A tahini tofu bowl with plenty of veggies in creamy tahini sauce is an easy, weeknight meal served over rice or quinoa.
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Whether you call these Buddha bowls, nourish bowls, abundance bowls, power bowls, or something else entirely, this tofu tahini bowl is a simple, satisfying meal that you can make with whatever vegetables you have on hand!
Serve it up over quinoa, rice, noodles, a baked potato, or your grains of choice.
This bowl is all about the super delicious tahini sauce, which you make in the blender in just a few minutes. Slather it all over the baked tofu, veggies, and grain for a satisfying, one-bowl meal. For extra heat, you can also add some chili onion crunch on top.
If you want a spicy version of this recipe, use my spicy tahini dressing in place of the tahini sauce listed below. It's just as simple to make but packs a delightful, balanced heat! You can also use turmeric tahini dressing on these bowls for a vibrant color and delicious flavor profile!
If you love a tofu dinner with a delicious sauce, also don't miss my sheet pan honey garlic tofu!
✓ Ingredients and substitutions
- tofu - This is your protein. Use firm or extra firm, and do press your tofu block, if you have time. Then, tear the tofu into bite-sized pieces with your hands. You can cube it, if you prefer, but I love the texture of hand-torn tofu!
- soy sauce - Low-sodium soy sauce adds umami to the tofu and to the tahini sauce.
- toasted sesame oil - Helps the tofu crisp in the oven or air fryer and gives it a lovely, sesame flavor. You'll also use it to sauté the cooked veggies.
- garlic powder - Adds flavor to the tofu and the tahini sauce.
- cooked veggies - I am using onion and baby bok choy, but feel free to use whatever veggies you have! Other dark, leafy greens work great here, as will broccoli or cauliflower. The cooking time will vary with different veggies, so just cook until tender to preference.
- cooked quinoa - Feel free to use other bases, like rice, noodles, baked potato, etc.
- raw veggies - I'm using cucumber, carrots, and avocado, but feel free to use your raw veggies of choice, like radishes, shredded cabbage, corn, etc.
- tahini - The base for the tahini sauce.
- lime juice - Makes the sauce so zesty! You can use lemon juice, if you prefer.
- ginger - Adds a little warmth and zing to the tahini sauce.
- hot sauce - If you want more heat in your tahini sauce, add a little bit of your hot sauce of choice.
🥣 How to make tofu tahini bowls
Preheat the oven to 400° F. (See recipe card below for air fryer directions.) In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, sesame oil, and garlic powder. Arrange the tofu in a shallow dish, and pour the marinade over the top. Marinate for 10 minutes.
Arrange the tofu on a lined baking sheet, and bake for 35 to 40 minutes. You can flip after 20 minutes, if you like.
Meanwhile, add the tahini sauce ingredients to your blender.
Blend until smooth.
Heat the oil on medium-high, then add the onions.
Cook, stirring, for about 4 minutes, until they turn translucent.
Add the bok choy to the pan.
Cook for about 4 minutes more, until the green parts wilt and start to look like cooked spinach.
Divide the quinoa between your bowls. Top each bowl with the bok choy, cucumber, carrots, and avocado. Add the tofu.
Top each bowl with as much tahini sauce as you like!
💡 Helpful tips
- To save time, prep your veggies while the tofu marinates. While it cooks, make the cooked veggies and tahini sauce and assemble the bowls, so all you have to do when the tofu finishes is add it to your bowls and top with the tahini sauce.
- Tearing the tofu instead of cubing it increases surface area, so it gets more flavorful and gets a better texture when cooking.
- If your tahini sauce isn't blending properly, add small splashes of water, as needed, to reach your desired consistency.
🫙 Storage directions
Leftovers will keep for three to four days in the refrigerator in a closed container.
📖 Recipe
Tahini Tofu Bowl
Ingredients
For the Tofu
- 1 block extra firm tofu pressed and torn in ¾" rustic pieces
- ¼ cup low-sodium soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
For the Cooked Veggies
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- ½ cup chopped sweet onion
- 3 bunches baby bok choy, chopped
For the Bowl
- 3 cups cooked quinoa (1 cup quinoa and 2 cups water - choose your cooking method from the linked quinoa cooking guide.) Or use rice, noodles, or other grain of choice.
- 1 medium cucumber sliced or spiralized
- 1 cup shredded carrots
- 1 Haas avocado sliced
For the Tahini Sauce
- ¼ cup tahini
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1 tablespoon low sodium soy sauce
- ½" piece fresh ginger
- ½ teapoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce of your choice or more, to taste
Instructions
Make the tofu.
- Preheat the oven to 400° F. (Skip this step, if air frying.)
- In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, sesame oil, and garlic powder. Arrange the tofu in a shallow dish, and pour the marinade over the top. Marinate for 10 minutes.
- For baked tofu: Arrange the tofu on a lined baking sheet, and bake for 35-40 minutes. You can flip after 20 minutes, if you like, but it's not required.
- For air fryer tofu: Place the marinated tofu into your air fryer basket. Air fry at 400F for 15-20 minutes, shaking the basket and checking progress at the 10 minute mark.
Meanwhile, make the tahini sauce.
- Add the tahini sauce ingredients to your blender, and blend until smooth. You can add small splashes of water, as needed, to reach your desired consistency.
Make the veggies while the tofu cooks.
- Heat the oil on medium-high, then add the onions. Cook, stirring, for about 4 minutes, until they turn translucent.
- Add the bok choy to the pan and cook for about 4 minutes more, until the green parts wilt and start to look like cooked spinach.
Assemble the tofu tahini bowls.
- Divide the quinoa between your bowls. Top each bowl with the bok choy, cucumber, carrots, and avocado. Add the tofu, then top each bowl with as much tahini sauce as you like!
Dianne
That tofu baked up so deliciously! And I'm drooling over the tahini dressing!
Becky Striepe
Thank you!!
Amy Katz from Veggies Save The Day
This bowl looks fantastic! I love all the ingredients and flavors you used!
Becky Striepe
Thank you, Amy!