Bang Bang Crispy Tofu with Egg Fried Brown Rice

Crispy bang-bang tofu breaded seasoned tofu chunks coated in a spicy sesame mayo sauce served with Japanese-style-Inspired egg fried rice and steamed crunchy broccoli coated in sesame and soy sauce.

Take Out at Home

A local restaurant where I used to live served a similar Bang Bang Crispy Tofu dish, which was not breaded but super crispy. However, both ways are really yummy. This dish is for when you feel like takeout, but it's so easy to make at home. For instance, the crunchy tofu is coated in an easy, creamy, spicy sesame tangy sauce that goes very well with the warm egg-fried brown rice and steamed broccoli. The broccoli helps lighten the dish so that it doesn't feel heavy. Initially, I was going to make this meal as a rice bowl idea with sliced fresh avocado, but I forgot! In short, it is a great dish, any way you serve it.

Looking for more tofu recipes? Try Air-Fried Turmeric Herbed Tofu that you can mix into your favorite sauces. Or make a complete meal with Herb Panko Tofu with Curried Potatoes, Carrots and Onions, and Turmeric Herbed Tofu with Roasted Vegetable Israeli Couscous and Basil Romesco Sauce.

All Over Asia

Indeed, this bang-bang tofu dish will take you all over the place with an Asian influence. For example, the egg fried rice is more of a Japanese style regarding the sesame taste. But it can be Thai if you use the fragrant Jasmin rice. I usually use brown rice but have also used short-grain brown rice to long grain like Jasmine or plain white rice.

Then, the steamed broccoli is seasoned, similar to how Koreans season their vegetables after cooking with sesame oil and sometimes soy sauce. The bang bang has a name that comes from Chinese cuisine, “bang bang” chicken, the chopping sound it makes as street food. But it gets its Thai side from the original use of Thai chili sauce, which is Thai chilies in a sweet syrup. So this dish goes from South East Asia (Thai) and East Asia (China) to North East Asia (Japan and Korea). How awesome!

Ingredients and Instructions

For the Tofu

Cut the tofu into chunks and season with an egg batter of garlic powder, onion powder, red pepper chili flakes, salt, and ground black pepper, then coat in panko breadcrumbs. Then, air fry the breaded tofu until golden brown.

See the bang bang tofu recipe card for quantities.

Learn more about using the tofu press.

For the Fried Rice

Use leftover cooked brown rice. This can also be day-old rice or rice cooked ahead of time and cooked to room temp. However, make sure you don't use mushy rice with too much liquid. For instance, the grain should separate easily. You'll first sauté chopped carrots, peas, sliced scallions, and garlic for a few seconds.

This fast-paced cooking method is best to have everything ready before stir-frying. Add your egg, fry a little, and then add rice, soy sauce, and sesame seeds. In addition, to eliminate waste, you can use the egg mixture from the egg marinade as the egg for the fried rice recipe. Finally, you will finish with toasted sesame oil. Regular sesame oil should be fine also if you don't have toasted sesame oil. However, toasted sesame just gives a more intensified nuttier taste. It's more of a refined sauce used to finish dishes than cooking with it.

See the bang bang tofu recipe card for quantities.

For the Broccoli

Simple, you’ll steam a couple of broccoli florets and, in a bowl, combine them with sesame oil, soy sauce, salt, and black pepper. You can also add red pepper chili paste for more of a kick.

See the bang bang tofu recipe card for quantities.

For the Bang Bang Sauce

Use mayonnaise as the base. Then add and whisk siracha, sesame oil, brown sugar, sesame seeds, salt, and pepper in a small bowl.

See the bang bang tofu recipe card for quantities.

Busy Folks - Become a better home cook with tips to help you cook more efficiently on Cook's Notebook tab.  You'll also find more detailed steps for the instructions above.

