Tofu Banh Mi sandwiches are on constant rotation in our house. Everyone loves them, even the kids. What’s not to love about perfectly seasoned tofu, crispy pickled veggies,and spicy Sriracha mayo. In a recent effort to change things up , I decided to pile up tofu Banh Mi filling into these easy little rice cups.
I know that banh mi literally means bread or wheat but wanted to make something familiar for our gluten free friends and family that was a little different and fun! I love a banh mi, but my favorite part is the filling! It gets tricky to name a thing so people understand the origin and not cause disrespect to the culture from which it came. I wanted everyone to understand that this is all the parts of a tofu banh mi, but technically without the banh mi….so for lack of a better idea of how to have people identify what this is, I named it Tofu Banh Mi Rice Cups.
A local sushi place we frequent makes a tofu banh mi sushi roll that we love, so I decided to create a play on that. Just more rice and way more delicious filling!
I often make these for parties or potlucks and they are always such a hit. They cute, handheld, and delicious.
These light and fresh tofu Bahn Mi rice cups also work work great for meal prep because they keep well in the fridge for several days.
Who knows, you may end up loving these as much as we do, and may find yourself making them more often than a Bahn Mi sandwich!
INGREDIENTS:
You will need a muffin tin for this recipe. This recipe yields around 2 dozen cups. You can easily half the recipe for less cups.
3 cups sushi rice (follow package cooking instructions)
1 package extra firm tofu
1/4 cup soy sauce or coconut aminos
2 teaspoons sriracha
juice from 1 lime
3/4 cups quick pickled veggies
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
Sriracha Mayo:
1/2 cup vegan mayo
2 tablespoon Sriracha
1 teaspoon lime juice
INSTRUCTIONS:
Cook rice according to package instructions. I use my rice cooker and use 3 actual cups of rice, not the scoop that comes with the rice cooker, and fill the water to the 4 cup line. Again you can half this amount if making less cups. Allow the rice to cool. It’s gonna be kind of sticky and thats what you need. Once the rice has cooled enough to handle, scoop about 1/4 cup of rice into each muffin cup and press the rice to form the shape of the cup. I keep a cup of water on the counter to dip my fingers in. If your hands are wet it will be easier to press the rice down. You will get around 24 cups, give or take. Pop the muffin tin in the fridge and for 30 minutes.
Drain tofu and wrap it in either a clean kitchen towel or a few paper towels. Place a few books on top to allow the excess liquid to press out for 10-15 minutes.
Cut the tofu into 1/4 inch cubes. Whisk together soy sauce, Sriracha, and lime juice in a shallow dish and add the tofu. Allow it to marinate for 10-15 minutes.
Heat a large skillet with a little oil over medium heat. Add the the tofu along with the marinade to the pan. Let the tofu cook until all of the liquid has absorbed and the tofu has began to get a little crisp and brown around the edges.
Whisk the mayo, Sriracha, and lime juice together in a small bowl. If you like it spicy, add a little more Sriracha!
Carefully remove the rice cups from the muffin tin. They should just peel out. Divide the tofu among the cups, and top with some pickled veggies and chopped cilantro. Add a little of the Sriracha Mayo to each cup to serve.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for serval days.
