This 25 minute vegetarian harvest bowl for two has tofu, apples and maple glazed winter squash is a great make-ahead meal for lunches during the week, or a delicious vegetarian dinner.
[This harvest bowl recipe was originally posted in October 2018. It has been updated with cooking instructions, expert tips, FAQ, related recipes, and ways to repurpose/use up ingredients]
Table of contents
Buy a whole butternut squash or grab pre-sliced squash to make this harvest bowl dinner really easy. You pretty much do some chopping and assembling, and let the oven and stove do all the work.
Even though it does take over 30 minutes to make, it's really 85% hands off baking time. It's a great recipe to batch cook the extra ingredients to throw together into an easy salad or grain bowl.
Ingredients
Scroll down to the harvest bowl recipe card for the amounts of each ingredient, but here's a quick visual + description of what's in this recipe.
- Wild rice: You can swap the wild rice for another grain. The combination of rice grains adds lots of harvest-y flavor to this grain bowl.
- Firm tofu: This will crisp up and cook best.
- Olive oil
- Maple syrup
- Squash: Use any type of winter squash. I used some mashed squash in this recipe, but cubed squash would be great too (I've tested it with butternut squash). Use what you have!
- Kale
- Apple: Some chopped apple adds lots of crunchy texture and a sweet/tart flavor.
- Feta cheese
- Apple cider vinegar: This vinegar adds lots of fall flavor to your salad. You'll cook the tofu in the dressing too!
- Dijon mustard
Instructions
Scroll down to the recipe card for more detailed instructions. Here's a quick overview + photos to see how to make this recipe in general.
1. Boil water in a medium pot to make the wild rice. Add wild rice to boiling water, reduce to simmer and cook for 30 minutes. Or cook according to package directions if different.
2. Heat large skillet, or cast iron skillet over medium heat. Pour half of each: olive oil, maple syrup, and salt on cubed dried tofu in a bowl. Toss and set aside until skillet is hot.
3. Once skillet is hot, add tofu in a single layer. Flip and cook until each side is crispy and browned. About 5-7 minutes. Remove tofu.
4. Pour remaining olive oil, maple syrup, and salt into hot skillet, add winter squash and spread into 1 single layer. Cook until squash is browned/ tender.
Cooking times depend on squash type.
5. While tofu or squash is cooking, make the harvest bowl dressing by adding olive oil, apple cider vinegar, dijon mustard to a small mixing bowl.
6. Add salt and pepper to taste, whisk until combined. Set aside.
7. Also while cooking tofu/squash, remove stems from 2-3 stalks of kale. Massage and rip apart leaves with your hands. Set aside.
8. Assemble your harvest bowl by adding massaged kale, cooked wild rice, winter squash, crispy tofu, chopped apple, and crumbled feta cheese. Drizzle salad dressing over bowl and serve immediately.
Serve with
You can also serve it with this Pomegranate Balsamic Marinated Pork or a simple grilled/pan fried pork chop if you don't want the tofu or would like to have some pork with your tofu harvest bowl.
Storage/Reheating Tips
Store leftover harvest bowl ingredients in an airtight container. For best results, I'd suggest storing each ingredient separately (it's best to cut the apple just before serving). Assemble just before eating, if you can.
It's totally fine if you have leftover assembled grain bowl, it should last for about 3 days, and be good. The greens and other ingredients will soften more over time.
If you can store ingredients separately, it should last 5+ days.
You can freeze leftover tofu and squash, separately.
To reheat, you can microwave the harvest bowl, covered. Or remove tofu and pan fry it to crisp up. Add additional dressing, if you'd like.
Substitutions/Tips
- Substitute wild rice for brown rice, quinoa, or farro.
- You can use any kind of winter squash in this harvest bowl recipe. I used previously frozen spaghetti squash. I recommend chopping up some butternut squash, delicata squash, or other harder winter squash.
- Buy precut squash to save time.
- Add more apple cider vinegar if desired.
- Other great add-ins: sunflower seeds, chopped nuts, vegan cheese/nutritional yeast, parmesan cheese.
FAQ
A harvest bowl, like this recipe, is essentially a grain salad with seasonal fall ingredients. Most bowls include a type of grain, vegetables, protein, and a dressing. Many are served warm.
Personally, I love Pink Lady, Honeycrisp, and Braeburn apples because they're super crunchy, and have that great sweet-tart ratio when they're in season. But use whichever apples in this autumn bowl you love/have.
Here are a couple protein options that will taste good with seasonal fall ingredients: Crispy tofu (like in this bowl), pork chop, ham, salmon, chicken, or white beans.
Repurpose this recipe
- Keep each ingredients separate until you make this harvest bowl, that way you can use the ingredients in different recipes.
