Sticky pan-fried hoisin tofu and mushrooms are served atop cauliflower rice and topped with sesame seeds and scallions to make this flavorful vegan meal!
I never thought I'd say this, but I think I'm beginning to prefer cauliflower rice over real rice. Amazing, considering there was a time I'd have scoffed at the idea of cauliflower anything and gladly eaten an entire plate of rice for dinner.
Anyhow, I made this one a while ago, thinking cauliflower rice would be on everyone's to-try list in the new year. At some point I realized I had a cauliflower jam-packed January on the blog. As for tofu, I totally recognize that this blog is constantly jam-packed with the stuff. So I put off hoisin tofu and cauliflower rice for a bit.
As it turned out, I was only able to hold off until the second week of February. I was really excited about this dish. Cauliflower rice or not, this does not taste like some New Year's resolution diet food. In fact, it was incredibly satisfying, and I think one of my all time favorites. The cauliflower rice worked particularly well here. I think the reason I'm starting to prefer cauliflower rice is because of that little bit of savory flavor you get, with just a touch of crispness you don't normally get in rice. In this dish it complimented the tenderness of the pan-fried mushrooms and the sweet-stickiness of the hoisin sauce really nicely.
Hoisin sauce is a great thing to have around if you're a fan of Chinese inspired dishes. It's one of the main ingredients in lot's of Chinese restaurant classics like General Tso's and moo shu. If you enjoy either of those dishes, it's a safe bet that you'll enjoy a more basic hoisin glazed dish like this one, which is similar, but but a bit lighter and not quite as sweet as the former two. Get a feel for using the sauce and you'll probably want to experiment with it in all kinds of stir fries, barbecue dishes, and as a dip for finger foods.
📖 Recipe
Hoisin Tofu with Mushrooms and Cauliflower Rice
Ingredients
For the Cauliflower Rice
- 1 medium cauliflower crown
- 1 tbsp. vegetable oil
For the Sauce
- ½ cup hoisin sauce
- ¼ cup water
- 1 ½ tbsp. rice vinegar
- 1 ½ tbsp. soy sauce
- 1 tsp. sesame oil
- 2 garlic cloves minced
For the Hoisin Tofu and Mushrooms
- 1 lb. extra firm tofu drained and pressed for at least 15 minute
- 2 tbsp. vegetable oil divided
- 4 cups white button mushrooms cleaned, stemmed and thinly sliced
- 2 scallions chopped
- 1-2 tsp. sesame seeds
Instructions
Make the Cauliflower Rice
- Break cauliflower crown into a few large chunks and place in food processor bowl. Pulse until chopped into rice-sized pieces.
- Coat large skillet with oil and place over medium heat. Add cauliflower and sauté until tender, about 5 minutes. Divide onto plates.
Make the Sauce
- Whisk all ingredients together in small bowl. Set aside.
Make the Hoisin Tofu and Mushrooms
- Slice tofu into ½ inch thick slabs, then slice each slab into 1 inch wide squares or triangles.
- Coat large skillet with half of oil and place over medium heat. Arrange mushroom slices in a single layer. Cook about 5 minutes, flip and cook another 5 minutes, until browned on both sides. Divide over cauliflower rice.
- Add remaining oil to skillet and raise heat to medium-high. Arrange tofu pieces in a single layer. Cook about 3 minutes, flip and cook another 3 minutes, until browned on both sides. Pour half of sauce over tofu. Cook 2 minutes, flip and cook 2 minutes more, just until sauce thickens and coats tofu.
- Divide tofu over cauliflower rice and mushrooms. Top with remaining sauce, sesame seeds and scallions.
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I had to make several substitutions, and the recipe was still amazeballs! Thank you! (I added ginger & cilantro)
What brand of hoisin sauce did you use? Thanks in advance!
I can't recall what I used for this particular recipe, but right now the jar in my fridge in Kikkoman.
Husband sits down with a big bowl to watch the end of the Alabama/Tennessee football game.
"Wow, this is good! Wow -- this is really good!"
No more comments because he's too busy eating.
Thanks!
Awesome!! Glad he enjoyed it! Thanks Sharon!
My tummy is rumbling now - this may have to happen in my kitchen today!
By the way, Alissa, did you give permission for Live Nutritive to use this recipe (albeit rewritten - badly) and photo in their Vegan World Food Bible cookbook?
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01934BSXQ/ref=cm_cr_ryp_prd_ttl_sol_0
I just borrowed it from Kindle Unlimited, and I have found loads of photos and recipes which seem to have just been taken from the foodie blogosphere.
It's a terrible, terrible excuse for a cookbook.
:-(
Thanks so much Nicole! And thank you for letting me know about that book. I just clicked over and there's another one of my photos right there on the cover! ARG! I just notified Amazon so hopefully they'll take if off their site soon.
Thanks for the recipe. Just found your site last week. I made the cauliflower rice for the first time in my life and will definitely make it again. Will look at others too
Incredible tofu recipe! I'll just change rice for quinoa, I think it should be as great as rice...
Quinoa would definitely work as a substitution here. Enjoy!
I loved this recipe. Everyone enjoyed it!! Thanks
Awesome! Glad to hear it. Thanks Ana!
How did I not know about cauliflower rice sooner?!?! It's like my whole life has been changed!
Whoa this looks great! :)
Thanks for sharing!