Recipe Overview
Why you’ll love it: Crispy baked tofu and roasted cauliflower are tossed in tangy Buffalo sauce and served over rice with crisp vegetables and creamy dressing. It’s a satisfying, flavorful bowl that’s also balanced and easy to make.
How long it takes: 1 hour, 30 minutes (includes pressing the tofu)
Equipment you’ll need: sheet pan, mixing bowl
Servings: 4
This Is My Kind of Lunch
If tofu is soft and bland, it won’t win you over. But when it’s pressed, coated, and roasted until the edges are crisp and the sauce adds bold flavor, it becomes irresistible.
These Buffalo tofu bowls combine spicy roasted tofu and cauliflower with cool, crunchy veggies and rice for a complete, no-fuss meal. It’s perfect for a hearty lunch or an easy weeknight dinner.
What makes this recipe stand out:
- Classic Buffalo flavor: A simple hot-sauce-and-butter mixture gives tangy, spicy notes while a creamy dressing or blue cheese mellows the heat.
- Crispy tofu without frying: Pressing the tofu and coating it with cornstarch creates a crunchy exterior in the oven—no deep frying required.
- Great for meal prep: The components store and reheat well, so you can assemble bowls throughout the week for quick lunches.
Ingredient Notes
- Tofu: Extra-firm tofu pressed to remove moisture, tossed in olive oil, cornstarch, salt, and pepper for crispness.
- Cauliflower: Small florets tossed with olive oil, garlic powder, salt, and pepper before roasting.
- Buffalo sauce: Hot sauce combined with melted butter and a touch of apple cider vinegar for brightness.
- To finish: Cooked rice (or another grain), romaine, shredded carrots, celery, green onions, ranch or blue cheese dressing, and optional blue cheese crumbles. Pick the toppings you prefer.
Tofu Press
Pressing tofu is essential for a crisp texture. A tofu press speeds up the process and makes it much easier, but wrapping tofu in towels and weighting it works fine too.
How to Make Buffalo Tofu Bowls
Press the tofu. Remove tofu from its package, wrap it in a clean towel or paper towels, and press under a heavy skillet for 30 minutes or use a tofu press. Start the rice while the tofu presses.
Prep for roasting. Preheat the oven to 425ºF. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment or coat it with oil; parchment keeps tofu from sticking and makes cleanup simple.
Coat the tofu. Cut pressed tofu into ½-inch cubes. Toss the cubes with 1 tablespoon olive oil, 2 tablespoons cornstarch, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, and ¼ teaspoon black pepper. Arrange the tofu in a single layer on one side of the sheet.
Season the cauliflower. Break one head of cauliflower into small florets (about 6 cups). Toss with 1 tablespoon olive oil, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, and ¼ teaspoon black pepper. Spread on the remaining space of the sheet pan.
Roast. Roast for 30–35 minutes, until the cauliflower is golden and tender and the tofu has crisp edges.
Make the Buffalo sauce. Whisk together 1/3 cup hot sauce, 1 tablespoon melted unsalted butter, and 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar. Pour the sauce over the roasted tofu and cauliflower on the sheet pan and toss to coat evenly.
Assemble the bowls. Divide 2 cups cooked rice among four bowls. Top with the Buffalo tofu and cauliflower, shredded romaine, shredded carrots, and thinly sliced celery. Garnish with sliced green onions and blue cheese if desired, then drizzle with ranch or blue cheese dressing or extra hot sauce to taste.
More Serving Ideas
- Try different grains: Swap rice for quinoa, farro, or another grain for variety and extra nutrients.
- Low carb option: Double the romaine and skip the rice to turn this into a hearty salad.
- Make wraps: Fill tortillas or lavash with the tofu, cauliflower, and toppings for hand-held bowls on the go.
Storage & Reheating
Refrigerator: Store the tofu and cauliflower in airtight containers for up to 4 days. Keep lettuce separate to prevent wilting.
Reheat: Reheat the tofu and cauliflower in the oven, a dry skillet, or an air fryer to restore crispness. Microwaving is faster but will soften the texture.
More Meatless Recipes
Tofu Sheet Pan Dinner with Peanut Sauce
Vegetarian Stuffed Peppers – Southwestern
Lentil Waldorf Salad
Baked Sesame Tofu
Buffalo Tofu Bowls
Ingredients
For Tofu:
- 1 block extra-firm tofu (14–16 oz)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
For Cauliflower:
- 1 head cauliflower (small head, about 24 oz)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
For Buffalo Sauce:
- ⅓ cup hot sauce (such as Frank’s)
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
For Bowls:
- 2 cups cooked rice (or other cooked grain)
- 2 cups finely chopped or shredded romaine lettuce
- ½ cup shredded carrots
- ½ cup very thinly sliced celery (about 1 small stalk)
- ¼ cup sliced green onions (about 1)
- ½ cup ranch or blue cheese dressing
- ½ cup crumbled blue cheese (optional)
Instructions
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Wrap the tofu in a clean lint-free towel and press for 30 minutes under a heavy skillet, or use a tofu press.
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If you need to cook rice, start it before baking the tofu so it’s ready when the bowls are assembled.
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Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a rimmed sheet pan with parchment paper or spray it with oil.
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Cut the pressed tofu into ½-inch cubes. In a large bowl, toss tofu with olive oil, cornstarch, salt, and pepper until evenly coated. Arrange the tofu in a single layer on one-third of the pan.
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In the same bowl, combine olive oil, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Add cauliflower florets and toss to coat, then spread them on the remaining space on the baking sheet.
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Roast for 30–35 minutes, until the cauliflower is golden and the tofu is crisp at the edges.
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While roasting, whisk together hot sauce, melted butter, and apple cider vinegar. Pour the sauce over the roasted tofu and cauliflower and toss to coat.
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Spoon cooked rice into bowls, top with the Buffalo tofu and cauliflower, shredded lettuce, carrots, and celery.
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Garnish with sliced green onions and blue cheese if desired. Drizzle with ranch or blue cheese dressing or extra hot sauce to taste.
Notes
- Vegan option: Use vegan butter and a dairy-free dressing to keep the recipe fully plant-based.
- Extra additions: Sliced avocado or cucumber make pleasant, cooling additions.
- Meal prep tips: Cool the tofu and cauliflower completely before refrigerating to avoid sogginess. Reheat in an oven, skillet, or air fryer for best texture.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximation.