Laksa Noodle Salad

By Hetty Lui McKinnon

Updated May 8, 2026

  • Christopher Testani for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.
Media 1 of 1
Ready In
30 min
Rating
4(188)
Comments
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This recipe takes a peak comfort dish—laksa noodle soup from Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia—and transforms it into a satiating salad you’ll crave. Every bite of this spicy and fragrant salad brims with exciting textures, thanks to smooth noodles, pillowy tofu and crunchy bean sprouts. The star of this recipe is the ultrasimple dressing that only needs two ingredients to assert big, bold flavors: Packed with complex concentrated aromatics, red curry paste is combined with sweet and nutty coconut milk for a powerhouse dressing. Curry pastes vary greatly in saltiness and spice from brand to brand, so taste it and add more or less as needed. This is an adaptable salad that is suitable for eating all year round, as the vegetables are flexible: The broccoli can be swapped with green beans, snow or sugar snap peas, bok choy or other available options. For an even heartier salad, consider serving with a halved boiled egg. 

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings

  • Sea salt and black pepper

  • 1 large head broccoli (1 pound), cut into small florets, thick stems peeled and sliced into discs

  • 10 ounces rice noodles (pho style) or rice vermicelli

  • 1 (14- to 16-ounce) block extra-firm tofu, drained, patted dry and sliced into ½-inch slices 

  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided, plus more as needed

  • 2 tablespoons red curry paste, or more to taste

  • ½ cup coconut milk, stirred well

  • 2 cups/5 ounces bean sprouts

  • Handful fresh cilantro, stems and leaves chopped

  • Handful store-bought crispy fried shallots or onions, for serving

  • 1 lime, quartered, for serving 

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Bring a big pot of salted water to the boil. Add the broccoli and cook until bright green and crisp-tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Using a spider ladle or slotted spoon, remove the broccoli and transfer to a colander to drain. Refresh under cold water and drain again.

  2. Step 2

    To the same pot of boiling water, add the rice noodles, stir gently (this helps to prevent sticking) and cook according to package instructions until tender but still firm. Drain, refresh under cold water and drain again.  

  3. Step 3

    Meanwhile, heat a medium skillet over medium-high until hot. (For nonstick, this takes 1 to 2 minutes, and 2 to 3 minutes for cast-iron or stainless steel.) Season the tofu with salt and pepper. When the skillet is hot, drizzle with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, add the tofu, and cook until golden, 3 to 4 minutes. Flip the tofu over and cook until golden, another 3 to 4 minutes (feel free to add more oil). Transfer to a cutting board and when cool enough to handle, slice into bite-size strips or triangles. 

  4. Step 4

    In a large bowl that’s big enough to hold the entire salad, make the dressing by whisking together the red curry paste and coconut milk until combined. Taste and if needed, season with salt and pepper.

  5. Step 5

    To the dressing, add the noodles, broccoli, tofu, bean sprouts and cilantro; drizzle with 1 to 2 tablespoons of olive oil and toss well until well coated. Taste and season with salt and black pepper. 

  6. Step 6

    To serve, top with crispy fried shallots, with a lime wedge on the side. 

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Ratings

4 out of 5
188 user ratings
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Comments

Gigi Em

@Abbie They say you can use any similar veges: green beans, snow peas, bok choy, sugar snap! And not in recipe but recipe is flexible for non Vegan/Vegetarians, so can add prawns (shrimp), chicken tenders or chicken strips as well as/instead of tofu. Cook same way as tofu! I want to make this salad! Yum 😋

Abbie

There is no cauliflower in the ingredients or instructions, but it's clearly in the photo and blurb.

Abbie

Just went grocery shopping for this recipe, but the blurb mentions cauliflower, and there is none in the ingredient list! Also: the photo includes an egg, but that is not in the ingredients either!

lizzysap

Delicious but SPICY (depending on your red curry paste). My family likes spice but we were all blowing our noses during dinner. I added bok choy by blanching it after the broccoli - make sure you squeeze out excess water afterward though. I also sauteed oyster mushrooms and added them to the mix and that was a delicious choice! Couldn't find shallots in a can so I sauteed my own - next time will do more shallots. Very yummy but will cut down on curry paste next time. Everyone loved it!

IanMacD

On the bland side. Adapted with vegetables I had here. Green beans, blanched briefly, and baby spinach leaves (in place of bean sprouts). Some tofu puffs as well as tofu. Added cucumber cubes and cherry tomatoes, halved. All of these worked. Fried the red curry paste briefly in oil to reduce rawness and then added coconut milk. Needs more flavour. If I do again (maybe), I will add 2 table spoons of peanut butter to red curry and coconut milk while still warm. Definitely needs more flavour. Normally I’m a Hetty Liu McKinnon fan but this recipe needs tweaking to get more flavour depth. Disappointed in my first go.

Christian

A bit bland indeed but this might depend on the brand of red curry paste. Added some simple sirup (so, sugar) and tamari for extra umami - that did the trick. Very yummy!

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