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    Home » Recipes » Rice

    Vegetarian Bento Box

    Feb 24, 2019 · 3 Comments

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    this vegetarian bento box has all sorts of goodies: marinated tofu, sesame hazelnut furikake on rice and plenty of vegetables (pickled, marinated, sauteed and roasted!), with chocolate for dessert! 

    past me is writing this earlier than i usually would because i'm busy eating ice cream and picking up a sanded trashcan in la this weekend. meaning i will definitely be needing a vegetarian bento box (or at the very least, more vegetables period) in my system.

    this bento box was inspired by the autumn bento that laughing planet was featuring a few years ago, full of ginger-soy tofu, kale, pickled beets / daikon / pears / carrots, curry roasted squash, jasmine rice, orange-sesame miso sauce and sesame hazelnut gomasio. it's a mouthful, so i tried to pare down the number of veggies + the amount of time it'd take to put together such a beast. in the end, here's what's up in this version:

    • marinated tofu
    • garlicky cucumbers
    • quick-pickled daikon (when in doubt i add pickled vegetables to all my lunches apparently)
    • roasted butternut squash with thai curry paste
    • lemongrass sauteed kale
    • sesame hazelnut furikake on steamed rice
    • chocolate optional (but is it really?)

    still too much for you? feel free to buy marinated tofu (think trader joe's or ranch 99), pickled daikon and furikake (try mitsuwa), and your bento box will come together quicker.

    This bento box with all the different kinds of veggies is downright Lemonade or sweetgreen (some of my favorite salad chains) worthy. #bentobox #lunchideas #vegetarian

    5 from 3 votes
    This bento box has rice, roasted squash, marinated tofu, garlicky cucumbers, pickled radish and sauteed kale, but you can definitely omit parts as you please! #bentobox #lunchideas #vegetarian
    Print
    Vegetarian Bento Box
    Prep Time
    1 hr
    Cook Time
    20 mins
    Total Time
    1 hr 20 mins
     
    This vegetarian bento box is a colorful lunch idea with plenty of veggies, and it's perfect for meal-prepping!
    Course: Lunch, Main Course
    Cuisine: Asian
    Keyword: butternut squash, cucumbers, daikon, dairy-free, egg-free, furikake, garlic, ginger, green onions, hazelnuts, kale, pickles, quick pickles, radish, rice, scallions, seaweed, sesame seeds, squash, tofu, vegetables, vegetarian
    Servings: 2 people
    Calories: 725 kcal
    Ingredients
    Marinated Tofu
    • 1" knob ginger peeled and minced
    • 2 cloves garlic minced
    • ¼ cup soy sauce
    • 1 T sesame oil
    • 8 oz block tofu cubed
    Garlicky Cucumbers
    • 1 cucumber thinly sliced
    • 1 T chili garlic sauce
    Pickled Daikon
    • ½ medium daikon peeled and thinly sliced
    • 1 T white vinegar
    • 1 T granulated sugar
    • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
    Curried Butternut Squash
    • ½ butternut squash peeled and cubed
    • 1 T Thai curry paste
    • 1 T canola oil
    Sauteed Kale
    • leaves from 1 bunch kale
    • 2 cloves garlic minced
    • 1" knob ginger peeled and minced
    • 1 T minced lemongrass
    Sesame Hazelnut Furikake and Assembly
    • ½ T sesame seeds
    • 2 T shredded nori
    • 2 T toasted hazelnuts chopped
    • ¼ teaspoon coarse sea salt
    • ½ teaspoon sesame oil
    • 1 cup cooked rice
    Instructions
    Marinated Tofu
    1. In a shallow container, combine everything. Mix the tofu occasionally while it marinates in the fridge (preferably overnight, though 30+ minutes works too).
    Garlicky Cucumbers
    1. Mix everything in a medium bowl.
    Pickled Daikon
    1. Mix everything in a medium covered container (I like using an old jam or pickle jar). Let marinate for 15-20 minutes, or preferably overnight. These are good for a month in the fridge.
    Curried Butternut Squash
    1. Whisk the curry paste and oil until homogeneous (there should be no chunks of curry paste). Toss with the squash, then spread on an oiled sheet tray.
    2. Roast at 450F for 15-20 minutes, or until fork-tender.
    Sauteed Kale
    1. Heat a bit of oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
    2. Add everything with a pinch of salt, then saute until the kale is wilted.
    Sesame Hazelnut Furikake
    1. Mix the sesame seeds, nori, nuts and salt in a small bowl to combine.
    Assembly
    1. Using a bento box (or whatever shallow and flat resealable container you want), divvy up the tofu, cucumbers, pickled daikon, squash, kale and rice. Drizzle the sesame oil over the rice and sprinkle with the furikake.
    Recipe Notes

    Don’t feel like cold tofu? Feel free to pan-fry it to get it crispy on all sides, then toss it in the sauce before packing it.

    You can add turmeric to your daikon if you want- it adds a nice yellow color (and turmeric is supposedly super good for you). I’d suggest starting small (ie ¼ teaspoon or ½ tsp) if you’re feeling wary.

    Note that calorie information does not include chocolate.

    This bento box (with 4 different kinds of vegetables, tofu, rice and chocolate) is perfect for the person who likes to nibble around their plate at lunch. #bentobox #lunchideas #vegetarian

    More Rice Recipes

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Laura says

      February 25, 2019 at 11:57 am

      This looks so yummy and so healthy. I love the addition of the non-traditional chocolate! Have fun in LA!!5 stars

      Reply
    2. Maria | kitchenathoskins says

      February 25, 2019 at 1:06 pm

      You know I'm all about meal prepping, so this is right up my alley. And, I love how beautiful it looks, so pretty!5 stars

      Reply
    3. Kelly | Foodtasia says

      March 13, 2019 at 6:54 am

      Heather, this bento box looks just amazing! So many different flavors - what a treat!5 stars

      Reply

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