This satisfying plant-based Asian noodle bowl can be served as a cold noodle salad or a warm stir-fry. Meal prep this recipe for busy weeknights and serve it with crispy, umami-rich baked tofu.
We’re sharing ALL the details on prep and ingredients below, but you can skip straight to the condensed recipe by clicking HERE.
Why You’ll Love This
My go-to protein as a plant-based chef is tofu. But it took me years of learning to perfect its many methods — baking, pan-frying, crumbling, and marinating. It is one of the most versatile ingredients, yet it can turn out rather bland if not prepared well. This is hands down my favorite way to make tofu. It marinates in an umami-rich sauce, then is baked with sesame seeds until crunchy. The marinade yields an incredibly rich and complex flavor, and the texture is unbelievably crispy. Cornstarch is essential here, as it helps create that crunchy exterior.
I love this Asian noodle bowl because it is so versatile! You can serve it as a cold noodle salad with raw veggies or warm like a stir-fry. The good news is that as long as you prep the ingredients in advance, you can decide which option you prefer when the cravings hit!
Ingredients
- Udon noodles: Any thick noodle will work here — udon, soba, ramen, or rice noodles.
- Carrots and green bell pepper: Crisp veggies that can be left raw or made into a stir-fry.
- Tofu: Use extra firm tofu to help ensure a crispier texture.
- Marinade: The tofu marinates in a combination of tamari, toasted sesame oil, maple syrup, mirin, and ground ginger.
- Cornstarch is essential for creating that crispy exterior on the tofu.
- Sesame seeds add an extra crunchy texture to the tofu!
- Chili garlic sauce: Chopped peanuts, minced garlic, Sichuan chili flakes, avocado oil, tamari, rice vinegar, maple syrup, and sesame oil create a sauce that balances salty, umami, spicy, tangy, and sweet flavors.
- Sliced green onions and sriracha: Optional garnishes for serving.
How to Make an Asian Noodle Bowl
1. Prep the tofu. Drain the tofu and press gently with paper towels to remove excess liquid. Chop into half-inch cubes and add to a large mixing bowl. Add tamari, toasted sesame oil, maple syrup, mirin, and ground ginger to the bowl and gently mix. Let sit for 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 425F.
2. Cook noodles. Bring a pot of water to a boil and cook noodles according to package instructions. Drain and rinse under cold water.
3. Make the sauce. Add peanuts, garlic, and chili flakes to a medium heat-proof bowl. Heat oil in a small cast iron skillet or saucepan over medium heat for about three to five minutes. Pour over peanut-garlic mixture, stir, and let sit for one minute. Stir the tamari, rice vinegar, maple syrup, and toasted sesame oil into the peanut-garlic mixture.
4. Stir-fry veggies (optional). If serving the noodles warm, toss the carrots and bell pepper into the warm pan and sauté for five to seven minutes or until tender. Skip if serving the noodles cold.
5. Bake the tofu. When the tofu is done marinating, add the cornstarch to the bowl and toss. Add the sesame seeds and toss again. Spread out onto a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes. Use a large spatula to flip the pieces, then bake for an additional 10 minutes or until brown and crispy. Remove from the oven and let sit for five minutes.
6. Assemble. If serving cold, toss the noodles with the sauce in a large bowl. Divide the noodles among four bowls, then top with the carrots, peppers, and baked tofu, and serve with sliced green onions and sriracha if desired. If serving warm, toss the noodles into a large skillet and warm up with the sauce, veggies, and tofu. Serve with optional green onions and sriracha.
Expert Tips
- Press the tofu. Remove as much liquid from the tofu as you can without crushing it. I like to place a couple of layers of paper towels on the top and bottom, then lay a few cookbooks on top and let them sit for 10 minutes. This step is optional but helps create a crispier texture.
- If stir-frying, be careful not to overcook the veggies. A crisp texture is nice for preserving flavor and color.
