This Vegan “Chorizo” Rice Bowl Is Vegetarian Paradise

Prepare this vegan “chorizo” rice bowl, which comes from food blogger Carina Wolff’s new book, Plant Protein Recipes That You’ll Love, to help you transition to a plant-based diet gradually. Tofu is used in this recipe to create a meaty, but vegan, “chorizo.” However, even if you have had a negative experience with meat substitutes in the past, you should not dismiss this recipe out of hand. During the cooking process, the tofu breaks down into meat-like crumbles and absorbs spices that are typically used in seasoning chorizo.

Avocados provide monounsaturated fat, while the sweet potato provides vitamin A and the brown rice provides fiber, so this dish is nutritionally balanced. Moreover, just because the bowl does not contain any meat does not imply that it is lacking protein; each bowl contains 12 grams of protein.

“Chorizo” Rice Bowl

Ingredients:

Potato and Rice

• 1 cup uncooked brown rice
• 1/2 cup no-salt-added diced tomatoes
• 2 1/2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 large sweet potato, diced

Chorizo

• 8 ounces organic firm tofu
• 1/3 cup finely chopped button mushrooms
• 1/4 cup finely chopped oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes
• 4 small cloves garlic, peeled and minced
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 1/4 cup peeled and minced white onion
• 3/4 teaspoon paprika
• 1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

To finish

• 1 medium avocado, peeled and sliced

Directions

1. For the rice: In a medium-sized pot, combine the rice, broth, tomatoes, and salt and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a low simmer, cover, and cook for 30 minutes, or until the broth is completely absorbed.
2. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit for the potatoes. Aluminum foil should be used to line a baking sheet that measures 10 by 15 inches. Drizzle olive oil over the sweet potatoes after they have been spread out evenly on the baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes, or until the potatoes are just beginning to crisp on the outside, whichever comes first.
3. Drain the tofu and pat it dry with a paper towel before making the chorizo. Toss everything into a large mixing bowl and mash with a fork until crumbly. Combine the sun-dried tomatoes, mushrooms, garlic, white onion, apple cider vinegar, chili powder, cayenne pepper, paprika, cumin, and salt and pepper in a large mixing bowl until well combined. Toss until the spices are evenly distributed throughout the mixture.
4. On medium heat, heat the oil in a large frying pan. Cook for 6 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the chorizo mixture has become slightly crispy, about 6 minutes.
5. Add rice to serving bowls and top with sweet potato, chorizo, and avocado, if desired. To finish: Warm the dish before serving.