Vietnamese-Style Sesame Tofu Noodle Bowls

 This Vietnamese-style tofu dish is the perfect summer noodle salad bowl. Full of delicious flavours, textures and a gorgeous zingy dressing.

Vietnamese-Style Sesame Tofu Noodle Bowl

If you're looking for a special noodle bowl for the summer, try these Vietnamese-style sesame tofu noodles.

Such a delicious combination of flavours and textures and it's very easy to make.

You can toast the nuts and cook the tofu in either a frying pan or an air fryer.

There's no need to put the oven on.

Food in a bowl

You might remember a few years ago, everything was served in a bowl.

It was a big trend.

I think the secret to a good food bowl is something like pasta or a salad that can just be eaten with a fork.

If you need to use a knife too, then forget it, it's just too awkward.

So just remember bite-size pieces (take note cafes and restaurants).

Feel Good by Melissa Hemsley

This recipe comes from the Feel Good cookbook by Melissa Hemsley.

It's all about easy but delicious food.

Feel Good is not a vegan or vegetarian cookbook, but it has a lot of vegan or vegetarian recipes and lots that could easily be tweaked.

It's full of full-size glossy photos, which is something I love in a cookbook.

I want to see what the final dish looks like.

No photos or not enough photos then forget it.

What's in the cookbook

Here are the chapters in the cookbook, which will give you a wee idea of what to expect.

1. Introduction
2. Breakfast & Brunch
3. Comforting Bowl Food
4. Lunchbox Heroes and Satisfying Salads
5. Pasta, Pulses, Noodles and Quinoa
6. Veg Powered and Plant-Based
7. Meat & Fish (with lots of veg too)
8. Stress-Free Sharing with Friends
9. Easy Puddings and Simple Snacks
10. Recipe Round-Ups
11. Easy Ways to Pump up the Flavour
12. Tips and Swaps for Vegan Friends
13. Go-To Sauces & Pickles
14. Cooks Notes

Recipes that caught my eye

Here are a few of the recipes that caught my eye.

I've tested and reviewed another couple over on The Vegan Lunchbox, which are included below with links.

1. Creamy Mushroom & Spinach Pasta
2. Farinata (a flatbread, made from a savoury pancake mix)
3. Fried Halloumi (use vegan halloumi) & Chickpea Rainbow Salad (photo: top right)
4. One-Pot Sweet Potato & Spinach-Lentil Bake (photo: bottom right)
5. Sesame Noodle Salad with Quick-Pickled Cucumber (photo: top left)
6. Shawarma-Inspired Cauliflower & Sweet Potato Bowls (photo: bottom right)
7. Warm Potato & Watercress Salad with Asparagus
8. Three-Ingredient Chocolate Pots (sweetened with dates)

Vegan Recipe Count

If you've read my cookbook reviews before, you will know I like to give you a recipe count.

It gives you an idea if the book is worth buying if you are vegan. 

If you are vegetarian then there are even more recipes suitable for you.

• Vegan recipes = 32 recipes
• Simple swaps to make it a vegan recipe = 33 recipes
• Unsuitable recipes = 35 recipes
• Total recipes = 100

There is also a page specifically sharing tips and tweaks for vegan readers.

Feel Good Cookbook Details

• Title: Feel Good
• Author: Melissa Hemsley
• Imprint: Ebury Press
• Published: 19/05/2022
• ISBN: 9781529109818
• Length: 256 Pages
• Dimensions: 252mm x 25mm x 197mm (Hardback)
• RRP: £22.00

Photo Credits

Noodle bowl Photography by Lizzie Mayson. Recipe extracted from Feel Good by Melissa Hemsley (Ebury Press £22)

Which type of tofu?

For this type of dish, you need firm tofu.

I like to buy tofu that has been pre-pressed tofu, which saves time pressing it.

If you buy standard tofu, it will need to be pressed before you marinade it.

Use a tofu press if you have one, if not wrap in plenty of kitchen paper, then a clean tea towel, then top with a heavy book and a few tins of food to weigh it down.

Leave it for half an hour, and then it's ready to go.

Avoid silken tofu as it is a creamy tofu which is used for sauces and desserts.

Too soft for this recipe.

Prepping tofu

Once you've pressed your tofu, you can then cut it into cubes.

They can be bigger than the cubes I cut.

Once it's cubed, it can be marinated.

The marinade for this dish is particularly tasty.

Love tofu? Try this easy tofu fried rice.

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Which type of noodles?

Vermicelli noodles are the type you need for this dish.

They are Thai noodles that are made from rice.

Very thin, they can be cooked by covering in hot water or stock and leaving to soak for a few minutes.

Sometimes they are called rice noodles.

Are rice noodles vegan and gluten-free?

Rice noodles (vermicelli noodles) are suitable for vegans and they are gluten-free.

