I love a good summer-to-fall transition recipe. This peanut soba noodle salad is the perfect way to bridge the lingering summer heat to more hearty flavors, with a creamy (dairy-free) peanut sauce that isn’t too heavy, light and crispy tofu that feels fried (without any fryer needed), nutty soba noodles and fresh veggies.
It’s a great make-ahead meal for meal prep (though I do like the crispy tofu fresh, the best!) or easy 30-minute meal when you’re in the throughs of early school days. Enjoy!
Sweet and Spicy Peanut Soba Noodle salad with oven-fried crispy tofu
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 30
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
Ingredients
2 bundles soba noodles, cooked according to package directions and cooled
1 bell pepper, sliced thin (or grated carrots)
1 cucumber, sliced thin (or sliced red cabbage)
1/4 cup sliced green onions
Peanut sauce (see below)
Crispy Tofu (see below)
4 tbsp chopped peanuts (to top)
4 tbsp chopped cilantro (to top)
Peanut Sauce:
1/3 cup peanut butter
1/2 tsp sriracha (more to make it spicier)
1 tbsp coconut sugar or brown sugar
1 large clove garlic, minced
1 tsp minced ginger
2 tsp tamari or soy sauce
juice of 1 large lime (about 2 tbsp)
2 tbsp coconut milk
2 tbsp hot water (to thin)
Crispy Tofu:
1 block extra firm tofu
1 tbsp cornstarch
1 tbsp tamari
optional: 1/2 tsp garlic powder and/or 1/2 tsp powdered ginger
Instructions
Crispy Tofu:
- Preheat oven to 400F. Line a baking sheet with parchment.
- IMPORTANT (don’t skip this!). Remove tofu from packaging, pat dry with a paper towel and place between two new paper towels. Press under a heavy object (I usually use a couple cookbooks) for 10-20 minutes before continuing to prepare.
- Cube tofu into bite-sized pieces. Toss gently with tamari, cornstarch and spices if using. Spread out on baking sheet.Bake 15-20 minutes per side, flipping once until crispy.
Noodle Salad:
- Prepare peanut sauce: Whisk together all ingredients through coconut milk. Add 1-2 tbsp hot water until mixture is thick but smooth (will coat the back of a spoon). Taste for seasoning.
- Combine cooked and cooled soba noodles with peppers, cucumber and green onions.
- Toss in peanut sauce. Top with chopped peanuts, cilantro and crispy tofu.
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