Sticky soy and maple tofu noodle salad

A hot, sour, crunchy dinner for warm days

It’s a quick one from me this week because working, trying to get our kid into a cheaper pre-school, working, cleaning, picking up shit that people leave on the stairs, and general life living have taken over. We’re adding potty training into the mix this weekend – pray for us.

This tofu noodle salad recipe is what I want to eat when it’s warm outside. It’s got loads of crunchy veg, fragrant herbs sweet-and-salty tofu, peanuts and a lime and chilli-spiked dressing to bring it together. Bonus points that it requires very little cooking. I’ve suggested making the tofu in the air fryer, which, if you own an air fryer, you will know is the absolute best way to do it. But I reckon it would work just as well fried in a hot pan and turned regularly to get that golden, crisp exterior and custardy middle.

Happy cooking x

Air fryer soy and maple tofu noodle salad

Serves 4

For the tofu
300g extra firm tofu
2 tbsp soy sauce
2 tsp maple
½ tsp turmeric

For the salad
½ cucumber
1 orange pepper
1 bunch spring onions
1 courgette
4 nests rice vermicelli noodles
2 tbsp peanuts
1 bunch fresh coriander
1 bunch fresh mint

For the dressing
3 limes, zest and juice
1 red chilli, finely slices
1 tbsp fish sauce (use a vegan/veggie one if you like)
2 tsp sugar

Thoroughly pat the tofu dry with kitchen paper and cut into 3cm rectangles. Combine the soy, maple and turmeric in a shallow bowl and place the tofu in the bowl, turning to allow it to soak up the sauce. Set aside for 15 minutes (or longer if you can) to marinade.

Place on a sheet of parchment in the air fryer and cook at 180C for 15 minutes, turning halfway, until golden and crisp.

Meanwhile, prep all your veg. Thinly slice the cucumber, deseed and thinly slice the pepper, and trim and then thinly slice the spring onions. Cut the courgette into ribbons using a speed peeler, then trim to form spaghetti-like thin slices. Finely chop the herbs, then place everything in a big bowl and sprinkle over a pinch of salt, tossing to combine.

Toast the peanuts in a dry pan over a medium heat until golden, then roughly chop.

Pour boiling water over the noodles, then set aside for 5 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold water, shaking out any excess water.

To make the dressing, combine the lime juice and zest, chilli and sugar in a bowl. Add the fish sauce 1 tsp at a time, tasting and stopping when you like the flavour balance.

Toss the noodles and dressing in the bowl with the veggies and herbs. Serve topped with the crispy tofu and peanuts.