Pineapple BBQ Tofu Bowls are a vegan meal prep option that you can cook on the grill! Sweet, tangy, and a healthy lunch to stock up your fridge.
It’s summer, and I want to grill alllll the things! Mostly because we just purchased a new grill this year and it has been so much fun playing around with it.
We’ve been eating a lot of grilled tofu lately. Tofu has been one of those ingredients that I want to love. It’s really filling and really affordable, but I also find it can often be bland. It’s really hard to get it just right!
For this recipe, I went super simple and just slathered the tofu in BBQ sauce. Can’t go wrong with that, right? The barbecue sauce + pineapple is such a great flavor combo and is really tasty in these lunch bowls as well!
These Pineapple BBQ Tofu Bowls
- cook on the grill
- are vegan, gluten-free and clean eating
- make 4 healthy lunches for the week
Don’t forget to pin this recipe to save it for later!
How to make them
There are four components to prep for these pineapple BBQ tofu bowls.
- Tofu- we press the tofu, then throw it right on the grill. By cutting the tofu into ‘sticks’, we get good coverage with the barbecue sauce without losing any pieces between the grill.
- Pineapple- I used canned pineapple rings, 2 per bowl. I grilled them but you can put them straight in the bowl if you want to save time.
- Veggies- I used red onion, zucchini and bell peppers, but you could use your imagination here!
- Quinoa- to bulk out these bowls. You could skip it and serve the veggies/tofu in a wrap, or just add extra veggies and eat straight up.
How do I press tofu?
For this recipe, we are using extra firm tofu, and press it to release extra moisture from the block.
Here’s how I pressed my tofu:
- Remove the tofu from the package and drain off extra liquid
- Place on a plate lined with a paper towel
- Place a second paper towel on top and a plate on top of the block of tofu
- Place a 28 oz can on top of the plate, and let it sit for 30 minutes-2 hours.
How do I grill tofu?
After experimenting all month, I’ve found a few important details when it comes to grilling tofu.
Shape- I have experimented with different shapes of tofu on the grill, and we really prefer cutting them in sticks versus in a larger square shape. The sticks get better texture from the grill and also have better coverage with the barbecue sauce.
Grease the grill- Don’t forget to brush or spray your grill with a bit of oil before adding the tofu sticks, as they can stick and be difficult to flip.
Temperature- I found that medium-high (around 400 °F) was a good temperature to get a good texture on the tofu sticks. Lower temperatures don’t get the char and the tofu stays fairly rubbery.
Recipe tips
- I recommend a vegetable grill plate (this is my grill pan!) to prevent the vegetables from falling between the grates, alternatively you can skewer the veggies
- Keep your hands free by cooking your quinoa in a rice cooker
- Meal prep containers: I love these ones
- Looking for more tofu recipes? Try this Air Fryer Tofu, this Easy Baked Tofu Recipe and this Tofu Scramble Recipe!
Pineapple BBQ Tofu Meal Prep
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup uncooked quinoa
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 zucchini chopped
- 1 red onion chopped
- 2 bell peppers chopped
- salt & pepper
- 12 oz extra firm tofu
- 1/2 cup barbecue sauce (plus extra to drizzle)
- 8 pineapple rings
Instructions
Prepare the tofu
- Remove tofu from package, draining extra liquid. Sandwich the tofu between two paper towels on a plate. Top with a second plate and place a heavy object, such as a 28 oz can, on top. Press for at least 30 minutes to remove extra liquid.
- When the time is up, discard the paper towels and cut the tofu into 3/4 x 3 inch sticks.
Cooking ingredients
- Cook quinoa according to package directions.
- While quinoa is cooking, heat grill over medium-high heat.
- Toss vegetables in olive oil, season with salt & pepper, then grill using a grill plate for 8-10 minutes, turning/stirring occasionally.
- Grill pineapple rings for 2-3 minutes per side.
- Before grilling the tofu, be sure to grease the grill with a bit of oil (you can brush it on or carefully spray some oil on from a distance- flames will flare up)
- Grill the tofu sticks for 3-4 minutes per side, brushing with barbecue sauce several times while cooking.
Assembly & Storage
- Divide all ingredients between storage containers. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon extra BBQ sauce.
- Cool then store in the fridge for up to 4 days.
To serve
- Re-heat until steaming hot. Enjoy!
