Crispy Rock Tofu Bowl.
This crispy rock tofu is inspired by Nobu’s rock shrimp tempura. I used a vegan mayo base to create the delicious sauce, and crisped tofu cubes in an air fryer to mimic the crunchy shrimp texture. You can enjoy this crispy rock tofu as is or in a rice & veggie bowl as pictured. This recipe is entirely plant-based and low FODMAP for those of you struggling with IBS, SIBO, leaky gut, or another digestive issue that has landed you in a temporary low FODMAP diet.
Crispy Rock Tofu
I absolutely LOVE tofu and use it often. It’s an easy source of protein and can be molded into so many different things. If you are unable to eat tofu or just don’t like it, you can sub it for Pumfu (made from pumpkin seeds), tempeh, or seitan.
To get a super crispy tofu quick, I used my air fryer. You can absolutely make these in your oven, it just requires a bit more time and cleanup. If you’re thinking about investing in an air fryer, check out my top picks on Amazon:
If you’re new to veganism and prefer a more realistic shrimp alternative, the following companies have great alternatives. To note, I don’t recommend alternatives like this forever. They’re great in the beginning to make for an easier transition to a plant-based diet, but can be expensive and unhealthy long term. These three companies are on the healthier side though compared to many other similar companies out there.
I used a high protein tofu (super firm tofu) because it has little water making it chewier and crispier. It also has a much higher protein content than regular soft tofu. My favorite comes from Trader Joe’s but here are a few options you can find online:
The base of the crispy rock tofu sauce is vegan mayo. As much as I love vegan mayo, it can be expensive and inaccessible to some. The following vegan mayos are available online in certain areas, but if you still can’t find them you can create your own vegan mayo. All you’ll need to do is blend 1/2 cup of oil (I prefer avocado oil) with 1/4 cup of plant-based milk (I use oat) and a tsp of apple cider vinegar or white vinegar. If you don’t have a blender, use a whisk.
*NOTE: If you are low FODMAP, the only vegan mayo I know of that is low FODMAP is from Primal Kitchen. If you don’t have Primal Kitchen accessible to you, make your own mayo following the instructions in the paragraph above.
Crispy Lotus Chips
The lotus chips are one of my favorite parts of this recipe, and add another level of crunch to the already crispy rock tofu. If you’re low FODMAP, don’t add any more than 2 or 3 chips to your bowl. Any more than that is high FODMAP which can trigger symptoms. If you’re want to be extra careful, just remove them completely. The recipe is still incredible without them!
Rice & Veggies
I love this crispy rock tofu with simple veggies and a rice base. I used raw shredded purple cabbage, raw cucumber, and red bell peppers and carrots lightly sauteed in tamari, a soy sauce alternative. Top with sesame seeds and chives and you’re good to go!
{Related Recipes: If you like this recipe you’ll love my STICKY SESAME TOFU BITES and my SESAME SOBA STIRFRY.}
Crispy Rock Tofu Bowl
Ingredients
Crispy Rock Tofu
- 1 block super firm tofu
- 1 tbsp oat flour (any flour works)
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 1/2 cup vegan mayo
- 1/4 cup sweet chili sauce
- 1/2 tsp sriacha
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
- chopped chives topping
Bowl
- 2 large carrots, peeled and diced
- 1 tbsp tamari, soy sauce, or coconut aminos
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 1 cucumber, peeled and diced
- 1/4 purple cabbage, thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup rice
- sesame seeds topping
- lotus chips topping
Instructions
Crispy Rock Tofu
- Preheat air fryer or oven to 400 degrees. Chop tofu into cubes. Add to a bowl and toss with the oat flour and sesame oil.
- Air fry or bake tofu cubes for 25-30 minutes flipping once halfway through. They should be extremely crispy, but not burnt to a crisp.
- Add vegan mayo, sweet chili sauce, sriacha, and maple syrup to a bowl and mix to combine. Add more sriacha if you want is spicier.
- Wait until the rest of the bowl is done, then add the tofu to the bowl to coat in the vegan mayo mixture. Top with chopped chives.
Bowl
- Cook rice according to package. For each person, serve between 1/4 – 1/2 cup of cooked rice.
- Peel the carrots and cucumber – you can keep the skin on the cucumber if you want additional fiber. Chop the carrots, cucumber, purple cabbage, and red bell pepper.
- Sautee the red bell pepper and carrots in tamari (or soy sauce or coconut aminos) for 5-10 minutes.
- Arrange the rice, carrots and red bell pepper mix, cucumbers, and purple cabbage in a bowl along with the crispy rock tofu. Top with sesame seeds and lotus chips and enjoy!
