Cajun Tofu Bowl with Cilantro Lime Rice. Baked Cajun Spiced Tofu, over greens, cilantro lime rice, and tomatoes. Easy Spicy Bowl. Vegan Gluten-free Nut-free Recipe. Use Chickpea tofu to make soy-free.
I go through these weeks where I will obsess about one particular spice blend or combination or play around with similar flavor profiles. This past few months have been about Cajun. Exhibit 1 Cajun Cauliflower over Garlic pasta, so Good!, exhibit 2 Cajun Spiced Sloppy lentils, oh my gosh!
This week serve up this easy Cajun Tofu Bowl however you want it, but make some! The Tofu is rubbed up with Cajun spice blend and lime. Then baked to dry and infuse the tofu. Meanwhile, make the other bowl components like a refreshing cilantro lime rice. Add roasted veggie, chopped up tomato/crunchy veggies or pico de gallo, some greens or lettuce. Slice the baked tofu and serve. You can use the cajun blend paste over chickpea tofu, chickpeas/beans or hearty vegetables as cauliflower, eggplant, sweet potato, zucchini and roast them until tender and use those in the bowl instead of tofu. Fall Comfort in a bowl.
The book work has kept be on my toes the past few weeks (its out, get your copy!) so I haven’t been cooking up much new stuff. Catch up on the book being reviewed on magazines and blogs here. There are many new recipes in the drafts, but they all need post edits and photos/video editing and I am trying to get back into the schedule of editing and scheduling today. I always end up cooking more for a break rather than edit. 🙂 Wait maybe I need a vacation first!
More Bowls from the blog
- Curried Kidney Bean Bowl with quinoa, zucchini, mango salsa
- Moroccan Chickpea Carrot Bowl with Turmeric Cauliflower Rice
- Curry Ramen with Miso Lentils
- Shawarma Chickpeas, Sweet Potato Buddha Bowl
- Quinoa Cauliflower Bowl with almond Sriracha sauce
- Chickpea Aloo Chaat Bowl with Date Tamarind Chutney
- Chickpea Curry Bowl with spiced potatoes.
Thats a lot of just cajun spice on the tofu(below). I like to use a spice paste with lime and oil for the best flavor payback That works for me (with a glass of water ;), but it can get hot depending on your blend. Add some flour to the paste to dilute and use mild paprika in your blend. or just toss the tofu in oil+ lime then toss in dry cajun blend to control the amount of spices and heat on the tofu.
I am loving all the Book photos as they arrive, keep them coming!! Tag me on Instagram and Social media with #VeganRichasEverydayKitchen or #VeganRichaBook , @veganricha when you get the book and when you cook from it. I’d love to hear about your favorites so far!
It would mean the world to me if you could review the Book on Amazon, ❤
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Cajun Tofu Bowl with Cilantro Lime Rice
Ingredients
Cajun Tofu:
- 12 to 14 oz firm tofu
- 1.5 to 2 tbsp cajun spice blend , see note
- 1 tbsp lime juice
- 2 tsp olive oil
- ¼ to ½ tsp salt
Cilantro Lime Rice:
- 1 cup (185 g) long grain rice or basmati rice
- ½ tsp (0.5 tsp) oil
- 2 cups water
- ½ tsp (0.5 tsp) salt
- 1 tbsp or more lime juice
- ¼ cup (4 g) packed finely chopped cilantro
Bowl Ingredients:
- crunchy greens, chopped tomato or cucumber, lime juice
Instructions
- Press the tofu (wrap in paper towel, then kitchen towel and place a couple of heavy books on it for 15 minutes or use a tofu press). Then slice into ¼ inch thick slices. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Mix the cajun spices with lime juice, olive oil and salt to make a paste. Rub the cajun paste on the tofu and let it chill for at least 15 mins (to an hour) to pick up the flavor. * See Note.. Alternatively, toss the tofu (in cubes form) in olive oil, then toss in dry cajun spice blend + salt. (Drizzle lime juice later after baking).
- Bake the Tofu at 350 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes. Cool for a few minutes, then slice and serve.
- Meanwhile, make the cilantro lime rice: Wash and soak the rice for atleast 15 minutes. (I usually do this along with tofu pressing, so the rice and tofu are ready around the same time).
- Drain the rice and add to the saucepan. Add salt, water, and oil if using and mix in. You can also add in a bay leaf.
- Reduce heat to medium-low and cook covered for 18 to 20 minutes. Fluff the rice, mix in lime juice and half the cilantro. Taste and adjust carefully. Cover and let sit for 2 minutes. Garnish with more cilantro when serving.
- Assemble crunchy greens or lettuce cilantro lime rice, sliced tofu, chopped tomato and a good drizzle of lime or lemon, salt and freshly ground pepper. Serve as a bowl or fill up warm tortillas for great tacos.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Karen
Oh gosh, this looks divine! A perfect light summer meal. Is there any possible way of making it without the oil to help the spice mix stick? Would aquafaba be a possible alternative?
Richa
Yes
Alma I Reed-Herrera
This was the perfect meal, we have decided to make it weekly. Super easy and full of flavor .
Jessica
Made this for dinner tonight, and it was delightful! Spicy! Easy. Would make again. Thanks! 🙂
Richa
Awesome
Alice
Hello: will the rice not taste wet with the lime juice added after it’s cooked? Thank you.
Richa
It’s not too much lime juice in it just adds a lot of flavor and a slight moistness which kind of is like a light sauce that helps to eat the rice with the tofu
Deborah
This looks delightfully delicious Richa. I love your vibrant photos and can’t wait to try the recipe.
