Tofu and Brussels sprouts fried rice recipe {vegan}
To be honest, if it weren't for my occasional complete and utter laziness in the kitchen, I might never have considered Brussels sprouts for any stir-fry dish. Yes, it's easy to trim the woody bottoms of a few sprouts and thinly slice them for this recipe, but it's even easier to grab a package of shaved Brussels sprouts from the grocery store shelf. I'm not a huge fan of cruciferous vegetables, so to get them into my diet, I cook them with seasonings I know I will like. There are a dozen fried rice recipes on The Perfect Pantry, and now a baker's dozen, as this tofu and Brussels sprouts fried rice is going into permanent rotation in my kitchen. With a quick stir-fry, the sprouts turn bright green and sweet, making them irresistible, even to me. If you don't like tofu, you can swap in any other protein (shrimp, pork, even leftover rotisserie chicken). Remember to cook your rice ahead of time, so it can cool; you can make it days ahead, and store it in the refrigerator. If your rice is pre-cooked, and you sneak into the grocery store for a package of shaved Brussels sprouts, this dish comes together in minutes.
Tofu and Brussels sprouts fried rice
From the pantry, you'll need: garlic, ginger root, white or brown rice, reduced-sodium soy sauce, sesame oil, peanut oil (or other neutral oil).
Serves 4 as a main dish.
Ingredients
2 tsp peanut oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 tsp minced (or grated) ginger root
1/4 cup chopped scallions
1/4 cup diced bell pepper (any color)
1 cup chopped mushrooms (any type; I like cremini)
1 cup trimmed and thinly sliced Brussels sprouts
1 cup drained extra-firm tofu, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
3 cups cooked and cooled white or brown rice
1 Tbsp sesame oil
1-2 Tbsp reduced-sodium soy sauce, to taste
Fresh black pepper, for garnish
Directions
Heat a wok or large frying pan over medium-high heat. When the pan is hot, pour in the peanut (or other neutral) oil.
Add the garlic and ginger, and stir for 15 seconds. Then, toss in the scallions, bell pepper, mushrooms and Brussels sprouts. Cook, stirring constantly, for 1-2 minutes, until the sprouts are bright green and tender.
Mix in the tofu, and stir-fry for 1 minute. Use your hands to break apart the cooled rice as you add it to the wok. Stir quickly, so the rice doesn't stick to the wok. Add the sesame oil, and stir quickly. Then, pour in the soy sauce. Keep stirring until all of the ingredients are incorporated.
Sprinkle with fresh black pepper (optional, but delicious).
Serve hot.
More fried rice variations:
Vegetable fried rice, from The Perfect Pantry
Turkey and kale fried rice, from The Perfect Pantry
Rice bowl with baby bok choy, from Pink of Perfection
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Lydia,
This recipe sounds delicious--and I've been a fan of Brussels sprouts since I was kid. My daughter is now the Stir Fry Chef at our house, since she learned how to fix a stir fry in school and I'll share this one with her.
Thanks!
Kirsten, I wish I'd learned to love Brussels sprouts when I was younger. I feel like I've wasted a lifetime disliking them, and now I'm trying to catch up. Fried rice dishes are fun for kids, because they can crumble the cooked rice with their hands -- and who doesn't love that?!
I absolutely love this idea. And now I have to look for the packages of shaved brussels sprouts. Just added it to my shopping list for Trader Joe's this weekend!
Kalyn, Trader Joe's is a reliable source! I always find shaved sprouts there.
Looks like good comfort food to me!
My kids learned to eat Brussels sprouts -- we called them 'baby cabbages.' (Now, I realize that wouldn't work for every kid, but they loved 'baby' anything.)
Susan, my mother could have taken a lesson from you! I never fell for that "baby" thing, and she never could get me to eat the cruciferous vegetables.
ooo it just looks delicious. I'm a b sprout fan.
Rebecca, so am I, now.