Vegetable Noodle Bowl with Peanut Sauce

/

Gluten Free - Dairy Free - Refined Sugar-Free - Soy Free Option

This bowl is a great way to enjoy fresh, raw vegetables with the sweetness of peanut butter deliciousness. This recipe does take a bit of prep but it’s a fairly mindless prep of chopping vegetables. This can be done with some music in the background, a Podcast, a tv show, or simply gabbing on the phone with a friend. When done that way, the time will fly by!

I chose to use organic (extra firm) tofu for this recipe because I wanted to keep it a fully plant-based recipe. Organic tofu is a great option for an anti-inflammatory, complete protein. I try to purchase organic soy products because their conventional counterpart tends to be mass produced with the use of pesticides, making the product more inflammatory and irritating for the gut. The good news is that the price difference between organic and conventional tofu is typically less than $1.

Enjoy this flavorful, vegetable-rich recipe. It’s incredibly delicious on a hot day!

Vegetable Noodle Bowl with Peanut Sauce

Prep: 45 minutes

Makes: 4 servings

 

Tofu Ingredients

  • Organic extra firm tofu, drained

  • Tamari

  • Avocado oil

  • 1/2 tsp. fresh ginger, grated

  • Red pepper flakes

Peanut Sauce Ingredients

  • 1/2 C. unsweetened/unsalted peanut butter

  • Juice from 1.5 - 2 limes

  • 2 Tbsp. tamari

  • 2 Tbsp. avocado oil

  • 1 Tbsp. & 1 tsp. maple syrup

  • 1+ tsp. freshly grated ginger

  • 2 - 3 cloves garlic, minced

  • Pinch cayenne

  • Water (to thin)

Salad Ingredients

  • 1 box rice noodles of choice

  • 2 carrots, grated or matchsticked

  • 2 green onions, sliced

  • 1 red bell pepper, chopped

  • 1/4 head of purple cabbage, finely sliced

  • 1 cucumber, matchsticked or quartered

  • 1/2 cup cilantro, chopped

  • Dry roasted, unsalted peanuts (to taste)

Directions

  1. Pre-heat oven to 400 F and line baking sheet with parchment paper.

  2. Cut drained tofu into 1/4” cubes.

  3. In a medium-sized bowl, combine a few splashes of tamari, oil, ginger, and red pepper flakes (if using) then add the tofu and gently toss to coat. Set aside to marinate until the oven is fully preheated. Once the oven has pre-heated, bake the tofu for ~30 minutes flipping halfway.

  4. While the tofu is baking, prepare the peanut sauce. Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and whisk until smooth and creamy. Add a splash or two of water until it reaches your desired consistency to drizzle over the noodle bowl. Set aside.

  5. Boil water and prepare noodles according to the package. Be sure to rinse the noodles under cold water when they’re done cooking to stop the cooking process and prevent sticking.

  6. While the water is boiling, prepare all vegetables accordingly.

  7. Assemble bowls by topping noodles with peanut sauce, vegetables, peanuts, and tofu. Enjoy!

Pro Tips

  • Tamari is (typically) gluten-free soy sauce. If gluten is okay for you, swap it for soy sauce if you prefer

  • Make it soy-free by using coconut aminos instead of tamari and replacing the tofu with your protein of choice (eggs or chicken would work well)

Storage

Store ingredients separately in sealed containers in the fridge for up to 48 hours. For maximum crispness, add a paper towel to the pre-chopped vegetables. I prefer to cook the noodles immediately prior to eating vs. leftover rice noodles.

What did you think?

Let us know in the comment section below.