I’ve been on an Asian food kick, lately, which is a relatively new thing for me. I mean, I’ve done my fair share of dump-a-bag-of-frozen-stir-fry-into-a-skillet-and-drown-it-in-soy-sauce and my own bastardized version of an avocado roll, but that about covers it. Anything beyond that had always been something of a disaster, even if only mildly so, but I’m nothing if not determined, so I’ve been on a mission to create at least one dish with Asian flavors worth sharing. If I had more shame, I’d be embarrassed to tell you that for a solid three weeks, my kitchen functioned more like an experimental lab than a room I use to cook dinner, and that nearly all experiments ended up in the trash (which has prompted me to research compost bins, but more on that later). BUT, a) I don’t have that much shame, and 2) it wouldn’t matter, because I’ve finally got it!

This sesame soba noodle bowl recipe looks like a lot at first glance, but don’t let that fool you. The active prep time on this is less than ten minutes, and most of the ingredients make up the sauce. The best part is, if broccoli isn’t your thing, you can use snow peas or summer squash or shiitakes or whatever your jam is. If you’re out of carrots, sub in sliced red bells or just skip it altogether. Control the heat with more sriracha, or amp up the sweet with more agave. Basically, take what you want, and leave what you don’t. The sesame soba noodles are good hot or cold, and I know they at least keep well for one day. Beyond that, I’m not sure because they didn’t last that long. If you try it, let us know what you think in the comments!

vegan sesame soba noodle bowl
serves 4-6

for the tofu & broccoli
14 oz firm tofu drained and pressed at least ten minutes, diced into 1 inch cubes
2-3 cups fresh broccoli florets
1/4 cup tamari
2 Tbs rice vinegar
1 Tbs agave
1 tsp sriracha
2 tsp fresh grated ginger
1 garlic clove minced

for the noodles
8 oz dried soba noodles
1 cup carrot shavings (I use a carrot peeler)
3 Tbs tamari
1 Tbs rice vinegar
1/2 Tbs sesame oil
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 tsp sriracha
1 tsp agave

for topping
sesame seeds, toasted or not
sliced green onions
fresh cilantro

1) For the tofu and broccoli, in a medium mixing bowl, stir together everything in the first ingredient list except for the tofu and broccoli. Add the cubed tofu and gently stir to coat. Marinate for at least half an hour.
2) While the tofu is marinating, preheat your oven to 400˚, and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Set them aside.
3) After half an hour, spread the cubed tofu in a single layer onto one of the baking sheets. Bake for 30 minutes, flipping the cubes halfway through the cooking time.
4) While the tofu is cooking, add the broccoli florets to the remainder of the tofu sauce and stir well. Place the florets on the second baking sheet, and put into the oven with the tofu at the halfway mark (to cook for 15 minutes, more if needed).
5) Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to boil. Cook the soba noodles according to the package directions (mine took six minutes). One minute before the cooking time ends, add your carrot shavings. Drain well, and return to the pot.

6) While the noodles are boiling, whisk together the remaining ingredients in the second list to make the dressing. As soon as the noodles have drained, pour in the dressing and stir well to coat all the noodles.
7) Add the cubed tofu and broccoli to the noodles, top with sesame seeds, sliced green onions, and fresh cilantro, if using, and enjoy!

notes: I cook oil-free unless it’s absolutely necessary to use it. In this dish, it IS absolutely necessary to keep the noodles from getting gummy or sticking together, but with half a tablespoon in the whole batch, it has minimal impact on your saturated fat intake. As noted above, the veggies are interchangeable, so swap to suit your preferences (or your produce inventory).

vegan sesame soba noodle bowl
serves 4-6

for the tofu & broccoli
14 oz firm tofu drained and pressed at least ten minutes, diced into 1 inch cubes
2-3 cups fresh broccoli florets
1/4 cup tamari
2 Tbs rice vinegar
1 Tbs agave
1 tsp sriracha
2 tsp fresh grated ginger
1 garlic clove minced

for the noodles
8 oz dried soba noodles
1 cup carrot shavings (I use a carrot peeler)
3 Tbs tamari
1 Tbs rice vinegar
1/2 Tbs sesame oil
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 tsp sriracha
1 tsp agave

for topping
sesame seeds, toasted or not
sliced green onions
fresh cilantro

1) For the tofu and broccoli, in a medium mixing bowl, stir together everything in the first ingredient list except for the tofu and broccoli. Add the cubed tofu and gently stir to coat. Marinate for at least half an hour.
2) While the tofu is marinating, preheat your oven to 400˚, and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Set them aside.
3) After half an hour, spread the cubed tofu in a single layer onto one of the baking sheets. Bake for 30 minutes, flipping the cubes halfway through the cooking time.
4) While the tofu is cooking, add the broccoli florets to the remainder of the tofu sauce and stir well. Place the florets on the second baking sheet, and put into the oven with the tofu at the halfway mark (to cook for 15 minutes, more if needed).
5) Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to boil. Cook the soba noodles according to the package directions (mine took six minutes). One minute before the cooking time ends, add your carrot shavings. Drain well, and return to the pot.
6) While the noodles are boiling, whisk together the remaining ingredients in the second list to make the dressing. As soon as the noodles have drained, pour in the dressing and stir well to coat all the noodles.
7) Add the cubed tofu and broccoli to the noodles, top with sesame seeds, sliced green onions, and fresh cilantro, if using, and enjoy!

notes: I cook oil-free unless it’s absolutely necessary to use it. In this dish, it IS absolutely necessary to keep the noodles from getting gummy or sticking together, but with half a tablespoon in the whole batch, it has minimal impact on your saturated fat intake. As noted above, the veggies are interchangeable, so swap to suit your preferences (or your produce inventory).