Southern BBQ Tofu Bowl with Vegan Grits & Collard Greens

With a ton of southern-inspired taste, this BBQ tofu bowl with vegan grits and collard greens will make you feel warm and content. Hearty BBQ tofu, sweet potato hash browns, cheese vegan grits, and greens make up this vegan, gluten-free variation of a comfort food with Southern influences.

THIS RECIPE

Southern BBQ Tofu Bowl with Vegan Grits & Collard Greens

This BBQ tofu bowl has been in my dreams for months! And now it has become a reality!

You guys have asked for more southern and Cajun-inspired meals since I shared my vegan red beans & rice recipe and vegan jambalaya recipe, so it’s my duty to oblige. I know why you want them; southern cuisine is simply so delectable, hearty, and comforting. For many people, it can bring up wonderful memories of eating meals together as a family.
What’s this? We can enjoy both cake and ice cream. We can enjoy all the flavor and flair of southern-inspired cuisine while still enjoying a plant-powered meal. Is there anything greater than that, in your opinion? I swear that the flavor of this barbecued tofu bowl is authentically southern.

What’s In This Southern BBQ Tofu Bowl

It was actually quite simple to decide what to use in this vegan barbecue tofu dish. When you think about it, the majority of side dishes are already vegan! Just substitute oil or non dairy alternatives for the butter or cream. BBQ tofu, of course, to take the place of the meat!

Here are all the ingredients of this Southern BBQ Tofu Comfort Bowl:

• BBQ TOFU. . Cubed and covered with homemade barbecue sauce or your preferred jarred sauce.
• GRITS. Grits are a necessity for any bowl with a southern flavor! (And no, it can’t be referred to as polenta.) The grits in question are cheesy vegan grits, not just regular grits. They taste cheesy thanks to nutritional yeast.
• GREENS, COLLARD. Actually, the fresh collards I bought at the farmer’s market were what motivated me to prepare this barbecue tofu bowl. They are so robust!
• GRATEFUL POTATOES. the yam. In this barbecue tofu bowl, we’re using Dr. Praeger’s Sweet Potato Hash Browns, which are mildly sweetened with brown sugar for a salty/sweet combination that is to die for, in place of brown-sugar mashed sweet potatoes. Cooking just needs to be done for 10 minutes!Cubed and coated in homemade BBQ sauce or your favorite store-bought sauce.
• PICKLED ONIONS.Optional, but adds a nice look and flavor. With some leftover red onion, I prepared my own; pickling is excellent for preserving produce.
  

Tips for Making This BBQ Tofu Bowl

• Even though you may easily prepare all or some of the ingredients ahead of time, this barbecue tofu dish only takes a little over an hour to make in total.
• You should start with the barbecued tofu because it takes the longest to prepare. In the section after this, I’ll show you step-by-step how to accomplish it. Make sure to drain and press the tofu before even considering placing it in the oven. Tofu can be pressed to remove moisture and crisp up in the oven. It’s worth taking the extra step, I swear!
• As soon as the tofu is in the oven, you can focus on the sides for the barbecue tofu bowl, such as the grits (so simple, literally takes 5 minutes), and greens. If you have leftover sautéed greens or other vegetables in your fridge, use those instead of the collards to save even more time! Here, I’m all about simplifying things.
• Use only one sheet tray, cooking the tofu and hashbrowns alternately, and you’ll save time on dishes. There is no need for separate trays. You should take the tofu out of the oven and set it aside when it has finished baking.

How to Make BBQ Tofu

Although the BBQ tofu takes the longest to prepare—as I have mentioned—I assure you that it’s easy and mostly hands-off.

After pressing and draining your tofu, cut it into cubes of an even size, and arrange them in a single layer on a baking pan. It will need to bake in a 400°F oven for 20 to 25 minutes, or until it seems golden and crispy.
Here’s where the flavor really starts to show! You can use store-bought barbecue sauce or create your own (see my recipe for Healthy Barbecue Sauce). Once the tofu has reached the desired level of crispiness, simply add it to a sizable mixing bowl along with your preferred barbecue sauce and swirl to combine. As you finish the additional ingredients, set it aside and let the tofu soak up all the flavor.

How to Make Vegan Grits and Collard Greens

• Without grits and greens, I knew this barbecue tofu dish with a Southern flair wouldn’t be complete. To go with our tangy, smokey bbq tofu, we’re cooking the greatest creamy vegan grits and collard greens.
• With the juicy tofu in this barbecue tofu bowl, these vegan grits are unquestionably the greatest. Start by heating 3 cups of water to a rolling boil on the stove before making the vegan grits. Add your grits and simmer the mixture until the water has boiled. Allow them to cook for 5 minutes while stirring frequently to prevent clumping. Remove them from the fire once the water has been absorbed, then season with salt, pepper, and nutritional yeast. It’s that easy!
• By the way, they are DELICIOUS with some vegan butter and vegan shredded cheese on top.
• The simplest part is making the vegan collard greens. Simply heat up some oil or vegan butter in a skillet, then add the collard greens. To get them nice and soft, sauté them for approximately 5-7 minutes. After that, add your chopped garlic and cook for an additional minute or so.
• After that, season them with salt, pepper, paprika, and liquid smoke to taste. In this barbecue tofu dish, the liquid smoke pairs perfectly with the other tastes, so I really suggest adding it!

You’ll feel warm, snug, and satiated after eating this BBQ Tofu Bowl with Vegan Grits & Collard Greens. It is full of southern-inspired taste. The ideal vegan comfort food when you need a bowl-sized hug!

NOTES

*Press the tofu using a tofu press, or wrap it in paper towels and set it in the sink with a weight on top.