Tofu was invented by accident in 164 BC when a Chinese cook spilled salt water into soy milk.
Quick Weeknight Tofu Noodles
Get ready for a flavor-packed weeknight dinner with our Quick Tofu Noodles! This vibrant dish stars golden, crispy tofu, chewy spelt noodles, and zesty quick-pickled cucumbers that add a refreshing crunch. Whip it up in no time and enjoy a satisfying, plant-based meal that’s sure to impress!
Prep
15
min
Cook
30
min
Serves
4
people
Level
beginner
📝 Ingredients
Serves 4🥬Fresh Produce(4)
- 1-2 tbsp corn starch (15-30 ml)
- Cucumbers
- 3 cloves of garlic
- 1 thumb of ginger
🥩Meat & Seafood(1)
- 1 block firm tofu
🫙Pantry Staples(5)
- 1 tsp agave (5 ml)
- 2 tsp brown rice vinegar (10 ml)
- 2 tbsp oil (30 ml)
- Spelt noodles from @bionaorganic
- 2 tbsp runny tahini (30 ml)
🧂Spices & Seasonings(2)
- 1 tbsp Chinese five spice (optional) (15 ml)optional
- Salt
🍯Sauces & Condiments(3)
- Apple cider vinegar
- 1 tbsp dark soy sauce (15 ml)
- 50ml soy sauce (1.69 fl oz)
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Smash and slice some cucumbers, drizzle with a bit of vinegar and salt, toss, and let sit to create quick pickled cucumbers.
- 2
Pull apart the firm tofu into chunks, coat with cornstarch, and set aside.
- 3
Make a marinade with ginger, garlic, tahini, soy sauce, brown rice vinegar, and agave, mixing well.
- 4
Cook the tofu until crispy, then add the marinade and any veggies you have.
- 5
Add cooked spelt noodles and mix everything together, adding more sauce if necessary.
- 6
Serve with quick pickled cucumbers, green onions, and sesame seeds.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Press tofu for 15-20 minutes under a 2-3 pound weight to remove 30-40% of water content, creating better cornstarch adhesion and preventing oil splatter during frying.technique15-20 minutes, 30-40% water removal
- ✓Heat oil to 350°F before adding cornstarch-coated tofu because this temperature creates immediate Maillard browning and seals the coating within 30 seconds.technique350°F
- ✓Reserve 1/2 cup starchy spelt noodle cooking water to thin the tahini marinade, as the starch acts as an emulsifier and prevents sauce separation.ingredient1/2 cup
- ✓Salt cucumber slices with 1 teaspoon salt per cucumber and let sit exactly 10 minutes to draw out moisture through osmosis, then rinse to prevent over-salting.timing1 tsp salt, 10 minutes
- ✓Add the tahini marinade to tofu off heat first, then return to low heat for 1-2 minutes because tahini proteins coagulate above 160°F and create a grainy texture.technique160°F, 1-2 minutes
Share this recipe
Prep
15
min
Cook
30
min
Serves
4
people
Level
beginner
Share this recipe
Tofu was invented by accident in 164 BC when a Chinese cook spilled salt water into soy milk.
Quick Weeknight Tofu Noodles
Get ready for a flavor-packed weeknight dinner with our Quick Tofu Noodles! This vibrant dish stars golden, crispy tofu, chewy spelt noodles, and zesty quick-pickled cucumbers that add a refreshing crunch. Whip it up in no time and enjoy a satisfying, plant-based meal that’s sure to impress!
📝 Ingredients
Serves 4🥬Fresh Produce(4)
- 1-2 tbsp corn starch (15-30 ml)
- Cucumbers
- 3 cloves of garlic
- 1 thumb of ginger
🥩Meat & Seafood(1)
- 1 block firm tofu
🫙Pantry Staples(5)
- 1 tsp agave (5 ml)
- 2 tsp brown rice vinegar (10 ml)
- 2 tbsp oil (30 ml)
- Spelt noodles from @bionaorganic
- 2 tbsp runny tahini (30 ml)
🧂Spices & Seasonings(2)
- 1 tbsp Chinese five spice (optional) (15 ml)optional
- Salt
🍯Sauces & Condiments(3)
- Apple cider vinegar
- 1 tbsp dark soy sauce (15 ml)
- 50ml soy sauce (1.69 fl oz)
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Smash and slice some cucumbers, drizzle with a bit of vinegar and salt, toss, and let sit to create quick pickled cucumbers.
- 2
Pull apart the firm tofu into chunks, coat with cornstarch, and set aside.
- 3
Make a marinade with ginger, garlic, tahini, soy sauce, brown rice vinegar, and agave, mixing well.
- 4
Cook the tofu until crispy, then add the marinade and any veggies you have.
- 5
Add cooked spelt noodles and mix everything together, adding more sauce if necessary.
- 6
Serve with quick pickled cucumbers, green onions, and sesame seeds.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Press tofu for 15-20 minutes under a 2-3 pound weight to remove 30-40% of water content, creating better cornstarch adhesion and preventing oil splatter during frying.technique15-20 minutes, 30-40% water removal
- ✓Heat oil to 350°F before adding cornstarch-coated tofu because this temperature creates immediate Maillard browning and seals the coating within 30 seconds.technique350°F
- ✓Reserve 1/2 cup starchy spelt noodle cooking water to thin the tahini marinade, as the starch acts as an emulsifier and prevents sauce separation.ingredient1/2 cup
- ✓Salt cucumber slices with 1 teaspoon salt per cucumber and let sit exactly 10 minutes to draw out moisture through osmosis, then rinse to prevent over-salting.timing1 tsp salt, 10 minutes
- ✓Add the tahini marinade to tofu off heat first, then return to low heat for 1-2 minutes because tahini proteins coagulate above 160°F and create a grainy texture.technique160°F, 1-2 minutes