Gluten-Free | Mains | Recipes
Peanut Noodles with Tofu (Vegan)
These peanut noodles are a quick, healthy, and tasty meal. Rice noodles, veggies, and tofu are stir fried with a creamy peanut sauce.
Why We Love These Peanut Noodles
- Quick & Easy: These peanut noodles come together in about 30 minutes (not including noodle soaking time, but you can quick soak them if you didn’t prep ahead). They’re one of my go-to dinners when I need food ASAP.
- Healthy & Satisfying: Each serving has 28 grams of plant protein, 7 grams and fiber, and almost 2 servings of veggies. These noodles are filling but don’t leave you feeling heavy or sluggish.
- Perfect for Peanut Lovers: My partner and I are definitely peanut lovers (we go through a 16oz jar almost every week), so of course I had to make sure this stir fry was full of delicious peanut flavor. I highly recommend garnishing with crushed peanuts to really amplify the peanut flavor and add a crunchy texture!
Key Ingredients
- Peanut Butter ⟶ A generous amount of peanut butter makes the sauce extra creamy and satisfying.
- Low Sodium Soy Sauce ⟶ Use tamari for a gluten-free option. I like to use low sodium soy sauce which has almost 40% less sodium than regular (for Kikkoman brand which is what I use).
- Vegetarian Oyster Sauce ⟶ This adds another layer of flavor and umami. I use my homemade vegan mushroom oyster sauce. Many brands contain wheat so be sure to look for a gluten-free one if gluten is an issue.
- Sugar ⟶ Granulated sugar, brown sugar, coconut sugar, maple syrup, agave, or whatever sweetener you prefer will work.
- Rice Vinegar ⟶ A little bit of acidity helps balance out the sweet and salty flavors.
- Rice Noodles ⟶ I love the chewiness of rice noodles and usually use Pad Thai noodles for this stir fry.
- Tofu ⟶ Extra firm tofu adds lots of plant-based protein. The recipe card includes instructions for pan frying, but you can also bake or air fry the tofu to get it more crisp on the outside and chewy inside.
- Veggies ⟶ You can use any stir fry veggies you like. I used cabbage, carrots, bell pepper, and bean sprouts.
Tips for Success
Don’t overcook noodles ⟶ Overcooked noodles will turn mushy and can easily ruin your dish, so be sure to check the noodles frequently for doneness while stir frying. Soaking instead of boiling rice noodles will help prevent overcooking.
Switch up the veggies ⟶ Feel free to use other veggies you have, such as broccoli, snow peas, spinach, mushrooms, bok choy, green beans, zucchini, etc.
Try other proteins ⟶ Swap the tofu for tempeh, chickpeas, edamame, vegan chicken, or another protein of choice.
Vegan Peanut Noodles FAQ
More Quick & Easy Stir Fries
- Sesame Miso Tofu Stir Fry
- Peanut Butter Pad Thai
- Spicy Edamame Noodles
- Chili Sauce Tofu and Broccoli
- Japanese Tofu and Eggplant Ginger Stir Fry
- Miso Braised Tofu
- Ankake Tofu
- Sesame Lemon Chickpeas
If you try out this recipe, don’t forget to leave a comment/rating down below and tag me in your photos on instagram @ellielikes.cooking. I love seeing all of your tasty recreations!
Peanut Noodles with Tofu (Vegan)
These peanut noodles are a quick, healthy, and tasty meal. Rice noodles, veggies, and tofu are stir fried with a creamy peanut sauce.
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Servings: 3
Ingredients
Peanut Sauce
- 5 tbsp (75g) creamy peanut butter
- 2 tbsp (24g) sugar
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- 3 tbsp low sodium soy sauce or tamari for gluten-free
- 1 tbsp
vegetarian oyster sauce1 - ⅓ cup (80ml) water
Stir Fry
- 6 oz dried rice noodles, medium size
- neutral oil for cooking
- 16 oz extra firm tofu cubed or sliced
- 2-3 cloves garlic minced
- 2 cups cabbage thinly sliced
- 1 small carrot cut into matchsticks
- 1 bell pepper sliced
- 150 grams bean sprouts
- 2 green onions cut into 2-inch slices
- roasted peanuts to garnish optional
Instructions
- Soak rice noodles in a bowl of room temperature water for 60 minutes. (Small size rice noodles will take 30 minutes.) Drain and cut in half with scissors if they're very long.Tip: If you're short on time, you can quick soak them in hot water for about 3 minutes, then drain and rinse under cold water. Check out this post from Hot Thai Kitchen for more info about cooking rice noodles.
- Mix peanut sauce ingredients in a small bowl or cup and set aside.
- Heat a large wok over medium heat and add just enough oil to coat the bottom. Add tofu and cook until sides are golden brown, turning as needed. Transfer to a bowl and toss with 2 tbsp of the peanut sauce.
- Add some more oil to the wok over medium heat, then add garlic, cabbage, carrots, and bell pepper. Stir fry until veggies are tender.
- Add noodles, tofu, bean sprouts, green onions, and peanut sauce. Toss until all the sauce is absorbed, then taste the noodles for doneness. If they're still a little hard, add a splash of water and continue cooking until tender.
- Turn off heat and sprinkle with peanuts to serve, if using.
Notes
1) Some brands of vegetarian oyster sauce contain wheat, so if you are gluten-free, be sure to use a gluten-free vegetarian oyster sauce, or make your own with my recipe using tamari instead of soy sauce.
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