Vegan Crispy Tofu Banh Mi (Printable)

Crispy tofu and pickled veggies atop jasmine rice with zesty sriracha mayo for a fresh, flavorful meal.

# What You Need:

→ Tofu

01 - 14 oz firm tofu, pressed and cut into ¾-inch cubes
02 - 2 tablespoons cornstarch
03 - 2 tablespoons soy sauce
04 - 1 tablespoon sesame oil
05 - 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

→ Pickled Vegetables

06 - 1 medium carrot, julienned
07 - 1 small daikon radish, julienned
08 - ½ cucumber, thinly sliced
09 - ½ cup rice vinegar
10 - 1 tablespoon sugar
11 - ½ teaspoon salt

→ Rice

12 - 2 cups cooked jasmine rice

→ Sriracha Mayo

13 - ¼ cup vegan mayonnaise
14 - 1 to 2 tablespoons sriracha sauce
15 - 1 teaspoon lime juice

→ Garnishes

16 - ½ cup fresh cilantro leaves
17 - 1 jalapeño pepper, thinly sliced
18 - 1 small handful scallions, sliced
19 - 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
20 - Lime wedges for serving

# How To Make It:

01 - In a bowl, whisk together rice vinegar, sugar, and salt until dissolved. Add julienned carrot, daikon radish, and sliced cucumber. Toss to coat evenly and set aside to pickle, stirring occasionally.
02 - Pat tofu cubes dry with paper towels. In a large bowl, toss tofu with soy sauce, then sprinkle with cornstarch and toss to coat evenly.
03 - Heat sesame oil and vegetable oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add tofu in a single layer. Cook, turning occasionally, until golden and crispy on all sides, approximately 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from heat.
04 - Prepare jasmine rice according to package instructions if not already cooked.
05 - Mix vegan mayonnaise, sriracha sauce, and lime juice in a small bowl until well combined.
06 - Divide cooked rice among bowls. Top with drained pickled vegetables, crispy tofu, fresh cilantro, sliced jalapeño, scallions, and toasted sesame seeds. Drizzle with sriracha mayo and serve with lime wedges.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • Crispy tofu actually tastes craveable, not like a sad substitute.
  • The pickled vegetables make this taste alive and bright, like you're tasting every color in the bowl.
  • You can have dinner on the table in under 45 minutes without feeling rushed.
  • It's naturally vegan and gluten-free friendly, so it works for almost any table.
02 -
  • If your tofu isn't pressed well enough, you'll steam it instead of frying it, so spend the extra two minutes squeezing out moisture.
  • The cornstarch only works if your oil is hot enough; if it absorbs oil instead of crisping, your heat wasn't right.
  • Pickled vegetables can sit for hours and only get better, so make them first and let them develop while you work on everything else.
03 -
  • Oil temperature matters more than you think; if it's not hot enough, your cornstarch coating will absorb grease instead of creating a crust.
  • Don't crowd the pan when frying tofu or it'll steam instead of crisp; work in batches if you need to.
  • Squeeze lime over everything right before eating; it brightens flavors that might fade as the bowl sits.
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