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A tasty Thai-inspired vegan bowl

These Tahini Noodle Bowls with Crispy Tofu and Vegetables include thick rice noodles tossed in a creamy, salty, and spicy tahini sauce along with tender pan-browned Brussels sprouts, red bell pepper, and kale. Crispy baked tofu and a sprinkle of toasted almonds and sesame seeds top these tasty Thai-inspired vegan bowls.

Easy Tahini Sauce in less than 5 minutes

This tahini sauce is a creamy, salty, and spicy combination that whisks together in a matter of minutes. This sauce includes:

Tahini
Tamari - or - soy sauce
Garlic-infused olive oil - or - olive oil + fresh minced garlic
Lime juice
Sriracha hot sauce
Fresh or ground ginger

What type of vegetables are best to use for Tahini Noodle Bowls?

I love making these noodle bowls with Brussels sprouts, kale, and red bell peppers. Not a Brussels sprout fan? These bowls are super tasty with broccoli instead (or in addition). Want to swap the kale? Try baby bok choy or cabbage.

What type of noodles are best to use for Tahini Noodle Bowls?

I prefer to use flat rice noodles or thick-cut vermicelli (sometimes labeled 'pad Thai rice noodles' or 'stir-fry rice noodles') for this recipe -- These are the ones I buy most often. They offer a really nice chewiness that is the perfect vehicle for the tasty tahini sauce and cook super quickly. Though my preferred method for cooking the noodles is to boil them, some people prefer to simply pour boiling water over them and let them rest for several minutes to soften them.

How to get the crispiest tofu

For this recipe, you'll want to use extra-firm block tofu as it has the least amount of water content and a firm texture perfect for this noodle bowl. Block tofu is found in the refrigerated section of the grocery store; often near the produce section. This is one of my favorite options.
Remove as much moisture as possible. After draining, I dice the tofu and lay it out in a single layer before pressing. This helps maximize the surface area pressed to ensure more moisture is removed from the tofu than simply pressing it while it's still in block form, and it's quicker too!
Toss your tofu in oil, seasoning, and cornstarch. I like to use a bit of olive oil (or garlic-infused olive oil if you have it), tamari (or soy sauce), cracked black pepper, then follow with a coating of cornstarch. This ensures the crispiest edges as the tofu bakes.
Bake on a parchment-lined sheet pan with the tofu dices spaced so they aren't touching. The parchment helps prevent the tofu from sticking to the pan as it bakes, and spacing the tofu apart from one another ensures that they brown evenly.

Can I substitute the tofu for something else?

Yes, you can substitute or simply omit the tofu if that is your preference. These Tahini Noodle Bowls are also super tasty with chicken or shrimp in place of the tofu. They are also super delicious if you'd like to skip a primary protein altogether and just add extra veggies (see above for more ideas).

What tools do I need to make this recipe?

A cutting board (two cutting boards are better for pressing the tofu if you have them, but one will work if needed)
2 clean lint-free kitchen towels
Weights for pressing the tofu: A cast-iron skillet with a Dutch oven or heavy cans safely nestled inside
A chef's knife
A kitchen scale
Measuring spoons
A baker's half sheet with parchment paper
A large mixing bowl
A small mixing bowl
A small prep bowl
A fork or small whisk
A wooden spatula
A large skillet or wok
A large pot (to cook the noodles)
A colander

Are you looking to upgrade to your cooking tools or replenish your pantry? Check out my kitchen tools shop page and pantry staples shop page to find my must-have kitchen tools, pantry items, and other Whip & Wander favorites.

Looking for more dinner inspiration?

Love this Tahini Noodle Bowls with Crispy Tofu and Vegetables? Here are some more dinner recipes you may enjoy:

Tahini Noodle Bowls with Crispy Tofu and Vegetables

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Author: Whip & Wander
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Rest Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 25 minutes
Yield: 6 servings 1x
Category: Mains
Method: Oven / Stovetop
Cuisine: Thai - American
Diet: Vegan

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Description

Ingredients

Scale

For this crispy tofu:

14 oz block extra-firm tofu, drained and diced into cubes (around ½-¾ inch each)
1 tbsp garlic-infused olive oil - OR - 1 tablespoon olive oil + ¼ tsp garlic powder
1 tbsp tamari - OR - soy sauce
¼ tsp cracked black pepper
1 tbsp cornstarch

For the tahini sauce:

