This recipe for crispy tofu noodle bowls is one I truly cannot get enough of. The tofu is sweet, spicy, crispy, sticky, and just perfect for a rich bowl of veggies bathed in a Malaysian curry coconut broth.
I recently shared my recipe for the best crispy tofu. My favorite way to use a batch of this crispy crunchy tofu is to glaze it in Grumpy Ginger’s Malaysian red curry and vegan honey. I pile it on a bowl of noodles in a rich coconut broth with lots of veggies.
My favorite crispy tofu noodle bowls
I really can’t get enough of this meal. It’s nothing too complicated or fancy, but it’s just so satisfying, filling, and extra flavorful.
I used Grumpy Ginger’s Malaysian Red Curry Paste–a fragrant, spicy, vegan curry paste–to create a perfect vegan noodle bowl you can throw together any day of the week.
The dish has three components:
- Crispy glazed tofu: I use my crispy fried tofu recipe and toss the tofu bites in a glaze made with Malaysian red curry paste and vegan honey.
- Coconut curry vegetables: I sauté mixed vegetables–zucchini, bell pepper, and onion–in more curry paste and then simmer them briefly in coconut milk.
- Noodles: I use maifun, a thin rice noodle, but any noodle works well. Use your favorite rice noodles or try this with soba, ramen, or udon, or serve it over cooked white or brown rice.
How to make these crispy tofu noodle bowls
You don’t need too many ingredients for this recipe, but I recommend making sure you have everything prepped before you start cooking.
What you need
- Malaysian red curry paste: I use Grumpy Ginger Malaysian Red Curry Paste. It’s vegan, flavorful, and just so delicious. If you don’t have this, you can use another brand of vegan curry paste. What I love about Grumpy Ginger is that it’s not too thick or pasty, meaning you can transform it into a sauce very easily. If you use another brand of curry paste that is quite thick, I recommend adding 2–3 tablespoons of water to it to give it a smoother, saucier texture.
- Tofu: I use extra firm tofu coated with sweet potato starch. You can use flour, but I think sweet potato starch is the superior coating for the best crispy tofu.
- Veggies: I use minced scallions, sliced onion, sliced bell peppers, and zucchini in this. Nearly any vegetable will work well here. Try it with broccoli florets, sugar snap peas, sliced carrots, or diced sweet potatoes.
- Coconut milk: I recommend full-fat coconut milk, but you can use lighter coconut milk if you prefer.
- Noodles: I use maifun rice noodles, but your favorite noodle will work here.
How to make it
- Step 1: Cook the noodles according to package directions. Drain and rinse them and set aside.
- Step 2: While you wait for the water to boil, cook the tofu. Coat the cubed tofu in sweet potato starch and salt and then pan-fry until crispy. Transfer to a plate.
- Step 3: Sauté the vegetables in the same pot used for the tofu. Transfer them to a bowl.
- Step 4: Add the Grumpy Ginger Malaysian Red Curry Paste and vegan honey. Bring to a boil. Add the cooked tofu and toss to coat. Transfer to a plate.
- Step 5: Add another tablespoon of Grumpy Ginger and return the cooked vegetables to the pot.
- Step 6: Pour in the coconut milk and bring to a boil. Simmer for 5 minutes.
From there, you’re ready to serve it up! Divide the cooked noodles between bowls, pour the coconut broth and vegetables on top, and serve with a spoonful of the glazed tofu.
I like to garnish each bowl with minced scallion greens and crispy shallots. Lime wedges add a perfect finish of acidity to the rich coconut broth, so don’t skip them!
Crispy Tofu Noodle Bowls
Equipment
Ingredients
- 8 ounces maifun rice noodles
- 1 pound extra firm tofu pressed and cut into 1-inch cubes
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ⅓ cup sweet potato starch
- 3 tablespoons neutral oil divided
- ¾ pound zucchini trimmed and cut into half-moons
- ½ pound red onion peeled and sliced
- 5 scallions trimmed and minced; white and green parts kept separate
- 1 red bell pepper trimmed, seeded, and sliced into strips
- 2 tablespoons Grumpy Ginger Malaysian Red Curry divided
- 1 tablespoon vegan honey
- 1 13.5-ounce can full-fat coconut milk
- Salt to taste
For serving:
Instructions
Cook the noodles:
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook the noodles according to package directions. Drain, rinse, and set aside. Note: You may need to rinse the noodles again before serving if they stick.
Prepare the tofu:
- While you wait for the water to boil, make the tofu.
- Place the cubed tofu in a large bowl and sprinkle with salt.
- Pour the sweet potato starch over the tofu and gently coat it using a rubber spatula. Try to avoid breaking the tofu too much. You can shake the bowl gently to ensure the sweet potato starch coats the tofu evenly. It will seem like the tofu absorbs the sweet potato starch, which is okay! It will not look like a dry coating but will still crisp up in the oil.
Fry the tofu:
- Heat 2 tablespoons neutral oil in a wide pot over medium-high heat until very hot. Once the oil shimmers, turn the heat to medium. Be sure to allow the oil to preheat for 5 minutes.
- Add the tofu in an even layer–frying in batches if needed–and cook without moving for 3–4 minutes per side. Turn once the tofu releases easily from the bottom of the pot. If your oil was nice and hot when you added the tofu, it shouldn’t stick. Cook until all the tofu is golden brown and crispy. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and sprinkle with a pinch of salt.
Cook the vegetables:
- Carefully wipe out the pot. Add 1 tablespoon neutral oil over medium heat. Add the zucchini, red onion, red bell pepper, and scallion whites. Sauté until they begin to soften, about 6–8 minutes. Add a pinch of salt. Transfer to a bowl. Turn the heat on the pot to medium-low.
Glaze the tofu:
- Add 1 tablespoon of Grumpy Ginger Malaysian Red Curry and 1 tablespoon of vegan honey to the pot. Bring to a boil. Once the sauce begins to bubble, add the cooked tofu and toss gently to coat it in the sauce for 1–2 minutes. Transfer it back to the plate.
Finish the curry:
- Return the vegetables and 1 tablespoon of Grumpy Ginger Malaysian Red Curry to the pot. Add the entire can of coconut milk and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes. Taste and add more salt if needed.
To serve:
- Rinse the noodles under cold water right before serving if needed.
- Divide the cooked noodles between bowls and ladle the hot vegetables and coconut broth on top. Add a serving of the glazed tofu to each bowl. Sprinkle the reserved scallion greens on top, and finish with a lime wedge and crispy shallots. Enjoy!
This looks out of this world delicious! Making it this weekend
Thank you so much! 🙂