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This Chimichurri Tofu Grain Bowl with Maple Roasted Carrots is a fresh, protein-packed plant-based dinner layered with fluffy bulgur, crispy air fryer tofu tossed in chimichurri, maple roasted carrots, edamame, and cool sliced cucumbers. Finished with an extra drizzle of chimichurri, this colorful and delicious grain bowl is perfect for meal prep, weeknight dinners, or a nourishing lunch that actually keeps you full all day.
This nourish bowl is the kind of meal that that I like to eat all the time! It’s fresh, filling, and full of flavor. The herby chimichurri ties everything together, while maple roasted carrots add just enough sweetness to balance the savory tofu. It’s an ideal vegan meal for busy weeks and makes an excellent meal prep option since each component holds up well in the fridge.
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Pro tips for the best bowl
You’ll find the full recipe below, but I have some tips for you to get the best meal you can with all these balanced textures and flavors. And this is very “plant-based but still crave-y,” which is exactly what you’ll want for dinner.
If you’re feeding mixed eaters, this bowl is easy to customize — add avocado, swap grains, or top with protein of your choice like chicken, pork, shrimp, or a soft-boiled egg.
Grains: enhance the flavor: cook the bulgur in low sodium vegetable broth instead of water for richer more savory grains. Use any grains you like, quinoa, barley, brown rice, wild rice, farro, or a blend of grains. Bulgur is not gluten-free as it’s made from cracked, parboiled whole wheat.
Chimichurri air fryer tofu:
- Air fryer tofu tip: Don’t overcrowd the basket or the tofu won’t crisp properly
- store-bought vs homemade chimichurri: your choice. I love homemade chimichurri because you can customize the flavor. But sometimes you just don’t feel like making it, so grab a good quality one; Trader Joe’s has a great one.
Roasted carrots: Caramelization tip: Let carrots sit undisturbed in the pan to develop better browning. These carrots are a side dish I make all the time; here’s my original recipe for Maple Thyme Roasted Carrots.
Build your bowl: Feel free to add greens to your bowl base as well. I love fresh spinach, arugula, or spring mix.
Storage and meal prep
Store leftovers in airtight containers for up to 4 days. I like to store the components separately then toss them all together at serving.
Serve these Chimichurri Tofu Bowl with Bulgur and Maple Roasted Carrots warm or cold; it’s great both ways.
Store chimichurri separately and drizzle just before serving for the brightest flavor.
More delicious bowls
Bowls or salads are probably my favorite meals right now, but you probably already know that! Some of my favorites are Shrimp & Mexican Street Corn Bowl, Salmon Bowl, Winter Grain Bowl, and the Spicy Grilled Shrimp Bowl.
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Recipe
Chimichurri Tofu Grain Bowl with Maple Roasted Carrots
Ingredients
Grains
- 1 cup uncooked bulgur
- 2 cups water
Chimichurri Tofu
- 16 ounces extra firm tofu cut into 1″ cubes
- ½ tablespoon oil
- 1 tablespoon chimichurri sauce plus more to taste
Carrots
- 1 bunch carrots scrubbed and peeled
- 1 tablespoon oil
- ½ tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- Salt to taste
Bowl
- ½ cup shelled steamed edamame
- ½ cucumber sliced
- Extra chimichurri sauce for drizzling
Instructions
Cook the grains
- Combine bulgur and water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat to a simmer, and cook for about 12 minutes, until tender. Drain off any excess liquid and fluff with a fork. Set aside.
Cook the tofu
- Preheat air fryer to 400° F.
- Toss tofu cubes with oil in a medium bowl. Arrange tofu in a single layer in the air fryer basket. Cook for 15 minutes, shaking the basket halfway through. Transfer hot tofu back to the bowl and toss with chimichurri. Add more sauce if desired.
Roast the carrots
- Preheat oven to 400° F.
- Depending on the size of your carrots, cut them in half lengthwise, and possibly in half or thirds widthwise. You want your carrot pieces to be roughly uniform in size so they all cook at about the same rate.
- Heat oil in a heavy oven-proof skillet, preferably a cast iron skillet over medium heat on the stove. Once the oil is hot, add carrots, and sauté 4-6 minutes until lightly brown. Don’t stir too much, the longer they touch the bottom of the pan, the faster they’ll brown.
- Sprinkle with thyme and salt, drizzle with maple syrup, and stir briefly (it’ll start to spatter at this point). Transfer skillet to the oven and roast for 8–9 minutes, until tender and caramelized.
Build the bowls
- Divide cooked bulgur evenly among four bowls. Top with chimichurri tofu, roasted carrots, edamame, and cucumber slices. Finish with an extra drizzle of chimichurri before serving.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations, and should be considered estimates. Actual nutritional content will vary based on brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes, and more.
Debi
So good, so fresh and easy.I like to meal prep all the parts and keep them in the fridge all ready to go. I hope you love this as much as I do. Debi, author, Life Currents
April J Harris
I love it when something so healthy looks so appealing and is delicious too. The maple roasted carrots sound especially nice!