Friends, do you know how long it’s been since I had fried rice? Far. Too. Long.
This recipe is my solution to that problem and you should totally get on board because it’s quick, easy and super delicious.
This fried rice requires just 10 ingredients and easy, fool-proof methods.
Including cooking the rice, the whole dish comes together in a little over an hour and feeds two generously as an entrée boasting 22 grams of protein!
Now we’re talking…
It starts with my favorite crispy, baked tofu marinated in a simple 5-ingredient sauce and sautéed to crispy perfection.
Next comes a generous helping of vegetables tossed with the remaining sauce and perfectly tender brown rice.
The result? Fried rice perfection. It’s:
Hearty
Flavorful
Satisfying
Loaded with vegetables
Topped with crispy tofu
Subtly spiced
Make this as an entrée or a side dish when a serious Chinese takeout craving strikes! I reckon it’s far healthier and more satisfying than anything you’ll find at a restaurant.
If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment and rate it, and don’t forget to take a picture and tag it #minimalistbaker on Instagram! We’d love to see how what you come up with. Cheers, friends!
Easy Vegan Fried Rice
Ingredients
RICE + VEGETABLES
- 1 cup extra-firm tofu* (8 ounces yields ~1 cup)
- 1 cup long- or short-grain brown rice* (rinsed thoroughly in a fine mesh strainer)
- 4 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 cup chopped green onion
- 1/2 cup peas
- 1/2 cup carrots (finely diced)
SAUCE
- 3 Tbsp tamari or soy sauce (plus more for veggies + to taste)
- 1 Tbsp peanut butter
- 2 -3 Tbsp organic brown sugar, muscovado sugar, or maple syrup
- 1 clove garlic (minced)
- 1-2 tsp chili garlic sauce (more or less depending on preferred spice)
- 1 tsp toasted sesame oil (optional // or sub peanut or avocado oil)
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (204 C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper (or lightly grease with non-stick spray).
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In the meantime wrap tofu in a clean, absorbent towel and set something heavy on top (such as a cast iron skillet) to press out the liquid.
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Once the oven is preheated, dice tofu into 1/4-inch cubes and arrange on baking sheet. Bake for 26-30 minutes. You’re looking for golden brown edges and a texture that’s firm to the touch. The longer it bakes, the firmer and crispier it will become, so if you’re looking for softer tofu remove from the oven around the 26-28 minute mark. I prefer crispy tofu, so I bake mine the full 30 minutes. Set aside.
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While the tofu bakes prepare your rice by bringing 12 cups of water to a boil in a large pot. Once boiling, add rinsed rice and stir. Boil on high uncovered for 30 minutes, then strain for 10 seconds and return to pot removed from the heat. Cover with a lid and let steam for 10 minutes*.
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While rice and tofu are cooking, prepare sauce by adding all ingredients to a medium-size mixing bowl and whisking to combine. Taste and adjust flavor as needed, adding more tamari or soy for saltiness, peanut butter for creaminess, brown sugar for sweetness, or chili garlic sauce for heat.
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Once the tofu is done baking, add directly to the sauce and marinate for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
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Heat a large metal or cast iron skillet over medium heat. Once hot, use a slotted spoon to scoop the tofu into the pan leaving most of the sauce behind. Cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until deep golden brown on all sides (see photo). Lower heat if browning too quickly. Remove from pan and set aside.
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To the still hot pan add garlic, green onion, peas and carrots. Sauté for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally, and season with 1 Tbsp (15 ml) tamari or soy sauce (amount as original recipe is written // adjust if altering batch size).
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Add cooked rice, tofu, and remaining sauce and stir. Cook over medium-high heat for 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently.
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Serve immediately with extra chili garlic sauce or sriracha for heat (optional). Crushed salted, roasted peanuts or cashews make a lovely additional garnish. Leftovers keep well in the refrigerator for 3-4 days, though best when fresh. Reheat in a skillet over medium heat or in the microwave.
Notes
*If you don't like tofu, you can sub 1 cup fresh or frozen edamame - add in with vegetables.
*For the rice, you can also substitute a comparable amount of quinoa.
*Rice cooking method from Saveur! Literally, the perfect brown rice.
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate.
Nutrition Per Serving (1 of 4)
- Calories: 290
- Fat: 5.8g
- Saturated fat: 1.1g
- Sodium: 750mg
- Carbohydrates: 49.6g
- Fiber: 4.4g
- Sugar: 7.8g
- Protein: 11.7g
This was wonderful! The peanut butter added such an amazing flavor!
Delicious! I’ve made this a bunch of times and I usually add a ton more vegetables than the recipe calls for. To make this even quicker, you can use pre-baked/flavored tofu (Trader Joe’s sells this) And then make the rice and the sauce ahead of time. Then all you have to do is sautee the veggies and mix everything together!
This recipe is delicious! I ave made it several times and it has been consistently wonderful and pretty easy. I like to increase the amount of sauce by about 25% and scramble two eggs before sauteing the veggies and tofu then mix that in with the rice and everything else.
Thanks so much for the lovely review, Daniel. We are so glad you enjoyed it! Next time, would you mind leaving a rating with your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Thanks so much! Xo
I made this last night and let me tell you, it might be one of the greatest things I have ever made in my entire life! The flavor was incredible and left me speechless. I also added broccoli to this dish. I will definitely be making this again & again!
Whoop! We’re so glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for sharing!
Left comment below with no star rating! Rectified that. Definitely 5 stars and will be preparing this frequently.
Thanks, Deborah!
Absolutely loved it!!! I could totally eat the whole batch. Only downfall is I should’ve doubled the recipe 😍
Dana,
Thank you for all of your wonderful recipes! This was easy ( I used leftover rice) and quick. Also added pineapple. Sauce was delish.
Thanks so much for the lovely review, Deb. We are so glad you enjoyed it! Next time, would you mind leaving a rating with your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Thanks so much! Xo
Loved this recipe! I cheated a bit in that I crumbled and pan fried the tofu in a little of the marinade instead of cubing and baking it. I added one extra teaspoon of the sesame oil just because I’m a fiend for that stuff. And I used leftover cooked rice because I had it. The recipe was dead easy and really yummy! Thank you for this- it’s definitely going into the dinner rotation.
We’re so glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for sharing, Deb!
I made the rice the way you suggested and you are right, perfect way to cook it! If I wanted to up the rice to two or three cups, how would you suggest I adjust the water amount? If at all.
We haven’t tried it with more rice, but don’t think you would need to adjust if making 2 cups. Maybe slightly more if making 3 cups though. Let us know if you do some experimenting!
Delicious and easy to make. The sauce was yummy. I used long grain white basmatic rice that had been previously cooked and it turned out perfect. I added cut up mini sweet peppers and they added to the taste. I omitted the green onions since I didn’t have any on hand. A very flavorful dish that I will be making ago. Thanks for this recipe.
Thanks so much for the lovely review and for sharing your modifications, Sophia. We are so glad you enjoyed it! Next time, would you mind leaving a rating with your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Thanks so much! Xo
I love your recipe. I did alter the cooking direction to remove oil (except sesame oil) and substituted maple syrup for the sugar. I half cooked the tofu in an air fryer and then tossed the tofu in the sauce. Then I finished the cooking in the air fryer. This is a lot quicker than the oven. I realize not everyone has an air fryer, but if you love tofu you should! I cooked the other veggies in broth. When they were done I combined leftover rice and tofu and sauce. This easily won over my picky husband. I also got the cooking down to about 25 mins. Perfect for a weeknight dinner. Especially since I work until 9pm. I need quick and fast. Thank you!
Thanks for sharing your experience, Susan! Also, next time would you mind adding a rating to your review? It’s super helpful to us and other readers! xo
Oops. I’ll be sure to leave a rating next time. :)
Thanks Susan!
When it comes to cooking it is just my husband and I. I am vegan, he is not. I often do not take the time to make food for myself as I resort to simple variations of a staple salad. I decided to give this recipe a try and I am so glad I did! It will definitely be a regular rotation for me.
I used edamame instead of tofu and it was just perfect!
For my rice I cooked it according to the recipe with the 12 cups of water. After it was done I put it in the fridge to come back and make the rest at a later time in the day.
The rice turned out perfectly, it was not mushy or anything like that.
After having it I think I could happily double the carrots/peas/edamame and have it without the rice. That sauce is to die for!
Thank you so much!
We’re so glad you enjoyed this recipe, Jacklyn! Thanks for sharing! xo
Came out so awesome! We recently went plant based and because of your recipes I don’t think we’ll go back.
