Avocado Mango Tofu Bowl

This restaurant-style bowl is packed with bold flavours. Think ginger, garlic, mango, lime, cilantro and jalapeno paired with refreshing veggies like cucumber and radish.

It feels somewhat like a poke bowl but features crispy sweet chili tofu instead of tuna. You’ll love the sweet and tangy mango salsa alongside spicy tofu with plenty of creamy avocado to cool things off.

Enjoy this fresh, flavourful and refreshing bowl for a nutritious dinner or tasty meal prep option.

Ingredients & Substitutions

A complete list of ingredients with amounts and full instructions is located in the printable recipe card below. This section covers ingredient and substitution considerations.

• Tofu: Use extra-firm tofu, drained and pressed for at least 20 minutes.
• Cornstarch: This is used to make the tofu crispy.
• Tamari: Can be substituted with soy sauce if that’s what you have.
• Maple Syrup: Can be substituted with agave syrup.
• Chili Sauce: Sambal oelek, or chili garlic sauce, is recommend, though you can also use Sriracha.
• Rice Vinegar: You can use seasoned or unseasoned rice vinegar.
• Sesame Oil: You’ll need a bit of this for the sweet chili sauce as well as the ginger lime dressing. I wouldn’t recommend substituting a different oil but it could be omitted if needed.
• Mango: You’ll need one large or two medium-sized mangoes or about 1.5 cups diced. The amount doesn’t have to be exact. You may even want to double the salsa recipe for other uses!
• Red Onion: You could substitute white onion or shallot if that’s what you have.
• Cilantro: This can be omitted if you don’t like cilantro.
• Jalapeno: Adds just a little heat to the salsa. Be sure to remove the seeds and wash your hands well after handling (or wear gloves).
• Lime: You’ll need fresh limes for the salsa and dressing.
• Garlic & Ginger: The dressing really benefits from fresh garlic and ginger so I would definitely recommend that over ground garlic and ginger.
• Rice: Any rice you enjoy works. Try basmati, jasmine or brown rice. You could also substitue another grain like quinoa or swap the rice for lettuce to make this a salad.
• Avocado: Use anywhere from 1/4-1/2 of an avocado per serving.
• Edamame: Recommend amount is 1/2 cup per bowl but you can adjust that to your preference. If you don’t have edamame or can’t find any in stores, green peas or chickpeas would be a suitable substitute.
• Radish: If you can find watermelon radish, use that for a pretty effect, if not, red radish is perfect. You’ll need just a few .
• Coconut Flakes: Optional for a crunchy, tropical topping. You can buy them toasted or toast your own briefly in the oven.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Press the tofu.

You can use a tofu press or wrap the tofu in a dish cloth and place a heavy object like a cast iron skillet on top of it. Let it sit for 20 minutes.

While you’re waiting, you can start the rice and edamame and prepare the various condiments for the bowl.

Step 2: Cook the rice & edamame.

While you’re waiting for the tofu, start cooking rice and edamame.

How much rice to use? I’d say anywhere form 1/2-1 cup cooked per bowl depending on your nutritional needs at the time. So if you want 3/4 cup cooked per bowl, you’ll need about 1.5 cups of uncooked rice.

Step 4: Prepare the sweet chili sauce.

Now that you’ve got the tofu pressing and rice cooking, start on the salsa, dressing and sweet chili sauce.

The sweet chili sauce is quick, just mix everything up in a small bowl and set aside. We’ll be adding it to the tofu later on.

Step 5: Prepare the mango salsa.

Next is the mango salsa. You’ll need mango, red onion, cilantro, lime, jalapeno and an optional oil of choice. Mix it all up and season with a pinch of salt.

Set it aside for now so the flavours can really mix together!

Quick Tip: To simplify the recipe you can just use diced mango instead of making the salsa. Alternatively, considering doubling the mango salsa for another use because it’s so yummy!

Try to avoid an overripe mango so your salsa isn’t mushy. Look for a mango with just a bit of give when you press on it, it shouldn’t be overly soft.

Step 6: Prepare the ginger lime dressing.

Finally, the ginger lime dressing! You’ll need the ginger, garlic, lime, maple syrup, sesame oil and an additional oil of choice such as olive oil or avocado oil.

Recipe Notes: Use a fine grater to prepare the garlic and ginger so they’re almost like a paste.

Storing & Meal Prep

• The sweet chili sauce, mango salsa and ginger lime dressing can all be made in advance.
• The assembled bowls can be stored in the fridge for 3-4 days.
• If making for meal prep, leave the avocado off until just before storing.
• I eat them cold after storing but you can warm them briefly in the microwave if you prefer.