Mango Burrito Bowls with Crispy Tofu and Peanut Sauce
Think of these mango bowls as an Asian spin on your favorite burrito bowl. This recipe features brown rice, fresh mango, tofu and peanut sauce.
Updated by Kathryne Taylor on June 10, 2025
Think of these sunny mango bowls as a Thai spin on your favorite burrito bowl. They’re refreshing and hearty, sweet and savory, and my new favorite summertime dinner.
These bowls were inspired by my Thai mango cabbage wraps, which are such a fun appetizer. I’ve added rice and shredded the cabbage to turn them into a more hefty dinner.
These bowls feature perfectly cooked brown rice and shredded cabbage topped with crispy baked tofu, fresh mango salsa and peanut sauce. None of the components are difficult to prepare, and the combination is irresistible.
You could make these bowls on a relaxed weeknight, or save them for the weekend. Invite friends over, or keep your leftovers for tomorrow’s lunch. You can’t lose with this one.
How to Make Mango Burrito Bowls
You’ll find the full recipe below. Here’s the gist:
- Preheat the oven, bring a pot of water to boil for the rice, and prepare the tofu. You’ll need to drain off some excess water from the tofu before baking so it crisps up nicely. Plan to do this while you’re emptying the dishwasher, etc.
- Then, you’ll toss the tofu with a few basic ingredients and bake it. While it’s baking, you’ll cook the rice on the stovetop. They take about the same amount of time to cook, which is convenient.
- In the meantime, you can prepare the mango salsa and peanut sauce. Then, slice your cabbage and chop some peanuts for garnish.
- Once all your components are ready, assemble and enjoy!
Watch How to Make Mango Burrito Bowls
Fresh Mango Selection & Storage
Sweet, ripe mango is the key ingredient in this recipe (if you can’t find good mango, substitute fresh pineapple). Some tips:
- When you’re shopping, look for mangos that yield lightly to a gentle squeeze, like a peach or avocado. Most varieties (like the kind I used here) will turn reddish in areas as they ripen.
- If you come home with perfectly ripe mangos, store them in the refrigerator until you make this recipe.
- If you need your mangos to hurry up and ripen, store them in a paper bag at room temperature.
Not sure how to dice a mango? Here’s my tutorial on How to Cut a Mango.
Loving these fresh flavors? You’ll also enjoy these recipes:
- Crunchy Thai Peanut & Quinoa Salad
- Peanut Slaw with Soba Noodles
- Spicy Kale and Coconut Fried Rice
- Thai Mango Salad with Peanut Dressing
- Extra Vegetable Fried Rice
- Build-Your-Own Buddha Bowl
Please let me know how these mango bowls turn out for you in the comments. I love hearing from you.
Mango Burrito Bowls with Crispy Tofu and Peanut Sauce
Think of these mango bowls as a Thai spin on your favorite burrito bowl. This recipe features brown rice, fresh mango, tofu and peanut sauce. You will have time to prepare the produce while the tofu and rice cook, so get started on those elements first. Recipe yields 4 bowls.
Ingredients
Crispy baked tofu and rice
- 1 block (12 to 15 ounces) organic extra-firm tofu
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon reduced-sodium tamari* or soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch or arrowroot starch
- 1 ¼ cups brown basmati rice or long-grain brown rice, rinsed
Peanut sauce
- ⅓ cup creamy peanut butter
- 3 tablespoons lime juice (about 1 lime)
- 2 tablespoons reduced-sodium tamari* or soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup, to taste
- 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
- 2 garlic cloves, pressed or minced
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes (omit or reduce if sensitive to spice)
Mango salsa and cabbage
- 2 large ripe mangos, diced
- 1 medium red bell pepper, chopped
- ½ cup (about 4) thinly sliced green onions
- ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
- 1 medium jalapeño, seeds and ribs removed, minced
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 2 cups shredded purple or green cabbage
- Handful of chopped roasted peanuts, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper to prevent the tofu from sticking.
- To prepare the tofu: Drain the tofu and use your palms to gently squeeze out some of the water. Slice the tofu into thirds lengthwise so you have 3 even slabs. Stack the slabs on top of each other and slice through them lengthwise to make 3 even columns, then slice across to make 5 even rows.