Thanks so much for the lovely review, Daisy. We are so glad you enjoyed it! Next time, would you mind leaving a rating with your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Thanks so much! Xo
Hi!
Just checking this recipe is asking for a cup of cooked rice or making a pot of rice with a cup of rice?
Thanks
Ps I’ve made it a few times but just reread the recipe.
I added a ton of different veg and used garbanzo beans instead big tofu. Always awes and is great cold too!
Hi Mark, 1 cup uncooked rice.
I found this recipe after I had done my shopping. I had no tofu or sugar. Still tastes brilliant. Plus I added red capsicum, halving the green onion. I try to eat as much of the rainbow, as I can. We’re all looking forward to tofu version next. Yum!
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Karen! Thanks so much for the lovely review!
The tofu turned out crispy and the sauce smelled good, but it had way too much garlic for me to even eat it. If you are sensitive to garlic, I’d really cut back on the cloves!
I can’t find my review that I just wrote but I wanted to add that I used coconut sugar instead of the brown sugar because the coconut sugar was right in front of me and cooked Jasmine rice in the rice cooker! I can’t wait to eat it as a meal 😋
Oh my goodness! This is another recipe of yours to keep! Thanks so much for another wonderful recipe! Made it for our Meatless Monday dinner which we haven’t had but I tried it to see how it is and it’s so good! I took a lot of shortcuts and omitted the tofu since we’re eating this Gardein Mandarin orange chick’n with it. Also used Costco’s frozen peas and carrots that comes in a huge bag. I made the sauce last night to save time. I am wheelchair-bound so I take shortcuts and make things ahead to make things easier. I am thinking of making a huge batch of this and freezing for quick meals. Any advice?
Hi Michelle, thanks so much for the lovely review! This one should freeze well and work well as a double batch (assuming you have an extra large skillet). Let us know how it goes!
I love this recipe and I make it quite often! It is wonderfully versatile and pleases everyone. I use whatever veggies I have on hand, I sometimes sauté the tofu at the beginning, instead of baking it, and if I am out of peanut butter, I use tahini. I am going to try it with tempeh one of these days too.
We’re so glad you enjoy it, Cymry! Thanks for sharing!
Absolutely delicious!! I added a few more veggies – bok choy, onion and mushrooms, and used medium firm tofu (my fave) and put some fresh ginger in the sauce. 5 stars!!!
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Lauren! Thanks so much for sharing!
Hi hi!
Hello from Quebec, Canada.
Is it fine to remove the brown sugar and switch it for unsweetened apple sauce? I’m not very friends with the sugar, but i understand it needs a little sweetness here.
Would the texture still be fine?
I would recommend stevia or maple syrup instead!
I eat only whole food so i’ll go with the maple syrup, just one table spoon to enhance the flavors.
Thank you!
Only modified by using white rice. This is now a family favorite!! Requested often!
Wonderful – thanks, Jennifer!
Loved this rice dish. I cooked my rice in a instapot and it was perfect. The tofu came out a little chewy. Not sure if that is normal as I do not cook tofu, ever. The sauce is amazing. Just wondering if the tofu should be soft inside. Maybe I overcooked in oven? Making this for a party of 40 so looking for tips to 6x recipe. THANK YOU!!!!
Wonderful! Thanks for sharing, Silvia! As for the chewy tofu, it sounds like it was slightly over-baked. Next time bake for 5-10 min less!
It is a great recipe, i added pineapple to this!
Great idea! Thanks for sharing, Jeroen!
This recipe was absolutely amazing and most importantly…easy peasy! That sauce was definitely what made the dish come together. My husband said it was okay, he didn’t like the aftertaste and I am assuming he was referring to the sesame oil, it is one of those oils that has a very distinct taste and you either love it or hate it. Fortunately for me, I love it and the dish was for me so this dish was a win! Oh, almost forgot, I know I am rambling. LOL! That sauce…Baybay, I swear, I could’ve eaten the sauce by itself. This will definitely be a staple dish in my household. Thanks so much for sharing and I will definitely be checking out some more of your vegan recipes! :)
SIgned, Happy Camper! :)
Whoop! Thanks for sharing, Trina!
Absolutely delicious! I didn’t have tofu, so I didn’t use it, but this is a great add to my vegan recipes. I used to make chicken fried rice before we made the switch and without the chicken, I just couldn’t get the great flavor. This recipe definitely wins the title. I always have these ingredients on hand so I will definitely be making this a lot!
Wonderful! Thanks for sharing, Mindy!!
Loved this! The sauce was excellent!
Yay! Thanks for sharing, Kayla!
Normally for fried rice, the rice is supposed to be pre-cooked and cold to use. Is that not the case with this recipe? It would be great to do everything in one shot.
It can be pre-cooked! But we didn’t find it critical.
Hello, can I just fry the tofu if I don’t have an oven?
That should work!
I love this recipe & in fact every recipe I have tried from minimalist baker has been awesome! I sometimes sub prebaked tofu when I don’t have the time to make my own. Perfect every time! Thanks for the amazing recipes even my meat loving husband will enjoy!
Wonderful! Thanks for sharing, Janis!
Absolutely loved this recipe!!! My kids acted like I was trying to poison them (as per usual) but still ate it which is a huge win in my house!
So good!!! Easy to make and delicious!
Thanks so much for the lovely review, Laura. We are so glad you enjoyed it! Next time, would you mind leaving a rating with your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Thanks so much! Xo
This looks really delicious but 750 mg of sodium per serving is too much for me. Drat!
Hi Patti, for a lower sodium option, you could use low sodium tamari. Hope that helps!
So excited to make this for lunch today! If using white rice, assume the cooking time might vary (less)? Planning on using the 10 -12 cups of water….
Thoughts?!
Hi Lisa, we haven’t tried that, but it should work. We would say check it at 20 minutes as it will cook faster. Let us know if you give it a try!
This recipe is really flippin good! I made it (but with white rice prepared by my boyfriend the way his Korean roommates taught him to) and it was a hit for both of us. I’m always happy when something turns out well because I’m vegan and my boyfriend isn’t yet (but he eats entirely vegan around me) and I want to impress him with tasty dishes. Thank you!
Yay! Thanks for sharing, Maria! How does your rice preparation differ from ours?!
Not sure about Korean, but Japanese style is to soak the rice in water for up to an hour before cooking (in rice cooker). Usually use a ratio of 1:1.5 rice to water
Also to rince the rice 3 or 4 times before cooking.
That’s mostly for white rice as brown is not really common here.
The brown rice is more of a mix of white and brown
I made this for dinner. It was amazing. I tripled the recipe because we are a family of 7. I tripled the rice and cooked it in 12 cups of water. It came out perfectly!! I am so excited to find a new way to make brown rice.
Wonderful! Thanks for sharing, Alexandria! We think the rice method is brilliant, too!
I made this tonight and it was the best tofu recipe I’ve ever made! Thank you so much for this recipe! It was delicious!
Yay! Thanks for sharing, Ann!
This was delicious. I cheated on the rice because I was short on time- but will try this way next time. Excellent flavor and “chew”. Thank you!
Thanks for sharing!
I cooked my rice with TWELVE CUPS OF WATER ON HIGH FOR 30 MINUTES and, naturally, it turned into MUSH. I wasted a cup of tofu and rice and used so so many pots and pans and yet the result was inedible mush. Ended up throwing it out and taking out the trash. Tragic.
I know cooking rice in 12 cups of water seems strange, but it’s tested and proven method. Think of it as more of a pasta cooking method but for rice that helps it turn out fluffy every time. When done properly the rice should not be mushy. I’m wondering if you used a quick cooking rice perhaps? Let us know. We’d love to help troubleshoot.
I have several recipes for fried rice and am anxious to try this soon. I love using tofu. Another poster mentioned her rice turned to mush. I used to have that problem until I bought a Chinese cookbook whose recipe directions said to use cold, cooked rice. I have done that ever since. I make the rice the day/night before and keep in the fridge. If I forget, I make it and put in the freezer. Maybe the poster will try it and make your recipe again.
Wonderful! Thanks for the tip! We do find that cooked, refrigerated (or at least fully cooled) rice works slightly better here!
Were you cooking brown rice or white rice? Pasta-style boiling definitely works, but you only need 10-15 minutes for white rice.
I made this for dinner tonight and had to come say how amazing this recipe is!!
