About a year ago, I came across this lovely spicy peanut tofu stir fry recipe from Little Spice Jar and immediately fell in love. I even made a huge batch of it for my brother’s college graduation party—the tray was completely empty by the end of the day. Since I really love Thai flavors in food—especially peanut sauce and Pad Thai—I decided to combine the textures and flavors into a noodle dish that has easily become one of my go-to recipes since I usually have all of the ingredients handy.
Not only is this noodle recipe great for a dinner at home, it does great for leftovers and work lunches. I love piling up mine with extra cilantro, peanuts and a squeeze of lime for that extra crunchy, zingy pop of flavor.
Another great reason to keep this recipe handy is that it can be easily adapted to whatever ingredients you have on hand. Feel free to play it up or swap out the veggies I used for mushrooms, broccoli, bean sprouts—whatever is in your fridge—or add some meat if that’s your style.
Thai Peanut Lime Noodles with Tofu
A zesty, peanutty Thai-inspired dish that's better than takeout. It's totally vegan, with gluten-free and soy-free options.
- Total Time: 1h
- Serves: 4
- Category: Global Eats, Thai, Vegan
Ingredients
- 1 package linguine, spaghetti or rice noodles (for gf option)
- 1 onion, diced
- 2 carrots, peeled and sliced
- 1 red pepper, sliced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 package extra firm tofu (can omit and add extra veggies to keep soy free)
- 2 tablespoons grapeseed or olive oil, to coat pan
For the Sauce
- 3 tablespoons T. lime juice
- 1/3 cup soy sauce or Tamari (for soy free)
- 1/4 cup peanut butter
- 3 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 2 tablespoons agave syrup or honey
- 1/2 teaspoon Sriracha (optional or to your taste)
- 1 teaspoon corn starch
For Garnish
- 1 bunch cilantro, chopped
- 1 lime, cut into wedges
- 3/4 cup peanuts, chopped
- 1 bunch scallions, thinly sliced
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400ºF. Press your tofu between paper towels or clean kitchen towels for at least 30 minutes, then chop into cubes and place onto a parchment-lined or lightly greased sheet pan. Cook in oven for 25-35 minutes, flipping once halfway through to ensure even cooking. They should be dry and firm to the touch when ready.
- Cook noodles until al dente or according to package instructions.
- Swirl oil in a large frying pan or wok and set to medium high heat. Add your onions, peppers and carrots. Sauté until onions are translucent and veggies start to get tender. Add minced garlic. Season with salt and pepper.
- Throw the sauce ingredients in a mason jar and shake it until combined. If the sauce is too thick, add a little more soy sauce to thin out. No mason jar? Use a bowl and a whisk.
- Add the cooked noodles and tofu to the veggies and add the sauce to heat through. I like my noodles saucy so feel free to add more soy sauce, lime juice, rice vinegar and hot sauce to your taste.
- Top with chopped cilantro, peanuts, scallions and a squeeze of lime. Enjoy!