Thai Inspired Tofu Noodle Bowls

Thai inspired Tofu Noodle Bowls come together super quickly, so they’re the perfect dinner for busy weeknights! This is a dish that travels well, so it makes a great packed lunch for the office, too.  These Asian style bowls are made with rice noodles, baked tofu, and lots of veggies — including bok choy, carrots, and peppers — and then topped with peanuts and cilantro. Whether you like your food spicy or not, you can easily customize this stir-fry to your tastes.  It's an easy recipe that's vegan and gluten-free.

Thai Tofu Noodle Bowls

May has been super busy for me, so I’ve been making lots of fast and easy meals like burrito bowls and stir-fries. I have my freezer stocked full of cooked whole grains, sauces, and dressings to make cooking easier, and I’ve been buying pre-chopped vegetables to cut down on meal prep time.

One quick and easy meal that I’ve enjoyed a few times this month is a Thai-style noodle bowl. I love Thai rice noodles because they’re ready in a matter of minutes. And I love bowls like this because they’re super flexible and can be made with just about any kind of veggies that I have on hand.

What You Need

• Rice noodles
• Peanut oil
• Ginger
• Garlic
• Red onion
• Red bell pepper
• Carrots
• Vegetable stock
• Garlic chili sauce (sambal oelek)
• Lime juice
• Ground turmeric
• Black pepper
• Baked tofu
• Baby bok choy
• Cilantro
• Peanuts
• Thai chili peppers, optional

See the recipe card for exact amounts. 

How to Make Thai Tofu Noodle Bowls

This recipe is super easy to make!

• First you cook the noodles according the package instructions. Most rice noodles just need to soak in boiling water for a few minutes.
• Then you cook the ginger, garlic, and onion in the peanut oil for about 5 minutes.
• Next you add the bell pepper and carrots to the pan and cook them for about 5 more minutes.
• You then make the sauce by mixing together the stock, garlic chili sauce, lime juice, turmeric, and black pepper in a small bowl.
• You add the sauce the pan and allow it come to a boil. Once it is boiling, you turn the heat down to a simmer.
• Finally, you add the baby bok choy, tofu, and noodles to the pan and cook for about 5 more minutes.
• You can serve your noodle bowls topped with chopped cilantro, peanuts, and sliced chili peppers.

How to Customize Your Noodle Bowl

I like to make these Thai Tofu Noodle Bowls with onion, red bell pepper, carrots, bok choy, and my favorite Baked Tofu.

• This recipe is versatile, so you can swap the vegetables, if you don’t like any of the ingredients I’ve included. It will taste just as good with spinach instead of bok choy and snowpeas instead of bell peppers. Don’t skimp on the garlic and ginger though, as they’re crucial to the dish’s flavor!
• If you don’t want to make your own baked tofu, you can use your favorite store-bought baked tofu. I like Nasoya's TofuBake, Wildwood's Baked Tofu, and Trader Joe's Baked Tofu. 
• If you’re sensitive to heat, reduce the amount of garlic chili sauce and skip the Thai chilis. If you like spicy food, pile it on!

Serving Your Noodle Bowl

Serve your bowl as is, straight from the pan.

I like to serve my noodles with store-bought dumplings or spring rolls. Sometimes I'll add a little side salad, too.

This dish travels well, so it makes a great packed lunch for the office.

Thai Tofu Noodle Bowls

Dianne

These Thai Tofu Noodle Bowls come together super quickly, so they’re the perfect meal for busy weeknights!

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine Thai

Servings 4 servings

Calories 258 kcal

Ingredients

  

• 6 ounces Thai rice noodles
• 1 teaspoon peanut oil
• 1 tablespoon ginger minced
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• ½ red onion diced (about half a cup)
• 1 red bell pepper chopped
• 2 carrots julienned
• 2 cups vegetable stock
• 2 teaspoons garlic chili sauce (sambal oelek)
• 1 tablespoon lime juice
• 2 teaspoons ground turmeric
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• 1 recipe Baked Tofu or 2 (8-ounce) packages premade baked tofu
• 3-4 heads baby bok choy chopped (about 4 cups)
• ¼ cup cilantro chopped
• ¼ cup chopped peanuts
• Thai chili peppers thinly sliced, for garnish, optional

Instructions

 

• Cook the noodles according to the package and set aside until ready to use.
• Add the oil to a large pan over medium-high heat. Add the ginger, garlic, and onion to the pan. Cook until they become fragrant and begin to brown, about 5 minutes.
• Add the bell pepper and carrots to the pan and cook for about five more minutes, or until tender.
• Whisk together the together the stock, garlic chili sauce, lime juice, turmeric, and black pepper in a small bowl. Add the mixture to the pan. Bring to a boil, and then lower the heat to a simmer.
• Add the Baked Tofu, baby bok choy, and cooked noodles to the pan. Cook for about 5 more minutes, until the bok choy wilts and everything is heated throughout.
• Divide the mixture among four bowls. Garnish each with chopped cilantro, peanuts, and chili peppers, if using. Serve hot.

Other noodle recipes you might enjoy include:

• Tofu and Shiratake Noodle Stir-Fry
• Sesame Noodles
• Tahini Noodles
• Peanutty Pad Thai Noodles
• Coconut Curry Noodles  from One-Dish Vegan by Robin Robertson

Other Thai Inspired recipes you might enjoy include:

• Thai-Style Cauliflower Steak 
• Sweet Potato Curry from The Meatless Monday Family Cookbook by Jenn Sebestyen
• Peanutty Quinoa Salad
• Red Curry Green Beans
• Coconut Curry Soup