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This delicious vegan mango tofu bowl bowl features rice, avocado, mango, edamame and crispy sweet chili tofu.

Colourful tofu bowl with mango salsa, edamame, avocado, cucumber, radish and sweet chili tofu.

Inspired by the crispy tofu bowl at Cactus Club, this restaurant-style bowl is packed with bold flavours. Think ginger, garlic, mango, lime, cilantro and jalapeno paired with refreshing veggies like cucumber and radish.

It feels somewhat like a poke bowl but features crispy sweet chili tofu instead of tuna. You’ll love the sweet and tangy mango salsa alongside spicy tofu with plenty of creamy avocado to cool things off.

Enjoy this fresh, flavourful and refreshing bowl for a nutritious dinner or tasty meal prep option.

Why You’ll Love this Recipe

  • Packed with bold flavours!
  • Vegan and can be gluten-free.
  • Easy to customize with different veggies.
  • Crispy tofu coated in an addictive sweet chili sauce.
  • Sweet and zesty mango salsa that’s perfect in this bowl and for other recipes.
  • Simple ginger lime dressing to take it to the next level!
  • High in protein and fiber.
  • Light and refreshing but will still fill you up.

Ingredients & Substitutions

All the ingredients needed for making a mango avocado tofu rice bowl. Each ingredient is labelled with text.

Complete list of ingredients with amounts and full instructions is located in the recipe card below. This section covers ingredient and substitution considerations.

  • Tofu: Use extra-firm tofu, drained and pressed for at least 20 minutes.
  • Cornstarch: This is used to make the tofu crispy.
  • Tamari: Can be substituted with soy sauce if that’s what you have.
  • Maple Syrup: Can be substituted with agave syrup.
  • Chili Sauce: Sambal oelek, or chili garlic sauce, is recommend, though you can also use Sriracha.
  • Rice Vinegar: You can use seasoned or unseasoned rice vinegar.
  • Sesame Oil: You’ll need a bit of this for the sweet chili sauce as well as the ginger lime dressing. I wouldn’t recommend substituting a different oil but it could be omitted if needed.
  • Mango: You’ll need one large or two medium-sized mangoes or about 1.5 cups diced. The amount doesn’t have to be exact. You may even want to double the salsa recipe for other uses!
  • Red Onion: You could substitute white onion or shallot if that’s what you have.
  • Cilantro: This can be omitted if you don’t like cilantro.
  • Jalapeno: Adds just a little heat to the salsa. Be sure to remove the seeds and wash your hands well after handling (or wear gloves).
  • Lime: You’ll need fresh limes for the salsa and dressing.
  • Garlic & Ginger: The dressing really benefits from fresh garlic and ginger so I would definitely recommend that over ground garlic and ginger.
  • Rice: Any rice you enjoy works. Try basmati, jasmine or brown rice. You could also substitue another grain like quinoa or swap the rice for lettuce to make this a salad.
  • Avocado: Use anywhere from 1/4-1/2 of an avocado per serving.
  • Edamame: Recommend amount is 1/2 cup per bowl but you can adjust that to your preference. If you don’t have edamame or can’t find any in stores, green peas or chickpeas would be a suitable substitute.
  • Radish: If you can find watermelon radish, use that for a pretty effect, if not, red radish is perfect. You’ll need just a few .
  • Coconut Flakes: Optional for a crunchy, tropical topping. You can buy them toasted or toast your own briefly in the oven.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Press the tofu.

You can use a tofu press or wrap the tofu in a dish cloth and place a heavy object like a cast iron skillet on top of it. Let it sit for 20 minutes.

While you’re waiting, you can start the rice and edamame and prepare the various condiments for the bowl.

A block of tofu in a tofu press.

Step 2: Cook the rice & edamame.

While you’re waiting for the tofu, start cooking rice and edamame.

How much rice to use? I’d say anywhere form 1/2-1 cup cooked per bowl depending on your nutritional needs at the time. So if you want 3/4 cup cooked per bowl, you’ll need about 1.5 cups of uncooked rice.

Step 4: Prepare the sweet chili sauce.

Now that you’ve got the tofu pressing and rice cooking, start on the salsa, dressing and sweet chili sauce.

The sweet chili sauce is quick, just mix everything up in a small bowl and set aside. We’ll be adding it to the tofu later on.

Dark soy chili sauce mixed together in a small bowl.

Step 5: Prepare the mango salsa.

Next is the mango salsa. You’ll need mango, red onion, cilantro, lime, jalapeno and an optional oil of choice. Mix it all up and season with a pinch of salt.

Set it aside for now so the flavours can really mix together!

Quick Tip: To simplify the recipe you can just use diced mango instead of making the salsa. Alternatively, considering doubling the mango salsa for another use because it’s so yummy!

