Golden Tofu Noodle Bowl

By Hetty Lui McKinnon

Updated August 20, 2026

  • Julia Gartland for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Spencer Richards.
Media 1 of 1
Ready In
40 min
Rating
5(139)
Comments
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Fresh and brimming with crisp textures, this Vietnamese-style rice noodle bowl is inspired by bún chả, the pork and vermicelli dish from Hanoi. This vegan version offers golden cubes of turmeric-coated tofu, served with crunchy raw vegetables and a zesty dipping sauce. The sauce is a vegan take on the Vietnamese staple nước chấm sauce, relying upon lime, maple syrup, soy sauce and garlic to replicate the complex umami and signature sour-sweet-spicy notes of the original. Serve with the sauce on the side, so each person can dress the salad to their liking. Don’t skimp on the herbs, as they add an essential herbal aroma to the dish.

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings

For the Salad

  • Salt and black pepper

  • 8 ounces rice vermicelli noodles

  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling

  • 1 teaspoon ground turmeric 

  • 1 (15-ounce) block extra-firm tofu, drained and cut into 1-inch cubes

  • 2 medium carrots (about 5 ounces), coarsely grated

  • 2 Persian cucumbers, cut diagonally into ¼-inch slices 

  • ½ head (about 6 ounces) romaine lettuce, thinly sliced

  • ⅓ cup roasted peanuts, roughly chopped 

  • 1 handful fresh basil leaves, for serving

  • 1 handful fresh cilantro leaves, for serving

For the Vegan Nước Chấm

  • ½ cup lime juice (from about 4 limes)

  • 5 tablespoons maple syrup or brown sugar

  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari

  • 1 garlic clove, finely grated

  • 1 Thai red chile, finely chopped

  • 1 teaspoon salt

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

79 grams carbs; 534 calories; 9 grams monounsaturated fat; 5 grams polyunsaturated fat; 3 grams saturated fat; 18 grams fat; 6 grams fiber; 894 milligrams sodium; 19 grams protein; 21 grams sugar

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Start the salad: Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil. Add the rice noodles and cook according to package instructions until tender, using a wooden chopstick or tongs to gently separate the noodles. Drain, refresh under cold water, and drain again. 

  2.  

    1. Step 2

      Meanwhile, add the olive oil, turmeric, 1 teaspoon salt and a big pinch of black pepper to a medium bowl and stir to combine. Add the tofu and toss gently to coat.

  3.  

    1. Step 3

      Heat a medium skillet on medium high for 1 to 2 minutes. Add the tofu cubes and cook until golden all over, about 2 minutes per side (depending upon the size of your pan, you may need to cook in batches). 

  4.  

    1. Step 4

      Make the vegan nước chấm: Place the lime juice, maple syrup, soy sauce, garlic, Thai chile and salt into a bowl and whisk to combine. 

  5.  

    1. Step 5

      Drizzle 1 to 2 tablespoons of olive oil over the noodles, season with a pinch of salt and toss them to loosen them up. Divide the noodles among four wide bowls or rimmed dinner plates. Nestle bundles of the tofu, carrots, cucumbers and lettuce on top, along with small handfuls of peanuts, basil and cilantro. Serve with a bowl of the nước chấm on the side.

Tip

  • The noodle bowls and the sauce can all be prepared 24 hours ahead of time and refrigerated until ready to serve. Since the sauce is not added until the time of eating, everything stays fresh and crisp. 

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Ratings

5 out of 5
139 user ratings
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Comments

Elizabeth

Delicious!! Made exactly as written, minus the lettuce. Make sure the tofu is well drained; if easier, you could probably just crumble a block up and the craggy chunks would absorb the turmeric flavor and get wonderfully crispy. I put the drained pasta directly back into the bowl I'd used to mix the tofu and turmeric; there was just enough oil left to keep it from sticking and impart some flavor. The sauce was great, definitely use fresh limes or good quality lime juice. Will make again!!

John Forsyth

I think something important to know is you should not be using Sweet basil and instead use Thai Basil. The balance is much better this way!

Sarah

Added broccoli and mushrooms. Wish I had air fried the tofu separately to make it crispier. Next time I’ll also make more sauce.

Suzanne

Made exactly as written. It was fabulous and the lime sauce was divine. It’s a perfect summer meal when the temperature is 103° in the desert. I will definitely be making this again.

maridin

Do the tofu cubes go into a hot skillet with no oil?

Deanna

I was very happy with this recipe. On another commenter's suggestion, I baked the tofu in the oven taking it out and stirring the cubes every so often. I like the versatility of this recipe and how I can use other vegetables on hand. I added in Diakon radish, red pepper, and jalapeño. I like the softness of the noodles and tofu along with the crunchiness of the vegetables. I was a bit short on the lime juice so I used some lemon juice.

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