- Turn it into a salad by adding other seasonal greens
What to do with leftover ingredients
- Apples: Skillet Pork Chop with Apples & Brussels Sprouts, make this PB Yogurt dip to dip apples into, No Bake Apple Tart with Greek Yogurt
- Butternut squash: swap the sweet potatoes for butternut squash in this Instant Pot protein packed creamy soup
- Kale: Simple Sauteed Kale Salad, Simple Warm Kale Salad with Pomegranate Dressing, Sausage & Egg Casserole
- Tofu: see recipes above, there are lots of great ways to enjoy tofu.
- Feta Cheese: Watermelon Chicken Salad for One, swap for goat cheese on this Beet Salad, Mediterranean Grain Bowl.
Did you make this harvest bowl? Leave me a comment & rating to share how it turned out!
Warm Harvest Bowl with Crispy Tofu (2 servings)
Equipment
- knife
- cutting board
- Measuring Spoons
- Measuring Cups
- Large Cast Iron Skillet
- Mixing bowl
- tongs
Ingredients
Salad
- ¾ cups water
- ¼ cup Wild Rice
- ½ cup Cubed Firm Tofu Towel dried
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil divided
- 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup divided
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt divided
- ½ cup chopped or mashed winter squash Butternut squash, delicata squash, cooked spaghetti squash or other squash will work.
- 3 leaves kale
- ¼ whole tart apple granny smith, braeburn, pink lady, etc
- 1-2 Tablespoons Crumbled Feta cheese
Salad Dressing
- 2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cook wild rice: Boil ¾ cup water in a medium pot. Add ¼ cup wild rice to boiling water, reduce to simmer and cook for 30 minutes. Or cook according to package directions, if different.
- Next Start to Cook Tofu. Heat large skillet, or cast iron skillet over medium heat.
- Pour ½ tablespoon of olive oil, ½ tablespoon maple syrup, and ⅛ teaspoon salt onto ½ cup cubed towel dried tofu in a bowl. Toss and set aside until skillet is hot.
- Once skillet is hot, add tofu in a single layer. Flip and cook until each side is crispy and browned. About 5-7 minutes. Remove tofu.
- Pour remaining ½ tablespoon of olive oil, ½ tablespoon maple syrup, and ⅛ teaspoon salt into hot skillet, add ½ cup winter squash and spread into 1 single layer. Cook until squash is browned/ tender. Cooking times will depend on squash type.
- Make Dressing: Add 2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, 2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar, 1 teaspoon dijon mustard to a small mixing bowl. Add salt and pepper to taste and whisk until combined. Set aside.
- Prepare Kale: Remove stems from 2-3 stalks of kale. Massage and rip apart leaves with your hands. Add to serving bowl.
- Assemble harvest bowl: add wild rice on top of kale, then winter squash, crispy tofu, ¼ whole chopped apple, and 1-2 Tablespoons crumbled feta cheese. Drizzle salad dressing over bowl and serve immediately.
Notes
- Use any kind of winter squash in this recipe. I recommend chopping up some butternut squash, delicata squash, or other hard winter squash. You can also use precooked spaghetti squash like I did.
- Use precut squash to save time.
- Add more apple cider vinegar if desired.
- Other great add-ins: sunflower seeds, chopped nuts, vegan cheese/nutritional yeast, parmesan cheese.
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Farrah says
This is the perfect recipe for fall! I love butternut squash + apples! :]!
Rebecca says
thanks! me too
Julie Wunder says
What a yummy recipe! I love anything with butternut squash like this!! I bet it tastes great with the apples.
Rebecca says
THANKS! the apples are such a fun addition
Kelly says
This is my kind of salad. I love warm veggies in my salad. Fall in a bowl!
Rebecca says
me too! it's so delicious & sooo fall! thanks
Abbey Sharp says
Mm this salad is so nourishing! Also so perfect for the season!
Rebecca says
thanks!
Annissa says
Love this fresh looking hearty bowl. Delicious!
Rebecca says
thanks so much!
Danielle says
This looks like the perfect fall salad! I love the butternut squash in it!
Rebecca says
thanks! I agree, love butternut squash
Tara says
Such wonderful autumn flavors! You had me at maple glazed. I love how the recipe is mostly hands-off. Definitely perfect for a make ahead lunch.
Rebecca says
right?! maple is amazing! and I'm with you-hands off lunch/dinners are the best
Cindy Gordon says
This bowl is stunning!! I love butternut squash!
Rebecca says
thanks so much!
Lauren Vavala @ DeliciousLittleBites says
Yum! This is the perfect lunch for Fall - love all these flavors!
Rebecca says
right?! thanks