Try to avoid an overripe mango so your salsa isn’t mushy. Look for a mango with just a bit of give when you press on it, it shouldn’t be overly soft.

Mango salsa with red onion, cilantro and jalapeno in a small bowl.

Step 6: Prepare the ginger lime dressing.

Finally, the ginger lime dressing! You’ll need the ginger, garlic, lime, maple syrup, sesame oil and an additional oil of choice such as olive oil or avocado oil.

Recipe Notes: Use a fine grater to prepare the garlic and ginger so they’re almost like a paste.

Small dish of ginger lime dressing with a small spoon resting in the bowl.

Step 7: Cook the tofu.

We’re almost there! Start heating 1.5 tbsp oil in a large non-stick pan. Cube the tofu and toss with the cornstarch along with a generous pinch of salt.

Cubed tofu in a bowl mixed with cornstarch, salt and pepper.

Once the pan is hot, add the tofu and cook for 6-8 minutes, flipping occasionally until browned. Stir the sauce and pour it into the pan with the tofu and cook for another 1-2 minutes to coat the tofu and thicken the sauce.

Crispy sweet chili cubes cooking in a skillet.

That’s it! Time to assemble your bowl! Start with rice then add the tofu, mango salsa, cucumber, edamame, avocado and radish. Finish with a drizzle of the ginger lime dressing.

Drizzling ginger lime dressing from a small spoon over a colourful bowl with rice, mango, edamame, avocado and radish.

Expert Tips

  • Try a drizzle of this spicy mayo made with cashews or this mayo-based spicy mayo as an alternative to the ginger lime dressing.
  • This almond satay sauce would also work as an alternative sauce.
  • A sprinkle of sesame seeds, toasted cashews or peanuts make a yummy topping, in addition to or instead of the toasted coconut.
  • For a lighter meal you can swap the rice for crunchy romaine or iceberg lettuce and make a salad.
  • Other additions and swaps you can play with are grated carrot and green onion.
  • Tempeh works as an alternative to tofu. The preparation method is the same except you don’t need to press the tempeh or use cornstarch.

FAQs

What can I use instead of edamame?

Try chickpeas, green peas or steamed or stir-fried green beans, snap peas or snow peas.

Is this recipe gluten-free?

Yes. Just be sure to use gluten-free tamari and not tamari in the sweet chili sauce.

Healthy bowl with rice, avocado, tofu, mango salsa, radish, edamame and cucumber.

Storing & Meal Prep

  • The sweet chili sauce, mango salsa and ginger lime dressing can all be made in advance.
  • The assembled bowls can be stored in the fridge for 3-4 days.
  • If making for meal prep, leave the avocado off until just before storing.
  • I eat them cold after storing but you can warm them briefly in the microwave if you prefer.

Did you try this recipe? I’d love to hear about it! Click here to leave a review.

Print



Scale

Ingredients

For the Sweet Chili Tofu

For the Mango Salsa

For the Ginger Lime Dressing

For the Bowls


Instructions

  1. Press the Tofu: Use a tofu press or wrap the tofu in a dish cloth and place on a plate or cutting board and weigh down with a heavy object for at least 20 minutes.
  2. Cook Rice & Edamame: Cook edamame and your choice of rice according to package instructions. The recommend amount is roughly 3/4 cup cooked per bowl, which is about 1.5 cups total uncooked, but that can be adjusted to suit your preference.
  3. Make the Sweet Chili Sauce: Combine the tamari, maple syrup, chili garlic sauce, vinegar and sesame oil in a small bowl.
  4. Make the Mango Salsa: Combine all of the mango salsa ingredients in a bowl and mix well.
  5. Make the Ginger Lime Dressing: Combine all ingredients in a small bowl, season with a pinch of salt and set aside.
  6. Prep Tofu: Slice the tofu into 3/4-inch cubes and toss with the cornstarch and a pinch of salt and pepper in a bowl until well-coated.
  7. Cook Tofu: Heat 1.5 tbsp oil in a large pan over medium-hight heat. Once hot, add the tofu and cook for 6-8 minutes, flipping occasionally until golden-brown on all sides.
  8. Add Sweet Chili Sauce: Stir sauce again then pour into the pan with the tofu and cook for 1-2 minutes, tossing the tofu in the sauce.
  9. Assemble Bowls: Divide the rice, mango salsa, cucumber, edamame and radishes between bowls. Top with the tofu and a drizzle of the ginger lime dressing.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 bowl
  • Calories: 563
  • Fat: 19 g
  • Carbohydrates: 78 g
  • Fiber: 8 g
  • Protein: 22 g

Keywords: mango tofu bowl, crispy tofu bowl

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