Yes Your Kids CAN Like Tofu! Try These Kid Approved Tofu Bowls

Looking for kid friendly tofu recipes? These Kid Friendly Tofu Bowls are full of plant-based protein and the veggies your kids like best.

If your kids don’t eat tofu, have they met crispy tofu tossed with peanut sauce–in a meal they get to assemble themselves?

I’d been looking for kid friendly tofu recipes. But frankly, the first time I made these tofu bowls, I was worried my gang would be poking around their bowls, wondering where the meat was.

To my surprise and delight, it went over well. So well that I served it again and again and again!

How to Make a Kid Friendly Tofu Bowl

Gather these ingredients

• Brown or white rice: Use what your family likes
• Tofu: Choose extra firm
• Cornstarch: This helps make the baked tofu crispy
• Vegetables: Such as sweet potato, carrots, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, bell peppers, and mushrooms
• Olive oil
• Peanut butter: I use natural but you can use regular as well (you may need a bit more water to thin your sauce if you use regular)
• Maple syrup
• Reduced-sodium soy sauce: Use tamari for gluten-free sauce
• Rice vinegar
• Sesame oil
• Garlic: minced or pressed
• Crushed peanuts and sliced green onions: to garnish bowls, if desired

Press the tofu

Tofu can be squishy and weird to some kids. So you’ll want to take some steps to make it more appealing.

First, choose extra-firm tofu (not silken, which is very soft and better suited for sauces or this amazing Chocolate Tofu Pudding).

Then press out excess moisture. Some people use an official tofu press. But I do it DIY-style with a plate and a cast-iron pan. Here’s how: Place the block of tofu on a plate between paper towels (or clean kitchen towels) and put something heavy on top (I use a cast iron pan) and let it rest for at least an hour, draining away the moisture. This leaves your tofu a little drier (and less squishy).

Prep the rice

Prepare your rice, either brown or white. Here’s how to make brown rice in the Instant Pot.

Bake the tofu

Then cut the tofu into pieces. I think small cubes are a good place to start with kids who are new to tofu.

Baking the tofu instead of stir-frying also removes some of the squish-factor. I find that tossing the tofu in some cornstarch before baking gives it an even crispier texture.

Arrange the cornstarch-coated tofu cubes in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with parchment or a silicone baking mat. 

Roast the veggies

Chop the veggies your family likes best into pieces and toss with olive oil. My gang likes broccoli, carrots, and sweet potato. You can also include veggies that only some of your family likes (for our family, that’s mushrooms and Brussels sprouts) since everyone gets to choose what goes in their bowl.

Spread the veggies out on another lined sheet pan. 

If your oven can handle two baking sheets at once, bake both sheets at 400 degrees F for about 20-30 minutes or until veggies are done and tofu is lightly browned and crispy around the edges. (We like our veggies crisp-tender, so they still have a little crunch. If you like your veggies very soft, add an extra 10 minutes of cooking time.)

A few notes about roasting veggies:

• Be sure to cut veggies into uniform(ish) pieces for more even cooking.
• If preparing hard root veggies like sweet potato, cut into small dices so it cooks faster.
• More delicate and quick-cooking veggies like mushrooms, bell peppers, and asparagus don’t require as long to cook, so toss those onto the sheet in the last 10 minutes of baking time.

Make the peanut sauce

While the tofu and veggies are baking, whisk up a batch of Easy Peanut Sauce.

Put it all together

Toss the baked tofu together with a couple spoonfuls of Peanut Sauce in a small bowl. Then create an assembly line with a pot of brown rice, the sheet pan of veggies, the tofu, Peanut Sauce, and any garnishes like crushed peanuts and green onions.

Let everyone create their own bowl!

Here’s what a pint-sized version of this bowl might look like. You can serve the peanut sauce on the side. Or if it feels more familiar and comfortable, serve with soy sauce (that’s how my younger son, who is still reluctant to try peanut sauce, eats his!). 

Frequently Asked Questions About Tofu Bowls For Kids

What kind of tofu should I use?

For this recipe, opt for extra-firm tofu.

Do I need a special tofu press?

No. You want to squeeze out the excess moisture from the tofu, but you don’t need a special gadget. Simply put your block of tofu on a plate between two paper towels (or clean kitchen towels) and place something heavy on top, such as a cast iron pan. Allow to sit for about 45 minutes and drain off excess moisture.

Is tofu healthy for kids?

Yes! Soy is rich in high-quality protein, which means that (like meat) it contains all of the amino acids we need to get from food to build proteins in the body. There’s also evidence that soy foods may help lower risk of heart disease.

Is soy safe for kids?

Yes! You may have heard rumors that soy is unhealthy for kids. Specifically, people worry that the isoflavones, natural plant compounds found in soy that have a similar chemical structure to estrogen, could interfere with puberty and development.

But research hasn’t found this to be true. And girls who eat soy as a teen and young adult may have a lower risk of breast cancer later in life.

As a registered dietitian, I eat soy and serve it to my kids in the form of tofu, edamame, soy milk, and tempeh.

What are other kid friendly tofu recipes?

If you’re looking for other tofu recipes for kids, try my Crispy Crunchy Air Fryer Tofu Nuggets and Rich Chocolate Tofu Pudding.

Recipe Card for Kid Friendly Tofu Bowls

More Kid Friendly Tofu Recipes

Crispy Crunchy Air Fryer Tofu Nuggets

Rich Chocolate Tofu Pudding

The Best Crispy Tofu