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    Home » Mains & Entrees

    Vegan Peanut Butter Noodles with Crispy Tofu

    Published: Jul 26, 2021 · Modified: Aug 18, 2021 by Meesha · This post may contain affiliate links

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    Peanut noodles in a cast iron pan topped with tofu cubes and chopped scallions with text on the upper half.

    This super flavorful vegan peanut butter noodles is served with perfectly crispy pan-fried tofu! Filling, hearty yet incredibly wholesome at the same time. Quick to make and is ready in 40 minutes.

    Peanut noodles in a cast iron skillet with dish of chopped skillet and pair of chopsticks beside.

    The combo of peanut butter and noodles might sound weird, but I am here to tell you that this is seriously one of the best pairing ever! This amazing vegan peanut butter noodles is creamy, rich and nutty, and will definitely leave you wanting for more!

    If peanut butter with noodles just isn't your thing, no worries as I have a few more noodle dishes that are equally incredible and tasty, like this gochujang noodles or stir-fry rice vermicelli.

    Jump to:
    • 💚Why you will love this recipe
    • 🥜What you will need
    • 📃Notes / substitutions
    • 🔪How to make
    • ✔Helpful tips
    • ✨Variations
    • 🍜How to serve
    • ❄Storage tips
    • ❔Commonly asked questions
    • 🍽More Asian vegan dinners
    • 📖 Recipe

    💚Why you will love this recipe

    • It is creamy, rich and super comforting to have - No joke, even my non-vegan family absolutely love this peanut noodles with tofu. They even asked for seconds!
    • A 40 minute recipe that makes a lovely quick meal - Hence, it is a great weeknight meal to make after a long day of work.
    • Can be made ahead and great for meal prep - This vegan peanut noodles with tofu will keep well in the fridge for 3-4 days. As for the sauce, it can be refrigerated for up to a week, and is even freezable too!

    🥜What you will need

    For noodles

    Ingredients needed for peanut noodles like dried noodles, garlic, tofu, cornstarch and vegetables on a grey background.

    For peanut sauce

    Ingredients needed for peanut sauce like sesame oil, soy sauce, peanut butter and other seasonings on a grey background.

    📃Notes / substitutions

    • Noodles - Any kind of dried noodles will work well here. I am using dried wheat noodles, but you can choose to use soba, udon, rice noodles or even regular spaghetti. For a higher protein version, use chickpea or pulse spaghetti. Use gluten-free ones if needed.
    • Tofu - Make sure to use extra-firm tofu, and do remember to press it beforehand.
    • Cornstarch - Essential for helping tofu develop a crispy outer crust. Can be substitute with other starches like potato starch or tapioca starch.
    • Peanut butter - Highly recommend using smooth natural peanut butter that is only made from peanuts and salt.
    • Oil-free - Cook tofu on a good non-stick pan without oil, and omit sesame oil in peanut sauce. Alternatively, bake tofu in an oven preheated to 200C / 400F for 20 minutes.

    🔪How to make

    Heat up a pot of water and cook noodles according to package instructions. Drain and rinse under cold water after cooking.

    In the meantime, make peanut sauce by combining everything needed.

    Combine together salt and cornstarch. In a zip top bag, place in tofu along with the cornstarch mixture. Toss until tofu is well coated.

    Heat up a tablespoon or so of neutral tasting oil in a medium cast-iron / non-stick skillet on medium high heat. Place tofu in a layer and cook for 3-4 minutes on each side, until most sides are golden brown. Set aside.

    Collage showing tofu in zip-top bag and pan fried tofu in a cast iron pan.

    Add in another ½ tablespoon of oil back into the pan. Saute garlic for 1-2 minutes, before adding in cabbage and carrot. Cook for 3-4 minutes until veggies have softened, stirring frequently.

    Collage showing sauteing garlic then adding in carrot and cabbage in a cast iron skillet.

    Toss in peanut sauce along with cooked noodles. Toss until everything is well combined. Remove from heat, top it with tofu cubes and enjoy!

    Collage showing adding noodles into pan and peanut noodles in a cast iron skillet with tofu.

    ✔Helpful tips

    • Drain and press your tofu - This step is key in making crispy tofu. You can either press them using a tofu press, or just by stacking something heavy on top. Check out this post on how to press tofu for a more detailed instructions.
    • Use natural smooth peanut butter - Those kinds that are only made from peanuts and sometimes with the addition of salt. This is because they are runnier when compared to conventional ones.
    • Slightly undercook noodles - Noodles that are overcooked tend to be clumpy and stick together easily. I usually cook them a minute less than the suggested cooking time on the package. They should be al dente and still have some chew to them.
    • Rinse noodles under cold water immediately after cooking - This cool them down to stop them from further cooking.