First of all, definitely use all the water called for, as long as you follow the directions, it makes PERFECT rice! I will do this with all my brown rice from now on. I had no issues with the usual method, but this is just so easy and fast. I did double the recipe, two cups of rice with the 12 cups of water still worked perfectly. I didn’t have time to press the tofu, I just squeezed as much water out as possible and baked it that way, I had to cook it for a few extra minutes, but it still was chewy and delicious! I used two whole packages of tofu, 2 cups each of frozen peas and frozen carrots, added an onion and a couple of handfuls of mung bean sprouts. The rest of the ingredients were just doubled, so I had more veggies and tofu than rice, which is perfect for me. For the sauce, my store was out of chili garlic sauce, so I bought sambal oelek, which worked well! I don’t know how spicy it would be with the chili garlic sauce, but 2 tsp of the sambal was the perfect amount of spice to keep the warmth in your mouth as you eat and keep you coming back for more! I was skeptical about using peanut butter in fried rice, but the sauce was so good, I had to stop myself from eating it with a spoon! I will definitely make the sauce again for stir fries and to use as a dipping sauce. Thanks for another great recipe, this is going to be in the rotation of favorite recipes, for sure!!
Whoop! We are so glad you enjoyed it, Lauren! Thanks so much for sharing! xo
Absolutely delicious!!!!
This was easy and so good! I made this with leftover Jasmine rice and I was out of tofu so I just added a bit more rice. I garnished withh chopped peanuts. It was heaven! Thak you!
Great! Thanks for sharing, Caryn!
I’ve made this recipe about 20 times, so it’s time for a review. Obviously it’s a favorite. Easy, healthy, and can be customized with your favorite veggies. Usually I make it as written, but sometimes I add broccoli. The broccoli takes on a lot of the flavorful sauce, so make a little extra sauce if using broccoli. Crushed peanuts on top add a crunch factor if you’re looking for that. This is the dish that started my kids eating tofu!
So kind! Thanks for sharing, Jennifer!
Really enjoyed it! I’m usually useless in the kitchen but I managed to make this dish and it turned out great, don’t like green onions and added mushrooms but super good!
So glad you enjoyed it, Paige! Thanks so much for sharing! xo
My family loves this recipe! The sauce is amazing. The only thing I do differently is air fry my tofu cubes and cook my rice in the pressure cooker. Thanks for an awesome recipe!
So glad to hear your family enjoys it, Alayna! Thanks so much for sharing!
I love this recipe!! The only thing I do different is cook rice in my rice cooker and add a bit of ginger paste to the sauce. It turns out so good every time. This is my go to vegan fried rice recipe! So yummy!!
Yay! Thanks, Jen!
I was skeptical about the instructions for cooking the rice, but followed them anyway (thinking that maybe this is a whole new way of cooking rice that I’ve never experienced before!). I should have just steamed the rice as I normally would do. Turned out completely mushy and unappetizing. So disappointing after investing all the time and ingredients.
Holly, did you boil the rice in 12 cups of water, then drain, and cover to steam? It yields perfect rice every time. I’d love to help troubleshoot. Let us know.
We felt the same way but still enjoyed it! Do you bring the water to a boil first, and then add the rinsed rice for 30 mins OR do you put the rice in the water and boil and then wait 30 mins?
You bring the water (10-12 cups) to a boil first, then add rice, cook, then drain, return to pot and cover. It’s kind of like a pasta method but for rice!
I had to do the rice a second time with other instructions because the first result was a total mush disaster but the final product is a deliiiiiight. Really simple and cheap. I recommend and add this recipe to my files!
So strange! You mean the cooking the rice in 12 cups boiling water? What happened? It’s our favorite method.
Great recipe! A little prep work required but I did it the night before. Fried rice is better with day-old rice anyway. I made the brown rice as written in the recipe, and it turned out great. I will make brown rice this way from now on!
For veggies I used the green onion, carrot, peas, and added a small diced zucchini because I had it on hand. I used double the tofu and so I doubled the sauce because of the added ingredients. Definitely a flexible recipe. I meal prep for myself and my omni boyfriend and he loved it as well.
Would go great with a crunchy cabbage salad or something. Look forward to making this one again :)
So glad you both enjoyed it, Sarah! Thanks for sharing! xo
12 cups of water for 1 cup of rice??? Really?
Sounds delicious!
Try it! The excess drains off.
Wowzas. This was delightful. We were out of fresh garlic and greenonions, , and had no chili sauce so I (ghasp) used garlic powder, red onion and siracha (as suggested earlier). Also had no toasted sesame oil but it was still awesome. (Will have to try next time).) I roasted some broccoli with thr tofu and added it with the rice and sauce near the end. So awesome!
So glad you enjoyed it, Julie! Thanks for sharing! xo
What if i use white rice? Would the recipe work the same?
White rice will work!
I love this recipe SO much! It is part of our family’s rotation of meals. I usually modify ingredients or seasonings in most recipes, but I follow this one exactly because it is just perfect and full of flavor! I have even made it when I’ve had non-vegan family over and they love it as well. Thanks to the Minimalist Baker for sharing this recipe so we can all enjoy it!
Thanks for sharing, Jamie!! xo
It says 12 cups of water for rice; is that correct….? 1cup rice to 2cups water is what I do.
Hi Tina, We do mean 12 cups- we find that this way of cooking yields the fluffiest result. We linked to the method in the notes. If you would prefer a quicker method, check out our tutorial on How to Cook Brown Rice: https://minimalistbaker.com/how-to-cook-brown-rice-2-ways/
I absolutely adore Fried Rice for many reasons, it´s easy, fast and so tasty! Even though my own recipe is pretty similar, I haven´t made it in such a long time. I am so gonna make it today, because we still have some leftover rice in the fridge.
xx Kirsten
This recipe immediately caught my eye when I saw it on IG. When we had no idea what to eat for dinner, I made a quick executive decision to give this a try! I had everything on hand except for the garlic chili sauce. The brown rice was cooked to perfection and I’ll be using that technique from now on. I was also a little wary about the sauce but it came out great! I ended up doubling it since I decided to use the whole pack of tofu. I used coconut aminos instead soy or tamari sauce and used maple syrup and left out the oil and it was so delicious. My hubby said it was the best thing I’ve made all year! Lol! So it will definitely be added to the dinner rotation. Thanks for another great recipe!
So glad you both enjoyed it! Thanks so much for the lovely review!
My husband and I both liked this. You could totally change up added veggies. I made recipe as written but added mushrooms. (Used maple syrup, full 2 tsp of chili garlic sauce, and sesame oil.) thanks for a New dinner option!
This was delicious and happily going into “the stack” of reliable, weeknight recipes! I end up looking for recipes based on specialized, leftover ingredients from other recipes, and happened to have the exact chili garlic sauce linked here in my fridge. The balance of flavors (so beautifully explained for adjusting purposes) was tremendous. I used the soy and brown sugar choices, and left out the green onions and carrots as my son doesn’t prefer them – though I will include them next time as I realized just how much they add, as well. The non-vegan in me thinks that shrimp would be an excellent protein that would do well with this recipe. Just a fantastic dish!
Thanks for sharing!! xoxo
WOW! It was delicious! So I changed the recipe a little bit, like I put white rice instead of brown, 3 garlic instead of 4 and onion instead of green one and it was delicious!!!!! I think the best part of this recipe is the sauce! When I tried it before putting it into the rice I went to heaven ahaha!
Really great recipe thank you for sharing it!
Love love love this rice! Super easy, flavourful & satisfying. It’s loaded with vegetables and tofu – as a side or all on its own. This will most certainly be added to the weekly roster.
So delicious! You can tweak it if you want to make it your own and it’s still amazing. My husband and teenage son loved it!
Made this tonight with my kids (college ages) and we all loved it!! We cooked the carrots before adding to the rest of the mix and it was great. Looking forward to making it again & it will definitely be a regular meal in our house.
Thanks for this recipe. It came out great. I cooked the rice ahead of time and then used the air fryer to cook up the tofu (tamari + nooch – about 10 min at 400, smaller pieces) and also the broccoli (5 min at 400) and in addition to those two items, added in all kinds of things (onion, garlic, carrots, green onions, frozen peas, frozen pineapple, zucchini, mushrooms) and topped with sesame seeds.
Absolutely delicious! I don’t like peanut butter but used it after reading the comments and I couldn’t taste it at all. Also hadn’t cooked with tofu before and my first time was a success. This will be a regular in our house from now on.
Thanks!
I only made the sauce with maple syrup option. No tofu on hand and needed quick dinner. Mixed with brown rice and frozen mixed veggies. Delish! I will make this again for sure!
Incredible recipe!! The sauce is truly out of this world! In fact, I enjoy this dish so much, I have to be careful as I want to eat it every day with LOTS of sauce! Haha!