They are simply made with rice and tapioca starch.

Try adding them to stir-fries, soups and salads.

What do you need to make sesame tofu noodle bowls?

Here are the ingredients you need.

Tofu

• Firm tofu - extra firm or pre-pressed won't need to be pressed
• Coconut oil - or vegetable oil
• Maple syrup
• Sesame Seeds

Dressing

• Limes
• Maple syrup
• Soy sauce - or vegan fish sauce
• Tamari sauce
• Garlic
• Chilli

Noodle Salad

• Vermicilli noodles - rice noodles
• Fresh herbs - choose from coriander, basil or mint (or a mixture of these)
• Little Gem Lettuce - or other salad leaves
• Cashew nuts - or peanuts
• Carrots
• Cucumber
• Radishes - or cabbage

Variation

Instead of tofu why not use mushrooms?

Swap the tofu for the same quantity of mushrooms.

Chop roughly, or leave smaller mushrooms whole and cook in the same way as the tofu with the same flavours.

More vegan tofu dishes to try

Here are a few more vegan tofu dishes for you to try.

1. Baked Harissa Popcorn Tofu
2. Chinese Sweet & Sour Tofu Rice Bake
3. Chipotle Waffle Tofu
4. Chip Shop Battered Tofu
5. Grilled Tandoori Tofu Skewers
6. Jerk Tofu BBQ Skewers
7. Roasted Vegetable & Tofu Sandwiches
8. Spiced Tofu Fingers
9. Spiced Tofu & Mushroom Tacos
10. Tofu Grinder Salad Sandwiches

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noodles, tofu salad, noodle salad, noodle bowl, tofu bowl, sesame tofu

dinner

Vietnamese, vegan

Yield: 4

Author: Jacqueline Meldrum

Vietnamese-Style Sesame Tofu Noodle Bowls

This Vietnamese-style tofu dish is the perfect summer noodle salad bowl. Full of delicious flavours, textures and a gorgeous zingy dressing.

Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 15 MinTotal time: 25 Min

Ingredients

Tofu

• 280g (10 oz approx) firm (or extra firm) tofu
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil (or coconut oil)
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup
• 2 tablespoons sesame seeds

Dressing

• juice of 3 limes
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 1/2 tablespoons tamari sauce (or extra soy sauce)
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed or finely grated
• 1 chilli, deseeded and finely chopped (or chilli powder or flakes to taste)

Noodle salad

• 300g (10 1/2 oz) vermicelli rice noodles
• 2 handfuls fresh herbs (coriander, basil or mint, or a mixture of these)
• 2 baby gem lettuces (or other lettuce), leaves separated
• 2 tablespoons cashews (or peanuts)
• 2 carrots, finely sliced
• 1/2 cucumber, finely sliced
• 2 handfuls radishes, finely sliced (you could used some shredded cabbage instead)

Instructions

1. Mix the salad dressing ingredients in a small bowl (I like to use a clean jam jar).
2. Drain and press the tofu (no need if it is extra firm), pat dry on kitchen paper and chop into cubes.
3. In a bowl, mix the tofu with 2 tablespoons of the dressing and set aside.
4. Place the noodles in a large serving bowl and pour over just boiled water and leave for 5-8 minutes (check the packet for instructions).
5. Tear the lettuce leaves, but leave the herbs whole.
6. Heat a frying pan and dry fry the nuts to toast them. Don't let them get too browned, then remove and roughly chop.
7. Reheat the pan, adding the oil, then cook the tofu for a few minutes on each side, turning as required with tongs until golden brown.
8. Stir in the maple syrup and sesame seeds and remove from the heat.
9. Drain the noodles when they are tender, dry out the bowl, the add the noodles back into one side of the bowl (bowls). You can snip them with scissors to make them shorter and easier to eat.
10. Drizzle half the dressing over the noodles, then add the lettuce, herbs, veg and tofu to the bowl and scatter some nuts over the dish.
11. Serve with extra dressing.
12. Enjoy!

Notes

• You can use mushrooms instead of tofu. Just slice them thickly and dress and cook the same way.
• This dish is best eaten freshly made but can go in lunchboxes for the next day, just keep the dressing separate and ready to serve with the dish.
• To cook in an air fryer, toast the nuts on a small baking tray (air fryer with shelves) or straight in the drawer. They don't take long. Same with the tofu (turn during cooking).

Nutrition Facts

Calories

534.11

Fat (grams)

14.76

Sat. Fat (grams)

2.19

Carbs (grams)

86.95

Fiber (grams)

4.63

Net carbs

82.35

Sugar (grams)

14.22

Protein (grams)

13.86

Sodium (milligrams)

1313.67

Cholesterol (grams)

0

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Disclosure: I was sent this cookbook to review. I was not expected to write a positive review and any opinions expressed are my own.