    ✨Variations

    • Feel free to use any veggies you have on hand in place of cabbage and carrot. You can add up to 4 cups of it. Some that works particularly well include mushroom, bell peppers, snap peas, broccoli and cauliflower. I also love to throw in some shelled edamame.
    • Switch pan-fried tofu with other plant based protein source. Some of my personal favorite includes seitan, tempeh and vegan chicken tender slices.
    • For a lower carb version, swap noodles with zucchini noodles, spaghetti squash or sweet potato noodles.
    • To make peanut noodles with tofu lower in fat and calories, you can rehydrate ⅓ cup of peanut butter powder with ¼ cup of water and use it in place of peanut butter.
    • Vegan peanut butter noodles can be eaten both warm or cold. For the cold version, you can skip cooking your veggies and toss them with cooked noodles in peanut sauce, before topping with tofu.

    🍜How to serve

    Although this peanut noodles with tofu is pretty satisfying and hearty on its own, you can definitely pair it with some additional toppings or side dishes.

    • Top it with some extra raw veggies like shredded cabbage, julienned bell peppers and bean sprouts.
    • Side dishes like tofu satay skewers, Thai quinoa salad or tofu rice paper rolls pairs beautifully with this recipe.
    • Pair it alongside some steamed or roasted veggies to get in some extra greens.
    • Sprinkle on some chopped roasted peanuts or sesame seeds to give this dish extra flavor and texture.
    Pair of chopsticks taking out some noodles from a cast iron skillet.

    ❄Storage tips

    For cooked vegan peanut butter noodles, it can be refrigerated for 3-4 days in a sealed container. You can either reheat it on stove or in the microwave, but do add a splash of water to thin if the mixture appears to be dry.

    As for peanut sauce, it can be kept in the fridge for up to a week, and can even be frozen for up to a month. Hence, I do recommend batch-making the sauce. It not only will work in this recipe, but can also be used as a salad dressing or in stir-fries.

    ❔Commonly asked questions

    Is this recipe gluten-free?

    This vegan peanut butter noodles is naturally free from gluten if gluten-free noodles like rice noodles and soba are used. You will also want to make sure to purchase gluten-free soy sauce like this Kikkoman one.

    What kind of noodles are vegan?

    Most dried noodles and pasta in the market are naturally vegan. But do turn and read the ingredient list and look out for animal products, eggs being one of the most common ones added to noodles. Obviously, avoid egg noodles they will contain eggs.

    Can I make tofu crispy without oil?

    It is possible to make crispy tofu without using oil. You can pan-fry your tofu dry without oil, but do make sure to adjust heat to medium and use a good non-stick pan. It will take a bit longer for tofu to turn golden brown, so do be patient!

    What can I use instead of cornstarch to coat my tofu?

    To coat your tofu, you can use other starches in place of cornstarch like tapioca starch or potato starch.

    2 bowls of peanut noodles served with chopsticks with dish of peanuts and a pan filled with noodles in the background.

    🍽More Asian vegan dinners

    • Easy Teriyaki Soba Noodles
    • Saucy Vegan Orange Chicken
    • Vegan Jajangmyeon (Korean black bean sauce noodles)
    • Tofu in Black Bean Sauce

    If you did make this recipe, do leave a rating and comment down below, we love hearing from you! Subscribe to My Plantiful Cooking to get new recipes delivered straight to your inbox! Follow us on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest to get the latest updates. 😉

    📖 Recipe

    Peanut noodles in skillet topped with chopped scallions and sesame seeds.

    Vegan Peanut Butter Noodles With Crispy Tofu

    Meesha
    This super flavorful vegan peanut butter noodles is served with perfectly crispy pan-fried tofu! Filling, hearty yet incredibly wholesome at the same time. Quick to make and is ready in 40 minutes.
    5 from 4 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 10 mins
    Cook Time 25 mins
    Total Time 35 mins
    Course Main Course
    Cuisine American, Thai
    Servings 4 servings
    Calories 470 kcal

    Ingredients
     
     

    For peanut sauce

    • ⅓ cup peanut butter
    • 3 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari
    • 1 ½ tablespoons rice vinegar
    • 1 ½ tablespoons maple syrup or other liquid sweetener
    • 2 teaspoons sesame oil
    • 1 teaspoon chili powder optional

