I love a one-skillet wonder meal. And this fall-inspired recipe has all my favorites twirled together in one big, steamy, cozy rice bowl. Pumpkin-infused short-grained brown rice, sweet onions, bright green pistachios, crispy maple-accented tofu cubes, warming spices, fresh citrus and of course .. some kale in there too! If you are using leftover cooked brown rice you can easily whip this up in under twenty minutes. Healthy fast food for fall!
Pumpkin Rice. I love pumpkin rice. Rice that has been tossed with pumpkin puree and turns a golden orange color. Another fave pumpkin rice recipe to try:
But for today, dive into this comfort food bowl. This vegan meal is delicious served as a hearty lunch or delicious healthy dinner. Gluten free too!
Pumpkin-Pistachio Kale Fried Rice Bowl with Maple Tofu Cubes
By Published 10/16/2013
This flavorful skillet-sizzled entree bowl combines pumpkin rice with veggies and maple tofu cubes. Meal in a bowl!
Ingredients
- 1 ¾ cups cooked brown rice, short grain used
- 3 tablespoon raw pistachios, roughly chopped or kept whole
- 1 small sweet onion, chopped
- 1 ½-2 cups kale, stems removed + roughly chopped
- ½ orange, squeezed for juice
- ½ orange, peeled and sliced into cubes or segments
- 1 teaspoon orange zest
- 4 tablespoon pumpkin puree, unsweetened
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
- optional: 1 clove garlic, chopped
- for pan: 2 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil - or extra virgin coconut oil
- 1 teaspoon maple syrup
- 1 ½ cup tofu cubes, firm (drained, squeezed dry with paper towel)
Instructions
- Heat 1 teaspoon of the oil in a skillet over high heat. Add the chopped onion and saute for 2 minutes. Add the pistachio nuts and saute for another minute until they toast a bit in the hot oil.
- Add in another ½-1 teaspoon of oil and add your rice, pumpkin, salt, pepper, orange juice, orange zest and optional garlic. Toss and saute so that the pumpkin distributes through the rice as it sizzles and softens.
- Fold the kale into the rice to wilt and soften it.
- When all the rice has absorbed and kale has wilted into the rice mixture, scoop all the rice to one side of the pan in a thick mound. In the empty space in the pan add a ½ teaspoon of oil (if the pan is bone dry) and the tofu cubes. Drizzle the maple syrup over the tofu cubes and add the salt and pepper to the cubes. Saute, still on high heat until the edges blacken. If the pan is too dry and starts to smoke, add in a teaspoon or two of water or broth to help steam the tofu - and make it fluffy.
- Finally, fold the diced orange and tofu cubes in with the rice mixture, mixing everything gently together in the hot pan. Saute for another minutes until the rice caramelizes a bit and any loose liquid is absorbed. Serve warm!
Yield: 2 servingsPrep Time: 00 hrs. 05 mins. Cook time: 00 hrs. 15 mins. Total time: 20 mins. Tags: entree,fall,pumpkin,rice,kale,meal,vegan,dinner,
Nutritional info estimate per serving (2 servings per recipe)
Simple + delicious. My kind of meal! What is one of your go-to fall meals??
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mirinadler says
I am making this with Cauliflower rice! Let's see what happens. 😀
smash207 says
My husband and I just finished eating this for dinner. It was fantastic! He typically likes tofu only if it's battered and fried, but he was blown away by how yummy this tofu was. Our 2 y.o. son gobbled it up too. I used the optional garlic, a pinch of turmeric and added a bit of ground ginger. Also sub'd spinach for the kale b/c I was out of kale. Thank you for the unique and delicious recipe!
Caroline says
Made this last night for me and my meat-eating boyfriend. It was a huge hit! We both loved the maple-flavored tofu. Definitely storing this one for later!!
Kathy Patalsky says
super! It is a super go-to meal recipe! 🙂
Hooked on Health says
This looks and sounds (I read the recipe) delicious. It is amazingly healthy as well except I would recommend organic tofu since soybeans are GMO foods and a top crop sprayed with pesticides. 🙂
Rachel says
I am transitioning to a mostly vegan diet, and I made this dish today. So good! My parents and grandma are in town and they are incredibly non-vegan. They were skeptical and commented the entire time I was in the kitchen. I just smiled and kept cooking. After I ate lunch, they slowly but surely ate ALL of the leftovers and commented on how good it was. I just laughed and said, "I win!" They even asked for the recipe. Good food doesn't need to have meat or dairy!
Esther Salis Gillett says
I doubled the recipe since I used a block of water packed tofu. I cooked tofu separate since it takes awhile to brown. I added lots of kale at the end of cooking. I used just a little bit of turmeric , but next time I will add more. Definitely a keeper!!
