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Noodle stir fry with golden tofu, vegetables, peanuts, cilantro, and lime in a bowl

Back Pocket Stir Fry with Noodles and Golden Tofu

Back Pocket Stir Fry is a quick noodle stir fry with chewy brown rice noodles, crispy golden tofu, fresh vegetables, and a balanced savory sauce. It is an easy, satisfying meal perfect for busy weeknights.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Asian-Inspired
Calories: 354
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Noodles and tofu stir fry
  • 7 oz / 200 g brown rice noodles
  • 1 14 oz (397 g) package tofu
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil for sautéing
  • 3-4 cup chopped vegetables
  • 2 cloves minced garlic
Serving
  • peanuts, cilantro, and lime for serving
Sauce
  • 1/4 cup soy sauce or tamari for a gluten-free option
  • 2-3 tablespoons brown sugar or honey
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 2-3 tablespoons white vinegar, to taste
  • 1 teaspoon chili paste, to taste

Method
 

Preparation
  1. Combine all sauce ingredients and shake or mix until smooth.
  2. Place the brown rice noodles in a bowl of warm water to soak.
  3. Press tofu with paper towels to remove excess water, then cut it into cubes.
Cooking
  1. Heat a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the tofu cubes with a little olive oil until golden brown. Add a small amount of sauce to help create a browned coating, then transfer the tofu to a bowl.
  2. Using the same skillet, add the vegetables, garlic, and another small amount of oil. Stir fry over medium-high heat until the vegetables are tender-crisp.
  3. Drain the noodles and add them to the skillet with the vegetables. Pour in about half of the sauce and stir fry until everything is evenly combined.
  4. Return the tofu to the skillet and mix with the noodles and vegetables.
Serving
  1. Top the stir fry with peanuts, cilantro, and lime before serving.

Notes

The tofu needs time to crisp, so allow patience while sautéing; the source notes about 15 minutes for a crispy exterior. The vegetable mix used included red peppers, mushrooms, zucchini, bok choy, and pea pods, and broccoli can also work well. You may have extra sauce left over, which can be used to cook more noodles and vegetables later. The dish keeps well in the fridge for a week or two. Nutrition information in the source includes only half of the sauce because about half was used for the recipe as written.