Maple Miso Whipped Sweet Potatoes with Cornmeal Crusted Tofu
Maple miso whipped sweet potatoes topped with marinated kale and crispy cornmeal crusted tofu. A cozy bowl packed with protein and umami flavor.
Fall is for the coziest bowls. And while I love a good cozy bowl of soup this time of year, I often will feel my most satisfied when I am served something that has more of a chew to it. So let’s make a power bowl with a combo of these elements instead. Best part, it’s balanced and tasty enough to serve as a holiday main as well.
Why You’ll Love This Maple Miso Whipped Sweet Potato Bowl
- High in plant protein. When made with super firm tofu, this sweet potato bowl packs in 27 grams of protein per serving.
- A great way to get in your veggies. This bowl provides a mix of both green cruciferous veggies from the kale and beta carotene from the sweet potatoes. Both provide a ton of antioxidants that help to reduce chronic disease.
- Easy to make. This plate might look fancy, but it comes together relatively easily as all the cooking is done in the oven. Blend up the sweet potatoes afterward and then assemble.
Key Ingredients and Substitutions
- Sweet Potatoes: Aim to choose sweet potatoes that are about the same size to help make roasting the potatoes easier.
- Miso Paste: I recommend using a white or yellow miso paste if possible. If you only have access to red miso paste, I would recommend using half the amount suggested in the recipe so it doesn’t overpower the dish.
- Maple Syrup: A liquid sweetener will blend a lot easier into the sweet potatoes. Feel free to swap maple syrup with agave syrup for similar results.
- Garlic Bulb: I used a small bulb of garlic. Feel free to adjust how much garlic you add in based on your taste preference.
- Tofu: I like either using super firm tofu or extra firm tofu. If using extra firm tofu, press the block for at least 20-30 minutes before starting to help remove excess liquid.
- Kale: I used Lacinato kale, but curly kale works as well. If you want an alternative, try this with shredded cabbage or some Swiss chard.
- Scallions: You can use different onions like red onion or white onion for this too.
- Lemon: Fresh will provide the best flavor. Lime can work here too.
- Vegetable Broth: I love making my broth using Better Than Bouillon, but feel free to use your favorite vegetable broth brand.
- Tamari: To keep this gluten-free, I used a wheat free tamari. Feel free to use regular soy sauce or coconut aminos if desired.
- Cornmeal: I recommend stone ground cornmeal. This will help to add a nice crust to the tofu as it bakes.
- Cornstarch: In addition to the cornmeal, cornstarch will help crisp up our tofu as it roasts in the oven.
How to Make Maple Miso Whipped Sweet Potatoes
Preheat oven to 425F. Cut the sweet potatoes lengthwise and place face up on a baking tray with the bulb of garlic. Drizzle the sweet potatoes and garlic with a little oil then flip the potatoes and garlic cut side down on the tray. Bake in the oven for 30-40 minutes until the potatoes are caramelized on the bottom and soft.
Tear the block of tofu into 1-inch chunks and placing it in a large container with the lemon juice and tamari. Seal and toss the tofu and allow to sit for 5 minutes. Add the oil, cornstarch, cornmeal and seasonings then seal the container and carefully shake again to evenly coat.
Spread the tofu out on a parchment lined baking tray with space between the pieces. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes, flipping after 20 minutes of baking.
While everything bakes, prepare the kale. Add the kale, spring onions, lemon, oil, maple syrup, mustard, and a generous pinch of salt. Use your hands to massage the ingredients into the kale to soften it. Cover and place in the fridge until ready to serve.
When the sweet potato is safe to handle, scrape out the filling and squeeze out the garlic into a food processor with the miso paste, maple syrup, 1/4 cup vegetable broth, and a pinch of salt. Process on high, scrapping down the sides of the blending cup as needed until smooth. Add more vegetable broth as needed to thin it out to your desired consistency.
To assemble, spread some of the sweet potato mash on your serving plate then top with some kale and a serving of the tofu nuggets. Garnish as desired and enjoy.
Expert Tips
- Adjust the consistency of the potato puree to your liking. If the puree is too stiff and thick, add a small splash of vegetable broth to the food processor as it is running until it is at your desired consistency.
- Place the sweet potatoes cut side down on the baking tray. The direct contact to the pan will help the sweet potatoes caramelize and soften easier.
- The time needed to soften your potatoes will depend on the thickness of your sweet potato. If all you can find are large sweet potatoes, you likely will need more time to roast. Once the recommended time elapses, check the doneness of the potatoes and if needed, continue roasting in 10 minute intervals until soft.
- To add more richness to the sweet potatoes, add 2 tablespoons of cream cheese when blending.
Frequently Asked Questions
The two sources of soy in this recipe are the tofu and miso paste. If you are looking to replace these items, I would recommend enjoying the whipped sweet potato with some crispy quinoa and crispy roasted chickpeas or lentils. You can substitute the miso for some chickpea miso paste or a teaspoon of Better Than Bouillon vegetable base.
I find that this recipe is best when made fresh. If you still wish to meal prep, here are some suggestions. The sweet potato whip can be made and stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. To reheat, place the container in the microwave for 1 minute to 1 minute 30 seconds to warm through before serving. The kale can be stored in an airtight container for up to 4 days in the fridge. If making the tofu, store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. To reheat the tofu, place the tofu in an air fryer or a toaster oven for 5-8 minutes until warmed through and slightly crispy around the edges.
Instead of making the whole meal at once, plan to prepare some elements of this at the start of the week to help make this recipe faster. Prep the tofu by draining and pressing out most of the liquid before tearing it into chunks and storing it in the fridge. You can also make the kale salad ahead of time and roast the sweet potatoes in advance then store in separate containers until ready to use as needed for the recipe. This helps cut prep and cook time down significantly.