Cynthia says
This tasted nothing like what I imagined, but was even better! (And, I have a pretty good imagination! 😉 ) So fun to make! (written 4 years ago.) UPDATE: This became a go-to fast & I still make it all the time! Everyone loves it, non-vegans & people who think they don't like tofu (lol) and it's easy. Also, this is the BEST way to use pumpkin puree leftovers, ever!!
Kathy Patalsky says
The kale is folded into the cooked rice and veggies in the end to lightly wilt and cook it in the mix.
Kathy Patalsky says
Thanks! So glad you liked it!
Guest says
I made this a few days ago and absolutely LOVED it! I will be making this as part of my Thanksgiving dinner. Really easy, beautiful and delicious. The instructions do not say when to add the kale, I added it at the end and it took away the crispness of my tofu, so I will be adding the kale before I cook the tofu next time.
Teyzoo says
Hi Kathy, the recipe doesn't mention what to do with the kale. Would you please amend it to let us know? Looks like a wonderful dish!!! Thank you!
Kathy Patalsky says
Glad to hear that Terry!!
Terry says
Made this tonight for dinner and it was amazing! Loved it so much I'm going to make your Pumpkin Apple Walnut Harvest Rice next!
Jennipher Hulse says
I loved this recipe, and so did my meat eating mother! I will definitely be making this again and again. I just became a vegetarian with the intention to transition into veganism soon and your recipes make me feel like I can easily do this. Thank you for sharing this and all of your recipes.
Julia says
Yum!!! This is the first time I actually post to a blog recipe - But I really wanted to tell you: This is a great dish! I modified some ingredients according to what I had at home, but followed your idea and just loved it! Thanks so much for sharing, Kathy! Greetings from Stockholm, Sweden.
Kathy Patalsky says
Yes! Sweet potato or butternut squash would work. Or something very different like tahini, almond or peanut butter as a creamy accent.
yajaira says
I really want to try making this, but I am allergic to pumpkin. Is there another alternative to replace the pumpkin puree, that would also go well with this dish?
Thanks!
Maitri Fischer says
This looks so good! Can't wait to try it. Thx lot
Healthy Dine Out says
Wow this looks healthy- fun and easy to make 🙂 Thank You for sharing
Gelya says
I followed the instructions and at the end was left with raw kale. I sauteed it up and added it and the recipe was amazing. I would have never thought of using pumpkin in rice. I chose to use tumeric and a little curry for spice. Please let us know when the appropriate time to add the kale is though 🙂 thanks
Christine (Run Plant Based) says
This looks fantastic, must try for my hubby too since he's moving towards veganism. Thanks!
Kristen Kelley says
Thinking that this may be lunch for my husband tomorrow. I have everything on hand to whip it up tonight 🙂
Carol says
Excited to make this tonite- when do I add the kale?
Maggie Muggins says
I've been totally craving nothing but a big bowl of kale and tofu lately, this looks perfect!
coconutandberries says
Yum! I've made you original pumpkin apple harvest rice before and love it. This one looks just as good.
Crystal Elston says
Looks SOOO Delicious!
Kathy Patalsky says
Thanks Suzanne!
Kathy Patalsky says
Thanks Meredith!
Kathy Patalsky says
🙂
Kathy Patalsky says
Thanks, hope you enjoy it!
Kathy Patalsky says
I would add a legume. Lentils or chickpeas or white beans would be a wonderful tofu replacement. Seitan would work too.
Crickett P Woods says
Thanks so much we love lentils and chickpeas!
Kathy Patalsky says
Thanks John!
Kathy Patalsky says
Thanks!
TamiNutmegNotebook says
What a beautiful one bowl meal with all of my favorite flavors!
John Hartil says
Yes!! Just the dish for this time of year ~ tomorrow's tea
2ndverse says
You could try using seiten, but it will have a different texture/taste. You could also simply add some diced butternut squash or pumpkin, which would do well with the maple syrup and orange juice.
Crickett P Woods says
Not familiar with seiten, but we have some squash so I will try that thanks a lot!!
Crickett P Woods says
Hi I love your recipes but we dont do soy or tofu at our house. Is there something we could sub that would make this recipe for us other than just leaving it out? Thanks!
myfabfitforties says
Wow, this looks amazing! I'm bookmarking this and can't wait to try soon!!! Thank you!
The Peace Patch says
Zing went the strings of my tofu-loving heart! Perfect combination of flavors and colors and textures and yumfulness...thank you for the recipe!
Meredith Youngson says
pumpkin in savory dishes is something iv been wanting to try- this looks amaze!
Suzanne says
This looks divine! I've been absolutely loving pumpkin in everything!