I would happily recommend this to anyone looking to change up their typical dinner regimen.
Also…the sauce can be used in place of a standard stir-fry sauce and the dish is completely changed. Very versatile.
Good flavor, but tofu tasted like rubber….it was hard like an old bubble gum. Any recommendations on how to cook it right?
Hmm, perhaps it was baked too long? Also, depending on the brand of tofu you bought the texture can vary greatly. I would recommend trying medium firmness next time is extra firm is too tough for you. OR, the cut tofu into bigger squares.
I was initially a little skeptical of this recipe because I am not a huge fan of peanut butter. However the picture looked so delicious I had to give it a try. I am so very glad I did. This dish is beyond delicious. I have made it several times and each time I have truly enjoyed it. I would highly recommend it to anyone looking to try something different from your normal weekday or weekend meal.
Thanks for sharing!!
This has become my go-to potluck dish, and people (both veggies and omnis) always ask for the recipe! I add extra garlic chili sauce and a Thai chili for extra heat when cooking it at home, and stick to the recipe when making it for others. Great with braised bok choy or any other veg you have on hand.
Thanks for sharing, Kat! Next time would you mind leaving a rating with your review? It’s so helpful for us and other readers. xoxo
Kat – do you have a recipe for braised bok Choy?
I’m trying this out tonight and happen to have Bok Choy that needs using, and your idea sounds so tasty! I’ve never braised anything before though so some guidance may be in order ? thanks :)
ABSOLUTELY AH—MAZING!!!!
Made it exactly as written. I think I may double the veggies next time perhaps, so there is more to go around! Frozen carrots and peas made it especially easy. Thank you so much for this. I am new at being a vegetarian and especially new at tofu. Even my husband liked the tofu and he thinks he hates it. Ha! Now, please remember, those of you who are new to this, the tofu won’t taste good right out of the oven. BUT, after it marinates and sizzles in the pan , and especially combined with everything else it was SO good! I will be making this again and again!
Thanks for sharing, Valerie!
Hey,
I was just wandering why it is not freezer friendly?
I suppose it can be. It just won’t taste as fresh.
We LOVE vegetable fried rice in our house!! I also love Dana’s recipes here on Minimalistbaker so I searched for this recipe to see if I could improve my version. I haven’t made Dana’s recipe as yet, mostly bc I have really come to LOVE my version developed from years of tips. I thought I would add a couple of comments: -using left over rice or rice you make the day b4 specifically for this turns out the best dish! If you aren’t able to make it ahead, you can put the rice in the freezer for 30 minutes and that will give the same effect (I usually stir mine every 10 minutes when I’ve had to do it).
-I usually saute onion and cabbage to the veggies, really yummy
Dana, you truly inspire me!! Thank you
Thanks for sharing!
This recipe is amazing! I made a double batch and added one diced red bell pepper. I also used the tofu and edamame for extra protein. I almost didn’t use the peanut butter because I didn’t want the fried rice to taste like spicy peanut noodles. I decided to try it anyway and am so glad I did. Even my non-vegan boyfriend liked this recipe. It will be added into my rotation for sure. Thank you so much!
Easy to prepare and so yummy, my hubby’s favorite dish right now.
This recipe is delicious! I used peas, corn, broccoli, and red pepper for the vegetables. Used pre-cooked tofu. Looking forward to leftovers.
This came out amazing! Definitely the best way I’ve found to cook tofu so it’s actually crispy. The sauce was also the perfect amount of spice!
I have made this recipe for years. I have made it with and without the tofu. With white, brown and cauliflower rice. I have added meat and ate it by itself. Seriously, this is the BEST fried rice recipe out there. I typically use Bragg’s Liquid Aminos for soy sauce and sometimes substitute honey to sweeten. Thank you for this recipe!
Thank you for the lovely review, Lori! SO kind! xo
18-month-old LOVES it… we all do. Thank you for the recipe.
Are you sure, it is 12 cups of water for only one cup of rice?!
We’re in the same boat.
We do mean 12 cups- we find that this way of cooking it yields the fluffiest results. We linked to the method in the notes. If you would prefer a quicker method, check out our tutorial on How to Cook Brown Rice.
I’ve made this EVERY week for the last 4 months for my 2 toddlers and I – WE LOVE IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Made this and it was delicious! I keep cubed frozen tofu in the freezer and used that as I like the texture it produces. Otherwise I followed your directions exactly and was very happy with the end result. I definitely will be making this again
Wow this is amazing! So simple, easy, perfect for lunch prep and that sauce is unreal. One of the best fried rice dishes I’ve ever tasted :)
Yay! Thanks for sharing, James!
Thank you for this awesome recipe!!! My boyfriend always complains about healthier recipes apparently not tasting so good. But when I made this, he totally loved it! I’m not vegan so sometimes, I substitute the tofu with chicken breast. But overall, this recipe is amazing! Giving it 5 stars.
Love love love ❤️ thank you for all of your amazing recipes and beautiful pictures!
I’m new to the vegan world and this was my first recipe using tofu..and I am in LOVE!! I’m also new to cooking and I was still able to follow along and everything turned out perfectly. So happy with this recipe and will definitely be adding it to the rotation! Thank you!!
This is my go-to when I have a bunch of random veggies that I need to use up. Today I threw the bottom of my broccoli into the blender on pulse to make some riced broccoli and threw it in. Great way to pack extra veggies! For the non vegan eaters (like me) we add a fried egg on top! I only had coconut aminos and almond butter on hand but it came out delicious! Thanks for your recipes!
This turned out really well, but didn’t really hit the spot for me. I think the peanut butter threw me off.
Just tried this and wow this is so good! I’ve always had trouble cooking tofu right but this turned out perfectly. I adjusted the sauce recipe by changing to coconut sugar instead of brown and added a little maple syrup as well, also added ginger puree and ohmygosh I had a mouth orgasm. For the veg I added mushrooms and changed the spring/green/salad onion to red onion as I had no spring left. Literally typing this as I am eating it, can’t get enough! Thank you so much for this recipe!
I’ve recently become a vegan and looking for recipes that make me say wow. This is one of them. I doubled the recipe for the family and everyone loved it. Since doubling the recipe I used 1 c carrots, 1/2 c peas and 1/2 c edamane. I didn’t have chili garlic sauce so I added approx 1 tsp Sriracha sauce. The flavours were incredible. The next time I will make sure I spray the pan that the tofu was baking in as a lot of it stuck to the bottom. This recipe I will be definitely making again.
Can I scramble the tofu instead? If so, do I need to change the process?
This vegan fried was is a real winner! I was just diagnosed with inflammatory arthritis condition and am unable to eat most prepared meals. I have always been a healthy cook though. Now I must think gluten, wheat, white rice and sugar free! Quite a challenge but this recipe fits the bill. I used honey and pure maple syrup and edamame instead of peas!
We’re so glad to hear that you enjoyed this recipe, Susan!
I made this tonight for my husband, daughter and twin grandchildren..ages 7. I doubled the sauce..and used rice instructions according to package directions for long grain brown rice. I too, thought that 12 cups of water was an error…in either case, the rice was fine as per package instructions..2:1 ratio.
The dinner was delicious. Even though it was saucy, the flavors were so good that everyone wanted more…except the 7 year old twin. It was too peanut buttery for him, so I quickly put his in a sieve and ran warm water over it. He then ate it all! I have to double this recipe and keep the proportions of sauce to rice mixture as in recipe. No need to double the sauce since the flavors are very good. I also couldn’t find the chili garlic sauce, so I used the brand Homemade chili sauce. I might be brave and try the rice as written in the recipe. Thanks for sharing your food creations. Great for this vegan family.
OMG this was AMAZING!! Followed the recipe to a T but double for left overs and barely even had left overs. Everyone in my family loved it. Even the non-vegans! WIN WIN!
I went searching for vegan recipes to make for my nephew and his vegan girlfriend who were coming in to town. I doubled the ingredients because my husband wanted chicken in his, rather than the tofu, and that was easy to do. I added extra chili sauce for more of a kick and it was a HUGE hit!!! I pinned it and will be making it again very soon! Delicious! Thank you.
This is one of the best “fried” rice recipes I have ever made. The oil is unnecessary if you are oil free but adds a nice Asian flavor. I batch cook rice in my Instant Pot pressure cooker, so I am able to eliminate this step in the process. I also purchase precooked and marinated organic tofu, so I can eliminate that process too, but I did not do that for this recipe. The marinade for this recipe is right on the money.
The only change I made was that I added steamed broccoli to my veggies. BIG YUM!! I just love your book and I love your blog. THANK YOU!
