Sesame soba noodles are topped with roasted veggies and savory baked tofu to make to make this easy vegan dinner! The best part: use just about whatever veggies you have on hand!
I get caught off guard on days I have to think about dinner. See, most days I’m either working on something for this blog, in which case that becomes dinner, or I’ve got something leftover that I made for this blog stashed away in the fridge.
But as my schedule shifts around I’m finding more and more days are spent writing posts and scheduling social media, and then six o’clock roll around and I have no idea what to do about dinner.
That’s why recipes like this are great! I usually have all of the ingredients on hand. I realize lots of people don’t have soba noodles on hand all the time, but: (1) you should, because they’re super diverse and have a long shelf life. Start keeping them on hand so you can make this (or this or this if you want to switch things up). And (2) you could substitute spaghetti if you really want to.
The sauce is mostly a bunch of pantry staples. If you do a lot of cooking from this blog you’ve probably got all of them on hand.
And then there’s the tofu and veggies. For the veggie component, you can use whatever you do happen to have on hand. Cool right? I always have carrots, and just happened to have some leftover Brussels sprouts, but use what you have. Broccoli, cauliflower, snap peas, asparagus, and zucchini are all great choices.
The tofu gets pressed, soaked in a gingery marinade, and then baked. It keeps great in the fridge, so you can even make that ahead if you like. I really like to make a double batch and use the leftover baked tofu as a salad topper for lunch.
Tips for Making Perfect Sesame Soba Noodles
- To keep this recipe gluten-free, use 100% buckwheat soba noodles and gluten-free tamari.
- Switch things up when it’s hot outside by serving the noodles cold and using raw veggies (like cabbage, carrots or cucumber) instead of roasted.
- You can prep the veggies, bake the tofu, and mix up the sauce ahead of time. Then all you have to do is boil the noodles and pop the veggies in the oven on the day of serving.
Like this recipe? If so, be sure to follow me on Facebook, Pinterest or Instagram, or subscribe to my newsletter. And please stop back and leave me a review and rating below if you make it!
Sesame Soba Noodles with Roasted Veggies & Baked Tofu
Sesame soba noodles are topped with roasted veggies and savory baked tofu to make to make this easy vegan dinner! The best part: use whatever veggies you have on hand!
Ingredients
For the Baked Tofu
- 1 (14 ounce) package extra firm tofu, drained and pressed
- 1/4 cup soy sauce or tamari
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 2 teaspoons fresh grated ginger
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 2 teaspoons sriracha (or to taste)
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
For the Roasted Veggies
- 4 cups veggies of choice (see note), cut into bite sized pieces
- 1 tablespoon canola oil (or another high-heat oil)
- Salt and pepper to taste
For the Noodles
- 8 ounces dried soba noodles
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
For Serving
- Chopped scallions
- Toasted sesame seeds
Instructions
To Make the Baked Tofu
-
Cut the tofu into 1-inch cubes.
-
In a shallow bowl, stir the soy sauce, vinegar, maple syrup, ginger, garlic, sriracha and sesame oil together.
-
Add the tofu to the bowl and gently stir to coat. Allow to marinate for at least 30 minutes.
-
Preheat the oven to 400° and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
-
Arrange the tofu cubes on the baking sheet and place it in the oven.
-
Bake the tofu for about 15 minutes, flip and then bake about 15 minutes more, until the pieces firm up and darken.
To Make the Roasted Veggies
-
Arrange the veggies on a baking sheet or in a roasting pan or oven-safe skillet, and drizzle with olive oil. Toss a few times to coat.
-
Place the veggies in to the oven and roast just until tender, 12-18 minutes (time will vary depending on the type(s) of veggies used.
To Make the Noodles
-
Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add the noodles. Cook the noodles according to the package directions.
-
While the noodles boil, stir the soy sauce, vinegar, sesame oil and garlic together in a small bowl.
-
When the noodles are finished cooking, drain them into a colander, then return them to the pot.
-
Pour the soy sauce mixture over the noodles and toss to coat.
To Serve
-
Divide the noodles among bowls and top with roasted veggies, baked tofu, scallions and sesame seeds. Serve.
Recipe Notes
For the veggies, choose from broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, parsnips, asparagus, Brussels sprouts, snap peas, zucchini, yellow squash, or bell peppers. Or if you have another favorite that you think will work, go for it! I used 3 cups of Brussels sprouts (halved) and 1 cup of chopped carrots.
OMG, Fantastic recipe! This one is going into my regular rotation. Great hot or cold. I used hot chile oil instead of sriracha. Thanks for all your great recipes, they have helped me to transition to vegan eating without feeling deprived or ostracized.My doctors say my health is much improved because of that, so many, many thanks!
Awesome!! I’m so glad you enjoyed this and seeing improvements in your health! Thanks Robin!
This is an absolutely delicious recioe!
Thank you so much!
I will be making this often.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Thanks Molly!
This recipe is so good! I was feeling lazy and used the tofu marinade for the noodles instead of making a whole new sauce and it was awesome. Thank you!