Sweet and Spicy Tofu with Quinoa
This beautiful and healthy sweet and spicy tofu with quinoa is incredibly delicious. It’s high in protein because of the tofu and the quinoa, very easy to make, refined sugar-free, eggless, gluten free, nut free, and tastes wonderful.
This meal is great for vegans and non-vegans. Such a fantastic mix of flavors, no one will be hungry after a good bowl of this yumminess! It’s perfect as a healthy lunch or dinner, and it’s even tasty cold. Packed with protein, it’s a great plant-based alternative!
Most sweet and spicy tofu recipes are paired with rice, and while I do like rice, especially brown or wild rice, I prefer to pair mine with quinoa, which is higher in protein and contains almost twice as much fiber as most grains.
Vegan Sweet and Spicy Tofu with Quinoa
I love tofu, and when I discovered baked tofu, I was hooked! I live in Chicago and here my favorite baked tofu brand is Jenny’s Tofu (aka Phoenix Bean). This recipe is ideal for baked tofu, however, it also works with extra firm tofu if the baked tofu option is not available.
All other sweet and spicy tofu recipes I have tried were too oily and too sweet for my taste. This recipe has a better balance between sweetness and spiciness, and it’s delicious and healthy while not being oily. I love it because it’s:
Healthier than most sweet and spicy tofu recipes I’ve seen.
Super quick and easy to make, because it has baked tofu, no need to press out water ever again.I
t’s refined sugar-free.
It’s naturally protein rich because of the tofu and the use of quinoa instead of rice.
Simple Ingredients
Baked tofu
Marinara tomato sauce
Maple syrup
Soy sauce
Olive oil
Smoked chili powder
Garlic powder
Ginger powder
Quinoa
Baked tofu: I practically only use baked tofu these days. It has the firmness of chicken breast, yes, that firm! While I no longer eat meat, I know vegans and non-vegans love a good baked tofu when is properly spiced, because it has the best texture. The benefit of baked tofu is that you don’t have to ever worry again about squeezing out water; it’s all about adding spices to make it tasty since it has a very neutral flavor.
Quinoa: I like my quinoa al dente. Most recipes cook the quinoa way too long, in my opinion, and it becomes mushy. Hence, in the instructions below I recommend that you undercook the quinoa a little bit and give it try.
Marinara sauce: This time I used an organic marinara sauce from Trader Joe’s but a good home made one would also work, of course.
Level of spiciness: I like spicy food, so add more or less smoked chili powder depending on how spicy you like things!
A lighter version: you could replace the quinoa with cauliflower rice to make it even lighter.
How to Make Healthy Sweet and Spicy Tofu with Quinoa?
You need a pot and a saucepan for this recipe.
To make the sweet and spicy sauce, in a bowl, mix together the marinara sauce, soy sauce, 1 tbsp olive oil, smoked chili powder, garlic powder, and ginger powder. Set aside.
Cut the tofu into 2-inch cubes.
Saute the tofu over medium heat for 5-7 minutes with 1 tbsp olive oil (until crispy). Flip the cubes around a couple of times while cooking it.
Pour the sweet and spicy sauce on top of the baked tofu, stir and cook until the liquid is gone and it becomes a bit sticky.
Cook the quinoa but instead of following package instructions, undercook it by 2-3 minutes to have it “al dente”. You might have to drain a bit of water with a strainer after cooking. I say “follow instructions” because fresher quinoa is ready in 7 minutes, older quinoa can take 10-15 minutes.
Serve the tofu with the quinoa, and I suggest adding some sautéed green peppers and onions on top!
This Sweet and Spicy Baked Tofu with Quinoa Is
Gluten free
Egg-free
Dairy-free (without butter)
Healthier than most sweet and spicy tofu recipes I’ve seen
Refined sugar-free
Easy to make
High in protein
Amazing as lunch, dinner, or as a post-workout meal.