Obsessed !!!! This recipe is fantastic !!! It’s easy although it is time consuming. Now I cook the rice over the weekend in advance and do the tofu the night before. That makes it much quicker after work when you have 2 hungry toddlers! My 2 kids can’t get enough of this fried rice and ask for it evert week! We like to add pineapple – yum yum
I’ve just made this as I’m returning to veggie-ism and it looked nice. I was wary of a vegan recipe after my attempt at it years back when everything I made was revolting. And I’ve never tried tofu before.
(Turns out it’s tasteless rubber out of the oven. Worried.)
Oh wow.
I’ve already eaten my tea, and am quite full, I was making it for my food at work tomorrow. Even so, it was so nice I had to stop myself from eating it all right now.
I just gave my mrs a taste, she is determined to hate all vegan on principle, she loves it. Hahahaha.
Well, played MB, I’ll be working my way through your recipes.
Thanks,
Buck.
I have made this twice with changes in vegetables but its the sauce that makes this recipe awesome!! I especially like the idea of putting the tofu in the oven and letting it firm up on its own. Previously I have used a pan to do it and it requires constant attention. Thanks so much for the recipe.
That’s looks good and I bet it taste good to I just can’t wait to make it thank you for the recipe and the Instructions to make and again thank you for the recipe.
Wow! Great recipe. I can’t believe I actually cooked something that tasted this good! It was easy to make, satiating, and all the flavors blended so well together. Everyone in my family loved it; in fact, it was requested that I make it again tonight.
The tofu came out perfectly and the key is the sauce and draining it very well.
Yay! We are so glad, Julie!
I’m in love with this recipe. I have prepared it so many times that I have had to alter the ingredients when I do not have one or the other. But for me, the sauce is the one that does all the work, even when the rice does not come nice or I change the vegetables.
Thank you for this wonderful recipe!
I’m currently sitting on my couch, full, and oh so satisfied from this recipe. OMG!! The tofu cooked in the sauce was INCREDIBLE. You can honestly eat that as is. This was soooo good. I made the sauce using about 50% of the suggested ingredients, which was perfect. I will definitely be making this one of my staples.
We are so glad you enjoyed this recipe, Bridgette! If you could leave a star rating, that would help us out a lot :)
I’ve been making this recipe for so long now. This is the first ever recipe I’ve tried from this blog and it’s a staple in our house now. My husband LOVES it, he requests this every time I ask him what he wants me to make for dinner. Great recipe!
This was a winner for the whole family, we absolutely loved it. It even warmed up just as delicious the next day for lunch.
Great! We are glad you all enjoyed it :D
This was delicious! I doubled everything and added edamame. Going to order your cookbook now. Thanks for so many tasty and inspiring recipes.
Dana, Im making this at the Firehouse today but the plan is to make Asian-Mexican Fusion, So a tofu fried rice Kimchi burrito is the idea. Hope you can put out some Korean Mexican Fusion inspired recipes. thanks
Thanks for the idea, Matt! I’ll be sure to add it to the recipe request list!
What can I substitute peanut butter with to still get the taste?
Another nut butter perhaps?
I was looking for something quick to do with a large amount of leftover rice and this was absolutely delicious! I didn’t have any carrots on hand so I just threw in some extra peas. I didn’t adjust the sauce at all it was excellent as written. I will definitely be making this again
Yay! Glad to hear it, Tracy!
This was SO yummy!!! I made it for my vegan/gluten free family and my husband and three children all asked for second heaping portions!! I made my own chili garlic sauce and substituted white rice for brown. I am going to make this dish weakly from now on :)
Great recipe! I used leftover brown rice (had less than recipe called for) added more peas, a whole package of sliced mushrooms, and used shredded carrots and it turned out yummy!
Glad I discovered this on google .
This was DELICIOUS. Loved every bit of it. Would definitely do it again! I ended up baking the tofu for 30 minutes but they turned out to be a bit too hard, I think I’ll reduce the baking time the next time I make these.
As always Minimalist Baker’s recipes never disappoint and this was no exception. This was so tasty! The tofu turned out amazingly and I’m so thankful to have a new failsafe rice instruction. I will definitely be making this again! Thanks so much Minimalist Baker!!
Yay! Glad to hear it, Tonya!
This is AMAZING! The BEST homemade fried rice ever (vegan or not)….and I’ve tried tons of recipes!! I made it with both tofu (my favorite) and vegan chicken / beef-less products from the store (for my tofu fearing friends) and it always turns out fantastic. I do not use any oil….just a splash of veggie broth for sautéing. You’d never know it’s healthy….tastes so decadent. :)
I made this for an early dinner. First off the directions are spot on. I usually have to figure out what to do first and reread it a million times but this left me with plenty of time to do the inbetween steps, i thank you for that. The flavor was amazing… i toasted the tofu and had to stop my kids from leaving none for the rice. I would probably next time switch the pwas for edamame, i just dont like peas unless their raw. The only thing i messed up was the fried rice part… it was more like mush. Not the rice’s fault because after i let it steam for 10 minutes it truly was perfect brown rice. It changed after i added it to the veggies. Any advice would be appreciated. Otherwise my family loved it! Cant wait to perfect it.
This was delicious! I used a wild rice blend instead of brown rice so of course, the cooking time was a little longer. But everything other than that I followed the ingredients and directions precisely, and the end result was wonderful! Thank you for sharing.
I made this recipe for the kids. The rice flavor was really good. I just had an issue with the tofu. It was chewy. I would probably use a little oil next time when I saute it in the pan to give it the fried crunch.
Will definatly make again.
This is the best fried rice I’ve ever made!!
Whoop! Glad to hear that, Samantha!
I was craving fried rice, but takeout is horrible for you and I knew I’d regret it. THIS RECIPE recipe ticked all the boxes: hearty, flavorful and packed with veggies! I added baby bok choy and mushrooms, which were great. I omitted the sugar and added about 8 drops of stevia, instead. It truly was divine. Thanks for turning me on to marinating after the tofu is cooked – genius – AND my new rice cooking method!
Im blown away! this is sooo tasty! cant wait to whip this one out for my meaty friends
I made this for the first time last night and I’m already planning on making it again next week. It’s gonna be a staple! It’s so good! My husband and I haven’t had anything like this since we went vegan.
I made this last night using cauliflower rice instead of rice. It was fabulous! Left out the peas (hubby doesn’t like them) but added some chopped celery. I loved it. Will definitely be making it again.
Woot woot! Thanks for sharing, Kathy!
I made this with roasted cashew butter instead of peanut butter and it turned out great. thanks.
Glad to hear it, Lisa!
I thought I had completely run out of food in my house but managed to make this entirely out of ingredients I already had in my fridge, freezer and cupboard. I was so surprised at how delicious it was, and my boyfriend said he could eat it everyday. I did blacken a pan when cooking the tofu after the marinade though, never mind
Loved it! I always thought fried rice lacked a bit of flavor, but not with this sauce ;) instead of regular tofu, I used a block a five-spices marinated tofu and it was amazing! Your recipes are my go-to dinner ideas now!
Yay! We’re glad to hear it, Xieyu!
Hi,
I made this the way it said in the recipe… rice was slightly over done … why would this happen when I followed the 12 cups boiling water?
The sauce came out thick… Any way in thinning it?
Thanks
Karen
Hi Karen!
Try and boil for slightly less time. Sounds like you maybe just overcooked it. To thicken sauce, add more nut butter! Hope this helps!
Thanks for your prompt reply.
The sauce came out too ‘thick’ – how did you get yours thin please?
Hmm, might’ve been the tahini. If it was too thick, definitely thin with lime juice or water!
What is Chili garlic sauce? I’ve never seen this – can you buy at supermarkets bad is there a brand you recommend?
Hi Cat! This one!
Absolutely delish! This is my 4th time making this recipe and my family loves it! Thank you!
Hi Dana,My friend wants to make that but she isnot vegeterian.What can she substitute for tofu or edamame pls?
You could use other favorite veggies or if not vegetarian, a meat option would work as well.
Very yum. Instead of tofu, I found a bag of soybean protein strips in my pantry, they are supposed to mimic the texture of chicken. Also, as I started to prepare this, I realized I had no garlic chili sauce! I frantically searched through my fridge for a substitute, to discover that I didn’t have garlic chili sauce OR soy sauce! I luckily had braggs liquid aminos soy sauce substitute, and I replaced the chili sauce with some spicy tangy garlic stir fry sauce I had on hand. In the end, all though still delicious, my product was a bit to salty. Probably because of my last minute substitutions. But all in all, very good!