Substitutions

• Avocado Oil - Try any neutral-tasting oil with a high smoke point, like canola oil.
• Panko Breadcrumbs - Make the bang bang tofu gluten-free by excluding the bread crumbs in prepping and just frying or baking the egg-soaked tofu. You can also use stale or toasted bread with moisture-dried out for homemade breadcrumbs. Then, crush it with your hands or chop it into fine pieces using a food processor. You can also use crackers, cornflakes, potato chips, pretzels, Fritos or Cheetos, and tortilla chips.
• Brown Rice - Try cooked and cooled white rice, white or brown Jasmine rice
• Egg - Try a plant-based egg substitute for a vegan or egg-free dish. And if you don't want egg either, you can abandon the use of egg or bread crumbs and just season it with spices, salt, and pepper.
• Siracha Sauce - Use a Thai chili pepper paste, like sambal oelek or sweet Thai chili sauce. For example, the Sweet Thai chili sauce is usually made with Thai chilies, sugar, vinegar, and sometimes fish sauce and garlic. In addition, Mae Ploy makes a delicious bang-bang tofu sauce. Or finely chopped Thai chilies in the same amount
• Mayonnaise - Try Japanese mayonnaise or vegan mayo for a vegan meal.
• Broccoli - Use Chinese leafy broccoli, baby broccoli, or broccoli rabe. Or serve your favorite green or white vegetable (cabbage or cauliflower) that tastes good with sesame and soy sauce.

Change Heat Level - Modify the recipe's heat level to your liking and learn more about the Scoville Scale and Chili Pairings.

Variations

• Different Protein - Use shrimp, air-fried chicken chunks, salmon, or shredded chicken.
• Cauliflower - Try breaded cauliflower and substitute the broccoli side dish for steamed edamame.
• Oven. - At 350 Fahrenheit for about 15 to 20 minutes, use a sheet pan with a rack in the middle and center of the oven.

Two Great Stir-Fry Ideas are the Sweet and Spicy Gochujang Chicken and Broccoli Stir-Fry and the Chinese-inspired Hot Honey Sesame Chicken with Nappa Cabbage Stir-Fry.

Equipment

• Tofu Press - This bang bang tofu recipe was developed using the Tofuture Tofu Press. This helps remove excess water to change the texture to firm when fried.
• Air Fryer - This recipe was developed using the Ninja Foodi 5-in-1 Indoor Grill. If you do not have an air fryer, you can try roasting in the oven. You have two options with different results: a sheet pan with parchment paper or a sheet pan with a sheet pan rack. In addition, the parchment paper will produce vegetables roasted in their juices and caramelization at the bottom. In contrast, the sheet pan rack will result in just roasting around the tofu due to the hot air flowing around the tofu. Now, the trick is not to overcrowd in whatever method you choose, but if this happens, toss in between cooking.
• Wok - Used for stir-frying the rice on high heat quickly. I developed this recipe using the Bielmeier Carbon Steel Wok. It is thoughtfully packaged with easy instructions to season the pan. It is lightweight and the perfect size to store. Plus, it can come with a wooden or glass lid and utensils.
• Steamer - Used for steaming the broccoli. You can boil it as well. Just make sure you cook it for only 2 to 3 minutes to maintain crispness. I used the Oster Stainless Steel Steamer. It comes in three parts. I fill the base with water, put the lid on, and boil it. Then, add the vegetable to the basket and set aside. When the water is ready, I just add the basket. It's mush after, then add the vegetables to the hot basket while it is steaming. You can also use the steamer attachment basket from the rice cooker or a bamboo steamer over a wok.

Kitchen Must Haves - Find other tools I use here.

Storage

• Refrigerator - To store the bang bang tofu in the fridge, you can place the sides together or separately in a  shallow 2-inch pan to cool down quickly. Then, store in an air-tight sealing container. The meal will last up to four days.
• Freezer - First, follow the refrigeration process mentioned above. Then, you can place it in the freezer in a labeled, airtight container.

Air Tight Food Containers - I use Glass Food Storage Containers with a plastic clipping lid to store food.  For example, I always suggest glass storage containers since you can microwave them and hold food without staining the container, and the glass keeps them at a more stable temperature, which keeps the food fresher longer.

Frequently Asked Questions

Tofu Recipes

Looking for other tofu recipes like this? Try these:

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Recipe

📖 Recipe

Bang Bang Tofu with Fried Brown Rice

Crispy breaded seasoned tofu chunks coated in a spicy sesame mayo sauce served with Japanese-style-Inspired egg fried rice and steamed crunchy broccoli coated in sesame and soy sauce.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 10 minutes mins

Total Time 50 minutes mins

Course Vegetarian

Cuisine South East Asian, Asian, Japanese, North East Asian, Thai

Servings 2

Calories 587.71 kcal

Ingredients

  