- Line a cutting board with a lint-free tea towel or paper towels, then arrange the tofu in an even layer on the towel(s). Fold the towel(s) over the cubed tofu, then place something heavy on top (like another cutting board, topped with a cast iron pan or large cans of tomatoes) to help the tofu drain. Let the tofu rest for at least 10 minutes (preferably more like 30 minutes, if you have the time).
- Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to boil. Add the rice and boil, uncovered, for 30 minutes. Drain off the remaining cooking water and return the rice to the pot. Cover the pot and let the rice rest, off the heat, for 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork and set aside.
- Transfer the pressed tofu to the lined baking sheet and drizzle with the olive oil and tamari. Toss to combine. Sprinkle the starch over the tofu, and toss the tofu until the starch is evenly coated, so there are no powdery spots remaining.
- Arrange the tofu in an even layer. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, tossing the tofu halfway, until the tofu is deeply golden on the edges. Set aside.
- Meanwhile, prepare the peanut sauce by whisking all the ingredients together in a bowl. Taste, and if it’s too bold, add another teaspoon of honey to tame it. Set aside.
- Then, in a medium mixing bowl, combine the diced mango, bell pepper, green onion, cilantro, jalapeño, lime juice and salt. Stir to combine, and set aside.
- To assemble your bowls, start with a big scoop of cooked rice. Top with a handful (½ cup) shredded cabbage, then a big scoop of mango salsa, a handful of baked tofu, a hefty drizzle of peanut sauce, and a little sprinkle of chopped peanuts. Leftover bowls will keep well in the refrigerator, covered, for about 4 days.
Notes
*Make it gluten free: This dish is gluten free as long as you use gluten-free tamari, which is a variety of soy sauce that is usually (but not always, check the label) gluten free. I always use tamari instead of soy sauce because I prefer the flavor of it! Look for tamari next to the soy sauce in the Asian aisle of the grocery store.
Make it vegan: Use maple syrup instead of honey.
Change it up: If you can’t find good mangos, diced fresh pineapple would be delicious. You’ll need about 2 cups.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.
These flavors sound so refreshing! Love the mango :).
Thank you, Alyssa!
Just made the burrito bowls tonight! It was a bit hit. Will make it again. I had to bake the tofu way longer that the recipe indicate to get it to the right consistancy, but it came out great! The Thai peanut sauce had a major kick to it. Really good!
This looks so delicious. Really like the perfect, refreshing summer dinner. I’m definitely putting this on my summer dinner ideas list and trying it soon. I love your peanut sauce and I’ve yet to pair it with mango salsa but it seems like such a delicious idea.
Let me know what you think when you try it!
What other sauce would go with this if one is allergic to nuts and seeds?
You could omit the sauce and use a hot sauce like sriracha with a soy sauce, too! Let me know what you think!
Good idea! Thank you. Can’t wait to make this!!
Loved these yummy bowls! Shared this recipe with my Mom and she really enjoyed them too (substituting in some pineapple as mangoes weren’t available). So nice to be able to share a great recipe :).
Made it today. Awesome!
Great, Goretti!
Keen to make this but mangoes aren’t in season here in Australia at this time of year – glad to see that there was a substitute!
Let me know what you think, Annie!
I’ve made about a half dozen different items and they have all been wonderful and easy to follow recipes.
From a dad cooking for four young adults!
I love that! Thank you for sharing, Karl.
I saw this in my email today and realized I had to make it for my family immediately! My ‘gado-gado”-raised husband gives it five stars! Definitely one to put in the rotation. Thank you!
You’re welcome, Rachel!
That looks amazing!
Mariya
Let me know what you think when you try it, Mariya!
Made this for dinner last night. It was refreshing and delicious, and just right for a hot and humid Minnesota evening. Thank you!
You’re welcome, Christine! Thank you for your review.
I made this tonight for the second time, the first time being just a couple of weeks ago. I love every element of it individually, and together they’re just magical! Thanks for a great recipe
Turned out deliciously! Love all your recipes, especially your salads, and keep recommending them to my friends. :)
Thank you, Katharina!
I made it today and it was delicious!
Wonderful, Marta!
I made it last night, loved it! I was a little sad to be using my oven in my hot kitchen, so I imagine I’ll love it even more once it’s not 90+ degrees outside. I used the pineapple sub.
I’m glad you loved it!
This looks delish!
