Healthy Vegan Poke Bowl with Sesame Tofu
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We’ve got another poke bowl recipe for you – this time it’s a vegan poke bowl with sesame tofu!
Our last poke bowl was a vegetarian one, loaded with edamame beans and a creamy sesame sauce. We loved it so much we’ve decided to make a plant-based version for all the vegans out there who want to get in on the action!
But first of all, what is a poke bowl? Traditional poke bowls from Hawaii are basically bowls of chopped up, seasoned raw fish. The dish was originally created by fishermen, who would season the off cuts of their catch with seaweed and candlenut and eat it for lunch out at sea.
In the 20th century, lots of people from Asia came to live in Hawaii. Their influence can be seen in the addition of soy sauce and chili to traditional poke bowls.
Our more modern vegan poke bowl is essentially an easy rice bowl recipe. We start with a base of sticky sushi rice, then layer it with crispy smoky tofu and thinly sliced fresh veggies, then drizzle them all in a sweet nutty sesame sauce.
Vegan poke bowl: tofu or not tofu?
Tofu is a controversial one, isn’t it? Some people love it, some people hate it. I think it’s partly about what tofu you buy – some tofu is firm and full of flavour, others are bland and rubbery.
For this recipe, we use firm smoked tofu. By buying tofu that has smokiness infused into it already, you have basically already won the flavour battle.
We keep our tofu simple in this recipe, just salting it and frying it until crispy (find more adventurous veggie tofu recipes here!). We find it is flavourful enough just like that, with the rich crispiness from the oil adding some depth and texture.
But if you want to jazz it up a bit, you could fry it in sesame oil and soy sauce, or toss it in cornflour before you fry, to make it extra crispy!
However you prep it, tofu is a key player in this vegan rice bowl!
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Why we love tofu!
Tofu is worth getting into, especially if you are vegan – tofu has so many health benefits!
For starters, it’s a plant-based source of complete protein! That means it contains all 9 essential amino acids your body needs for growth, repair and strong immunity. Other vegan sources of complete protein include quinoa and chia.
Furthermore, it contains many important antioxidants and natural compounds related to good heart health.
So if you want to eat more tofu, let our tofu rice bowl be a place to start! And then maybe you can try our Asian Tofu Salad or our Tofu and Hummus Buddha Bowl.
Lose weight – not flavour!
We think our vegan tofu bowl would make a great addition to a weight loss meal plan.
This is because the poke bowl ingredients are healthy and full of protein and fibre. One serving of this homemade poke bowl contains 571 calories, 18g protein and 8g fibre.
In our vegetarian weight loss courses, we recommend a daily calorie intake of around 1500 kcal per day. This is enough for you to keep you going while maintaining a deficit which will allow you to lose weight.
We also think it is sustainable for long term weight loss, as you won’t go hungry, therefore are less likely to feel like you’re being deprived or having to constantly resist temptation!
This translates to between 400-600 calories per meal – so a serving of our vegan poke bowl fits perfectly in as a healthy dinner (if that sounds good to you, try our delicious low calorie vegetarian dinner ideas too!)!
What’s more, all that protein and fibre means this meal will fill you up as much as possible, so you know you’re getting plenty of bang for your buck!
All the proof you need that this vegan rice bowl is for you!
Studies show that high fibre diets are beneficial for weight loss and protein literally suppresses production of the hunger hormone ghrelin – so by eating 571 calories of fibrous, protein-packed food, you’ll be full for longer than if you ate the equivalent amount of calories with lower fibre/protein content!
In conclusion: this healthy poke bowl works as part of a weight loss plan or just a standard healthy diet!
If you think of any other fun poke bowl ideas, drop us a comment below, we’d love to hear them! But for now, enjoy chowing down on a delicious vegan poke bowl!
Ingredients
Rice and Tofu
- ⅔ cup sushi rice (or any you have at home)
- 9 oz smoked tofu
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1 tsp paprika powder
Sauce
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- ½ cup water
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- Salt to taste
Toppings
- ½ small cucumber
- ½ avocado
- 1 small carrot (thinly sliced, ¼ cup)
- 2 radishes
- 1 tsp sesame seeds
Instructions
Rice and Tofu
- Cut tofu into rectangles that are ¼ inch thick. Season with oil, salt and paprika (or favourite sice) per taste and leave it to marinade for a few minutes.9 oz smoked tofu
- Cook sushi rice according to package instructions.⅔ cup sushi rice
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add the marinaded tofu. Cook the tofu until the pieces are golden brown from both sides.1 tsp sesame oil
Sauce
- In a small pot add sesame oil, soy sauce, rice vinegar, brown sugar, water, nutritional yeast, cornstarch and salt to taste. Mix. Bring to the stove over medium high heat. Cook until the sauce has boiled, reduced a little, and has nice thickness. Rest until needed.1 tsp sesame oil, 2 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp rice vinegar, ½ cup water, 1 tbsp brown sugar, 1 tbsp nutritional yeast, 1 tbsp cornstarch, Salt to taste
Toppings
- Slice thinly the cucumber, radish, carrot and avocado. Reserve until needed.½ small cucumber, ½ avocado, 1 small carrot, 2 radishes
- Serve bowl with sushi rice, veggies, tofu nuggets and sesame sauce. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.1 tsp sesame seeds
NOTES
- Protein Packed Tofu and Hummus Buddha Bowl
- Cheesy Heaven Halloumi Salad
- Mexican Inspired Black Bean Burrito Bowl
- Sweet and Tangy Vegan Buddha Bowl
- Something Sweet Açai Bowl Ideas
Nutrition
Dave Bell
I’m not a foodie, although I do love eating. I believe food should serve us and our goals, not hinder. Taking control and responsibility for what I eat is important to me. Lots of veggie protein is my way forward.
Abril Macías
Creator of this wonderful recipe!
I am a culinary creator and food photographer from Quito, Ecuador. I have a Master’s degree in New Food Thinking and a Bachelor’s degree in Gastronomy, my expertise lies in crafting and capturing creative dishes. Collaborating with websites and blogs worldwide, I develop recipes and bring them to life through captivating photographs.
I dedicate my work in the kitchen and through the lens to explore food from different backgrounds, origins and diets. I would describe my style as “comfort food with a twist”. My goal is to create recipes that are homely, yet attractive, delicious and have something different and exiting to them.
This article has been medically reviewed by James LeBaigue MSc Learn More
James LeBaigue MSc
James has a Masters Degree in Sport and Exercise Nutrition, as well as an Advanced Diploma in Human Nutrition.
He loves combining his scientific knowledge along with food in the real world, and these recipes are the result.
He’s on top of all the latest evidence and guidelines to make sure our nutrition advice on the website is as accurate as it can be.
By day he works as an Advanced Clinical Practitioner in a busy NHS GP Practice.
Each recipe is tested and then eaten (much to James’ delight), many times before it is deemed worthy to be published. Bon appetit!
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