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    Home » Recipes » Grateful Grazer

    Published: Nov 13, 2019 · Modified: Mar 11, 2022 by Stephanie McKercher, RDN · This post may contain affiliate links · 9 Comments

    Baked Tofu Harvest Bowls

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Try Crispy Baked Tofu Bowls with sweet potatoes and kale for a hearty and satisfying vegan dinner.

    Baked tofu bowls with sweet potatoes and kale in white bowl with yellow napkin.

    What's the one meal you always go back to when you're not sure what else to make?

    For me, it's grain bowls. I won't take just any ho-hum combination, though.

    Lately, I've been filling my bowls with nutty farro (one of my favorite ancient whole grains), a batch of baked tofu, colorful fall vegetables, and a sprinkle of toasted nuts and dried fruit.

    Then, I finish all of that off with a flavorful maple-turmeric sauce.

    Yep. You could say this bowl has it all.

    This Baked Tofu Bowl is the type of meal I could (and probably will) eat over and over again throughout the fall and winter seasons. It's warm, comforting, and still packed with nutrition.

    With a balanced mix of carbohydrates, protein, fiber, and fats, this isn't one of those vegan meals that leave you hanging. Enough to fill you up and keep you going without giving up all the best of this season's flavors.

    What's not to love?

    For me, these Baked Tofu Bowls are just right for a comforting weeknight dinner. I make a version of this recipe whenever I need to use up veggies or leftovers. Grain bowls are also convenient to pack for lunch since you can prep all or parts of the recipe in advance. You can't go wrong with this one!

    Tofu and vegetables in white bowl with cream napkin and fork.

    Instructions

    This vegan grain bowl has five main components:

    • Farro for a hearty base
    • One batch of baked tofu
    • Sautéed sweet potatoes and kale (sub in squash or another seasonal veggie if you want)
    • A drizzle of maple-turmeric vinaigrette sauce
    • Toasted pecans and tart dried cherries for topping

    How to Cook Farro

    I like to cook pearled farro the same way I make pasta.

    First, bring a pot of salted water to a boil.

    Add dry farro and reduce the heat to low-medium. Cook until the farro is tender but still has a little chewy bite. You should reach this point after about 20 minutes. Cook the farro longer if you want it to have a softer feel.

    Once the farro is ready, drain out the excess water, fluff the grains with a fork, and set aside.

    How to Make Baked Tofu

    First, press the tofu and preheat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.

    Whisk oil, vinegar, soy sauce, maple syrup, garlic powder, and black pepper.

    Brush (or gently toss) the tofu pieces with the sauce. Once all of the tofu is evenly coated, spread the pieces on a baking sheet and transfer to the oven.

    Crispy baked tofu on a sheet pan.

    I usually bake tofu for about 30 minutes total, or until the edges are golden brown and slightly crispy.

    Once the tofu is cooked, take it out of the oven and set aside while you make the rest of the bowl components.

    Next, whisk the sauce.

    Just whisk oil, apple cider vinegar, cumin, turmeric, maple syrup, soy sauce, and garlic powder and you're good to go.

    Then, sauté the vegetables:

    First, heat oil in a 12-inch fry pan that has a lid.

    Stir in onion and ginger and cook 5 minutes, or until the onion is translucent.

    Stir in sweet potatoes, cover the frypan with the lid, and cook 10 minutes, stirring every few minutes or so. Add additional oil and adjust the heat on the burner as needed to prevent the vegetables from burning or sticking to the pan.

    Sweet potatoes in frypan.

    After 10 minutes, or whenever the sweet potatoes are softened and beginning to brown on the edges, stir in kale and cook 5 more minutes.

    In the end, the sweet potatoes should be tender and cooked all the way through, and the kale will be wilted and darker in color.

    It'll look something like this:

    Sweet potatoes and kale in a frypan.

    Once the veggies are cooked, all the main components of these Baked Tofu Bowls are finished, but I also like to add a couple of optional toppings to seal the deal: toasted pecans and dried cherries.

    How to Make Toasted Pecans:

    I like to prep the toasted pecans ahead of time so they're already ready to go for bowls, oatmeal, and snacks. You can also toast the pecans right before you make the crispy tofu.

    Just preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit first.

    Then, spread pecan halves on a rimmed baking sheet and bake about 7 minutes, or until they have a strong, nutty aroma. Check the nuts often in the final minutes. They can burn easily.

    How to Serve This Recipe

    Now, each component of these Baked Tofu Harvest Bowls is ready to go and it's time to assemble.

