This Zesty Coconut Rice Bowl is packed with bold, plant based flavors. The sriracha tofu is baked to golden perfection, the pickled veggies add a tangy crunch, and the coconut rice is rich and creamy. Topped with fresh herbs, this colorful Buddha bowl brings everything together in a vibrant, flavor-packed meal.
Loosely inspired by the rice bowls at Loro Asian Smokehouse, this plant-based Buddha bowl balances sweet, spicy, and tangy flavors! Perfect for your next lunch or dinner.
Table of Contents
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Bold flavors in every bite: sweet, spicy, and tangy all come together perfectly in this vegan Buddha bowl.
Meal-prep friendly: Most components can be made ahead! Just reheat the tofu and coconut rice, then top with pickled veggies and fresh herbs. - Wholesome plant based dinner: Made entirely with vegan ingredients and full of nourishing, satisfying flavors. Also oil-free!
Key Ingredients
- Coconut milk & coconut flakes: the heart of our rich & creamy coconut rice.
- Jasmine rice: light, fluffy, and perfectly compliments our bold flavors.
- Firm tofu: soaks up the sriracha sauce for a bit of spice, and adds some satisfying plant based protein.
- Sriracha & maple syrup: this combo comes together to give our tofu a delicious sweet-spicy balance.
- Tamari: adds some deep, savory umami flavors.
- Watermelon radish & daikon: these are pickled to provide crunch and a tangy contrast.
- Carrot: for a bit of color and freshness in the final bowl.
- Cilantro & Thai basil: to finish off our bowl with a fresh, herby flavor.
How to Make Coconut Rice Bowls
Bring vinegar, water, salt, & sugar to a boil until salt and sugar dissolve. Pour over diced radishes and allow to cool.
In a small bowl, combine the sriracha sauce ingredients. Cube the pressed tofu, toss gently in the sauce, and set aside to marinate for a few minutes.
Arrange the tofu on a prepared baking sheet and bake at 425F for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven, toss in the remaining sriracha sauce, then return to the oven for another 5-10 minutes.
Toast coconut flakes in a nonstick pot or pan for 1-4 minutes, until golden. Set to side.
Sauté the garlic, then add the coconut milk, water, tamari, and rice. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer, cover, and cook until the liquid absorbs.
Fluff the rice with a fork and season with salt. Stir in the toasted coconut and green onions. Assemble the bowls and enjoy!
Recipe Tips
- Make the best use of your time. While the pickled veggies cool you can start on the tofu, and while the tofu bakes you can start on the coconut rice!
- Don’t skip the second toss of tofu in the sriracha sauce! This step is key to getting a deep flavor and a crispy caramelized tofu!
- Keep a close eye on the coconut flakes, they toast quickly, so stir often and remove from heat once golden!
- Prep the pickled veggies the day before if you're going to be short on time!
Serving Suggestions
- This Coconut Rice Bowl is full of flavor, but you can boost it even more with a bit of salsa, a drizzle of sriracha, or a squeeze of fresh lime.
- Serve it as a complete meal, or pair it with a simple side like seaweed salad, cucumber salad, or miso soup.
Substitutions & Variations
- Buddha bowls (such as this one and the ones found in my free ebook) are easy to customize! Add shredded cabbage or cucumber for extra crunch, or avocado for creaminess.
- Short on time? Swap in store-bought versions of any component you wish. Some stores carry pickled radishes or even marinated spicy tofu.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! Reduce the sriracha for a milder flavor or add extra for more heat.
This recipe was only tested with white jasmine rice and brown jasmine rice. Other grains might work, but results may vary and the rice cooking time may have to be adjusted.
This recipe uses no oil and is mostly WFPB, with a few small exceptions. It uses a minimal amount of pure cane sugar in the pickled veggies, but this can be replaced with maple syrup to keep it fully WFPB. It also uses a small amount of sriracha, which isn't always considered WFPB, but can be replaced with any WFPB-friendly hot sauce. The rice also uses coconut milk, which many WFPB eaters include, but some versions of the diet avoid.
Other Buddha Bowl Recipes You'll Love
📖 Recipe
Zesty Coconut Rice Bowl With Crispy Sriracha Tofu
Ingredients
Quick pickled veggies:
- ½ cup diced watermelon radish - (OR regular radish)
- ½ cup diced daikon
- ⅓ cup brown rice vinegar - (OR rice vinegar)
- ⅓ cup water
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoon pure cane sugar
Coconut rice:
- ½ cup coconut flakes
- 4 cloves garlic - minced
- 1 cup uncooked brown jasmine rice - (OR white jasmine rice)
- 1 cup coconut milk
- 1 cup water
- 1 tablespoon tamari
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 3 green onions - chopped
Crispy sriracha tofu
- 1 block firm tofu - pressed for 20 minutes
- 2 tablespoon sriracha
- 3 tablespoon tamari
- 2 tablespoon pure maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
Additional ingredients:
- 1 carrot - grated
- a few sprigs of cilantro
- 10-12 leaves of thai basil
- sesame seeds
Instructions
- Prep your quick pickled veggies: • Add diced radish and daikon to a jar. • In a small pot, combine vinegar, water, salt, and sugar. Bring to a boil, stirring regularly, until salt and sugar have dissolved. • Pour the hot liquid over the veggies. Let cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for at least 30 minutes (You can work on the tofu and rice while the veggies cool).
- Prep the crispy sriracha tofu: • Preheat the oven to 425F. • In a small bowl or jar, combine sriracha, tamari, maple syrup, garlic powder, and ginger. • Cube the pressed tofu, then transfer to a large bowl and toss gently in the sriracha sauce. Set to the side and let marinate for 10 minutes.• Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat. Spread tofu cubes out on mat, leaving any extra sauce in the large bowl (set the bowl off to the side and do NOT clean out the bowl yet!)• Bake for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and carefully toss tofu in the remaining sauce. Transfer back to baking sheet and bake another 5-10 minutes, or until edges are crispy & golden. (While tofu is baking, get started on the rice!)• Remove from oven and let cool slightly.
- Prep the coconut rice: • Set a medium nonstick pan to medium heat and add coconut flakes. Toast for 1-4 minutes, stirring regularly, until slightly golden. Remove from heat and set off to the side. • Bring a medium nonstick pot to medium-low heat on the stovetop. Add just a bit of water to prevent sticking, and add your garlic. Sauté for 2-3 minutes, until fragrant. • Add rice, coconut milk, water, and tamari to the pot. Stir and bring to a boil. • Cover, reduce heat, and simmer until all liquid is absorbed. (approximately 20 minutes for jasmine rice, or 40 minutes for brown jasmine rice)• Fluff with a fork, add salt (more to taste, if desired), and stir in green onions and toasted coconut.
- Assemble the bowls: Divide the pickled veggies, crispy sriracha tofu, coconut rice, and grated carrot between 4 bowls. Top with cilantro, thai basil, and a sprinkle of sesame seeds. Serve and enjoy!
Nutrition
*Nutrition facts are an estimate and are calculated for one serving.
Happy cooking! If you made this recipe don’t forget to tag me (@joyfulbalanceofficial) on facebook or instagram so I can cheer you on for your buddha-bowl-making ways.
Stay joyfully balanced!
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