Opening the refrigerator and finding a bowl of leftover rice is such a treat. I love transforming cold rice into vegan burger patties or into an easy Vegan Fried Rice. Either way, reducing food waste in my kitchen is the name-of-the-game right now.
Vegan Fried Rice is easy to make, full of flavor and works perfectly as a one-bowl meal. I’ve added in pre-roasted cubes of Hodo Tofu which provides a whopping 14 grams of protein per serving.
How to make Vegan Fried Rice
- The first step is to bake cubed tofu until lightly crispy.
- Cut a block of your favorite tofu into cubes and allow the cubes to marinate for 30 minutes or more. I typically have a bottle of Coconut Secret Teriyaki Sauce in my cabinet. It’s easy to use and adds a punch of flavor. The cubes bake up quickly and taste delicious as a snack or added to any meal.
- Prepping the vegetables at one time is the best way to approach fried rice.
- If everything is prepped in advance, it’s easy to add the vegetables into a hot skillet or wok in layers. Always start with the onions, roots and peppers as these take a little longer to cook. Layer in the softer veggies and pre-roasted vegetables as you go. The spices and leafy greens will be added toward the end.
- Using what your family enjoys and what you have on hand is helpful.
- Try any combination of the following: Onion, leeks, carrots, celery, mushrooms, bell peppers, broccoli, cauliflower, kale, garlic and ginger.
- Pre-roasting vegetables adds a depth of flavor that I love.
- I like pre-roasting shiitake mushrooms with a teaspoon of olive oil, smoked paprika and a splash of coconut aminos. They only take about 5-10 minutes to roast in a 375 degree oven. The flavor is amazing!
Vegan Fried Rice
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Opening the refrigerator and finding a bowl of leftover rice is such a treat. I love transforming cold rice into vegan burger patties or into an easy Vegan Fried Rice.
Ingredients
- 2-3 cups leftover and cold short-grain brown rice Vegan Fried Rice is best made using cold or room temperature rice. This allows the rice to stand out and not become too sticky.
- 1 block organic tofu cubed and marinated with teriyaki sauce.
- 1-2 tablespoons coconut aminos teriyaki sauce Optional for tofu marinate. Also, could be added directly into the skillet as a seasoning element, or used as a condiment to be drizzled over each bowl before serving.
- 10-12 ounces shiitake mushrooms diced
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika this is for roasting the mushrooms
- 1 small-medium yellow onion diced
- 2 medium carrots peeled and diced
- 2 stalks celery diced
- 1 bunch broccoli cut into small florets. I bunch of broccoli typically yields about 2-3 cups of florets. Use what you have!
- 4-5 medium cloves garlic
- 2-3 teaspoons fresh ginger finely grated
- 2-3 tablespoons coconut aminos divided
- 1 bunch dino kale de-stemmed and chopped
- pinch sea salt & pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil Used in the skillet. You may need a little more or a little less depending upon how much rice and how many vegetables you are working with.
Instructions
- Start by cutting your tofu block into cubes. Marinate the cubes a minimum of 30 minutes. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Remove cubes from marinate and place in single layer on baking sheet. Roast at 375 degrees until browned on all sides. Typically about 15-18 minutes. Remove and set aside.
- Cut mushrooms into bite-size pieces. To a medium bowl, add mushroom pieces, 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika and 1 tablespoon coconut aminos. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place mushrooms in a single layer and roast at 375 degrees for about 5-8 minutes or until mushrooms have softened.
- Cut broccoli into bite-size florets. Season with a pinch of sea salt and fresh cracked pepper. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and arrange florets in a single layer. Roast at 375 degrees for about 5 minutes. Remove and set aside.
- Prep any remaining vegetables you will be using as well as the garlic and ginger. Keep them organized and ready to be added into a hot skillet or wok. The longest cooking vegetables go in first and so-on. In this recipe I used onion, celery, carrots, shiitake mushrooms, broccoli, kale, garlic and fresh ginger.
- Using a large heavy-bottom skillet or wok over medium-high heat, add oil. Let the oil get hot but do not allow it to smoke. Add onion, celery, carrots and any other root vegetables you will be using. Allow to sauté until they soften.
- To the hot skillet or wok, add in the pre-roasted mushrooms, pre-roasted broccoli, pre-roasted tofu, chopped kale, freshly grated ginger and finely minced garlic. Stir well to combine. Cook one to two minutes while you continue to stir. Add in leftover rice and stir to combine. Sprinkle with coconut aminos and/or teriyaki sauce. The amount you use is an individual preference. The more you add, the more flavor you get but be mindful not to create a soupy fried rice. Continue stirring in a quick fashion as the rice heats up and flavors begin to meld together.
- Taste and adjust seasoning with sea salt and black pepper as desired. Serve warm.