Hello dear reader! Here we have a great summer meal that can work for the whole family: Thai-Inspired noodles bowls.
We’re going to make a great big dish of fresh veggies, pan-fried tofu, rice noodles and a quick and easy peanut (or tahini, or almond butter) sauce. Each person can serve themselves according to their needs and preferences. For example, I usually go heavy on the veg, moderate on the tofu, and a little lighter on the noodles. My son goes lighter on the veg and heavy on the tofu. My husband goes heavy on everything and makes it nearly impossible to have leftovers. You can serve fresh herbs, peanuts, lime wedges and hot sauce on the side so that everyone gets to make it taste how they like it.
Now I’m going to say it up front: This meal requires a bit of work.
You’ll need to spend some time at the cutting board. In order to get the most out of that time, I like to double up on the veggies, preparing twice as much of each item as I need for the current meal. I store those extra veggies in a large tupperware (see photo) and then use them later in the week for salads, wraps, or a stir fry. It’s like working a miniature meal-prep session into the time already spent making dinner. You’re welcome, Future Self.
As always, feel free to make substitutions based on you’ve got in the fridge. If you’re in a pinch for time, you could use pre-chopped veggies from the store. A bag of broccoli slaw could stand in for all of the veggies and make a quick, nutritious, no-fuss meal. Have fun!
For reference, here’s what my prep looked like:
All of the tofu, broccoli, and sauce went into the noodles, as well as half of the peppers, cabbage and carrots. We used the other half for salads later in the week. We also had one serving of noodles leftover, which I had for lunch the next day.
Pro tip: If you want to have some for lunch the next day, box it up before everyone digs in! That way your’e guaranteed to have that extra meal.
Noodle tip: Check out this blog post on how to cook different types of rice noodles. I happened to have Pad Thai noodles that you boil for 3 minutes, rinse and serve. If you have noodles that ask to be soaked and then stir fried. Do that! You can add them to the pan as your broccoli finishes cooking for the “stir fry” portion of the cooking. Just make sure to taste test a few noodles while you’re cooking to make sure you don’t over or under do it.
Thai-Inspired Noodle Bowl
Double up on veggie prep if you’ve got time! Store the extra veggies for use in other dishes throughout the week. servings = 4 or more Total time = 30 – 45 minutes
INGREDEINTS
- 1 block firm or extra firm tofu
- 1/2 of one small head of cabbage
- 2 carrots
- 1 bell pepper, any colour
- 1 package Pad Thai rice noodles
- 1 to 2 heads of broccoli, chopped (about 4 cups)
- 1/2 cup natural peanut butter (sub tahini or almond butter)
- 1/2 cup water (more or less as needed)
- 3 tbsp Apple cider vinegar or rice vinegar
- 1⁄4 cup soy sauce or tamari
- 2 cloves garlic – minced
- 4 limes
- To serve: lime wedges, crushed peanuts, sriracha, fresh cilantro
METHOD
- First we’ll make the tofu. Heat a large, non-stick pan over medium heat. If you don’t have one, use a tablespoon of oil in a large skillet to help prevent sticking. Remove the tofu from the package, rinse, and cut into cubes. Place them in the hot pan in a single layer. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook and flip regularly until golden brown, about 10 minutes.
- In the mean time, let’s prep the veggies! First up: Wash everything. Cut the carrots into ribbons using a vegetable peeler, or just chop into match sticks. Finely shred the cabbage (a mandolin is great for this if you have one). Slice the bell pepper into thin strips. Chop the broccoli into florets. Peel the broccoli stalks and chop the soft core into matchsticks. Peel and mince the garlic.
- Now we’ll make the noodles. Prepare according to package directions. Once they’re done, you’ll mix them with the peanut sauce while they’re still hot.
- Next up, peanut sauce. Whisk together the peanut butter, water, tamari, vinegar and minced garlic. Too thick? Add a bit more water. Too thin? Add a bit more peanut butter. Whisk until very well incorporated.
- After about 10-15 minutes of the tofu-cooking, remove it from the pan and set aside. Turn the heat to high. Don’t clean the pan, toss in the broccoli and a splash of water (about 1/4 cup of water). Cook until the broccoli is bright green and most of the water has evaporated, using a wooden spoon to scrape up any bits of tofu that are stuck to the pan. This should take about 3 minutes. Now turn off the heat and add the carrots, cabbage and bell peppers. Stir to cook very lightly.
- Assembly time. I like to do this in my largest serving bowl or a giant mixing bowl. Combine 1/2 of the sauce with the noodles while they’re still hot. Now add the veggies, tofu, and the rest of the sauce. Use tongs to stir and incorporate the veggies into the noodles. Squeeze the juice of 1 or 2 limes over the dish.
- Serve with additional lime wedges, chopped peanuts, fresh cilantro and sriracha if desired. Enjoy!
Happy summer dining everyone! Looking for other summer meals? Try this delicious Summer Fattoush.