These tofu poke bowls have been on heavy rotation in our kitchen for years, long before Veganuary ever became a thing in our lives. Our love for poké bowls was properly reignited when we travelled around Hawaii and ate our way through countless variations, from ultra-traditional bowls with raw fish to playful modern sushi bowls piled high with fresh veggies. This Teriyaki Tofu Poke Bowl is our plant-based take on that obsession, and honestly, it holds its own against any fish version we've tried.
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Crispy, golden tofu glazed in teriyaki sauce, fluffy seasoned rice, quick pickled onions and colourful toppings come together into a teriyaki tofu rice bowl that's satisfying, vibrant and packed with flavour.
Poke Bowls: A Not-So-New Obsession
Traditional poke bowls originated in Hawaii as a way of serving freshly caught raw fish simply seasoned and served over rice. In recent years, poké bowls have travelled far beyond the islands, evolving into endlessly adaptable poké bowls found across Asian cuisines, health-focused cafés and quick family meal plans worldwide.
These days, poke bowls sit somewhere between sushi bowls and rice bowls, making them ideal for customising around dietary needs, budget and what's in the fridge. If this easy vegan poke bowl isn't your vibe, we've linked more poke bowl ideas if you're as obsessed as we are.
Ingredient Notes
You'll find the full list in the recipe card, but here are a few key ingredients worth highlighting:
- Extra-firm tofu: Essential for best results. A tofu press helps remove excess liquid, but wrapping the tofu in paper towels and weighing it down works just as well, if your tofu seems less firm to start with.
- Sushi rice: Traditional for poke bowls, though brown rice or white rice both work, depending on what you have.
- Rice vinegar: Gently seasons the rice and gives that classic sushi-style tang. If using cider vinegar or white wine vinegar, reduce the amount, as they tend to be sharper.
- Teriyaki sauce: Brings sweetness and umami. If you like heat, a little sambal oelek or chili flakes can be added.
- Fresh veggies: Edamame beans, cucumber, bell pepper and carrot give crunch and balance. Red cabbage, thinly sliced spring onions (green onion) or radishes are great additions too.
- Sesame seeds: White sesame seeds add texture and a subtle nutty finish.
Variations
One of the reasons we love tofu poke bowls so much is how adaptable they are.
- Switch the rice: Try brown rice for a nuttier base, or cauliflower rice for a lighter vegan option.
- Change the fruit and veg: Mango, avocado, pineapple or radishes all work beautifully in a vegan tofu poke bowl.
- Ponzu drizzle: If you like extra sauce, whisk ponzu or soy sauce with sesame oil and drizzle lightly over the base of rice. We use ponzu dressing in our Smoked Salmon Poke Bowl recipe.
- Bake or air-fry the tofu: Toss cubed tofu in cornflour, drizzle with oil and bake or use air fryer if you want less oil.
- Add crunch: Crumbled nori sheets or toasted sesame seeds take it closer to sushi bowls territory.
And if you're in for a different protein, try our Teriyaki Salmon Poke Bowls or Teriyaki Chicken Poke Bowls.
Recipe Tips
- Dry the tofu well: Removing excess liquid is key. Pressing or blotting with paper towels helps the tofu crisp properly. But extra firm tofu works fine without pressing first.
- Use medium-high heat when frying: This ensures golden edges without steaming the tofu.
- Don't overcrowd the pan: Give the tofu space so it browns evenly.
- Add sauce at the end: Teriyaki sauce burns easily, so glaze right at the end and spoon the remaining marinade over the tofu.
- Season the rice properly: Rice vinegar, sugar and salt turn plain rice into a poke-worthy base.
Storage and Meal Prep
These bowls work well as a make-ahead meal. Store the rice, tofu and toppings in separate containers in the fridge for up to 3 days and assemble just before eating for the best texture. Note that the tofu will lose its crispy texture but will still taste good.
Recipe FAQs
Yes. This is a fully vegan tofu poke bowl, with no raw fish or animal products.
You can coat and fry it ahead of time, but add the teriyaki sauce just before serving to keep it crisp.
No. Silken tofu is too soft. Extra-firm tofu is essential for structure and texture.
More Tofu Recipes
If you're enjoying this delicious tofu poke bowl, leave us a star rating in the recipe card below. You'll find plenty more tofu recipes below, from quick budget dinners to delicious ideas built around wholesome ingredients.
Teriyaki Tofu Poke Bowl
Ingredients
Rice Base:
- 170 g (1 cup) sushi rice + 220ml (1 cup) water
- 2 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
Pickled Onions:
- 1 red onion thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- ½ teaspoon caster sugar
- a pinch of salt and pepper
Teriyaki Tofu:
- 3 tablespoon cornflour a.k.a. cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon chilli powder or paprika
- 250 g (8.82 oz) firm tofu
- a drizzle of oil
- 3 tablespoon teriyaki sauce
Toppings:
- 60 g (½ cup) edamame beans cooked if frozen
- 1 small carrot coarsely grated or julienned
- ½ bell pepper thinly sliced
- 60 g (2 oz) cucumber diced
- 80 g (3 oz) pineapple fresh or from a tin, cut into small chunks
- 1 teaspoon sesame seeds
Instructions
- Cook the rice following the instructions on the package, but as a general rule of thumb, place the rice in a colander and rinse, mixing the rice, under cold water until the water runs clear. Leave the rice to soak in water for 15 minutes. Drain thoroughly.
- Add the drained rice to a pot with 220ml (1 cup) of cold water and cover with a lid. Bring it to a boil, then simmer on low heat for 10 minutes. (lid on).
- Take the pot of rice off the heat and leave it undisturbed (keeping the lid on) for 10 minutes.
- In a small bowl, combine vinegar, sugar and salt. When the rice is cooked and rested, stir in the vinegar mixture, mixing it with a wooden spoon.
- In the meantime, boil a whole kettle of water.
- Place the thinly sliced red onion in a colander. Slowly pour boiling water over the onion in the sink - this removes the ferocious raw onion flavour.
- Place the drained onion in a small bowl with rice vinegar, sugar, a pinch of salt and black pepper. Mix well and set aside.
- In a large bowl, mix 3 tablespoon of cornflour with a generous pinch of salt and chilli powder. Break the tofu up into chunks with your hands (or you can cut it into small pieces with a knife) and tip them into the cornflour mixture. Make sure to cover all the tofu pieces thoroughly.
- Heat a generous drizzle oil in a large frying pan on medium-high heat. Add the coated tofu pieces and stir fry for 10-15 minutes, or until browned and crispy.
- If there's excess oil in the pan, carefully blot it with paper towel before adding the sauce.
- Add the teriyaki sauce to the pan and cook for another minute until tofu pieces are coated.
- Divide the seasoned rice between bowls. Top it with drained pickled red onions, pineapple chunks, edamame beans, carrots and bell peppers. Place teriyaki tofu pieces on top. Scatter some sesame seeds on top. Enjoy!
Nutrition
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