    Divide the cooked farro, sautéed sweet potatoes and kale, and tofu pieces between bowls. Drizzle with sauce and garnish with toasted pecans and dried cherries or cranberries if you want. (Trust me, you want.)

    Assembling is where you can really let your creativity shine. Your bowl doesn't have to look exactly like mine.

    Baked Tofu Bowls with sweet potatoes and kale in white bowl with cream napkin.

    Can you make this recipe gluten-free?

    This recipe is already naturally vegan and dairy-free, but you can also make a couple of really simple substitutions so it's gluten-free, too.

    Substitute brown rice (or your favorite gluten-free grain) for the farro. You could also omit the grain completely and add extra sweet potato to replace the missing carbs and fiber.

    Instead of soy sauce (which usually contains wheat), use gluten-free tamari or liquid aminos. Tamari and liquid aminos have similar umami flavor to soy sauce, but in a pinch, you could also omit it altogether. Just add in a little extra salt.

    Baked Tofu Harvest Bowls with sweet potato and kale in white bowls with yellow napkin.

    Making This Recipe in Advance

    I love these Baked Tofu Bowls for meal prep. You can cook the entire recipe in advance and store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to one week.

    If you don't want to make the whole thing ahead of time, but still want to make this weeknight-friendly, prep some of the parts in advance. You can make the tofu, farro, sauce, and pecans up to a week ahead of time if you want.

    Baked Tofu Bowls with sweet potato and kale in white bowl with yellow napkin.

    Looking for more tofu recipes? Try these.

    • Sheet Pan Tofu Bowls
    • Pumpkin Curry with Crispy Tofu and Broccoli
    • Roasted Chickpeas with Tofu Feta and Freekeh
    • Chipotle Tofu Jerky
    • Green Goddess Crunchy Tofu Wrap
    • Crispy Tofu Nuggets with Lemon Chive Yogurt Ranch Dip
    • Chimichurri Grilled Tofu Skewers
    • Sofritas Tofu Burrito
    Baked Tofu Bowls with sweet potatoes and kale in white bowl with cream napkin.

    Baked Tofu Harvest Bowls

    Crispy Baked Tofu Bowls with sweet potatoes, kale, and an easy, homemade maple-turmeric sauce for fall.
    4.80 from 5 votes
    Print Pin Save Saved! Rate
    Course: dinner, lunch
    Cuisine: vegan, vegetarian
    Prep Time: 30 minutes
    Cook Time: 30 minutes
    Total Time: 1 hour
    Servings: 4 people
    Calories: 640kcal
    Author: Stephanie McKercher, RDN

    Equipment

    • 12-inch fry pan with lid

    Ingredients

    Baked Tofu:

    • 1 block extra firm tofu, drained, pressed, and sliced into 2-inch pieces (see note)
    • 1 tablespoon grapeseed oil
    • 2 teaspoons rice vinegar
    • 2 teaspoons soy sauce
    • 1 teaspoon maple syrup
    • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
    • ¼ teaspoon black pepper

    Farro:

    • 1 cup dry pearled farro (see note)

    Sauce:

    • ¼ cup grapeseed oil
    • 2 tablespoons cider vinegar
    • 1 teaspoon cumin
    • 1 teaspoon turmeric
    • 2 teaspoons maple syrup
    • 1 teaspoon soy sauce or tamari/liquid aminos
    • ½ teaspoon garlic powder

    Vegetables:

    • 2 tablespoons grapeseed oil or as needed to coat pan
    • ½ cup diced onion (¼ large)
    • 1- inch piece ginger, grated
    • 3 cups chopped sweet potatoes (about 2 medium chopped into 1-inch pieces)
    • 1 pound kale, chopped
    • Salt and pepper

    Optional toppings:

    • Toasted pecans or walnuts
    • Dried cherries or cranberries

    Instructions

    Prepare baked tofu:

    • Preheat the oven to 450 degrees fahrenheit and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
    • Whisk grapeseed oil, rice vinegar, soy sauce, maple syrup, garlic powder, and black pepper.
    • Brush the sauce onto the tofu pieces, reserving some sauce for serving if desired.
    • Spread the tofu pieces in a single layer on the baking sheet. Transfer to the center rack of the oven and bake 30 minutes, flipping halfway through, or until golden brown.
    • Remove from the oven and set aside.

    Prepare farro:

    • Add farro to a pot with 3 cups water. Cover and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat and simmer for 20 minutes, or until tender. Drain any excess liquid and set aside.

