Tofu Egg Roll in a Bowl is a vegan version of the popular egg roll in a bowl that’s typically made with ground meat. Seasoned browned tofu crumbles work very well in this quick and satisfying cabbage and veggie stir fry. Spicy peanut sauce brings this dish to a whole new level!
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What is egg roll in a bowl?
Egg roll in a bowl is an Asian inspired one-pan dish that consists of cabbage, protein (usually ground meat), veggies and spices. Think egg roll filling without the wrapper. If you like low-carb meals, this is a great way to enjoy all the great egg roll flavors in the form of a healthy stir fry.
If you like this concept, make sure to also check out my Egg Roll in a Bowl with Ground Chicken which is one of the most popular recipes here on Wholly Tasteful. It’s made with cauliflower rice, white and red cabbage, and served with super delicious sriracha mayo sauce.
Though egg roll in a bowl is usually made with ground pork, beef, turkey or chicken, this vegan version uses tofu which is crumbled, seasoned and browned to perfection. It is a great plant-based option perfect if you’re vegetarian or look for new ideas for meatless Monday.
Looking for more Asian-inspired dinners? Try this amazing Shrimp Yaki Udon or my Quinoa Poke Bowl made with seared ahi tuna.
This recipe is featured in this epic list of 20 High Protein Low Calorie Meals.
Ingredient notes
- Extra Firm Tofu: the key protein source in this dish. Using extra firm tofu will help achieve crispy tofu crumbles (see my tips below on how to make tofu crispy).
- Cabbage or Coleslaw Mix: an egg roll in a bowl must! I tend to use bagged rainbow coleslaw mix (made with white and red cabbage, carrots and broccoli). Shredded white cabbage will work great, too!
- Fresh Veggies: carrot, onion and red bell pepper (or any color bell pepper) add some color, flavor and a great dose of vitamins and nutrients to the dish.
- Fresh Garlic & Ginger: I use these flavorful aromatics in every Asian inspired dish on the blog!
- Coconut Aminos or Low-Sodium Soy Sauce: either will work great. I buy my coconut aminos at Trader Joe’s for the best price.
- Rice Vinegar and Toasted Sesame Oil: to help develop another layer of Asian inspired flavor.
- Dry Roasted Peanuts: to add a nice crunch and another protein boost.
- Salt & Pepper: for seasoning.
- Fresh Herbs: as garnish. I like chopped cilantro or scallions the best for this dish.
Spicy peanut sauce ingredients
The sauce really takes this egg roll in a bowl to a whole new level! It’s creamy, spicy, slightly sweet and absolutely delicious!
Here’s what you’ll need:
- Peanut Butter: my favorite PB is all-natural creamy peanut butter from Teddie’s.
- Sriracha Sauce: use any brand you like. I usually go with the iconic Huy Fong Sriracha.
- Lime Juice: squeeze the juice from one fresh lime rather than using the bottled juice.
How to make tofu egg roll in a bowl
STEP 1: Press the tofu. wrap the extra firm tofu block in multiple paper towels or a clean cotton kitchen towel. Place something heavy on top (I typically use a cast iron skillet and a cookbook) and set aside for at least 20 minutes.
STEP 1: Make the peanut sauce. Mix together peanut butter, sriracha sauce and lime juice until smooth. If it’s too thick, add a splash of cold water and keep mixing until you reach pourable consistency.
STEP 2: Prepare crispy tofu crumbles. First, crumble the pressed tofu into a bowl, add coconut aminos (or soy sauce), oil, garlic powder and salt. Mix with a spoon until combined. Heat up a large skillet, transfer the tofu crumbles into the skillet and press with a wooden spoon or spatula so it forms one layer. Cook on medium heat for 4 minutes, then give it a stir, press and cook 4 more minutes. Repeat until tofu is nicely browned on all sides. Remove from the skillet and set aside.
