Poke Bowl with Quinoa, Tofu, Avocado & Edamame
Pan-fried tofu with a golden crust, edamame still warm from the quinoa pot, shredded carrot, cool avocado, and a ginger-lime-soy dressing pulling everything together.
This bowl gets all 34 grams of protein from three plant sources — quinoa, tofu, and edamame each bringing a different amino acid profile to the plate. No animal protein needed.
826 calories with 19 grams of fiber and enough fat from the avocado and olive oil to keep you full through the afternoon. Fifteen minutes from cutting board to bowl.
Pan-fried tofu with a golden crust, edamame still warm from the quinoa pot, shredded carrot, cool avocado, and a ginger-lime-soy dressing pulling everything together.
This bowl gets all 34 grams of protein from three plant sources — quinoa, tofu, and edamame each bringing a different amino acid profile to the plate. No animal protein needed.
826 calories with 19 grams of fiber and enough fat from the avocado and olive oil to keep you full through the afternoon. Fifteen minutes from cutting board to bowl.
Ingredients
- quinoa 3 ounces
- edamame 2.5 ounces
- ginger 1 slice
- tofu 3 ounces
- avocado 0.5
- cucumber 0.25
- scallion 1
- olive oil 1 tablespoon
- soy sauce 1 tablespoon
- honey 1 teaspoon
- lime juice 1 squeeze
- carrot, shredded 1.5 ounces
Method
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Cook the quinoa according to the instructions on the package and add the edamame beans during the last 5 minutes of cooking. Add some water if needed.
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Grate the ginger. Cut the tofu, avocado and cucumber into small cubes. Slice the scallion into thin rings.
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Heat the oil in a pan and fry the tofu until golden brown. Season with salt and pepper.
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In a small bowl, mix the soy sauce, honey, lime juice and ginger.
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Scoop the quinoa and edamame beans into a bowl and add the tofu, avocado, cucumber, scallion and carrot. Pour the dressing over the bowl and season with pepper and salt.
The shredded carrot goes in raw for a reason. Research found that pairing raw carrots with avocado increased beta-carotene absorption 6.6-fold — the avocado’s fat helps your body actually convert the vitamin A precursor locked inside those orange shreds (Kopec et al., 2014).
Why This Works
Behind this recipe
Is 34 grams of plant protein enough for muscle building?
Research compared plant and animal protein for muscle growth over 12 weeks. At the same total daily intake (roughly 1.6 grams per kilogram of body weight), plant protein produced identical muscle gains across five independent measurement methods. The 34 grams in this bowl count the same toward daily targets as 34 grams from chicken or fish.
Read the full evidence reviewDoes the soy sauce help or hurt iron absorption?
Both, depending on what it is paired with. Fermented soy sauce tripled iron absorption when added to a rice-based meal (3.5% to 11.4%). But unfermented soy protein — the kind in tofu and edamame — contains compounds that reduce iron uptake. This bowl has both the helper (soy sauce on quinoa) and the blocker (tofu and edamame). No study has tested a mixed bowl like this directly, which is the honest answer.
Read the full evidence reviewIs this much soy safe for hormones?
Forty controlled trials measured the effect of soy isoflavones on women’s hormones. The consistent finding: normal dietary amounts of soy do not meaningfully alter estrogen levels or menstrual cycle hormones. This bowl has two soy sources (84g tofu and 70g edamame), which is more than most single-ingredient meals but still within the ranges those 40 trials examined.
Read the full evidence reviewCan I prep this bowl ahead of time?
The quinoa, edamame, and tofu hold well in the fridge for up to two days. Keep the avocado, dressing, and shredded carrot separate until serving — avocado browns and the carrot loses its crunch once dressed. Assemble cold or reheat the quinoa and tofu briefly.