    Prepare sauce:

    • In the meantime, whisk grapeseed oil, cider vinegar, cumin, turmeric, maple syrup, soy sauce, and garlic powder. Set aside.

    Prepare vegetables:

    • Heat grapeseed oil in a 12-inch fry pan with a lid. Stir in onion and ginger and cook 5 minutes, or until onion is translucent. Stir in sweet potatoes, cover, and cook 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add additional oil and adjust the heat as needed to prevent vegetables from burning or sticking to the pan.
    • After 10 minutes, or once the sweet potatoes are softened, stir in kale and cook 5 additional minutes, or until sweet potatoes are tender and kale is wilted. Turn off the heat and set aside.

    Serve:

    • Divide baked tofu, cooked farro, vegetables, and sauce between bowls. Garnish with toasted pecans and dried cherries if desired.

    Notes

    Tofu Note: Pressing tofu removes the liquid it's packaged with and improves the final texture. Read my tutorial, How to Press Tofu, if you haven't done this before.
    Farro Note: Pearled farro cooks faster than whole farro. You can use any type of farro for this recipe, just note that the cooking time will vary. Reference the cooking instructions on your package of farro for more information. 
    To toast pecans: Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and spread pecans on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake 7 minutes, or until they have a strong, nutty aroma. Toast pecans up to a week in advance.
    Gluten-free variation: Substitute brown rice for farro. Substitute gluten-free tamari or liquid aminos for soy sauce.
    Meal prep: Make Crispy Tofu, farro, and sauce up to five days in advance if desired.
    Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to five days.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 0.25recipe | Calories: 640kcal | Carbohydrates: 55g | Protein: 20.5g | Fat: 40.1g | Saturated Fat: 18.9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 9.2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8.9g | Sodium: 807.5mg | Potassium: 1261.1mg | Fiber: 11.5g | Sugar: 14.4g | Vitamin A: 4254IU | Vitamin C: 141.4mg | Calcium: 311.3mg | Iron: 6.1mg
    Tried this recipe? Tag me on Instagram!Mention @GratefulGrazer or tag #gratefulgrazer.

    Try These Recipes Next:

    • Easy No-Bake Homemade Energy Bars with Oats
    • Creamy Spiced Carrot and Lentil Soup
    • Easy Vegan Sweet Potato Casserole with Pecans
    • One-Pot Tofu Pumpkin Curry with Coconut Milk
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    1. Kelley says

      August 17, 2022 at 6:48 pm

      Can you make this as a freezer meal? Prepare it all and freeze then thaw and heat when ready to eat?

      Reply
      • Stephanie McKercher, RDN says

        September 20, 2022 at 5:04 pm

        Hi Kelley, I haven't tested this, but I think it would freeze well! Let me know if you try it. Hope you enjoy the recipe 🙂

        Reply
    2. Marianne says

      February 01, 2021 at 9:05 pm

      Hi, do you happen to know the calorie count for this bowl?

      Reply
      • Stephanie McKercher, RDN says

        February 08, 2021 at 11:40 am

        Hi Marianne, there are 640 calories per serving, including the baked tofu that's linked here. Thanks!

        Reply
    3. martutz says

      November 15, 2019 at 5:55 am

      Love the colors of your food! Great recipe! I'm also trying to switch to a healthier lifestyle and started to mine for healthy recipes like yours. Also, I started a marathon training with SportMe, and I managed to get rid of some pounds. Your blog posts are super inspiring for me in this phase, thanks!

      Reply
    4. Julie @ Running in a Skirt says

      November 14, 2019 at 10:00 am

      5 stars
      What a gorgeous bowl! I love that is starts with baked tofu-- what a great veg protein. Love the veggies in it too.

      Reply
    5. Angela says

      November 14, 2019 at 7:41 am

      These sound so delicious!I love the combo of sweet potato in kale in the dish, can't wait to try it!!

      Reply
    6. Deborah Brooks says

      November 13, 2019 at 8:01 pm

      Tofu bowls are my go to as well! I use honey but maple syrup also sounds like a nice change. Yum

      Reply
    7. Leslie says

      November 13, 2019 at 7:51 pm

      5 stars
      This recipe looks so hearty and inviting. I love the flavors that you used in this. It's perfect!

      Reply

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    Hello! My name is Stephanie. I'm a registered dietitian, recipe developer, and cookbook author. Here on Grateful Grazer, you'll find easy, plant-forward recipes, vegetarian nutrition information, and approachable guides to meal planning and prep.

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