Shrimp with tofu bowl recipe

5 from 2 votes

Tender shrimp and silky tofu simmered in one pot with a light savory sauce and soft egg finish. An easy 20-minute rice bowl for weeknights.

Prep Time15

Cook Time7

Total Time22

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Taiwanese

Keyword: Shrimp with tofu bowl, Tofu and shrimp bowl

Servings: servings

0.32 oz garlic cloves grated (2 medium)
1 tbsp light soy sauce
2 tbsp oyster sauce
1.5 tbsp Shaoxing wine sake, or dry sherry, divided (½ tbsp to marinate the shrimp)
2 tbsp chicken stock

Shrimp: Pat the shrimp dry. Use a small paring knife to make a shallow slit along the back to butterfly them. Set aside.
Tofu: Open the tofu package and drain off the liquid. No need to press the tofu.
Green onions: Dice the green onions into small rounds and separate the white and green parts.
Eggs: In a small bowl, gently whisk the eggs with the starch until just combined. Whisk lightly — don’t overmix. Gentle whisking keeps the eggs tender and silky instead of airy or foamy.
Sauce: In a separate cup, mix together the sauce ingredients.

Add oil and salt: In a 2-liter nonstick saucepan (or clay pot or small stockpot), add the oil over medium heat and sprinkle in ⅛ tsp coarse salt. The salt helps reduce sticking when the tofu goes in.
Add tofu: Carefully transfer the whole block of tofu into the pot. Using a firm spatula, divide the tofu into roughly 1-inch (2.5 cm) thick by 1¼-inch (3 cm) wide pieces (you should have about 15 pieces).
Add shrimp, scallions, and sauce: Arrange the shrimp around the tofu in a single layer, a slight overlap is okay. Sprinkle in the white scallion parts and pour in the sauce.
Cover and simmer over medium heat for 3 minutes. You should hear a gentle bubbling sound. If the liquid is boiling rapidly and steaming aggressively, reduce the heat to medium-low.

Use a spatula to gently nudge the tofu to make sure it isn’t sticking to the bottom. Check whether the shrimp have turned pink and cooked evenly. If not, flip them, cover, and simmer for 1 more minute.

Add egg mixture: Give the eggs another quick whisk to redistribute the starch that may have settled at the bottom. Pour the eggs evenly over the tofu and shrimp.
Cover and simmer until the eggs are just set but still tender, about 2–3 minutes.
Garnish: Turn off the heat. Drizzle with toasted sesame oil and sprinkle with black sesame seeds and the green scallion parts. Serve hot over steamed rice.

Tofu choice: Use soft tofu. Silken tofu releases too much water and makes the dish soupy.
Pot size: Use a pot just large enough to fit the tofu block with some height on the sides. A pot that’s too wide will cause the sauce to spread thin and the egg layer to cook too flat.
Heat level: Keep the heat at medium or medium-low. Gentle heat keeps the shrimp juicy and the eggs tender.
Consistency: Soft tofu naturally releases some liquid as it cooks, so the dish will be a little saucy. That’s expected. The texture should feel soft and spoonable rather than firm or dry.
Vegetarian option: Skip the shrimp and add sliced mushrooms instead. You may want to add 1–2 teaspoons of mushroom bouillon powder to deepen the flavor.
Protein swaps (Use proteins that cook quickly or are already cooked):
- diced cooked sausage
- diced cooked chicken thighs
- small cooked meatballs
- defrosted scallops (patted dry)
Storage and reheating: Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days. The tofu will continue to release some liquid, so the dish may look a little more saucy the next day. Reheat gently on the stovetop or microwave on medium until warmed through.