Sticky sambal tofu and saucy satay noodles
- Prepare
- less than 30 mins
- Cook
- 10 to 30 mins
- Serve
- Serves 4
Packed full of flavour from a creamy peanut sauce and sticky, spicy tofu, prep this vegan noodle bowl at the start of the week and you’ll be thanking yourself every lunchtime!
Each serving provides 464 kcal, 22.2g protein, 49.2g carbohydrate (of which 26.8g sugars), 18.4g fat (of which 3.3g saturates), 5g fibre and 4.61g salt.
By Rhian Melvin
Ingredients
For the tofu
- 600g/1lb 5oz extra firm tofu, torn into bite sized pieces
- 3 tbsp sambal oelek
- 3 tbsp tamari (or light soy sauce)
- 4 tbsp brown sugar
- ½ lime, juice only
For the noodles
- 4 portions (approx. 320g/11½oz) noodles of choice
- 4 tbsp peanut butter (any type)
- 4 tbsp tamari (or light soy sauce)
- 2 tbsp agave syrup
- 1 lime, juice only
For the greens
- ¼ small white cabbage, finely shredded
- 40g/1½oz fresh spinach, thinly sliced
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- salt
- 4 lime wedges, to serve
Method
To make the tofu, preheat the oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6.
Put the tofu on a baking tray and bake for 20–25 minutes, turning half way, until golden brown and crisp.
Meanwhile, cook the noodles according to the pack instructions then drain and run under cold water until completely cooled.
Mix the rest of the noodle ingredients together in a large bowl. Add a splash of water as needed until you have a smooth, pourable sauce.
Add the noodles to the sauce, gently toss to coat well. Set aside.
To make the greens, add the cabbage, spinach, sesame oil and a pinch of salt to a bowl. Toss to combine and set aside.
Add the remaining tofu ingredients and 4 tablespoons water to a bowl and stir well to create the sambal sauce.
Place a frying pan over a medium-high heat. When the tofu is crispy, remove from the oven and transfer to the frying pan.
Pour over the sambal sauce (it should sizzle immediately) and cook for 30 seconds to 1 minute, stirring continuously so it doesn’t burn, until it reduces to a sticky sauce. Remove from the heat.
To serve, divide the noodles evenly between 4 bowls then top with the tofu, greens and a lime wedge.
Recipe tips
If prepping for later, simply divide everything into containers and store in the fridge for up to 4 days until you’re ready to eat.
This is best eaten cold, making it perfect for lunch boxes, but if you’d like to reheat, remove the slaw and lime wedge and add them after heating the noodles and tofu.
