058 / 75 · Plant-Forward Shift Suppers

Sesame Tofu and Brown Rice Bake

3 baked rice portions · Active 25 min · Total 1 hr 10 min

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Brown rice and roasted tofu make a sesame-soy bake with carrot and pepper. The tofu is roasted first for golden edges, then folded through already cooked rice for the final oven stage. Make this as a meal to eat immediately, using fresh hot rice or rice rapidly cooled and refrigerated within its original 24-hour limit. Baking previously chilled rice uses its one reheating; this version is not a batch to chill and heat again.

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Sesame tofu and brown rice bake with carrot and red pepper.

Roast the tofu before adding rice

Pat tofu very dry and cut into even cubes. A thin coating of oil and a hot tray encourage golden edges. The cubes need space; crowded tofu sheds water into the pan and stays pale. They will soften somewhat when mixed with rice, but the first roast gives them a firmer texture than simply burying raw cubes in the casserole.

Heat the center, not just the edges

Spread the mixture in a shallow dish, cover for the first part of the bake and check the center reaches 165°F/74°C. If the edges are hot while the middle lags, stir carefully and continue heating. Previously chilled rice must have been rapidly cooled, kept at 40°F/4°C or below and used within 24 hours of original cooking. This bake is its one reheating. Eat immediately and do not save the finished bake for another warm-up.

Ingredients

  • 1 block extra-firm tofu (14 oz/400 g), drained and cubed
  • 1 tablespoon neutral oil (15 ml), divided
  • 3 cups cooked brown rice (about 480 g), fresh and hot or rapidly cooled, kept at 40°F/4°C or below and within 24 hours of original cooking
  • 1 carrot, coarsely grated (80 g)
  • 1 red bell pepper, finely diced (150 g)
  • 2 scallions, sliced
  • 2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce (30 ml)
  • 1 tablespoon rice vinegar (15 ml)
  • 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil (10 ml)
  • 1/3 cup low-sodium vegetable stock (80 ml)
  • 1 tablespoon sesame seeds (9 g)

Set out

Conventional oven, Rimmed metal tray, 8-by-8-inch baking dish, Mixing bowl, Food thermometer

Allergens

Soy, Wheat, Sesame. Check labels and substitutions.

Make it

  1. Heat the oven to 425°F/220°C. Pat tofu dry, toss with 2 teaspoons neutral oil and spread on the tray. Roast for 20–25 minutes, turning once, until golden at the edges.
  2. Grease the baking dish with remaining neutral oil. Mix rice, carrot, pepper and scallions in the bowl.
  3. Whisk soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil and stock. Fold into the rice with roasted tofu and transfer to the dish.
  4. Cover with foil and bake at 400°F/200°C for 15 minutes. Uncover, sprinkle with sesame seeds and bake for 5–10 minutes more until the center reaches 165°F/74°C.
  5. Rest for 5 minutes, then serve and eat immediately. This bake is not for chilling and another reheating; discard uneaten finished portions.

Make the portions you will eat now

The final bake reheats already cooked rice to 165°F/74°C. Serve the three portions immediately rather than packing them for later reheating. If fewer portions are needed, reduce the formula proportionately and choose a smaller shallow dish; do not leave this finished batch waiting for another shift.

A useful detail

Refrigerator-cold rice may need a longer final bake. Check the center reaches 165°F/74°C rather than relying only on minutes. Serve immediately after the rest; discard uneaten finished bake.

Another way

  • Use finely diced zucchini instead of bell pepper.
  • Replace half the brown rice with cooked quinoa, keeping the total cooked-grain amount the same.

Keep it well

Prepare only the finished portions you will eat now. The bake must reach 165°F/74°C throughout and be eaten immediately after its 5-minute rest. Do not refrigerate it for another reheating; discard uneaten finished portions. Any rice used from the refrigerator must have been rapidly cooled, kept at 40°F/4°C or below and be within 24 hours of original cooking before this one reheating.