Vegan tofu fried rice is a quick and easy, healthy, family favorite! Add some sesame oil to your skillet, toss in veggies, cooked rice, tofu, and even some pineapple and you'll have fried rice that tastes like your favorite Chinese takeout in minutes. It's so simple, that you will never have to go out for fried rice again.
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❤️ You'll love it because it's
- quick and easy to make.
- family-friendly - I haven't found a person yet who doesn't like this dish.
- great for meal prep - make a double batch and put it in smaller containers to reheat for lunches! (It freezes well too)!
- perfect for using up day-old rice!
- packed with protein and healthy veggies.
- gluten-free, vegan, and allergy-friendly too!
Everyone loves this dish, even my Omni family and friends go crazy over this meal, saying it tastes just like fried rice from a Chinese restaurant. There are many ethnic foods that I just can't seem to recreate at home and I eat out when I want these flavors. However, I can make authentic-tasting fried rice so easily at home, that there is no need to go out for it.
My family loves easy vegan rice dishes like Thai coconut rice, vegan red rice, Mexican rice, and lemon rice, but this vegan fried rice is one of our all-time favorites.
🧾 Ingredients and substitutions
- Rice - You can use white rice or brown rice, whichever you prefer. The kids like the white better, and it does taste more authentic since that is what restaurants usually use, but of course, brown rice is healthier. (Day-old rice from takeout or another meal works great in this dish or you can make it fresh).
- Onion - To give it more flavor. (Optional)
- Sesame Oil - This is essential if you want it to taste like authentic fried rice! You can use other oils if you wish, but they will not have the same flavor.
- Soy Sauce - You can use any type of soy sauce that you like, however, if you need it to be gluten-free, make sure to use Tamari or Bragg's Liquid Aminos since regular soy sauce is not gluten-free!
- Vegetables - Add about 2 cups of any veggies that you like either fresh or frozen. I like to use a bag of frozen mixed veggies to make it quick and easy, but mushrooms, bell peppers, and broccoli also work well.
- Tofu- Use a firm or extra firm tofu for this dish as a replacement for eggs in traditional fried rice! Tofu that has been previously frozen is spongier and will soak up more flavor, but is not necessary if you don't have any in the freezer.
- Pineapple - For pineapple fried rice. (optional) You can use fresh, canned, or frozen pineapple chunks.
🍳 Replacing eggs with tofu
The secret to flavorful tofu that makes a good egg replacement, is to freeze the tofu ahead of time. This allows you to squeeze more water out of the tofu.
You must remember to thaw the tofu before you make this dish and squeeze out all of the excess water. Then crumble the tofu into the pan with the veggies.
❄️ Fresh or frozen tofu?
You can also use fresh tofu that is well-drained and pressed, but freezing it ahead of time allows it to soak up more of the seasoning and give it a great texture in this dish!
Tip: (I usually keep a couple of blocks of tofu in the freezer for making this. You can thaw it slowly by putting it in the fridge for about 24 hours, or if you forget, put the package in a bowl of warm water for about 45 minutes before cooking, changing the water when it cools).
🥄 How to make tofu fried rice
Step 1 - Pour sesame oil into the bottom of a skillet.
Step 2 - Toss in the diced onions, and heat on medium-low for 3-5 minutes until they become translucent.
Step 3 - Add the veggies of your choice and 2 tbsp of soy sauce and turn up the heat to medium-high and let the veggies cook for 2-3 minutes.
Step 4 - Press the tofu and then crumble it with your hands into the frying pan.
Step 5 - Cook the tofu and veggies for about 5 more minutes, stirring frequently.
Step 6 - Add cooked rice to the skillet and stir well. (For more flavor, add 2 more tbsp of sesame oil and up to 2 more tbsp of soy sauce).
Step 7 - Continue cooking for about 5 more minutes until everything is cooked and mixed well.
👩🏻🍳 Pro Tips
- Tofu has a nice texture if you freeze it ahead of time and then thaw and squeeze out all excess liquid.
- If you don't have frozen tofu, fresh extra firm tofu works well too.
- You can adjust the amount of sesame oil and soy sauce to suit your tastes and dietary needs.
- You need to use sesame oil to get the authentic fried rice taste!
- If you need this to be gluten-free, make sure to use a gluten-free soy sauce like Tamari or Bragg's Liquid Aminos.
- Cold, day-old rice, will fry up better than fresh hot rice.
🍞 Gluten-free fried rice
To make fried rice gluten-free, use Braggs Liquid Amino or Tamari. They all work well, but they may vary in saltiness, so you may want to adjust the amount you use to your taste.
🍍 Pineapple vegan fried rice
Pineapple gives this dish a sweetness and acidity that balances out the salty flavor of the rice. It also adds some healthy vitamin C to the meal.
To make pineapple fried rice, simply add 2 cups of chopped pineapple to your dish just before you add the rice. The pineapple will not need to cook as long as the veggies, so toss it in once your veggies have cooked.
Serve my vegan eggdrop soup or easy vegan lettuce wraps with this fried rice for a full meal!
🌟 More easy vegan meals
📌 Be sure to follow me on Pinterest for new vegan recipes!
Vegan Fried Rice
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 medium onion diced
- 1 pound firm tofu previously frozen then thawed and pressed
- 2 cups chopped fresh veggies of your choice (or 1 16 oz bag frozen mixed veggies)
- 2-4 tablespoons soy sauce (Braggs Liquid Amino or Tamari for Gluten Free)
- 4 cups cooked rice
- 2 cups pineapple chunks (optional)
Instructions
- Pour 3 tbsp of sesame oil in the bottom of a skillet, toss in the diced onion, and heat on medium-low for 3-5 minutes until it becomes translucent.
- Add 2 cups of veggies of your choice and 2 tbsp of soy sauce. Turn up the heat to medium-high. Let the veggies cook for 2-3 minutes.
- Press all the water possible out of 1 lb of tofu and then crumble it with your hands into the frying pan.
- Cook the tofu and veggies for about 5 more minutes, stirring frequently. (Add 2 cups of pineapple at the end of cooking the veggies if choosing to add pineapple).
- Add 4 cups cooked rice to the skillet and stir well. (For more flavor, add 2 more tbsp of sesame oil and up to 2 more tbsp of soy sauce).
- Continue cooking for about 5 more minutes until everything is cooked and mixed well.
Notes
- Tofu has a nice texture if you freeze it ahead of time and then thaw and squeeze out all excess liquid.
- If you don't have frozen tofu, fresh extra firm tofu works well too.
- You can adjust the amount of sesame oil and soy sauce to suit your tastes and dietary needs.
- You need to use sesame oil to get the authentic fried rice taste!
- If you need this to be gluten-free, make sure to use a gluten-free soy sauce like Tamari or Bragg's Liquid Aminos.
Nutrition
*Originally posted July 25, 2017. Updated to include new images and more detailed instructions on 3/18/20.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Click the stars above or leave a comment! I'd love to hear from you!
Absolutely beautiful.... best fried rice dish I hve made from your recipe..
I have been vegan for 5 years now and loving it... I feel full of life and recipes like your fried rice dish just makes it even better...
Keep up the great vegan recipes..
All the best
Mk❤️
Thank you! I'm so happy that you enjoyed the recipe! 🙂
Fantastic and helpful!
I'm so happy that you liked it, Theo! 🙂
My family loved this! Thanks so much!