Cold peanut noodles for hungry bellies & hot summer days!
The Veggies:
Red and green cabbage, crisp cucumbers, bell peppers and juicy tomatoes all bring their unique flavors and textures to the dish. However this is a recipe to build on, it really changes from day to day depending on what vegetables are having a moment.
I love adding sliced radishes into the mix and a handful of broccoli slaw if I have it in the fridge that day. Jicama would make a lovely crisp addition too, so get creative and experiment with some of your favorites.
The Peanut Sauce:
I love the marriage of flavors between creamy peanut butter, freshly squeezed lime, salty tamari, grated fresh garlic and a little heat from chili flakes, all perfectly balanced with a little sweetness from maple syrup. Taste as you go and adjust everything to your likeness
The Noodles:
The Tofu:
Air fried tofu with just a pinch of sea salt and coated in tapioca will yield the perfect little bites to add to this salad. Reminiscent of a light tempura batter but oil free and good for you.
The Herbs:
Can I Make Peanut Noodles Without Soy Sauce ?
Absolutely, you can use coco aminos instead, just remember to adjust seasonings with a pinch of sea salt to your taste.
Make it Spicy:
How to Make Peanut Noodles with Ramen & Tofu:
- You can prepare everything in advance and store in separate containers in the refrigerator, yes including the noodles and the sauce.
- When ready to serve just mix in a large bowl and drizzle with the peanut sauce over the top. Toss until everything is lusciously coated and enjoy sprinkled with sesame seeds. Follow the recipe instructions below for the step by step tutorial.
I’m not sure if these are Thai or Chinese noodle bowls, all I know is that they are some kind of delicious fusion you need to have in your life on a regular basis. What a fun way to get lots of fresh veggies in the belly. Let’s do this kids!
Vegan Peanut Noodles
An easy vegan peanut noodles recipe with vegetables, ramen, air fried tofu and sesame seeds. Loaded with flavor from lime, cilantro and fresh basil, crunchy texture from cucumbers and bell peppers lusciously coated in a garlicky peanut sauce.
Ingredients
Peanut Butter Sauce
- 3/4 cup peanut butter
- 6 tbsp soy sauce
- 3 tbsp maple syrup
- 2-3 large limes juiced
- 5 cloves garlic grated
- 1 tsp red chili flakes or to taste
Veggies & Herbs
- 4 scallions thinly sliced
- 1/2 bunch cilantro chopped
- 1/3 cup basil leaves
- 1 cup red cabbage shredded
- 1.5 cups green cabbage shredded
- 1/2 English cucumber cut into 2 inch sticks (or 3 Persian cucumbers)
- 8 oz cherry tomatoes sliced
- 1 bell pepper sliced (or 4 mini peppers )
- 1.5 tbsp black sesame seeds
Tofu & Noodles
- 14 oz block firm tofu organic non-gmo
- 1 tbsp tapioca
- sea salt to taste
- 8 oz brown rice ramen or soba noodles no seasonings
Instructions
Make the Peanut Sauce:
- Whisk the peanut butter, tamari, lime juice, maple syrup, chili flakes and garlic until creamy and smooth. Adjust seasonings to your taste and refrigerate until needed.
Prepare the Tofu & Noodles:
Drain the block of tofu and slice in half horizontally. Wrap both pieces in a tea towel and place on a plate with a heavy pot on top. Press for a couple of hours then cut tofu into one inch pieces or so. Pat as much of the moisture out as possible.
- Transfer the tofu cubes to a bowl and toss with a pinch of sea salt and the tapioca.
Place each cube on a parchment lined air fryer tray without touching each other preferably. Air fry at 375” for 14 minutes. No need to flip them half way, we are just looking to get them a little crisp with a tempura like coating.
- Meanwhile cook the ramen noodles according to the instructions on the package. Take good care not to overcook them. Usually as soon as they separate from one another they should be ready to come out. Drain in a colander and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process and prevent sticking.
Toss the Noodles:
- Add your sliced vegetables, herbs (reserve some for garnish), scallions and cooked ramen noodles to a large bowl together with the air fried tofu pieces. Drizzle with the peanut sauce over the top and toss well until lusciously coated all over. Serve sprinkled with the sesame seeds and garnish with some of the fresh basil and cilantro.
Recipe Notes
You can slice your cucumber into rounds or cut them into sticks, really whatever shape you fancy is fine.
Orange Tofu
Peanut Tofu
Sweet and Sour Tofu
Lily
May 31, 2019 at 11:39 pmOne of the best and easiest meals I’ve had in a long time. Thank you for sharing, can’t resist a luscious bowl of noodles and extra points for making healthy and not using oil. 10 stars from me baby ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ X 2