Would this sauce still work if I omitted the peanut butter and the sesame oil (allergies)? Or should I mix up a different asian inspired dressing/sauce?
I would recommend using a different sauce. Or, a simple sriracha could be nice!
Thanks Kate! I used a lime-honey vinaigrette instead and it was super delicious!
Some prep work involved but I did lots of that earlier in the day so putting this meal together was at the time of dinner was quick and efficient. Delicious!
I’m going to try it with cashew butter and avocado oil (allergies,too), so I can let you know how it goes if you want!
Thank you for your sharing of this wonderful recipe. I made it today and it is absolutely delicious. The peanut sauce is definitely something I will be able to use in other dishes.
You’re welcome, Meredith!
This recipe turned out delicious, but the tofu was dry and chewy instead of crispy. Any suggestions. I havn’t cooked with tofu much.
Hi L! I’m sorry you didn’t love this recipe and it didn’t quite turn out. What brand and type of tofu did you use? Did you use extra firm?
Oh, I did like this recipe! It was delicious except for the tofu was chewy. I used extra firm tofu. I don’t know what brand. Maybe I need to leave it in for less time.
This was such a great recipe – a lot of vegan recipes seemed to be based on substitute foods which always makes it feel like something is missing – but this recipe was perfect as is, and my only regret is that I should have made more!
I’m glad you loved it, Bella!
Delicious! Doubled the recipe and ate for a couple more days for lunch! Timesaving tip: buy frozen diced mango. It’s always perfectly ripe; you just have to remember to defrost it. Saves time and worry at the grocery store!
I’m happy you loved it and you liked it with frozen mango.
This recipe is so delicious. The layers of flavor just work so very well together. My husband and I made it for Sunday night dinner, as it is a little more time intensive than other recipes on here, and we were so thrilled. Also, just had it for lunch again today and it is just as delicious. (We use CookieandKate’s blog and the cookbook every night of the week for our dinners and this recipe is my new favorite!)
Thank you for your comment, Kendra!
Already made it (with store bought peanut sauce though) and applause all around! We left out the cilantro (cause my husband hates it) but thought it was really good as is!
Thank you for sharing, Megan!
Absolutely amazing recipe!! Simple to make as well :) I added fresh basil to the mango salsa recipe and it really complimented the flavours. Definitely a go to recipe in my home from now on!
Great to hear, Claire!
This was so delicious. I use your method of baking tofu everytime and I have it completely memorized now. I used almond butter instead of peanut butter because I prefer it for savoury dishes, and topped the bowls with extra lime and toasted almonds. Great summer dish; not too hot (like all the soup I’ve been eating – I’m crazy) and I got to walk away from the oven most of the time.
I love you have it memorized! Thank you for your review, Hayley.
what a treat it was this dish – it will be one of our new summer favourites. how wonderful these different flavours blend together. we LOVE it !
Thank you, Susanne!
the peanut sauce could not be written out correctly? There was not enough liquid…I ended up adding chicken broth to thin it out.
Hi Luella, I’m sorry you didn’t love it. You’re peanut butter may have been on the thick side, there can be some variation in brands.
This was the bomb! We did substitute chicken for tofu and it was fab!
Thank you for sharing, Tracy!
These were fantastic! One of my favorite things ever. I’ve tried using parchment paper to bake tofu and the tofu just gets stuck on the paper, though. Maybe I need to use more oil.
That’s something I haven’t ran into! Sorry you have been experiencing that. You are getting it evenly coated correct? Possibly you are leaving it in a little too long?
Made it tonight! So good. Substituted almond butter since we have an allergy to peanut in the house. Will definitely make it again.
I’m happy to hear you liked it with almond butter!
Made these last night. My boyfriend loved them, and so did I! They turned out a little bit salty, but that could be because I didn’t have low-sodium soy sauce and just went at it with the salt grinder on the mangoes without measuring. The sweetness of the mangoes really made the meal.
You’re on a roll, I love it! Thanks for sharing your experience, Jacqueline!
Really enjoyed this dish,easy peanut satay and colourful salad .the crispy tofu worked very well,although i did add a little chilli powder to the marinade for extra kick.
Thank you for sharing, Tiffany!
I just made this recipe and it was a huge hit! I plan to put it in regular rotation. I thought it would be a bigger challenge to pull together given the number of ingredients, but it was actually pretty quick and easy. I’m going to share the recipe with my sister and hope to make it soon for friends, I know they’ll all love it too.