STEP 3: Cook the veggies in the same skillet in some toasted sesame oil. Start by adding minced garlic and ginger and stir fry a minute or so until softened. Then add all veggies. I usually cover the skillet with a lid for a couple minutes which helps soften the cabbage and the carrots. Then I remove the lid and stir fry the veggies until cooked but still slightly tender.
STEP 4: Assemble. Add cooked tofu crumbles, coconut aminos, rice vinegar and peanuts. Stir fry a couple more minutes until heated through and well combined.
STEP 5: Serve! Drizzle with sauce and serve, sprinkle with chopped scallions or cilantro and enjoy!
How to make tofu crumbles crispy?
I have three tips for making perfect tofu crumbles that are browned and crispy:
- Use extra firm tofu for best results.
- Press it REALLY well to get the moisture out. A tofu press will do the best job but you can also wrap the tofu block in a couple of paper towels (or a clean cotton kitchen towel), place it on a plate and put something heavy on top. My favorite combination is a cast iron skillet and a heavy cookbook. Leave the tofu pressed like that for 30 minutes or so (although I have done 15 minutes with success, too!). The tofu block will be much thinner and denser after pressing it.
- Don’t stir the tofu mixture in the pan too often. You want to create a single layer of tofu crumbles, press with a spatula and leave it to crisp up on the bottom for a couple minutes. Then stir and repeat the process until the tofu crumbles are mostly browned on all sides.
Serving and storage
I usually serve this vegan egg roll in a bowl on its own, drizzled with spicy peanut sauce, sprinkled with chopped scallions and extra peanuts. If you want, you can serve it over rice or noodles. Rice, soba or ramen noodles will work best.
You can store it in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Ideally, store the sauce separately. When ready to serve, reheat the dish in the skillet or nuke it in the microwave until warm. Then, drizzle with sauce and sprinkle with roasted peanuts and chopped cilantro, if desired.
Substitutions and variations
This tofu egg roll in a bowl is a highly customizable dish and you can easily make it your own by making adjustments. Below I'm listing some ideas to try.
- If you don't want to use tofu, swap it for crumbled tempeh, chopped mushrooms or impossible meat.
- Add cauliflower rice (or regular cooked rice) to bulk up the dish.
- Cabbage is the base vegetable for this dish, which is why it's sometimes referred to as "crack slaw". You can use white or red cabbage or a combination of both. Any type of bagged slaw mix will make this one-pan meal super fast and easy to make!
- Other than carrot and red bell pepper, you can also add any color bell pepper, shredded brussels sprouts, shredded broccoli or mushrooms.
- If don't like or can't have peanuts, swap them for cashews or slivered almonds. You can also leave the nuts out all together.
- Spicy peanut sauce can be swapped for spicy sriracha mayo sauce, which is what I use in my original Egg Roll in a Bowl recipe made with ground chicken.
Recipe FAQS
In short, yes. Tofu is a plant-based protein made of soy and it provides healthy amino acids, fiber and nutrients your body needs. Tofu is also free of saturated fat and cholesterol which generally makes it a healthier source of protein than meat.
You certainly can! This egg roll in a bowl recipe is vegan and contains no animal products but you can definitely stir in an egg or two at the end for an extra protein and flavor boost. Just make a well in the middle of the stir fry towards the end of the cooking process, crack in the egg(s) and quickly scramble it. Then mix it in to incorporate in the dish.
Yes! Tofu is a low carbohydrate, low fat and high protein food, which makes it a great protein choice! Half a cup of tofu contains 21.8 grams protein, 3.5 grams carbs, 2.9 grams fiber and 11 grams fat.
