Harissa Tofu Bowls with Turmeric Rice
Crispy harissa tofu served over fluffy turmeric rice with a crunchy cucumber radish salad. A simple recipe inspired by Middle Eastern flavors that’s perfect for a plant-based dinner!
These tofu bowls pack in delicious flavor from all of the components. The crumbled tofu nuggets are tossed in a sweet and spicy harissa glaze, the fluffy turmeric rice has hints of garlic and serves as the ideal base for the tofu, and the cucumber radish salad adds a crunchy freshness to finish it all off.
This recipe is the perfect vegetarian meal prep for the week. You can prepare all of the ingredients a few days in advance, and assemble the bowls throughout the week for a delicious lunch or dinner.
Crumbled Baked Tofu
The crumbled tofu is one of my favorite ways to bake tofu. You simply break apart a block of extra-firm tofu into chunks, toss it with with some spices and tapioca flour, drizzle it with olive oil and bake the tofu until golden and crisp.
You’re left with crispy bites of tofu that can be tossed in endless sauce possibilities.
What you’ll need to make harissa tofu bowls
These bowls take a little bit of prep work, but they’re worth every step. Here’s what you’ll need-
For the tofu
- Extra firm tofu
- Spices: cumin, paprika, salt and pepper
- Tapioca flour- to add a crisp
- Olive oil
- Harissa paste
- Date syrup
For the turmeric rice
- long grain rice, like basmati or jasmine
- turmeric + salt
- garlic
- olive oil
- Start by crumbling the tofu into chunks. Add it to a bowl and toss with your spices and tapioca flour
- Transfer the tofu to a baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Bake on 400 F for about 40-45 minutes
- In the meantime, prepare the turmeric rice. Add the rice to a pot with oil on medium heat and toast with the garlic, turmeric and salt for 2-3 minutes
- Pour the water into the pot and cover, then bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low and simmer for 15-20 minutes.
- Whisk together the harissa, date syrup and water to make the harissa sauce. Toss it together with the tofu once its ready
- Assemble your bowls with the tofu, rice and my favorite cucumber radish salad
This recipe is a true winner even for meat eaters. The sauce is spicy and has a little tang, and delicious over the turmeric rice with the cucumber salad for a well-rounded dinner.
Whether you’re looking to change up your tofu game or incorporate more plant-based meals into your week, this recipe is a great way to start. You can tag me on Instagram if you try it!
Looking for more tofu recipes? Try some of my favorites linked below-
Crumbled Tofu Lettuce Cups with Peanut Sauce
Shawarma Spiced Tofu Wraps
Crispy Orange Tofu
Harissa Tofu Bowls with Turmeric Rice
Ingredients
- 2 blocks extra firm tofu (14 oz each)
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 2 tbsp tapioca flour
- 3 tbsp harissa paste
- 1 1/2 tbsp date syrup
- 1/4 cup + 2 tbsp water
Turmeric Rice
- 1 1/2 cups jasmine or basmati rice
- 3 cups water
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1/4 tsp turmeric
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 clove garlic crushed
Serve with
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 400 F
- Crumble the tofu into chunks and add it to a bowl with the cumin, paprika, salt, pepper and tapioca flour. Toss together well to coat evenly.
- Transfer the tofu crumbles to a parchment lined sheet pan and drizzle generously with olive oil. Bake the tofu for about 45 minutes, until browned and crispy- flipping halfway through baking.
- While the tofu bakes, prepare the rice by adding the dry rice to a pot on medium heat with a tbsp of olive oil, the turmeric, garlic and salt. Toast the rice with the spices in the oil for 2-3 minutes.
- Pour the water into the pot, cover with a lid and bring it to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low and simmer the rice for 15-20 minutes until all of the water is absorbed. Let rest for 5 minutes then fluff with a fork. Adjust salt as needed.
- Prepare the harissa sauce by whisking together the harissa, date syrup and water together in a bowl. Once the tofu is ready, pour the sauce over the tofu and toss together to coat.
- Serve over the turmeric rice with cucumber radish salad
I’ve never tried anything like this or such cuisine and it turned out PERFECTLY! 10/10 from me and 8.5/10 from my husband, he said the salad was a little too spicy for him haha
Loved this!