    For the noodles

    • 1 14 oz block extra firm tofu pressed and drained
    • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • 8 oz dried noodles of choice
    • 3 cloves garlic minced
    • 3 cups shredded cabbage
    • 1 medium carrot julienned
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions
     

    • Heat up a pot of water and cook noodles according to package instructions. Drain and rinse under cold water after cooking.
      8 oz dried noodles of choice
    • In the meantime, make peanut sauce by combining everything needed.
      ⅓ cup peanut butter, 3 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 ½ tablespoons rice vinegar, 1 ½ tablespoons maple syrup, 2 teaspoons sesame oil, 1 teaspoon chili powder
    • Combine together salt and cornstarch. In a zip top bag, place in tofu along with the cornstarch mixture. Toss until tofu is well coated.
      1 tablespoon cornstarch, ½ teaspoon salt
    • Heat up a tablespoon or so of neutral tasting oil in a medium cast-iron / non-stick skillet on medium high heat. Place tofu in a layer and cook for 3-4 minutes on each side, until most sides are golden brown. Set aside.
    • Add in another ½ tablespoon of oil back into Saute garlic for 1-2 minutes, before adding in cabbage and carrot. Cook for 3-4 minutes until veggies have softened, stirring frequently.
      3 cloves garlic, 3 cups shredded cabbage, 1 medium carrot
    • Toss in peanut sauce along with cooked noodles and tofu. Toss until everything is well combined. Give it a taste and add more soy sauce, if needed. Remove from heat, serve and enjoy!

    Notes

    Oil-free version - Cook tofu on a good non-stick pan without oil, and omit sesame oil in peanut sauce. Alternatively, bake tofu in an oven preheated to 200C / 400F for 20 minutes.
    Storing noodles - For  noodles, it can be refrigerated for 3-4 days in a sealed container. You can either reheat it on stove or in the microwave, but do add a splash of water to thin if the mixture appears to be dry. 
    Storing peanut sauce - As for peanut sauce, it can be kept in the fridge for up to a week, and can even be frozen for up to a month. Hence, I do recommend batch-making the sauce. It not only will work in this recipe, but can also be used as a salad dressing or in stir-fries. 
    Helpful tips: 
    Drain and press your tofu - This step is key in making crispy tofu. You can either press them using a tofu press, or just by stacking something heavy on top. Check out this post on how to press tofu for a more detailed instructions.
    Use natural smooth peanut butter - Those kinds that are only made from peanuts and sometimes with the addition of salt. This is because they are runnier when compared to conventional ones.
    Slightly undercook noodles - Noodles that are overcooked tend to be clumpy and stick together easily. I usually cook them a minute less than the suggested cooking time on the package. They should be al dente and still have some chew to them.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 470kcalCarbohydrates: 62gProtein: 23gFat: 16gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 5gMonounsaturated Fat: 6gSodium: 1239mgPotassium: 621mgFiber: 5gSugar: 12gVitamin A: 2748IUVitamin C: 21mgCalcium: 95mgIron: 3mg

    Nutrition info calculated is just a rough estimate and is provided as a courtesy. Bear in mind that value will vary based on variables like specific brand or type of product used. To obtain the most accurate representation, it is highly recommended that you calculate it on your own with the actual amount and type of ingredient used.

    Did you make this recipe ?Tag @myplantifulcooking on Instagram !

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. clara

      February 28, 2023 at 1:33 am

      5 stars
      moment of silence for people allergic to peanuts because this recipe is DELICIOUSSSS

      Reply
    2. Kathy F

      September 08, 2022 at 3:56 am

      Can the tofu be air fried instead of stove top fried in oil? Thank you.

      Reply
      • Meesha

        September 09, 2022 at 7:40 am

        Yes! You could cook them in the air fryer at 180C/350F for 10-15 minutes, or until they are golden.😊

        Reply
    3. Shellie

      March 24, 2022 at 12:56 am

      This sounds delicious. Do you think it would work with bean threads?

      Reply
      • Meesha

        March 24, 2022 at 6:54 am

        Yes, I think it will work!😁

        Reply
    4. Carol

      February 06, 2022 at 6:40 am

      1239mg sodium per serviing. How can we maintain flavor and lessen sodium content?

      Reply
      • Meesha

        February 07, 2022 at 8:59 am

        You can use low sodium soy sauce in place of regular soy sauce, and reduce the amount used to coat the tofu by half. Hope this helps!

        Reply

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    Hi, I am Meesha, the human behind My Plantiful Cooking! Expect to find plant-powered recipes that are easy to make and wholesome without compromising on taste.

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