This recipe is an old standby in our house. It’s delicious, warm and filling, and involves minimal prep and very little supervision on the stove. In a pinch it can even be made in the microwave. It’s my go-to when I’m looking for a meal that doesn’t involve a whole lot of thought but is still home-made. The soy sauce and vegan oyster sauce create a delicious but light and savory broth that saturates the rice and warms you up. If easy and tasty isn’t enough of an incitement to go make this, then you’ll be happy to learn that it’s vegan while still having plenty of protein and, of course, is gluten free. What’s not to like?
Ingredients
- Broccoli
- Tofu
- Water chestnuts (optional)
- Tamari or gluten free soy sauce
- Oil, preferably a quality olive or avocado oil, although any oil will work
- Vegetable broth or bouillon (if you don’t care about the dish being vegan, you can use any type of broth)
- Gluten free vegan oyster flavored sauce (optional, Lee Kum Kee makes a fantastic gluten free one)
- Sesame seeds to serve
- Jasmine rice
Equipment
- Large pot or high sided saucepan
Method
Prep your ingredients: chop the broccoli into small florets and rinse, cube the tofu, and rinse the water chestnuts. The broccoli florets can be larger but will take longer to cook.
For reference when chopping the broccoli, the florets on the right are too large and will cook slowly, while the ones on the left are nicely sized.
Whisk together the wet ingredients in a four cup measuring cup. The oil will not fully integrate but this is fine.
You can customize the sauce to your liking in a couple of ways. If you don’t enjoy a strong soy sauce flavor, reduce the amount of soy sauce by a tablespoon or two. You can add more oyster sauce, vegan or otherwise, if you want to add a touch of sweetness and even more umami to the broth or you can omit it entirely. Any type of broth can be used in this recipe in the place of vegetable broth. If you are looking for a heartier meal, adding a couple of tablespoons more oil will help provide more calories to a meal which is otherwise on the lighter side.
Place the broccoli, tofu, and water chestnuts in a large pot or a large, high sided saucepan, then pour in the sauce. The ingredients will not quite be covered by the liquid.
Note: If you don’t have access to a stove or a large enough pot, you can combine the ingredients in a large, microwave-safe bowl, cover the top with plastic wrap, and cook it in the microwave. Microwave on high for 10 minutes, then remove the plastic wrap and stir. Replace the plastic wrap and microwave again for 5 to 10 minutes or until the broccoli is tender and the stems are easily pierced by a fork. Be careful when removing the plastic wrap! The steam will be hot!!
Turn the heat on medium-high until the liquid simmers, then cover and turn down the heat. Let simmer for 15 to 20 minutes or until the broccoli is tender when poked with a fork.
While the dish is simmering, make rice.
Serve over rice. It’s best if there’s enough broth in the bowl for the rice to be a bit soupy. Top with sesame seeds if desired.
Brothy Broccoli and Tofu Over Rice
This easy weeknight dish is vegan, gluten free, and entirely delicious. The soy sauce and vegan oyster sauce create a delicious but light and savory broth that saturates the rice and warms you up.
Ingredients
Instructions
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Cut the broccoli into small florets. Chop the tofu into cubes, and rinse the water chestnuts. Combine in a large pot or high sided saucepan and set aside.Â
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Whisk together the soy sauce, oil, vegetable broth, and vegan oyster sauce (if using). Pour over the broccoli tofu mixture.
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Bring the pot to a simmer over medium-high heat, then cover the pot and turn down the heat to medium-low. Continue to simmer for 15 to 20 minutes or until the broccoli is tender when pierced by a fork.
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While the dish is simmering, make the rice according to package instructions.
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Serve the broccoli tofu over rice and top with sesame seeds.Â
Note
If you do not have a correctly sized pot or do not have a stove, place all the ingredients together in a large bowl, plastic wrap the top, and microwave on high for 10 minutes. Stir, then return to the microwave until fully cooked, 5 to 10 minutes more. Serve over rice.