These Vegan Stir Fry Noodles with Crispy Tofu are an easy and delicious weeknight meal that includes lots of flavor and vegetables. Rice noodles, crumbled tofu, and sweet carrots combine with a super tasty sauce that is so simple to make! Plus, you can dial up or down the spice level to make these noodles your own.
There’s just something about a cozy bowl of noodles. Then bonus points of course, for filling it with veggies too! These Vegan Stir Fry Noodles with Crispy Tofu are the best of both worlds! The rice noodles are totally slurpable (not sure if that’s a word, but we’ll go with it!).
And, they’re versatile enough to use other vegetables you have in the fridge or freezer. For example, besides carrots, other great veggie choices could be broccoli florets, peas, bell peppers, eggplant, cauliflower! So many (yummy) options!
Tips for Making These Vegan Stir Fry Noodles with Crispy Tofu
Besides being super delicious, these stir fry noodles are ready in a flash, which makes them great for even weeknights.
What helps to make this dish FAST is a couple things:
1) Having the sauce ingredients on hand, which we like to keep in the pantry / fridge for when noodle cravings hit: soy sauce, chili garlic sauce or sambal oelek, maple syrup or agave (or you can use organic cane sugar), rice vinegar, sesame oil, and mirin (we don’t use mirin in this particular recipe, but it’s part of the sauce in this other favorite noodle recipe).
2) Cutting the carrots super thin. You can even shred the carrots, which works just as well and saves even more time! But to cut the carrots thin like I did, start by making slices cross-wise in the carrot but on a DIAGONAL, not just straight cross. You’ll end up with large slices that you can gather together and then thinly slice in matchstick-type pieces. This way, the carrots end up cooking quickly and providing the perfect sweetness and slight crisp.
3) Crumbling the tofu, which allows the tofu to cook much faster and get a lovely crisp. The smaller the crumbles, the quicker the cooking (and crisper the tofu).
How to Make These Vegan Stir Fry Noodles with Crispy Tofu
This recipe involve cooking the noodles, browning the tofu, prepping the veggies, whisking together the sauce, then adding it all together.
Start by putting a pot of water to boil, for the noodles. Then drain the tofu and pat it dry with a kitchen towel. In a large skillet, crumble the tofu into the pan with your fingers and break up any large pieces with a spatula. Add in some oil and cook the tofu for around 20 minutes, stirring every few minutes.
This process helps the tofu get nice and crispy, which allows it to hold good texture once the sauce goes in.
While the tofu is crisping, thinly slice the carrots, and green onion if you have time here.
At some point during your chopping, the water may start boiling. Add the rice noodles and if you’re like me, it would be helpful to set a timer. I have a bad habit of overcooking noodles and pasta if not using a timer!
Towards the end of the tofu cooking, add in some dark soy sauce to season it.
Now add in the carrots to the pan to cook for a few minutes, while you whisk the sauce in a small bowl. Then add the sauce to the tofu/carrots and let the sauce gently bubble and thicken. As that’s happening, grab the scallions and sesame seeds.
Add the noodles to the pan and toss gently, then top with scallions and herbs, more chili garlic sauce or sambal oelek (if liking it spicy!) and sesame seeds.
Other Delicious Vegan Noodle Recipes to Try
Stir Fry Noodles with Tofu & Broccoli
Vegan Stir Fry Noodles with Tofu
Vegan Stir Fry Noodles with Crispy Tofu
Ingredients
- 1 16 oz. package extra firm organic tofu
- 2 tsp sesame oil for cooking tofu
- 1 tsp dark soy sauce for cooking tofu
- 2 to 3 servings noodles
- 2 medium carrots cut very thinly
- 1/3 cup scallions
- 2 tbsp finely chopped cilantro or parsley
- sesame seeds for serving
- chili garlic sauce or sambal oelek for serving (optional)
Sauce Ingredients
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder and ground ginger
- 3 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1.5 tbsp maple syrup
- 2 tsp chili garlic sauce or sambal oelek
- 2 tsp cornstarch
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/2 cup vegetable broth
- 2 tsp sesame oil
Instructions
- Cook your noodles according to package directions and rinse (be sure to not overcook them). Drizzle in a touch of sesame oil and gently toss (optional).
- Meanwhile, drain the tofu very well, and crumble it into a large pan. The smaller the crumbles, the firmer / crisper they will get during cooking. Add a bit of oil and cook for 20 min on medium heat, stirring periodically.
- Towards the end of cooking, add around a tsp of dark soy sauce (or sub regular soy sauce).
- While tofu and noodles cook, thinly slice the carrots. Add them to the tofu pan when tofu is done. Continue to cook for a couple min while you whisk up the sauce.
- Add sauce to the pan, cook until it starts to thicken. While sauce is thickening, chop the scallions and herbs.
- Now add noodles to pan, toss, serve and top with scallions and herbs.
A go to dish in our home. It is so tasty, versatile and comes together super easily! Great with the rice noodles, or over rice or even with no carbs in a lettuce wrap.
This is such a delicious meal. I make it a few times a month and we never get tired of it. You can add other veggies to change it up.
Thank you SO much! It’s amazing to hear that this dish is one of your go-to’s, that’s wonderful! 🙂