• ½ 16- ounce firm tofu block pressed
• 1 teaspoon avocado oil
• ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
• ¼ teaspoon onion powder
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
• ½ teaspoon red pepper chili flakes
• 1 large egg beaten
• ½ cup Japanese-style panko
• 1 cup cooked brown rice yields 3 cups of rice, making 4 servings at ¾ cup each
• 1 tablesppon avocado oil
• ⅓ cup carrots chopped small (about 1 small carrot)
• ⅓ cup peas frozen or fresh
• 1 scallion sliced thinly
• 2 garlic cloves minced or garlic pressed (about 1 tsp)
• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
• ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 large egg
• ½ teaspoon sesame seeds white or black
• 1 teaspoon low-sodium soy sauce
• ½ teaspoon toasted sesame oil
• 1 cup broccoli florets halved and steamed (about 4 broccoli florets)
• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
• ¼ teaspoon cracked black pepper
• ¼ teaspoon toasted sesame oil
• ¼ teaspoon of low-sodium soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon siracha
• 3 tablespoons vegan mayo
• ½ teaspoon sesame seeds
• ¼ teaspoon toasted sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon brown sugar
• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
• ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper pepper
• Pinch of sesame seeds
• Sliced scallions
• Sliced avocado optional

Instructions

 

• Save time in the kitchen: Read the instructions thoroughly, then gather and prep all your ingredients before cooking! Learn Prepping Tips.
• Stir-frying is a quick cooking method; please have all ingredients ready.
• You can use a rice cooker for cooking the rice before starting the prep for this recipe on the same day, then cool the rice before stir-frying it. Or use leftover rice from the day before.
• For the tofu, press it using a tofu press or between two plates with a heavy object on top to release excess liquid for at least 30 minutes to 1 hour (then dry it with a paper towel if you did not use a tofu press). Please see the notes for detail. Then cut into ¾-inch wide and ½-inch thick pieces.
• In a small mixing bowl, add the avocado oil, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, black pepper, and chili flakes with one egg, and with a whisk, combine them together.
• Place the egg mixture in a shallow dish and set aside.
• In dry another shallow dish with a lid or sealed plastic bag, place the bread crumbs.
• Coat the tofu and let it sit in the egg mixture for at least 1 minute.
• Then place each tofu piece in the bread crumbs, close with a lid, and gently shake well enough to coat each piece.
• Preheat the air fryer to 350 degrees Fahrenheit with the cooker timer set to 8 minutes. I usually let the cooked tofu sit in the air fryer until I am ready to coat it in the sauce to keep it warm before plating.
• For the broccoli, steam the cut broccoli florets for at least 1 to 1 &½ minutes to your bite preference.
• Place the cooked broccoli into a medium mixing bowl, season with salt, black pepper, sesame oil, and soy sauce, toss well and keep it warm covered.
• Heat the wok or saute pan on medium-high heat.
• Add the oil to the hot pan, heat for 1 minute, and move the oil around to create a non-stick surface.
• Add the carrots, peas, and scallions.
• Stir and fry for about 30 seconds to lightly brown and partially cook.
• Add the garlic and combine well, stir-frying for another 30 seconds by occasionally stirring to prevent burning on high heat.
• Season with salt and pepper, and taste a vegetable to test the seasoning.
• Move the vegetable mixture to one side of the pan and add the beaten egg.
• Let the egg set and cook a thin layer, then scrap and chop the egg with a wok spatula, rubber spatula, or wooden spoon and mix it in with the vegetables.
• Add the sesame seeds, soy sauce, and sesame oil, combine well, remove from the heat, and set aside to plate up.
• Set aside for plating.
• For the sauce, in a medium mixing bowl, combine the siracha, mayo, sesame seeds, sesame oil, brown sugar, salt, and black pepper, and whisk.
• To plate, add the fried tofu chunks into the bang bang sauce and toss.
• Plate the tofu on ⅓ side of the plate, then pate the broccoli and the rice on the other third, as seen in the photo.
• Garnish by sprinkling the dish with sesame seeds and scallions.
• Sometimes I would add a side of sliced avocado to complete the dish.

Keyword air fryer, quick and easy, dinner, ninja foodi, lunch, dairy-free, summer, spring, stove top, wok, spicy, rice cooker, vegetarian, pollotarian, pescatarian

air fryer, quick and easy, dinner, ninja foodi, lunch, dairy-free, summer, spring, stove top, wok, spicy, rice cooker, vegetarian, pollotarian, pescatarian

Vegetarian

South East Asian, Asian, Japanese, North East Asian, Thai

Yield: 2 ¼x ½x 1x 2x 3x 4x 5x 6x 7x 8x 9x 10x

Author: Maika Frederic

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Bang Bang Tofu with Fried Brown Rice

Crispy breaded seasoned tofu chunks coated in a spicy sesame mayo sauce served with Japanese-style-Inspired egg fried rice and steamed crunchy broccoli coated in sesame and soy sauce.

Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 10 MinInactive time: 30 MinTotal time: 50 Min

Ingredients US Metric

For Tofu

• ½ 16-ounce firm tofu block, pressed
• 1 teaspoon avocado oil
• ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
• ¼ teaspoon onion powder
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
• ½ teaspoon red pepper chili flakes
• 1 large egg, beaten
• ½ cup Japanese-style panko

For Fried Rice

• 1 cup cooked brown rice (yields 3 cups of rice, making 4 servings at ¾ cup each)
• 1 tablesppon avocado oil
• ⅓ cup carrots, chopped small (about 1 small carrot)
• ⅓ cup peas, frozen or fresh
• 1 scallion, sliced thinly
• 2 garlic cloves, minced or garlic pressed (about 1 tsp)
• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
• ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 large egg
• ½ teaspoon sesame seeds, white or black
• 1 teaspoon low-sodium soy sauce
• ½ teaspoon toasted sesame oil

Steamed Broccoli

• 1 cup broccoli florets, halved and steamed (about 4 broccoli florets)
• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
• ¼ teaspoon cracked black pepper
• ¼ teaspoon toasted sesame oil
• ¼ teaspoon of low-sodium soy sauce

Bang Bang Sauce

• 1 teaspoon siracha
• 3 tablespoons vegan mayo
• ½ teaspoon sesame seeds
• ¼ teaspoon toasted sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon brown sugar
• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
• ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper pepper

Garnish

• Pinch of sesame seeds
• Sliced scallions
• Sliced avocado, optional

InstructionsFahrenheitCelsius

1. Save time in the kitchen: Read the instructions thoroughly, then gather and prep all your ingredients before cooking! Learn Prepping Tips.
2. Stir-frying is a quick cooking method; please have all ingredients ready.
3. You can use a rice cooker for cooking the rice before starting the prep for this recipe on the same day, then cool the rice before stir-frying it. Or use leftover rice from the day before.
4. For the tofu, press it using a tofu press or between two plates with a heavy object on top to release excess liquid for at least 30 minutes to 1 hour (then dry it with a paper towel if you did not use a tofu press). Please see the notes for detail. Then cut into ¾-inch wide and ½-inch thick pieces.
5. In a small mixing bowl, add the avocado oil, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, black pepper, and chili flakes with one egg, and with a whisk, combine them together.
6. Place the egg mixture in a shallow dish and set aside.
7. In dry another shallow dish with a lid or sealed plastic bag, place the bread crumbs.
8. Coat the tofu and let it sit in the egg mixture for at least 1 minute.
9. Then place each tofu piece in the bread crumbs, close with a lid, and gently shake well enough to coat each piece.
10. Preheat the air fryer to 350 degrees Fahrenheit with the cooker timer set to 8 minutes. I usually let the cooked tofu sit in the air fryer until I am ready to coat it in the sauce to keep it warm before plating.
11. For the broccoli, steam the cut broccoli florets for at least 1 to 1 &½ minutes to your bite preference.
12. Place the cooked broccoli into a medium mixing bowl, season with salt, black pepper, sesame oil, and soy sauce, toss well and keep it warm covered.
13. Heat the wok or saute pan on medium-high heat.
14. Add the oil to the hot pan, heat for 1 minute, and move the oil around to create a non-stick surface.
15. Add the carrots, peas, and scallions.
16. Stir and fry for about 30 seconds to lightly brown and partially cook.
17. Add the garlic and combine well, stir-frying for another 30 seconds by occasionally stirring to prevent burning on high heat.
18. Season with salt and pepper, and taste a vegetable to test the seasoning.
19. Move the vegetable mixture to one side of the pan and add the beaten egg.
20. Let the egg set and cook a thin layer, then scrap and chop the egg with a wok spatula, rubber spatula, or wooden spoon and mix it in with the vegetables.
21. Add the sesame seeds, soy sauce, and sesame oil, combine well, remove from the heat, and set aside to plate up.
22. Set aside for plating.
23. For the sauce, in a medium mixing bowl, combine the siracha, mayo, sesame seeds, sesame oil, brown sugar, salt, and black pepper, and whisk.
24. To plate, add the fried tofu chunks into the bang bang sauce and toss.
25. Plate the tofu on ⅓ side of the plate, then pate the broccoli and the rice on the other third, as seen in the photo.
26. Garnish by sprinkling the dish with sesame seeds and scallions.
27. Sometimes I would add a side of sliced avocado to complete the dish.

