoli in, too, for more crunch and deliciousness.
Firmer tofus work best in this recipe, but if you can only get your hands on a softer one, just crumble it into the skillet when it’s time to add the tofu. It will just be a different texture than the cubed, firm tofu.
If you want to go lighter on the oil, you can reduce it to about 2 tablespoons, but you should not use cast-iron if you do this. Cast iron requires a high fat content to prevent sticking. If you go with less oil, use a regular skillet.
More Vegetarian Recipes
Healthy Tofu Fried Rice
Equipment
- 1 cutting board
- 1 large knife
- 1 small pot with lid
- 1 large cast-iron skillet
- 1 large wooden spoon
- 1 liquid measuring cup
- measuring spoons
Ingredients
- 1 cup brown rice
- 2 cups water
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1-14 oz. block of firm or extra firm tofu
- 1 large carrot, chopped
- 1/2 onion, chopped
- 2-4 green onions, chopped
- 2/3 cup frozen edamame or peas
- 1/3 cup coconut aminos
- 2 tsp ginger powder
- 4 large eggs
- 1-2 tbsp vegan chicken less seasoning
- sriracha, to taste, optional
Instructions
- Prepare the rice by adding rice and water to a small saucepan and bringing it to a boil on high.
- Once it is boiling, stir and turn to a low heat. Simmer, covered, stirring often, for about 30 minutes or until rice is tender. Once done cooking, remove the lid from the pot and let it stand. Rice will dry out a bit, but that’s actually better for this particular dish.
- Prepare the veggies (except for the edamame) by chopping all of them into small, diced pieces. Set aside the green onions for topping the dish once it’s finished.
- Press excess water from tofu. Cube it into bite-size pieces and set aside.
- Heat olive oil in a cast-iron skillet on medium heat. Once it’s ready, add in onion and carrots. Sauté these until they are tender and then stir in the edamame. Once the edamame has warmed through, clear the center of the skillet, pushing the veggies to the sides. Add a tablespoon more of oil to the center and then add in the tofu.
- Next add in the ginger powder, vegan chickenless seasoning, and coconut aminos to flavor the tofu and veggies.
- Heat the tofu or cook until it’s crispy enough for your liking. You may need to add in even more oil if you want it super crispy.
- Push all the ingredients in skillet to the sides and crack the four eggs into the middle. Use the spoon you’re cooking with to crack the yolks, stirring and scrambling the eggs in the center of the skillet. Do not mix it throughout the dish yet.
- After the eggs are cooked, stir all the ingredients together. Pour in rice and thoroughly combine. Serve hot and garnish with green onions and sriracha.
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