This Vegan Fried Rice with scrambled tofu is a healthy take on traditional fried rice that is loaded with veggies, edamame beans, and turmeric scrambled tofu instead of eggs! Enjoy this protein-loaded veggie dish for dinner or as a side! It’s customizable and perfect for serving on a busy weeknight.

vegan fried rice in a bowl with a side of sesame seeds

Vegan Fried Rice is a great one-pan recipe that combines grains, plant-based proteins and veggies for a balanced meal that is easy to make.

This recipe uses scrambled tofu in place of the scrambled egg in traditional fried rice, which gives this dish some protein and delicious texture. It’s also made with brown rice for some added fibre and grains, though you can use any type of rice you like to make this dish!

Why you’ll love this Vegan Fried Rice Recipe

  • Packed with flavour. There is no shoratge of flavour in this tofu fried rice! It uses only a couple different sauce but is salty, savoury and delicious.
  • Customizable. This fried rice can be customized however you like. You can add additional veggies, protein or any sauces you like to this dish.
  • Meal prep it. Want to prep it in advance? Go ahead! One thing I love about this recipe is how well it stays in the fridge for a week. Just heat it up in a pan on the stove before serving.

Is fried rice vegan?

Traditional fried rice is not vegan since it contains eggs and often can also contain sauces (like oyster sauce) that aren’t vegan friendly. This

This version of fried rice is vegan, gluten-free and much healthier than typical take-out fried rice. The main substitution made in this recipe to make it vegan is replacing the egg with tofu.

Tofu Fried Rice Recipe Ingredients

A flat lay of ingredients for vegan fried rice

  • Rice: I like to use Jamine rice in this recipe, but you can use any type of (preferably) short-grain rice. This recipe is also great with brown rice if you want to add a bit more fibre to it.
  • Scrambled tofu: this is the “egg” in the recipe and adds a nice amount of protein to the dish to make it more of a complete meal.
  • Carrots: these a traiditonal in fried rice but if you don’t like carrots you can substitute them with any other veggies you like.
  • Celery: anothr traiditional vegetable in fried rice that gives the rice a classic taste and flavour
  • Green onions: also sometimes called scallions. You can substitute with any onions you have on hand if needed, but green onions are best.
  • Garlic: make sure to use fresh garlic, not powdered. This is important to build up a lot of flavour in the dish.
  • Peas: if you want to add even more protein to this recipe you can substitute the peas with edamame beans.

How to make Vegan Fried Rice

Step 1

Start by making the scrambled tofu in a pan. Crumble up the tofu and add it to a hot pan with some oil and seasoning, cooking for 4-5 minutes. Then remove the tofu from the pan and set it aside. Add some more oil to the pan and add the onions, garlic, celery and carrots and let them cook on medium-high heat until tender.

Green onions, celery and carrots in a white pan

Step 2

Next, add the rice, scrambled tofu and peas to the pan with the soy sauce, sesame oil and sriracha and hoisin sauce and mix everything together on medium-high heat.

A white pan with rice, scrambled tofu and peas in it

Step 3

Let it sit and cook for 1-2 minutes without touching it, so the rice begins to slightly brown on the bottom and get a bit crispy.

A white pan on a marble board with vegan fried rice

Step 4

Serve immediately while it’s still hot!

top down image of vegan fried rice with sliced green onions on top

Can I use frozen vegetables to make this fried rice?

Yes! If you prefer to use frozen veggies over fresh you can absolutely do that. You can often find mixed frozen veggies that have a mix of carrots, peas and other vegetables that you can use in this fried rice recipe. You can slightly defrost the frozen veggies on the counter and then proceed with the recipe.

What to Serve with Vegan Rice

While this recipe can be enjoyed as a complete meal on its own, it can also be served as a side dish. Here are some recipe recommendations you can serve up with this Vegan Fried Rice.

Tips for making this Tofu Fried Rice recipe perfectly

  • Cook your rice ahead of time if you can. You want the rice to be at room temperature before stir-frying it so it doesn’t become mushy.
  • Let the rice brown. This will make the rice slightly crispy on the bottom and absorb so much delicious flavour.

Which tofu is best for frying?

  • Use firm tofu if you like it more crispy. Firm tofu will brown nicely in this dish and get slightly crispy. If you prefer a more soft eggy texture them go for medium tofu.

How to Store, Freeze, and Reheat Tofu Fried Rice

Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 6 days.

Reheat in the microwave or in a pan on the stovetop.

I personally don’t recommend freezing this recipe as I find the rice becomes mushy and is much better fresh 🙂

Vegan Fried Rice FAQs

Is rice vegan?

Yes! All varieties of rice are vegan friendly, from Basmati rice to Jasmine rice to Brown rice. The only time rice may not be vegan is if you are purchasing a pre-packaged cooked rice dish, such as pre-made fried rice that may contain animal products or animal bi-products.

vegan fried rice in a bowl with a spoon

More rice recipes you’ll love

If you tried this Vegan Fried Rice or any other recipe on the blog let me know how you liked it by leaving a comment/rating below! Be sure to follow along on Pinterest, Instagram and Facebook for even more deliciousness!

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top down image of vegan fried rice with sliced green onions on top

Vegan Fried Rice

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 11 reviews
  • Author: Jessica Hoffman
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 15 minutes
  • Total Time: 30 mins
  • Yield: 2–4 servings 1x
  • Category: Main
  • Method: Cook
  • Cuisine: Chinese
  • Diet: Vegan
Print Recipe

Description

This Vegan Fried Rice recipe is made with scrambled tofu and is a healthy alternative to traditional fried rice!

Ingredients

Units Scale

Scrambled tofu

  • 1 tbsp avocado oil (or vegetable oil)
  • 1/2 pack of medium-firm tofu (approx 200g)
  • 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
  • 1/2 tsp soy sauce (gluten-free if needed)

Fried rice

  • 2 cup cooked jasmine rice
  • 1 tbsp avocado oil
  • 3 green onions, chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, chopped
  • 1 large carrot, cut into small cubes
  • 1 celery stalk, cut into small cubes
  • 1/2 cup peas (cooked according to package directions)
  • 1 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1 tsp sesame oil
  • 1 tbsp hoisin sauce
  • 1 tsp sriracha

Instructions

  1. Heat the avocado oil in a non-stick pan on medium-high heat.
  2. Crumble the tofu with your hands and add to the pan, letting cook for 2-3 minutes on each side.
  3. Add the turmeric and soy sauce and toss together.
  4. Remove the tofu from the pan and set it aside.
  5. Heat the remaining avocado oil in the pan, then add the green onion and cook for 2 minutes.
  6. Next add the garlic, carrot and celery and cook for another 4-5 minutes on medium heat, until the carrots are tender.
  7. Add the peas, rice, soy sauce, sesame oil, hoisin sauce, sriracha and scrambled tofu and mix until combined.
  8. Let sit and cook for 1-2 minutes to allow the bottom layer of rice to get a little crispy.
  9. Remove from heat and serve.

Notes

  • Cook your rice ahead of time if you can. You want the rice to be at room temperature before stir-frying it so it doesn’t become mushy.
  • Use firm tofu if you like it more crispy. Firm tofu will brown nicely in this dish and get slightly crispy. If you prefer a more soft eggy texture them go for medium tofu.
  • Let the rice brown. This will make the rice slightly crispy on the bottom and absorb so much delicious flavour.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1/2 of recipe
  • Calories: 450
  • Sugar: 2g
  • Fat: 8g
  • Saturated Fat: 1g
  • Carbohydrates: 70g
  • Fiber: 7g
  • Protein: 17g