Harissa Tofu Bowls

harissa tofu bowl with fresh veggies and herbed rice

5 from 2 votes

Harissa tofu bowls with herbed rice and crunchy veggies is an easy, flavor-packed weeknight meal that’s so flexible! Make it exactly as-is, or mix and match veggies to use what you have.

Prep Time10

Cook Time20

Total Time30

Course: Bowl, dinner, lunch, Main, Main Course

Cuisine: African Inspired

Keyword: harissa tofu, harissa tofu bowl

Servings:

Author: Vegan Richa

Ingredients

For the Harissa Tofu

14 ounces firm or extra firm tofu pressed for at least 15 minutes and torn into 3/4” bite-sized pieces
2 tablespoons harissa sauce
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon dry oregano or basil
1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon oil

For the Dressing

1 tablespoon rice vinegar or white vinegar
1 tablespoon maple syrup
zest of 1 small lime
2-3 tablespoons lime juice
1 clove garlic minced
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper flakes

For the Herbs

1/2 cup packed chopped cilantro
1/4 cup packed chopped basil
2-3 green onions chopped

For the Crunchy Veggies

1 medium cucumber sliced thin
4 or 5 red radishes sliced thin
1/4 cup thinly sliced onion or other crunchy veggies

For the Rice or Grains

2 cups cooked rice or quinoa or couscous or grains of choice

For Garnish

sesame seeds hemp seeds, or crushed peanuts

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Make the tofu.

Press the tofu, if you haven't already, and then tear into bite-sized pieces. If you don't want to make them into organic shapes, you can also cube them into 1” cubes. Add to a bowl, add the harissa, and toss well to coat. Then mix the paprika, garlic powder, salt, oregano, and cornstarch in a small bowl, and sprinkle it all over the tofu, tossing well to coat. Then, you can bake, pan fry, or grill this tofu.
To pan fry or grill: Heat a skillet or grill over medium-high heat, and add the teaspoon of oil. Once the oil is hot, add the tofu, spread it out evenly, then cook until most of the tofu is darker in color and crisp, flipping every 2 to 3 minutes, then remove from the skillet.
To bake: Add the teaspoon of oil to the tofu, toss well to coat, then spread the tofu on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake at 400° F (205° C) for 20 to 25 minutes.

Make the dressing.

Add all of the dressing ingredients to a bowl. Mix really well, and set aside.

Assemble the harissa tofu bowls.

Slice the green onion and chop up the basil and cilantro finely, including the cilantro stems. Slice your crunchy veggies, if you haven't already, as well. Add half of the dressing to the cooked rice along with half of the herbs, tossing well. Taste and adjust the flavor, adding more salt, if needed. For more tang, add in extra lime juice.
Add the rice mixture to your serving bowls and top with a generous serving of the sliced veggies. Top with your warm harissa tofu and then add a drizzle of the remaining dressing and the remaining chopped herbs. Garnish with sesame seeds, hemp seeds, or crushed peanuts and serve.

Video

Notes

To store: You can make the tofu and grains and slice the veggies ahead of time. They will keep separately in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. The dressing is best when it's made fresh, because the fresh garlic starts to get rancid after storing for a few hours. Make the dressing and assemble the bowl when you're ready to serve.

This is naturally gluten-free. It’s nut-free as long as you top with seeds of choice instead of peanuts. To make this soy-free, use soy-free chicken substitute, chickpeas, other beans, or chickpea tofu.

You can make this with spicy or mild harissa paste. I use this one.
To use powdered harissa spice blend, mix the harissa spice with a little bit of lemon juice and two tablespoons of chopped red pepper and use.

If you don't like harissa, you can use a different sauce or paste. You can use some berbere spice or cajun spice and add in some Asian chili garlic sauce to the tofu along with the spice blend for variation.

Nutrition