Vegan Richa Support
you’re too kind
Emmanuel
I just tried this recipe but I don’t think the oil in the paste allowed it to adhere properly to the tofu. Looked nothing like the pic.
Richa
omit it and try. i just mix it in really well and it works fine. you can spray some oil on top later
Keren
Delicious! I love baked tofu and this was great with the rice and cilantro, pure comfort food for dinner, I needed that today! Pretty spicy but the tomatoes and lettuce helped off-setting the spiciness. The rest of the mixture I rubbed on sweet potatoes, carrots and kohlarbis and then roasted the whole lot. Fantastic, I had to stop myself nibbling the whole pan!
Richa
Awesome!! just reduce the high heat spices a bit in the mix
Janne Swearengen
I did not rate the recipe because the failure was mine. I used a ‘store-bought’ Cajun spice (heck, I Iive in MS, so it ought be be good) . However, it was so salty, the tofu turned out to be inedible!! I will try it again and use your own spice mixture. That being said, we also tried something else with the cilantro rice which DID turn out nicely. We had some leftover Chimichurri (from your potato recipe) so we added that to the rice after cooking instead of starting from scratch. It was very good!! Love your work/especially enjoying the bowls!
Richa
oh no. i am glad the cilantro rice turned out great!
Do try with the homemade cajun blend, its just paprika peppers, garlic etc. with the store bought, you prob need less of it if its that salty and omit any other salty flavor from the marinade.
Jen
Tried it tonight for the second time and added a coconut chutney on top of the tofu. It was amazing!
Terri Edwards
This looks fabulous! I think I will try to crisp up the tofu in my air fryer. Thanks so much for the great recipe!
Tahnea
So fresh and light! Delicious!
I cut the tofu into cubes, covered them in the powder, left them sitting all day and then cooked them in the air fryer.
Also added spinach, Pico de Gallo, cubed cucumber and thinly sliced snow peas to my bowl.
Richa
Great option with the air fryter!
Lo
How you did it in the air fryer?
I might be doing this today.
Tahnea
I just tossed the tofu in the dry spices and let it sit for a few hours. The cooked the tofu in the air fryer for about 5-10 minutes until it was how I like it and added to the bowl
Lo
Did you tossed it without the oil? And, at what temperature? 350? 400?
Thank you very much!
PS- I haven’t made it yet. LOL
Tahnea
Yeah, no oil. I don’t ever use oil in my cooking. And I did it on 200 degrees Celsius because I’m in Australia but converted it is 390. I usually always cook things in my air fryer at 180-200, just keep an eye on it.
Ashok
Hi Richa,
Thanks for the great recipe.
Any recommendation on how to marinate the tofu better? The spice blend tasted great but after marinating and baking the tofu I couldn’t get the same taste(it tasted much milder than the blend and also the inside of the tofu was still bland).
Thanks
Richa
you can make another wet marinade with the cajun spice, salt and garlic mined with enough water in a shallow dish so the pressed tofu is fully immersed. Let it sit chill for a few hours, then take the tofu out and rub the cajun paste on it. The dryer marinade/paste doesnt absorb as well into the tofu. But it is a strong flavored marinade which works with thin tofu slices. For more flavor inside the tofu, marinade in a wetter marinade.
Lindsay
Made this tonight and it was so good! And easy too. We’ll be making this again soon.
Kate
I made this cajun tofu two nights ago and it was delicious! Great recipe, thanks!
Chandni
Hi Richa! Can I freeze the cajun tofu and then heat it up again whenever I want to eat it. Just trying to make a meal prep and wasn’t sure if that would mess with the flavor or if it’s ok or not? Thanks.
Richa
the tofu might get porous on freezing.
Richard Church
Got your book last week and am looking forward to going through it. I’m sure it’s every bit as good as the last one. I’ve always loved Cajun spice. When I was using it regularly I was a meat-eater. I’ve yet to try it as a vegan and the firm tofu sounds just the trick.
Good luck with the book!
The Vegan 8
I got your book Richa and have to say I am so excited! Everything looks so pretty and delish. You are my favorite blogger and I know everything I ever make is going to be delicious. Congrats on your 2nd book and success, you deserve it all. This cajun dish looks amazing. I’m a huge fan of cajun as well, especially my hubby who is from Louisiana, so I have a few cajun recipes in my book coming actually as well. I will have to try this tofu on him!
Richa
yay! Thank you Brandi! I can’t wait to see what all you put in your book! Good luck! its a long and tiring journey 🙂 Enjoy the process and crazy days 🙂
Randy
Made this last night – AMAZING!!!!!
I have been making various recipes both main courses and desserts from your blog and have had great success.
thank you so much for all of your hard work, creativity and making eating healthy so easy and enjoyable…. So glad to have you there ……
Just received my copy of your new book and can’t wait to start making more of your great meals
Thank you…thank you, thank you
Richa
Thats amazing! So glad everything turns out well!! Thank youf or getting the book! ❤????
maria
I’ve never managed to get into cajun but when prepared as deliciously as this I can tell why it must be addictive! The tofu and the rice look incredible together. Thanks so much for sharing this recipe:)
Cassie Autumn Tran
Cajun tofu tastes AMAZING. I love having them with roasted vegetables or brown rice, or both! Anyways, yes, congratulations on your new book! It probably is SPLENDID! Hope you treat yourself well–you deserve it! XOXO
Susan
Yes, you deserve a vacation! Got the new book and have been browsing through it, looks great! Will review when I’ve made something???? Thanks for all your hard work!
Richa
Awesome! thank you
Susan
I made the Chickpea Flour Vegetable Fritatta! ????