Mediterranean Tofu Bowls with Pistachio Feta Pesto

These Mediterranean Tofu Bowls with a Pistachio Feta Pesto are so good, you’ll want to have them multiple times a week, just like I do!

You guys, I’m in love with these Mediterranean Tofu Bowls. We’re in a serious relationship and I just can’t get enough. The perfect crispy spiced tofu is served over brown rice with a deliciously creamy pistachio feta pesto, roasted sweet potatoes, avocado, and a cucumber salad.

Let’s talk about tofu. It’s a new found love for me, and I’m never going back. Recently I’ve had to temporarily change my diet to heal my gut, and my doctor recommended eating tofu. However, I can’t have soy sauce or any other vinegar, so I had to get creative with other ways to make it. A friend of mine told me she air fried hers, and I’ve been making it that way ever since!

On a truly lazy day I’ll eat the air fried tofu with hummus that I bought at the farmer’s market. But when I want something a little different and way more delicious with a lot of flavor, I make the Pistachio Feta Pesto. It’s nutty, creamy, and tangy. An absolutely stellar spread that you’ll love and will want to make and use for other recipes, too!

Ingredient Notes:

• Brown Rice – I chose to use brown rice because it’s a bit healthier, but you can use white rice or even quinoa instead, if you prefer.
• Sweet Potato – I love the sweetness from the sweet potato, but you can substitute a regular potato, if you prefer.
• Super Firm Tofu – I like using the super firm tofu, but you can also use firm tofu.
• Sesame Seeds – Buy raw sesame seed. If you buy pre-toasted they could burn or get too dark in the air fryer.
• Red Onion – You can also substitute shallots.

Mediterranean Tofu Bowls with Pistachio Feta Pesto

These Mediterranean Tofu Bowls with a Pistachio Feta Pesto are so good, you’ll want to have them multiple times a week, just like I do!

5 from 1 vote

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr

Total Time 1 hour hr 20 minutes mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine Mediterranean

Servings 2

Equipment

• Parchment Paper
• 1 Sheet Pan
• 1 Medium Pot
• Air Fryer
• Tinfoil
• 1 Large Bowl
• Food Processor preferably a mini processor
• 1 Medium Bowl

Ingredients

  

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For the Tofu Bowls:

• ¾ cup brown rice rinsed
• 1 1/3 cups water
• Avocado oil
• Kosher salt
• 1 medium sweet potato cut into 1 inch chunks
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 14 oz. super firm tofu cut into ¾-1 inch cubes
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
• ½ teaspoon ground coriander
• ½ teaspoon ground ginger
• ½ teaspoon onion powder
• 4 teaspoons sesame seeds raw
• 1 avocado thinly sliced
• Pistachio Feta Pesto recipe below
• Cucumber Onion Salad recipe below

For the Pistachio Feta Pesto:

• ¼ cup raw pistachios
• 1 ½ oz. feta
• 1 clove garlic peeled
• ¼ cup packed parsley leaves and thin stems
• ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
• ½ lemon zested
• 2 tablespoons water
• ¼ teaspoon Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper

For the Cucumber Onion Salad:

• 1 Persian cucumber ends trimmed, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced crosswise
• Red onion thinly sliced, to taste
• ½ lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Fresh Parsley leaves to taste

Instructions

 

For the Tofu Bowls:

• Position a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat to 400°F. Prepare a parchment-lined sheet pan.
• In a medium pot, combine the brown rice, water, 2 teaspoons avocado oil, and ¾ teaspoon Kosher salt (double the avocado oil and salt if doubling the recipe). Bring to a simmer, then cover, reduce heat to low, and cook for 40 minutes. Turn off heat and let the rice sit, covered, for 10 minutes to steam.
• Meanwhile, on the parchment-lined sheet pan, toss the sweet potatoes with 1 tablespoon avocado oil (double this amount if doubling the recipe), half the garlic powder, and a big sprinkle of Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Roast for 30-35 minutes, until tender.
• While the potatoes roast, prepare the tofu. Line the bowl of an air fryer with tinfoil. In a large bowl, add the tofu, 4 tablespoons avocado oil (double this amount if doubling the recipe), smoked paprika, cumin, turmeric, coriander, ginger, onion powder, 1 ½ teaspoons Kosher salt (double this amount if doubling the recipe), sesame seeds, and the remaining garlic powder. Gently toss to combine, ensuring not to break the tofu cubes, until they’re evenly coated in the spice mixture. Place tofu into the foil-lined air fryer bowl, spacing the cubes out evenly.
• Set the air fryer to 400°F. Fry for 7-8 minutes, then flip the cubes (I do this easily by lifting up and gently shaking the foil to turn them, then evenly spacing them out), and fry for an additional 7-8 minutes, until crispy.
• Divide the rice, roasted sweet potatoes, crispy tofu, sliced avocado, pistachio feta pesto, and salad between bowls. Serve immediately, while warm.

For the Pistachio Feta Pesto:

• To make the pistachio feta pesto, place the pistachios, feta, garlic, ¼ cup parsley leaves and thin stems, ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil, lemon zest, 2 tablespoons of water, ¼ teaspoon Kosher salt, and freshly ground black pepper in the bowl of a food processor (double the parsley, olive oil, water, and Kosher salt if doubling the recipe). Puree until mostly smooth. Taste and season with more Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, if needed.

For the Cucumber Onion Salad:

• In a medium bowl, toss together the cucumber and as much of the red onion as you’d like, with the lemon juice, extra-virgin olive oil, a sprinkle of parsley leaves, a good pinch of Kosher salt, and freshly ground black pepper, to taste.

Notes

Brown Rice can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Reheat in the microwave until warmed through.

Roasted Sweet Potatoes can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave, oven, or air fryer until warmed through.

Crispy Tofu is best served immediately, but can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator overnight. Reheat in the air fryer until crispy again.

Pistachio Feta Pesto can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.

Cucumber Onion Salad is best served immediately. 

Keyword crispy, healthy, medi, Vegetarian

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