Stir-fry gets an upgrade with these peanut noodles with crispy tofu. A crisp and flavour-packed fresh veggie slaw is the perfect topper.

Peanutty noodles with a hint of sesame and soy are the perfect vehicle for crispy tofu and fresh veggie slaw with tons of crunch. The best part about this meal is that you can serve it deconstructed—plate all the elements family-style and let everyone build their own bowls, customized to their liking.

Ingredients for Peanut Noodles with Crispy Tofu

Dressing

1/4 cup rice vinegar
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 tbsp canola oil
1 tbsp sesame oil
2 tbsp honey or brown sugar
1 tbsp lime juice
2 tsp grated fresh ginger
1 garlic clove, crushed
1/4 cup peanut or almond butter or tahini (sesame seed paste)

Veggie Slaw

300 g firm or extra-firm tofu
1/2 lb Asian noodles, or as much as you think you’ll need
2 cups broccoli florets
1 small red pepper, sliced
1–2 green onions, chopped
canola or sesame oil, for cooking
1/4 cup sesame seeds
1/2 cup peanuts, toasted (optional)
lime, cut into wedges (optional)

Directions for Peanut Noodles with Crispy Tofu

  1. To make the dressing, to a small jar, add vinegar, soy sauce, canola oil, sesame oil, honey, lime juice, ginger and garlic. Shake well until combined.
  2. In a shallow dish, place tofu and pour dressing over top. Cover and refrigerate for an hour, or up to a day, turning it once or twice. Remove the tofu from the marinade (reserving the marinade) and place on two sheets of paper towel; place another sheet of paper towel on top, then a plate or other flat object. Let sit for 30 min to press out any excess moisture—this will help make your tofu extra crispy.
  3. Whisk almond or peanut butter into reserved marinade to make dressing. Cook noodles according to package directions, adding broccoli for the last few min of cooking time; pour both into a colander to drain, and run under cold water to stop them from cooking. Drain well. Transfer to a bowl and add red pepper and green onion. Drizzle with about half the dressing, toss and divide among bowls.
  4. Cut the tofu into about 1-inch squares (or bite-sized pieces) and heat a drizzle of oil in a heavy skillet set over medium-high. Add the tofu and brown on all sides. Divide the crispy tofu among the bowls, top with sesame seeds and drizzle with extra dressing. Serve immediately with toasted peanuts and a lime wedge for garnish. Serves 6.

PER SERVING (made with sesame seeds and 1 tablespoon cooking oil):

517 calories, 29 g fat (4.2 g saturated fat, 12 g monounsaturated fat, 13 g polyunsaturated fat), 50 g carbohydrates, 0 mg cholesterol, 17.7 g protein, 9.6 g fibre.