Really enjoyed this! Omitted the tofu, not a fan, and used frozen brown rice. Perfect quick dinner paired with Trader Joe’s Vegetable Bird’s Nest. Can’t wait to try the sauce on rice noodles, thanks for another great recipe!
instead of tofu do you think that mushrooms can take its place?
Yes! You’ll want to bake the mushrooms for less time though.
I only have coconut aminos on hand, would I still be able to make this?
Yes, that should work!
Just made this and OMGGGG better than takeout! I have a new favorite dish! Sooooo good! Thank you thank you thankkk you!
Will this reheat well… Wondering is the Tofu will stay crispy?
Leftovers keep well in the refrigerator for 3-4 days, though best when fresh. Reheat in a skillet over medium heat or in the microwave.
I had some leftover takeout rice, so used it instead of cooking the rice. Just 1 tbsp of maple syrup was enough, but it was so easy and so delicious! Thanks for the great recipe. It’ll definitely be a go-to!
This is amazing. I make enough for lunches all week and freeze. Thank you for the recipe!
THis is one of the first vegan recipes I made and 3 years later it’s still one of my favorites! Thank you for making vegan foods taste great.
Wow, that sauce! Super delicious and super quick to make. Will make this again and again. Also love that I can vary my veggies and just use whatever is in the fridge.
I’ve made this recipe several times now and it’s truly a keeper.
Delicious!
I’ve made this twice; once with the edamame substitute and once with tofu. They were both excellent. The tofu takes a little longer but if time permits, I will do it in the future as it is better with such a nice texture. I made the sauce with 2 tablespoons of peanuts butter and added Siracha at the table as I like spicy. My non vegan son loved it.
Just made this for dinner tonight. Rice turned out fantastic – I did not use 12 cups of water to boil – more like 4 ish.. I have to add that baking tofu was awesome idea – I have only pan fried tofu and no matter how much water I extract, I get grease splatters all over the stove. I will just have to disagree with the previous post – my 1/4″ tofu cubes baked in a toaster oven at 400 for 30 mins was absolutely fantastic. Next time, I will try serving baked tofu with slightly diluted sauce and brown rice. Thank you for the recipe – I am delighted with learning new techniques.
-Shilpa
Do NOT BAKE YOUR TOFU!! It made mine very hard like little pieces of rocks in my rice.
So, so good! I added 1/2 cup mushrooms, snow peas, bean sprouts and water chestnuts, because I love those ingredients. We will have this again and again!!!
Hello,
I am a country girl from Nebraska. Though I love Asain food, I have not made a lot of Asian food. Nor have I cooked many vegan recipes, or rice! This weekend, my nephew is marrying the sweetest girl! She happens to be Mung. I was asked to prepare an Asian dish, for a group of 35 people, which would include both sides of the family. Holy cow! Are you serious? Talk about pressure! Well… I am here to tell you, the rice turned out perfectly and the flavor was fabulous! It was a hit. If I can do it, you can! Thanks for the great recipe!
I made this tonight. It tastes great and is full of flavor. Next time, I may even double the rice to have more for leftovers. A new favorite!
How long should I warm this up in the Microwave?
I’ve made this last night, it was delicious and so easy, thank you ?
I made this wonderful dish for breakfast. I used leftover brown rice, used raw almond butter, instead of peanut butter and added some diced red bell pepper. It is now save as favorite in my recipe collection. Thanks
I added some red cabbage to this, and it added a bit of extra crunch! Really nice sauce :)
This sauce is so amazing!! I’ve tried at least 5 of your recipes and loved every single one. Your awesome! Thanks so much for sharing!!
This is a great work night recipe. My boyfriend eats plant based whole foods and this hit the spot for him. I used quick brown rice from trader joe’s and then added frozen riced cauliflower to kick up the vegetable. I also addd frozen edamame, asparagus, and mushrooms. The sauce has enough salt content that I wouldn’t recommend seasoning the vegetables when sautéing. Spice is good thing in our house so we added a little extra garlic chili paste. Yum! Thank you for the recipe.
I made this last night to have for lunch this week, and it is THE BEST fried rice I’ve ever had. I will be making this many more times in the future. I love it!
I’m allergic to peanuts, will this recipe still taste great if i omit the peanuts?
Hi! You could try a sunbutter!
The 12 cups of water depends on the type of rice. However I used 2 cups of water for my brown rice. I also added ground ginger, cummin, black pepper and I used frozen mix vegetables instead. AIso I used only 1 tbs organic peanut butter with 3 tbs Siracha. Sometimes you have to tweak a recipe to work for your liking. Overall that was an amazing recipe!
Delicious recipe! Would make this again and again! I used cashew butter and doubled the quantity of vegetables and it was fantastic!
This is a delicious recipe and now one of our favorite meals!
Everything about this recipe is absolutely amazing! Wish I could rate it HIGHER!!!! My family is in love, we are making again tonight! What would you recommend as a vegan side dish???
Thank you! I love finding recipes like this that are super easy & delicious and make me feel like my kitchen created magic!
What can I use to substitute the green onions with?
Hi! You could try a white or yellow onion!
Best fried rice recipe ever! The sauce, the tofu, the brown rice, the crunchy carrots. The rice doesn’t stick at all! Thank you so much for sharing this!
This sauce is DELICIOUS!! I just had leftover rice and some frozen veggies. I threw the leftover rice and frozen veggies in a pan with covered lid, cooked for a few minutes and added the sauce in. Added a little bit of oil along the way. Oh my goodness…SO yummy. Thank you!!
I made this and it came out AWESOME!! It’s pretty easy and quick as well. I made a few adjustments because I didn’t have all ingredients. Thumbs up!!
I made the vegan fried rice because it looked good in the picture. This was my first vegan recipe that I have tried and it was truly flavorful. I have started looking into eating more healthy because I want to get rid of my medications. The brown rice came out perfectly fluffy. I look forward to continuing eating healthier. Thanks minimalistbaker.com staff.
Really good recipe! Easy and quick
This was amazing! My husband is a meat eater and he loved it. I added mushrooms and green beans. I used prepackaged sriracha tofu from Trader Joes to save time but marinated it in the sauce from the recipe. The rice cooked perfectly, will definitely use that cooking method in the future. So good! Thank you!
There is only one word that comes to mind for describing this dish…DELICIOUS. I added corn kernels and a little Vidalia onion for extra texture and flavor, but other than that, I followed the recipe as written. Thanks for sharing this one!
Hi do have a substitute for peanut butter? My daughter is allergic to tree nuts.. I’m planning to try this for her. Thanks.
You could use sunflower butter or just leave it out!
It is tasty as well as easy recipe for a new comer. I will surely try it out.
I’ve made this several times for vegans and non-vegans, it is always a hit!
Thanks Dana for such a wonderful recipe, just wanted to know can i use White Basmati Rice for the same ? will the flavour change ?
Hi! Yes, that will work but you may get a slightly different texture!
I love it. Full of flavor! Delicious!
As a student, and environmentally conscious individual, I’ve been looking for budget and animal friendly recipes for a while. This one ticks all of the boxes! It is so delicious! The sauce is amazing and now I wouldn’t cook tofu in any other way now! It even pleased two male, predominantly carnivorous housemates, who went back for seconds! This is now a weekly recipe in my household. Thanks for an awesome recipe :) I’ll be checking out some more of your ideas.
This is one of my easy go to weeknight recipes, and it’s also so forgiving. I often use whatever vegetables I have on hand, I don’t always include the tofu, I sometimes even use frozen veggies when I have less time for prep, and it never disappoints. The secret is in the sauce, which is so good, and is conveniently comprised of ingredients I always have on hand. I’m generous with the peanut butter (because, obviously) and I’ve used just about every version of sweetener (brown sugar, sugar, turbinado, maple syrup, honey) and all have worked well. It’s a great recipe to put time into (the tofu is so good), and it also works so well as a last minute thrown together meal. Thanks for delicious an oh so doable recipes. They’re the reason I keep coming back.
I had this tonight, and loved it, although I oven cooked the tofu to a crisp :-( (this will be good next time I make your vegan Caesar salad, in lieu of bread croûtons). I used my own hot sauce (thai red chiles/chile de arbol + olive oil and caraway, in a high speed blender), and added the frozen peas just before eating. Next time, I will try adding some ginger. The sauce was yummy, and the rice fluffy. This is the way I am going to cook brown rice from now on. Thank you for your great recipes: they make my taste buds sing!
Omg this is amazing! The best vegan fried rice I have had yet! I paired this with an Asian cabbage salad and lunch is going to rock!! I live everything you post :)
Absolutely delicious! Wonderful comfort food and the tofu was so tasty even for non-tofu eaters!
