For a long time, I thought that good fried rice was available only in Asian restaurants. But my problem with restaurant fried rice is that it’s loaded with added fat, salt, prepared with white rice and I can’t really feel confident that it’s vegan. So if I want fried rice, it has to come out of my own kitchen. Enter Mark Bittman. I modify his recipe for fried rice from How to Cook Everything Vegetarian. I omit the oil (and egg) and use baked tofu and the veggies I have on hand. That’s the beauty of a dish like fried rice. Not only can you tweak it to your own tastes, but also to what you have in the refrigerator and cupboard.
Oil-free Vegetable Fried Rice with Tofu
- Prep Time: 15
- Cook Time: 15
- Total Time: 30
Description
Better than restaurant fried rice because you decide what goes in it – – and it’s oil-free, but full of flavor.
Ingredients
- 4 cups cooked brown basmati, brown jasmine or regular brown rice
- vegetable broth or water as needed
- 1 onion, chopped
- 4 cups fresh vegetables, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 2 cups baked or pan-seared tofu, cut into ~1/2-inch pieces
- 1 Tbsp. garlic, minced
- 1 Tbsp. fresh ginger, minced, grated or microplaned
- 1/4–1/3 cup dry sherry or mirin
- 4 Tbsp. low-sodium soy sauce or tamari
- ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Have all of your veggies cut and liquids ready to go before you fire up your skillet or wok.
- Heat skillet/wok over high heat. Splash in a little vegetable broth and add the onion and cook for about 5 minutes. Add the vegetables. Lower heat a little bit and stir, adding more broth as needed to prevent sticking. Cook for about 5 minutes, letting the broth cook off so that you get a little browning on the vegetables. You want the vegetables to be crisp-tender. Remove veggies and onion to a bowl or plate.
- Add another big splash of broth to the pan and stir in the garlic and ginger, cooking for about 30 seconds. Start adding the rice a little at a time, breaking up any clumps. Stir and add broth as needed. Once you have all of the rice in the pan, stir until it starts sticking. Now add the tofu and the cooked veggies to the pan along with the sherry. Cook for about 1 minute. Add the soy sauce and black pepper. Turn off the heat and add the scallions.
- Divide rice between four big bowls and sprinkle with your toppings of choice.
Notes
Some suggested garnishes/toppings
- Fresh cilantro, Thai basil and/or basil, minced
- Scallions, chopped
- Avocado, diced
- Tofu “scrambled egg,” roughly chopped
- A healthy squirt of fresh lime juice
- Hot sauce of choice
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 950
- Sugar: 2
- Sodium: 636
- Fat: 12
- Saturated Fat: 2
- Unsaturated Fat: 9
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 179
- Protein: 32
- Cholesterol: 0
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Bittman has a lot to offer; food for thought AND the belly. We just had a nice “steam fry” this week and love the idea of cucumbers for next time!
He does – amazing knowledge and creativity. Now he just needs to go vegan ;)!
I love fried rice… although I generally include a fair amount of oil in mine. What can I say? 🙂
The truth is oil adds flavor, so totally understandable! I don’t forgo oil completely, but just try and keep my consumption in check.
Yum, this sounds delicious. I love tofu so this is mana from heaven for me. I will try this way of cooking it. Thanks for sharing this delicious recipe.
It looks fabulous. What a funny thing to think of something fried with no oil! So much healthier.
I love Mark Bittman, I read his cooking articles in the New York Times all the time. Sounds like I need his book! Are there a fair amount of vegan recipes in it? I have been trying to significantly reduce my oil consumption (too hard to eliminate entirely). This recipe is just up my alley! Now, I really just need to know what you do to your baked tofu to make it look so fabulous?!?
Me too…how do you bake your tofu? Pleeeeeze?????
Eazy-peazy and no added oil – keeping in mind I don’t measure and I change up the ingredients – but typically: press tofu for at least 30 minutes, drain, cut into 8 thick pieces. In a Pyrex dish, splash in a good amount of veggie broth, Bragg Liquid Aminos (or tamari) minced garlic, some lemon juice, black pepper, Liquid Smoke if I’m feeling crazy. Bake at 425F turning pieces once. Add more broth if necessary, but let the tofu get nice and brown!
Yummy! Maybe I’ll make this for Virtual Vegan Potluck.
Kidding, kidding…. 😀
Yummy! ♥
Looks like a really great alternative to take out fried rice! Which is always a good thing- I swear that all of the Chinese places were I live make egg-fried rice and refuse to make it otherwise :(. I guess this way you get to choose exactly what goes in it AND make it healthier. Win, Win!
Fried rice and tofu is one of my favorites! I’ve been gluten-free for three years, but since giving up oil (and going vegan), I’ve been intimidated to try this dish! Thanks for posting the recipe! I’m inspired to give it a go!
I like to no oil idea! This looks delicious.
This looks fabulous! You use tofu, my weakness, and no oil making this a definite keeper!
Thanks 🙂
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
Yum! Hooray to healthy & clean eating! I also like to cook my rice with vegetable broth instead of water (in a rice cooker), then just add stir fry or steamed veggies to serve.
The sriracha hot sauce in the corner has me doubly excited. Cooking this dish without oil, intrigues me. And guess what i like tofu.
It takes a little practice, but it’s really not hard and you won’t notice that the oil is “missing!”
Ann, somehow I missed that you were an oil-free vegan. That’s the path we’re moving down (although I’m missing my peanut butter a little). Yes, inspired by Campbell (first), then Esselstyn.
I mentioned this “fried” rice recipe to Annie, who had already seen it and taken ingredient inventory. Score!
Roxanne
The Good Luck Duck
Well-played, Annie! I’m not completely oil-free (not sure I like how that sounds), but we no longer cook/saute/roast with it. Baking is another matter. I generally reduce the fat by half and we try to keep the baked sweets at a minimum. Peanut butter. So far…still eating it – though much less than we used to. Anyway, very interesting that you are going this way – and very wonderful!
Annie has switched us to canola in cases where she does use oil. I’m so disillusioned with olive oil! How you have betrayed us, humble olive!
I know, right?! I was way heavy-handed on the olive oil. Sheesh.
mmm I love “fried” rice like this… I always smother with a peanut satay sauce to bump up the fat content that I omit in the oil stage. Sauce is better than oil 🙂
Oh yeah! Great, fantastic idea!
This looks amazing Ann! I do love fried rice and the fact that you made it oil free is impressive! xo!
Thanks for the oil-free recipe. Haven’t ventured down that road much yet – this will help!
Yes please. I loved fried rice too, but you’re right, it can often be too greasy at restaurants. Yours looks great and gotta love that Sriracha sauce! The tomatoes and cucumbers sound like a great addition too.
Love the way this seemed to turn out (in the pics) –will have to give a try. Thanks!
anne
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