- Lighten up the sauce. If you prefer to simplify and lighten up the sauce, skip the avocado oil and use sesame oil instead of the toasted sesame oil. Taste and adjust, adding more oil as needed to create a balanced flavor.
How to Serve
You can serve this bowl as a cold noodle salad or a stir-fry. Either way, it’s easy to prep the baked tofu, chili garlic sauce, and noodles in advance. You can even prep the veggies in advance by chopping them and storing them in an airtight container in the refrigerator. This recipe is filling and satisfying all on its own, but you could serve it with a cucumber salad, wontons, spring rolls, or dumplings for a little something extra.
Recipe Variations
- Add or swap veggies: Try edamame, bok choy, purple cabbage, broccoli, sliced radish, sliced cucumbers, bean threads, chili crisp, cilantro, or Thai basil.
- Customize the protein: Substitute the tofu for tempeh, shrimp, chicken, or beef (if not vegan).
- Switch up the sauce: Instead of chili garlic sauce, use a peanut sauce or stir-fry sauce.
- Change the base: Serve with rice instead of noodles!
Enjoy this meal-prep-friendly Asian noodle bowl recipe!
The Recipe
Garlicky Asian Noodle Bowl
Ingredients
Baked Tofu
- 16 oz extra firm tofu
- 2 tbsp tamari or soy sauce or liquid aminos
- 2 tbsp toasted sesame oil or regular sesame oil
- 2 tbsp maple syrup or agave
- 1 tbsp mirin or rice vinegar
- 1/2 tsp ground ginger
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- 1 tbsp sesame seeds
Noodle Bowl
- 16 oz udon noodles or soba, ramen, or rice noodles
- 2 carrots cut into matchsticks
- 1 green bell pepper or red or orange bell pepper, cut into matchsticks
- Sliced green onions for serving, optional
- Sriracha for serving, optional
Chili Garlic Sauce
- 1/2 cup chopped peanuts unsalted
- 6 garlic cloves peeled and minced
- 2 tsp Sichuan chili flakes or red pepper flakes
- 1/3 cup avocado oil
- 3 tbsp tamari or soy sauce or liquid aminos
- 2 1/2 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tsp toasted sesame oil or regular sesame oil
Instructions
- Prep the tofu. Drain the tofu and press gently with paper towels to remove excess liquid. Chop into 1/2-inch cubes and add to a large mixing bowl. Add tamari, toasted sesame oil, maple syrup, mirin, and ground ginger to the bowl and gently mix. Let sit for 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 425 °F.
- Cook noodles. Bring a pot of water to a boil and cook noodles according to package instructions. Drain and rinse under cold water.
- Make the sauce. Add peanuts, garlic, and chili flakes to a medium heat-proof bowl. Heat oil in a small cast iron skillet or saucepan over medium heat until hot, about 3-5 minutes. Pour over peanut-garlic mixture, stir, and let sit for 1 minute.
- If serving the noodles warm, toss the carrots and bell pepper into the warm pan and sauté for 5-7 minutes or until tender. Skip if serving the noodles cold.
- Stir the tamari, rice vinegar, maple syrup, and toasted sesame oil into the peanut-garlic mixture.
- Bake the tofu. When the tofu is done marinating, add the cornstarch to the bowl and toss. Add the sesame seeds and toss again. Spread out onto a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes. Use a large spatula to flip the pieces, then bake for an additional 10 minutes, or until brown and crispy. Remove from the oven and let sit for 5 minutes.
- Assemble. If serving cold, toss the noodles with the sauce in a large bowl. Divide the noodles among four bowls, then top with the carrots, peppers, and baked tofu, and serve with sliced green onions and sriracha if desired. If serving warm, toss the noodles into a large skillet and warm up with the sauce, veggies, and tofu. Serve with optional green onions and sriracha.
Nutrition
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Looking for more delicious recipes? Check out these options from our archives — Asian Shrimp Salad, Three Asian-Inspired Appetizers for Game Day, and Korean BBQ Sauce.