If I’m using 2 cups of dry brown rice, do I need to boil 24 cups of water?
I made this tonight, and it came out amazing! The only thing I added to the recipe was kale and bell pepper for extra veggies. I served with sweet chili sauce on top, and it was delicious! Even my dad, who isn’t vegan, was crazy about it and he ate some of the sauce with a spoon. Great dinner!
Husband loves the sauce and he’s not a big rice fan. Wondering if I could somehow make the sauce into a stir fry sauce. Any suggestions?
This is now my favorite way to make tofu! Baking it was so much easier than frying it. I did mine in 3/4″ cubes and baked it about 28 minutes. The sauce was easy and yummy. I’ll definitely make again.
Hi Dana – Thanks for this great easy recipe. I make it weekly! So easy, always have ingredients on hand, and usually have some leftover for lunch (but not always!)
Absolutely loved the sauce, probably the best online recipe turn out !
I have a family of 7, how do you alter the measurements to make this recipe for that many people?
Hi Delilah! Thats a big group to feed! If you are going to serve this meal as the entree, I’d recommend tripling the recipe. If you’ve got a hungry bunch, quadrupling it will work as well. Good luck!
Yum! Best fried rice I’ve had. Not a vegan but peanut butter sounded better then the eggs in other recipes. My kinda traditional hubby even exclaimed!
Yum! Best fried rice I’ve had, easy. I am not a vegan but using peanut butter instead of eggs appealed to me.
Wow, delicious, recipe is a keeper!
This is amazing!!! That sauce is so unbelievably delicious. It was our first time trying tofu and it was impressive. For how cheap it is, it will definitely be served many more nights!
With recipes like this I might just be able to keep up this vegan thing ! Delish and the rice thing worked out perfectly. Thanks for the recipe, you’re a gem :)
I made this last night and it was delicious. I needed to cut down on the cooking time, so we made the rice ahead of time and stored it in the fridge until we were ready to make everything else. We aren’t vegan, so I scrambled two eggs and threw those in at the end. We will definately be making this again.
This was so delicious! The only thing I struggled with was the method of cooking the rice – I ended up just cooking it how I always cook rice and then steaming for 10 minutes and it tasted really good. My tofu hating friend loved it :)
thank you!
OMG! this recipe was so fast and SO delicious.
This recipe is amazing. My wife and I didn’t even make it to the table to sit down and eat. We stood over the skillet with our bowels. Cleared the skillet in a matter of minutes. Thank you for sharing!
LOVED this! The sauce was a great alternative to just plain soy sauce as I have used in the past. I found the tofu a tiny bit too dry after baking in oven for 30 min, will bake for less time next time or may just sauté instead.
I made this and it was fantastic! I followed it to a tee and it came out perfectly. The only thing I didn’t have was carrots so I substituted red pepper. Thanks for a great and easy to follow recipe.
Made this fried rice last night! Awesome!!
I made this and it was great! (step 4 in the cooking directions says to use 12 cups of water for the rice- hopefully people would know that it was probably supposed to be “2 cups”. )
I’ve been doing a 21 day SP Purification and I’ve use several of your recipes – thank you thank you!!!
haha! I was so confused by the 12 cups part! I started out putting them in and then realised it couldn’t be right so just cooked my rice how I always do. Makes sense it was meant to be two!
Made this and it was delicious
This was so delicious and tasted very authentic. I have found all of your recipes absolutely delicious and can’t wait to make more! (I made the veggie pot pie last week with the biscuits on top and it was so good!) Thanks for posting them!
I want to thank you so much for this recipe. My family has always been skeptical of tofu, but this recipe has changed their mind. We make it once a week now :) I add rice wine vinegar, omit the sugar in the sauce, and add red peppers and onions to the veges, but thats all personal preference stuff. This recipe is wonderful as is!! Thank you so much!
This recipe is a keeper! I made it without the tofu and it was still so delicious and easy to make. The sauce is very flavorful and the dish is very tasty. Great way to use leftover rice. I plan to make more today! Thanks for a terrific recipe!
This is such a great way to make brown rice! I’m wondering though… in order to make 2 cups of rice, do I need to double the water? Or just change up the cooking time?
My daughter and I made this tonight. It was absolutely delicious! We were a little worried about the peanut butter, but so yummy! The cooking method for the tofu was excellent, however personal taste dictates I not bake it quite as long.
Again, excellent, delicious rice! Yum!
Just made this my parents (my dad is not a tofu lover) and they loved it. Definitely cut back on the spicy-ness of the sauce for them without lessening the dish at all.
This recipe is great! The only things I did different was I used white rice instead of brown and added some more vegetables and doubled the recipe. Very very good! I plan on using this method to cook tofu more often!:)<3
I love how all your recipes are so easy to make and ready to eat in no time. Especially after a day of work it’s just great.
This recipe as well: so easy and yet so tasty, my boyfriend who is quite picky with food really enjoyed this dish.
This was delicious! I made it for my friend’s birthday dinner and she really liked it. The flavor was terrific and I am definitely keeping this in my files. Thanks for sharing!
I totally screwed the tofu (too small pieces for too long in the oven) so I didn’t put it in, but the rice was still delicious.
The way to cook the rice was good but not as good as I expected though. I will have to try it again with a bit shorter time.
perfect…loved it
Amazing. I loved it and the hubby loved it. This will be made again, probably at least once a week!!
Was wondering if you could use Pineapple in place of tofu?
Are you kidding me! Tastes amazing. Love your site, you are a top google search for best vegan anything! Thanks you,
Amy
Delicious!! I made the rice in my Zojirushi rice cooker early in the day, and the rest was a breeze to finish. My husband and I both thought it was really yummy, and I added it to our “eat often” list. I put only 1 Tbsp. of maple syrup because we tend to like recipes a little less sweet than they call for — it was perfect for us.
I made this and it is easy and delicious! I love the crispy tofu and hint of peanut butter flavor. I’ll definitely make this one again.
Hello :). I don’t want to buy chilli garlic sauce, as I don’t cook asian food very often. Is there a substitute I could use?
-Belle
Sriracha? Or you could sub ground up chilies or chili flake.
This is sooooo good. Lots of flavor and easy to make. Love it!! Thanks fir the recipe!
I’ve made this six or seven times now (in just a couple of months) and it is now my go-to easy, quick meal for my little vegan family. I use white basmati rice because that is what we usually have already made or is quick to make and I add corn, peas and edamame. It’s also great if you want a side dish for vegan orange chicken or any other vegan protein options (though it totally works as a main dish, too). My addiction to chili garlic sauce started with this recipe…thanks for that! :) This now has a well-deserved place in my book of favorite recipes.
Forgot to add the stars…I give it fifty. :)
LOVED this! So easy and so gooooood!
Wow! My favorite fried rice was from PF Changs. This is my new favorite!
My daughter and son-in-law are gluten, dairy and egg free due to serious food allergies. But the doctor told my daughter to add meat back into her diet when she was pregnant so they do eat limited amounts of meat but not poultry. I often look for vegan recipes for them and add proteins. I was looking for an interesting rice stuffing for Thanksgiving and came across this recipe. I substituted an organic kielbasa sausage for the tofu and doubled the recipe. My apologies to the purist vegans reading this.
My husband came in the house while I was cooking this, and he asked what smelled so good. When I gave him a taste, he exclaimed this would be the most popular dish on the table, and he was right. Everyone had a good laugh about fried rice with the traditional turkey dinner, and had second helpings. We had some guests who joined us late for dessert and tasted it. They opted for the fried rice instead of dessert. Everyone asked for the recipe.
I had 8 adults for dinner and the 3 guests who arrived later. Doubling this recipe made enough for multiple servings for everyone, take home dishes for several and leftovers for us. I used my large wok to combine the components and serve it since my largest pot wasn’t big enough. I have been asked to make it again for Christmas.
Does anyone know how well this freezes?
Thanks for sharing this delicious recipe. I’ll never buy fried rice at PF Changs again. Cheers!
Thanks so much, Estelle!
Made this tonight. Dissapointed I left tofu in 30 min as I like it crispy also. Could hardly eat it . Very dry. The sauce and the rice was very good. Why did the tofu taste like that? I finally learned out how to cook brown rice! Thank you & yes I used 12 c of water !