Notes

Tofu Press

• The tofu press is used to make the tofu more firm. Especially when it will be used to fry and or being marinated. Learn more about Tofu Press.

High Smoke Point Oil

• These oils can withstand high heat at 400 degrees or more before releasing smoke. I recommend Avocado or Canola Oils. Learn more about High Smoke Point Oils.

Avocado Oil Substitute

• Try any neutral-tasting oil with a high smoke point, like canola oil

Homemade Breadcrumbs

• You can use stale or toasted bread with most of the moisture dried out. Crush it with your hands or use a food processor to chop it into fine pieces.
• You can also use crackers, cornflakes, potato chips, pretzels, even Fritos or Cheetos, and tortilla chips

Brown Rice Substitute

• Try cooked and cooled white rice, white or brown Jasmine rice

Egg Substitute and Helpful Tip

• Egg substitute
• Use the leftover seasoned egg from the tofu egg marinade

Toasted Sesame Oil

• This oil, as its name, suggests toasted sesame seeds which give the oil a more intensified nuttier taste.
• And this oil is mostly used to finish dishes, not to cook with it.

Siracha Sauce Substitute

• Try a chili pepper paste sauce that is mainly Thai chilies, like sambal oelek or even sweet Thai chili sauce.
• Or finely chopped Thai chilies in the same amount

Vegan Mayonaise Substitute

• Try regular or Japanese mayonnaise

How to Steam Broccoli

• You can steam or boil your broccoli, whatever you have access to. In addition, if you have a rice cooker, you can use the steamer attachment basket or a bamboo steamer over a wok.

No Air Fryer, Try the Oven

• At 350 Fahrenheit for about 15 to 20 minutes, use a sheet pan with a rack in the middle and center of the oven.

Storage: Refrigerator

• To store in the refrigerator, you can place the sides together or separately in a  shallow 2-inch pan to cool down quickly.
• Then store in an air-tight sealing container.
• The meal will last up to four days.

Storage: Freezer

• First, follow the refrigeration process mentioned above.
• Then you can place it in the freezer in a labeled, airtight container.

Reheat: Stove Top

• Thaw it out entirely in the refrigerator to prevent bacterial growth if frozen.
• I suggest heating it slowly in a saute pan on low heat, covering it with a lid with a small amount of broth mixed in the rice, and occasionally stirring to prevent sticking to the bottom of the pan.

Reheat: Microwave

• Thaw it out entirely in the refrigerator to prevent bacterial growth if frozen.
• Heat in a bowl or plate for two to three minutes with a small amount of broth mixed in the rice and a microwave cover, stirring the dish content every minute until it is hot.

Recommended Products:

Ninja AG301 Foodi 5-in-1 Indoor Grill with Air Fry, Roast, Bake & Dehydrate, Black/Silver

Tofuture's Tofu Press - the original and the best Tofu Press for transforming your tofu

Bielmeier 12.5" Wok Pan, Woks and Stir Fry Pans, Carbon Steel Wok , Flat Bottom Wok with Lid Suits for all Stoves

Nutrition Facts

Calories

587.71

Fat

34.57 g

Sat. Fat

5.84 g

Carbs

55.07 g

Fiber

6.53 g

Net carbs

48.52 g

Sugar

6.7 g

Protein

14.97 g

Sodium

583.97 mg

Cholesterol

172.38 mg

These are calculations based on search results of the ingredient's nutritional information.

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Food safety

• Cook chicken to a minimum temperature of 165 °F (74 °C).
• Do not use the same utensils on cooked food that previously touched raw meat to prevent foodborne illness from contaminated uncooked meats.
• Wash hands after touching raw meat to prevent cross-contamination.
• Don't leave food at room temperature for extended periods; this can breed bacteria.
• Never leave cooking food unattended to prevent burns and fires.
• Use oils with a high smoke point to avoid harmful compounds.
• Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning.

See more guidelines at USDA.gov.

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