How to Serve
Spread some of the sweet potato mash over your plate. Top with some of the marinated kale then the tofu nuggets. If you don’t like your food touching, you can also serve these elements separately. If you love spice, I also recommend a small drizzle of chili oil on top too.
As mentioned in the FAQ, feel free to swap the tofu for a different protein you love. You can try this topped with roasted chickpeas, lentils or quinoa instead.
More Comforting Fall Recipes
- Roasted Butternut Squash Gnocchi Soup
- Maple Balsamic Tofu Sandwich
- Crispy Shaved Brussels Sprout Salad with Cilantro Lime Dressing
- Instant Pot Habichuelas Guisadas
- Vegan Caramelized Onion Pasta
If you tried this recipe or any other recipe on the blog, then let me know what you thought in the comments below! And if you loved it, don’t forget to rate it too. Feel free to follow on Instagram, Pinterest, and TikTok for the latest nutrition tips and recipe videos.
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Maple Miso Whipped Sweet Potatoes with Cornmeal Crusted Tofu
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 3 servings 1x
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Roasting
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegan
Description
Maple miso whipped sweet potatoes topped with marinated kale and crispy cornmeal crusted tofu. A cozy bowl packed with protein and umami flavor.
Ingredients
Whipped Sweet Potato
- 2 lb sweet potatoes, scrubbed well and pierced with a fork (about 3 medium potatoes)
- 1 small bulb of garlic, 1/4-in of top sliced off to expose the cloves
- Avocado oil or roasting
- 1 tbsp yellow miso paste
- 2 tsp maple syrup
- 1/4–1/2 cup vegetable broth
Tofu Cornmeal Nuggets
- 1 lb block extra firm tofu, drained and pressed
- Juice of half a large lemon
- 1 1/2 tbsp tamari
- 1 1/2 tbsp avocado oil
- 2 tbsp corn meal
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp fresh thyme
Marinated Kale
- 12 leaves of kale, stems removed and thinly sliced
- 3 stalks spring onions, stems removed and thinly sliced
- Juice of half a large lemon
- 2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp maple syrup
- 1 tsp dijon mustard
- Kosher salt to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425F. Cut the sweet potatoes lengthwise and place face up on a baking tray with the bulb of garlic. Drizzle the sweet potatoes and garlic with a little oil then flip the potatoes and garlic cut side down on the tray. Bake in the oven for 30-40 minutes until the potatoes are caramelized on the bottom and soft.
- Tear the block of tofu into 1-inch chunks and placing it in a large container with the lemon juice and tamari. Seal and toss the tofu and allow to sit for 5 minutes. Add the oil, cornstarch, cornmeal and seasonings then seal the container and carefully shake again to evenly coat.
- Spread the tofu out on a parchment lined baking tray with space between the pieces. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes, flipping after 20 minutes of baking.
- While everything bakes, prepare the kale. Add the kale, spring onions, lemon, oil, maple syrup, mustard, and a generous pinch of salt. Use your hands to massage the ingredients into the kale to soften it. Cover and place in the fridge until ready to serve.
- When the sweet potato is safe to handle, scrape out the filling and squeeze out the garlic into a food processor with the miso paste, maple syrup, 1/4 cup vegetable broth, and a pinch of salt. Process on high, scrapping down the sides of the blending cup as needed until smooth. Add more vegetable broth as needed to thin it out to your desired consistency.
- To assemble, spread some of the sweet potato mash on your serving plate then top with some kale and a serving of the tofu nuggets. Garnish as desired and enjoy.
Notes
Adjust the consistency of the potato puree to your liking. If the puree is too stiff and thick, add a small splash of vegetable broth to the food processor as it is running until it is at your desired consistency.
Place the sweet potatoes cut side down on the baking tray. The direct contact to the pan will help the sweet potatoes caramelize and soften easier.
The time needed to soften your potatoes will depend on the thickness of your sweet potato. If all you can find are large sweet potatoes, you likely will need more time to roast. Once the recommended time elapses, check the doneness of the potatoes and if needed, continue roasting in 10 minute intervals until soft.
To add more richness to the sweet potatoes, add 2 tablespoons of cream cheese when blending.
★ Catherine
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Delicious! Everything was really good by individually, but add them together with the different textures and it was soo yummy. I’m going to use the cornmeal/cornstarch method for tofu in other dishes because it was excellent. I air fried my tofu for 14 minutes at 400 instead of baking.
Really enjoyed this satisfying and healthy meal! I like how each element was elevated just enough to make it special, like adding roasted garlic to the potatoes, marinating the tofu before baking, and massaging the kale with a tasty dressing. All of this adds a lot of flavor to the dish without significantly increasing the prep time making it a great weeknight meal.
You have no idea how grateful I am to hear that. It is always the goal to make these meals tasty, but equally practical. Thank you so much Kaitlyn!
This was incredibly delicious! Loved it.
Thank you so so much for taking the time to make this Courtney. So great to hear. 🙂
This was SO good! I made some substitutions based on what I had: butternut squash for sweet potatoes, almond meal for corn meal, & red onion for green onion. I also added a handful of chopped cilantro to the salad. It was delish!
I also really appreciate your meal prep tips! I marinated the tofu in the tamari & lemon juice ahead of time in the fridge until ready to toss in seasonings & bake. I also made the squash whip & greens ahead, & the flavors were amazing!
Definitely recommend this recipe. Thank you for creating it so thoughtfully!
Love so much how you made this work with what you had. Thank you so so much for making it and so glad the tips were helpful too. Makes me so happy. 🙂