This recipe is phenomenal! Last week the family all voted for Asian take-out food. As the only whole food, plant-based eater among us, I decided I’d make my own rice dish to avoid any unnecessary oils or additives; my search brought me to your site. This rice dish was preferred by all! In fact, my wife asked me to make it again for dinner this evening. This recipe will be a new staple for us. Yes, of course; everyone tweaks a recipe (as do I)–but you have provided the rock-solid base of a winner! Thank you so much!
This was amazing! Reminds me of takeout! Your recipes have never disappointed me :) The only substitution I made was white rice. For others reading this, I just cooked white rice as I normally do and then spread it out on a baking sheet for about 10 minutes to allow most of its surface moisture to evaporate. I used to think I couldn’t make fried rice with freshly cooked rice but drying it out after cooking resulted in a perfect fried rice :)
Just made this for dinner tonight it’s so good! I only had a little bit of brown rice left so I added quinoa and it came out great. 6 year old approved ?
Cooking vegan for just two, I find I often have leftover cooked tofu and brown rice. Starting with those things already done, this came together in a flash and was DELISH. The addition of peanut butter really elevates it above my usual stir fries. Thanks for sharing it!
Hi! Thanks for the recipe. My husband raved about it. It tasted and smelled wonderful, and it is definitely going in my recipe box for the future. The only problem I had was frying the tofu in the sauce. During that stage, the sugary sauce congealed on the frying pan, making a sticky, gooey mess that I had to keep scraping off, eventually leaving bits of gooey congealed sauce bits in the final dish. Do you have a remedy for this? Thanks!
Did you include the sesame oil? Also, be mindful of temperature. I kept mine right at medium heat and did not have an issue. I did include the sesame oil, I’m sure it helps.
Best fried rice ever!
I’m a broke college student so rice is my main food group, and this recipe is my all time FAVORITE fried rice! The sauce is so simple but the amount of flavor in it is insane. I use the sauce over rice and veggies (unfried because I’m REALLY hungry), to marinate tofu, and on rice noodles! SO good all around. I make this at least once a week, so if you have it pinned for later go ahead and make it already!
This is a new favorite! One thing I will say is be mindful of the 1/4 inch tofu as it csn be difficult to measure but that is ok because you can adjust the baking time accordingly. Also, dont use too much oil on the baking pan because the tofu will become too crispy. When my tofu came out too crispy, I skipped browning it in the pan and only warmed and served it. Thank you so much!
This is so good, by far the best fried rice I’ve ever had. Thanks Dana you never disappoint!!
Can I make this with natural peanut butter. Like peanut butter that is ground from peanuts no salt or anything?
I made this tonight and it came out just great. As I often cook with tofu, I changed it up a bit and used vegan chicken strips and cut them into smaller pieces. And oh as I had run out of brown rice, I used white rice and this was AWESOME!! I so enjoy your recipes Dana. They are vegan and so flavorful.
Thank you Dana! You have turned me into a real chef!!!!
Hi, I’m really looking forward to trying this recipe but was wondering if I can replace the peanut butter with something? Thanks, Ana
I made this recipe last night, with a few tweaks. I’m made a few recipes from here before, and all have turned out great, but this one…this one motivated me to write a comment! I already had Trader Joe’s Sriracha and Teriyaki baked tofus on hand, so I cut them up into small cubes and cooked them in a pan with a little coconut oil with the garlic and green onion. In a cast iron dutch oven, I started the peas (frozen), carrots (fresh) and also some frozen corn we had. I added the sauce ingredients, using maple syrup for the sweetener and sriracha sauce in place of the chili garlic sauce, and also added the optional toasted sesame oil. We also had a large amount of left over basmati rice from Indian earlier in the week, so I used that, and made a double batch. The flavors from this fried rice were so amazing for the minimal amount of work required, I am so so so happy I made a double batch!! I can already tell this is going to be a routine go-to recipe for me!!! Thanks for sharing, and the great recipes/blog!
I tried this recipe today and was sooooo amazed and happy!! It was delicious! I love tofu but dont know that many ways to cook it. This is very flavorful and just yummy. And its brown rice too! Definitely better than restaurants. Thank you for this recipe!!
I would loooove to make this recipe! Any ideas how I could substitute the peanut butter though? Allergies Allergies! But everything else is so wonderful that I’m really hoping there’s something I can sub PB with!
This recipe was sooo good highly recommend it. I only put a tiny amount of peanut butter but I am thinking maybe you are ok without it. I used maple syrup so i think the sweetness from that was good enough to compensate for the small amount of peanut butter.
The most important ingredient in this recipe – the sauce – leaves behind a great big question mark. It’s easy to make good brown rice with vegetables, but it’s the sauce that gives it flavour and is what distinguishes restaurant quality flavour from plain brown rice.
Can you please expand on “chili garlic sauce” with some recommendations? Is this home made? Do you recommend a brand?
Store-bought stuff is likely to contain unwanted sugars, syrups, non-vegan ingredients, soy, etc. This is really the key for the recipe for me, so please expand on some suggestions :)
This one!
This was excellent! Thanks for another great recipe.
I made this last night and just substituted with the veggies I had on hand. (And used firm tofu ) it was amazing! Thanks Dana :)
Delicious!!!!!!
Love, Love, Love this recipe, :-) I have it cooked twice in two weeks, its is sooooo easy and quick well not tofu lol. The first time i prepared as instructed the second time i doubled all ingredients so that i would have extra for work. My coworker just tried it and asked for the recipe. This will be my go to for fried rice. Thanks love it
Some of your recipes, once I taste I am convinced I never want to eat any thing else again. This is one of them. I recently discovered soy butter and I am so glad I did because I got to enjoy this tasty recipe. Thanks so much you are making me one happy healthy girl!
This was incredible! 10/10. I doubled the sauce (I love sauce!) and added broccoli, water chestnuts, mushrooms along with the peas and carrots. Fantastic.
Omg this is sooo goood!
I made this for dinner tonight and i am so glad i doubled the recipe, now we have some for lunch tomorrow. I followed the recipe exactly and it turned out amazing, i think the best fried rice i have ever had :) Yummy
This was absolutely amazing!! The texture of the tofu was on point. Your recipes never disappoint. Thank you!!!!!
Did you really mean to say “12 cups of water” for 1 cup of rice?
If you read the Saveur rice cooking method (she links to it…) it explains the 12 cups of water. It really does make an excellent pot of rice!
Can this be frozen when it’s done so it lasts longer? Thanks!
This was the second recipe I have tried from this website (two days in a row) and it has been an absolute delight. The sauce was so fun to make with the peanut butter, which went well with the soy and hot sauce, which I substituted for the chili sauce. It was very feeling and full of flavor.
Awesome recipe! I did edamame instead of tofu, a regular yellow onion instead of green onion, and added some snap peas. I also ended up doubling the sauce recipe because it was SO delicious and I needed more! Way better than any fried rice I’ve ever had at a restaurant.
This is an excellent recipe!!!
I substituted the maple syrup with organic ketchup instead and used chickpeas instead of tofu and it turned out great!
Thank you for sharing this recipe.
All I have is firm tofu instead of extra firm. Can I use it or will it not turn out good? Thanks!
I don’t think this would matter too much, especially as it is baked for so long in the oven.
I tried this recipe for a potluck dinner. Absolutely delicious! I couldn’t get the tofu quite as crispy as I would like it, so I should have baked it longer. The next time I think I will substitute mushrooms for the tofu, to get More veggies in the mix! I substituted tobasco for Siracha because that’s what I had in hand. Thank you for this awesome recipe!
I made this for lunch today and had trouble with the sauce. I used tahini and brown sugar and the sauce was more like cookie dough than sauce. I tried adding soy sauce but it didn’t help much. So that lead to trouble marinating and separating my tofu. How can I make the sauce more of a liquid next time? The flavor was amazing! I would like to try it again soon.
Hmm, might’ve been the tahini. If it was too thick, definitely thin with lime juice or water!
Hi Dana,
I’ve been LOVING your vegan fried rice for months. I just wanted to stop by and say thank you so much for such an awesome recipe! I love everything you make!!
So kind! Thanks Julie! xoxo
I made this with sugar snap peas instead of regular peas, and it was DELICIOUS. I made a double batch, and it’s feeding me for lunch this week.
Deeeeelicious! I baked the tofu this time and unfortunately I burned it so it stuck to the pan… but still edible. I love the sweetness that the peanut butter and syrup added. Might try another batch tomorrow with another kind of soy. I had some baby spinach with it as well and it tastes like heaven on a plate. :)
Thank you for putting me off Chinese Take Away for life! lol Its a healthier choice anyway, and I’m trying this recipe tonight :) Thanks! x
Hey! does this work for white rice as well?
I was wondering if this worked for white rice as well? or just brown rice?