Thanks for letting me know your experience, Laura! I hope your sister and friends love it, too.
I’m not much of a cook, but I LOVED this recipe! Easy and really, really good. The only change I made was to add more liquid to the peanut sauce because mine is always more of a paste than it should be for some reason. Thanks for another winner Kate… and Cookie!
I’m glad you loved it, S! Thanks for sharing.
Sooo delish!! I used quinoa instead of rice and layered it onto a bed of super greens topped off with mango mixture, and the peanut sauce. For extra crunch I toasted some quinoa and sprinkled it along with a few chopped Virginia peanuts for a perfect lunch!!!
Thank you for sharing, Paula! I’m happy you loved it.
Such a flavorful dish! I would totally just eat the mango salsa on its own! Maybe the peanut sauce too…Thank you for such a great recipe!
You’re welcome, Ashley!
Just finished eating this and it was so delicious and easy! Perfect summer dinner recipe!
Thank you for your review, Emily!
I made this today with fresh mango and it was so tasty. Thanks for a great, fresh summer recipe!
I agree! Perfect for summer.
This is a great summer time recipe. Took me less than an hour and didn’t require me to invest in too many ingredients I didn’t have on hand. Thanks for creating it!
You’re welcome, Monica! Thank you for your review.
Wow! Looks delicious and is protein loaded too! Must give it a shot!
I hope you love it, Nina!
Great recipe! Easy and healthy I will make this again
I’m happy to hear it, Sandra!
This looked like such a beautiful dish from the photos that I decided to give it a try, but I was very nervous that the ingredients would be too exotic for my family. I was even hesitant to take the first bite but when I did, I exclaimed, “Oh my gosh – this is delicious!” This recipe is going into my favorite recipe folder and I can’t wait for lunchtime to roll around so I can finish off the leftovers!!!!!
I’m so glad you loved it, Patricia!
Wow. Delicious recipe. I ended up adding 1/8 tsp red pepper flakes and was perfect for us.
Love your website. Recently bought your cookbook but still making recipes from here!
Thank you for your feedback, Ross!
Breath-taking one!! Keep up the Good work
Thank you, Floranet!
This has become a family favorite. “Burrito” is a bit of a misnomer. More of a Thai flavor? But LOVE the many flavors in this dish!
Thank you for your review, Melanie! It’s the best name I could think of to describe it. :)
Oh my gosh! My son who is very picky LOVED this recipe! I can’t believe how delicious this mango bowl actually is. I will be making it again very soon! Thank you, Susie
I’m happy you loved it!
SO good!! I was so excited for this mango/peanut sauce combo and it did not disappoint. The one thing I would mention is that I doubled the recipe and ended up with loads of leftover salsa and sauce but no leftover tofu. Maybe we’re just piling too much tofu on our plates but next time I think I’ll double the tofu and not the salsa. (No such thing as too much mango salsa though). Thanks for another amazing meal!!
Thank you, Maria! I’m glad you loved the sauce combination, too.
One of our favorite recipes for the summer. After eating this dish my partner declared that Kate should be knighted!
Ha, thank you! :)
I have recently agreed to try being vegan with my son. This was the first recipe I made….and wow! Sooo good! Thank you! It is a new favorite.
Great to hear, Mary!
I don’t like mango, so I’m going to make this with peaches instead. Yay!
Let me know what you think!
I ended up making it with nectarines, and it was PHENOMENAL. Wish I could include a photo. In addition to being delicious, it was SO BEAUTIFUL!
What a great recipe! Really good instructions too. I’ll be getting inspiration for COOKIE + Kate regularly from now on!
Hooray! Thanks for your review, Tina.
I do not like tofu but made this for my vegetarian son. We both enjoyed it so much!!! The flavors were perfect together and next time I’m going to try it with pineapple.
Thank you for this recipe.
You’re welcome, Julie!
This turned out great! I cooked it for a friend that’s not vegetarian and we were both thrilled with how it came out. I cooked the tofu in my airfryer instead for about 15 minutes at 375.
Thank you for sharing, Melissa!
This was absolutely delicious … only change I will make for next time is making a little extra sauce as it was so nice
More sauce is a great choice! Thank you for your review, Kat.