Microwave gochujang tofu rice bowl
Chewy tofu cubes in a sticky, sweet-spicy gochujang glaze over rice with broccoli, a vegan dinner with over 30 grams of protein and not a drop of frying oil.
- 22 min total
- 10 min hands-on
- Follow-a-recipe easy
- Serves 1
- About $2.80 a serving
- 570 calories
- Vegan
- Dairy-free
Dolly says: Most of the time here is hands-off, so you can sit down while it cooks.
Ingredients
For 1 servings.
- 7 oz extra-firm tofu, half a package
- 1 tbsp gochujang
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- ¾ cup frozen broccoli
- 1 cup microwave rice pouches, half an 8.8 oz pouch
- ½ tsp sesame seeds (optional)
From your pantry
- 1 tsp cornstarch
- 2 tsp soy sauce
- 2 tsp brown sugar
- 1 pinch garlic powder
Each serving has about 570 calories, 32 g protein, 70 g carbs and 20 g fat, and costs about $2.80 at typical US grocery prices. Both are estimates from what the recipe uses.
Missing something?
- No extra-firm tofu? Firm tofu works.
- No frozen broccoli? Broccoli works.
Steps
Tap an underlined word for a quick explanation.
the tofu and press it between paper towels with a full mug on top for 5 minutes to squeeze out water.
Drain. Draining means pouring off liquid, like tipping pasta into a colander or spooning extra fat out of the pan. Pour hot grease into a can or jar, not the sink, where it hardens and clogs the pipes.
How you’ll know: Only a few drips are left, and the food isn’t sitting in a puddle.
Timer: 5 min
Food safety: Tofu is safe to eat straight from the package; cooking is only for texture and flavor.
Cut the tofu into bite-size with the side of the fork and them with the cornstarch in a bowl.
Cube. Cubing means cutting food into chunky, even squares, usually three quarters of an inch to an inch. Same-size cubes cook at the same speed and brown on every side.
How you’ll know: Your pieces look like a handful of sugar cubes, a little bigger than diced, all close to the same size.
Toss. Tossing means gently lifting and turning food so everything gets coated, like pasta in sauce or vegetables in oil. It coats every piece evenly without mashing anything.
How you’ll know: Every piece looks glossy or evenly coated, with no dry spots hiding underneath.
Spread the tofu on a plate lined with a paper towel and microwave 3 minutes, turning the cubes once, until the outsides feel firm and dry.
Timer: 3 min
Dolly’s tip: The microwave drives out water, so the tofu turns chewy and holds on to the sauce.the gochujang, soy sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil and garlic powder together in the bowl.
Stir. Stirring means moving food around with a spoon or spatula so it cooks evenly and doesn’t stick. Unless the recipe says constantly, every so often is plenty, and it gives food time to brown.
How you’ll know: When you drag the spoon across the bottom, nothing is sticking or scorching.
Add the tofu, to coat, and microwave 1 minute, until the sauce bubbles and turns glossy.
Toss. Tossing means gently lifting and turning food so everything gets coated, like pasta in sauce or vegetables in oil. It coats every piece evenly without mashing anything.
How you’ll know: Every piece looks glossy or evenly coated, with no dry spots hiding underneath.
Timer: 1 min
Put the broccoli in a mug with of water, cover, and microwave 2 minutes until bright green.
Splash. A splash is a small, quick pour, about a teaspoon to a tablespoon. It’s there to loosen or brighten a dish, so the exact amount doesn’t matter.
How you’ll know: The dish looks a little looser or tastes a little brighter, not soupy.
Timer: 2 min
Heat the rice in its pouch as the package says, usually 90 seconds, and put half in a bowl.
Timer: 1 min 30 sec
Top the rice with the broccoli and the saucy tofu, and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
Plan this in Dollop, and get the grocery list
Dollop puts this dinner on a night that suits your week, lists only what you still need to buy, and walks you through each step while you cook.
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