6 tbsp (84 g) tahini
6 tbsp (108 g) tamari - OR - soy sauce
2 tbsp garlic-infused olive oil - OR - 2 tablespoon olive oil + 2 cloves minced garlic
2 tbsp sriracha hot sauce (may reduce to 1 tbsp for milder palates)
2 tbsp lime juice
1 ½ tsp fresh ginger, grated - OR - ½ teaspoon ground ginger

For the toasted almonds and sesame seeds:

4 tbsp (30 g) slivered almonds
1 tbsp (8 g) white sesame seeds

For the noodles:

16 oz flat rice noodles (sometimes labeled 'thick-cut vermicelli,' 'Pad Thai rice noodles,' or 'stir-fry rice noodles')

For the vegetables:

1 lb Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved
140 g (about 4 cups firmly packed) Lacinato kale, destemmed and chopped
1 large (about 220 g) red bell pepper, destemmed, seeded, and sliced into thin strips

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Instructions

For the crispy tofu:

Line a cutting board with a clean lint-free kitchen towel. Transfer the diced tofu cubes onto the kitchen towel in a single even layer. Top them with a second clean lint-free kitchen towel and place a second cutting board on top if you have one. You'll want to add weight to the top to press the boards toward each other. I like to use a cast-iron pan with a Dutch oven or heavy cans safely nestled inside.
Allow the tofu to press for 30-minutes. While the tofu is pressing, preheat your oven to 400 degrees F / 205 C. Prep a baker's half sheet with parchment paper and reserve to the side.
Once pressed, remove the weight from the top of the tofu (The kitchen towels should both be damp with the residual liquid that was pressed and can be removed). Transfer the pressed tofu cubes to a large mixing bowl and add the garlic-infused olive oil, tamari, and pepper. Toss gently by hand to coat then add the cornstarch and toss gently again until evenly coated.
Transfer the tofu to the reserve parchment-lined baking sheet then transfer to the oven to bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown. Start prepping the tahini sauce, noodles, and vegetables while the tofu bakes. Once the tofu has finished baking, remove from heat and reserve to the side.

For the tahini sauce:

In a small mixing bowl, combine the tahini, tamari, garlic-infused olive oil, sriracha hot sauce, lime juice, and ginger. Whisk together with a fork or a small whisk and reserve to the side.

For the toasted almonds and sesame seeds:

In a large skillet or wok over medium heat, add the almond slivers and sesame seeds to a dry pan. Allow to toast, stirring regularly, until they become lightly golden and slightly nutty. Watch closely as these can burn quickly. Once toasted, transfer to a small bowl and reserve to the side.

For the noodles:

Cook noodles according to package instructions. Generally, I like to use the boil on the stove method because it better ensures that the noodles cook evenly without sticking together. However, some rice noodles will give you the option of simply covering the noodles in hot water to sit for several minutes. I don't prefer this method because I feel like the noodles never cook as evenly as boiling them on the stove. You do not want to overcook the noodles though or they become very starchy and gummy quickly. Once cooked, drain and rinse under cool (not super cold) water to halt cooking. Reserve drained and cooled noodles to the side.

For the vegetables:

Return the same skillet or wok that you used to toast the nuts and seeds to the stove and increase the heat to medium-high. Add the sesame oil to the pan to heat and once shimmering, add the Brussels sprouts. Allow to saute for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Once they are just starting to lightly brown, add the red bell pepper strips and kale to the pan. Continue to saute, stirring occasionally until vegetables are just tender with a bit of a bite to them and the kale has wilted and is soft.

Combine the vegetables, noodles, and sauce:

Reduce heat to medium and add the reserved noodles and tahini sauce to the pan. Toss together until well combined and warmed through, then add the crispy tofu and toss again. Transfer to wide bowls and sprinkle with the reserved toasted almonds and sesame seeds.

Notes

Nutritional information on Whip & Wander is provided as a courtesy and is approximate only. We cannot guarantee the accuracy of the nutritional information given for any recipe on this site.

Nutrition

Serving Size: ⅙th of the recipe
Calories: 592
Sugar: 5 g
Sodium: 1281 mg
Fat: 24 g
Saturated Fat: 3 g
Carbohydrates: 78 g
Fiber: 8 g
Protein: 21 g

Keywords: Tahini, Rice Noodles, Tofu, Brussels Sprouts, Bell Pepper, Kale