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Recipe
Vegan Tofu Egg Roll in a Bowl
Ingredients
For Tofu Crumbles:
- 1 block extra firm tofu
- 2 tablespoons coconut aminos or low-sodium soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon neutral tasting oil such as avocado or sunflower seed
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
Egg Roll in a Bowl Stir Fry
- 1 bag rainbow or regular coleslaw (14 or 16 oz) or shredded cabbage
- 1 medium to large carrot julienned, matchstick cut or shredded
- 1 red bell pepper sliced into strips
- ½ large onion sliced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 small piece of ginger about half a thumb, grated or minced
- 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
- ¼ cup coconut aminos or low-sodium soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- ½ cup dry roasted peanuts halved or crushed
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Chopped scallions and/or cilantro for garnish
Spicy Peanut Sauce
- ¼ cup creamy all-natural peanut butter
- 1 tablespoons Sriracha sauce or more
- Juice from 1 lime
Instructions
- Remove excessive moisture from the tofu by wrapping in in a couple of paper towels or a clean kitchen towel and placing something heavy on top, such as a cast iron skillet. If you have a tofu press, use that instead.
- Crumble the pressed tofu into a bowl, add coconut aminos (or soy sauce), oil, garlic powder and salt. Mix with a spoon until combined.
- Heat up a large skillet, pour in the tofu crumbles and press with a wooden spoon or spatula so it forms one layer. Cook on medium heat for 4 minutes, then give it a stir, press and cook 4 more minutes. Repeat until tofu is nicely browned on all sides. Remove from the skillet and set aside.
- Make the sauce. In a small bowl whisk together peanut butter, sriracha sauce and lime juice until smooth. If it’s too thick, add a splash of cold water and keep mixing until you reach pourable consistency.
- In the same skillet that you used for tofu crumbles heat sesame oil, add minced garlic and ginger and stir fry until fragrant, a minute or so. Then add coleslaw mix or cabbage, carrots, peppers and onions. Stir fry for a couple minutes on medium high heat until the veggies are softened. Add a splash of water if the veggies start browning too much.
- Add coconut aminos and rice vinegar and cook a couple more minutes, stirring often.
- Add cooked tofu crumbles and stir well. Season with salt and pepper and add crushed peanuts. Give it one last stir.
- Serve drizzled with spicy peanut sauce and garnished with fresh chopped cilantro.
Nutrition
More Asian inspired bowls
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Kayla DiMaggio
Loving this tofu egg roll in a bowl! It was so delicious and will be a new staple!
Tammy
So much great flavor!
Debra
So much easier than traditional egg rolls...but all the same great taste!
Angela
This is a great tasting recipe. I especially love the spicy peanut sauce.
Colleen
Much easier than actual egg rolls but with all the flavor!
Andréa Janssen
Great for lunch!
Bri
Yum!
Sabrina
I love egg rolls but not the rolling part lol. This is such a fantastic “cheat”, thanks!
Agnieszka
Haha, so true about the rolling part!
Tatiana
It was delish and easy enough to make
Athena
Great tasting recipe, but the measurement of "1 bag of coleslaw" really does nothing for me. It's not a standardized measurement and I had absolutely no clue what amount you meant. If you could change this to a more accurate measurement, that would make this recipe 5 stars.
Agnieszka
Hi Athena. Typically, bagged coleslaw is 14 or 16 oz. Both will work! Thanks for the feedback - I added the weight to the recipe card. Glad you liked the dish!
Allison
So good! A bit salty, so I might do less aminos next time, but even my Omni mom loved it!
Jessie A Georges
I don't eat egg rolls because I don't like fried food, but decided to try this because I loved the ingredients. I'm so glad I did. I was lazy so used a bag of broccoli slaw that included cabbage and carrots. The only thing I would suggest is putting the onions and slaw in before the garlic and ginger so they don't overcook. Will definitely make this again and again.
Agnieszka
Love the broccoli slaw idea!
Jessie Georges
I absolutely love this and make it too often to admit. I omit the salt since there is plenty of salt in the ingredients. I especially like it with broccoli slaw. Tastes indulgent, yet healthy. Yummo!
Agnieszka
So glad you like this recipe, Jessie!