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Home » Main Course

Vegan Banh Mi Noodles With Tofu

January 5, 2023 by Katie 8 Comments

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These Vegan Banh Mi Noodles With Tofu are the perfect healthy and flavorful recipe. This recipe features fresh veggies and plant-based protein and is perfect for both lunch and dinner. This recipe is: vegan, oil-free, gluten-free, and refined sugar-free.
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banh mi noodles

These Vegan Banh Mi Noodles With Tofu are the perfect quick and easy noodle salad! These flavorful noodles feature fresh herbs, crispy tofu, and fresh vegetables found in the traditional sandwich. 

the banh mi noodles in a bowl with the creamy sriracha dressing and fresh jalapeños

My Tempeh Banh Mi is one of my favorite recipes of all time. Although I could eat that recipe literally every day, I wanted to create a banh mi recipe where you could throw everything in a large bowl and be good to go. That's exactly what this recipe is!

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Jump to:
  • Ingredients For These Banh Mi Noodles:
  • How To Make These Banh Mi Noodles:
  • ​Substitutions:
  • Vegan Banh Mi Noodle Variations:
  • What You Need To Make These Banh Mi Noodles:
  • How To Store These Banh Mi Noodle Bowls:
  • Frequently Asked Questions:
  • Related Vegan Pasta And Noodle Recipes:
  • Vegan Banh Mi Noodles With Tofu
  • More Tofu Recipes:

Ingredients For These Banh Mi Noodles:

These vegan banh mi noodles are great because they are made with super simple ingredients that you can pick up at your local grocery store.

the banh mi noodles in a salad bowl without the dressing

For The Noodles:

  • Brown Rice Noodles - Any variety of rice noodles will work perfectly for these Banh Mi Noodles. I personally use thicker-cut noodles because I think they have the best texture for a mixed salad like this. However, vermicelli noodles are also a great option. If you are gluten-free, make sure to use vermicelli rice noodles. You can also use low-calorie noodle varieties like Miracle Noodles or kelp noodles for a grain-free, raw, or weight-loss substitute. 
  • English Cucumbers - You can use any cucumber variety. However, I recommend using English cucumbers. They peel into strips much better than other cucumber varieties, have a less bitter taste, and are the perfect crunchy cucumber.
  • Raw Carrots - Carrots add the perfect crunch to this recipe. I always try to find the largest carrots because they are much easier to peel into strips. I also recommend buying large carrots organic, because the taste is much different. If you can find pickled carrots, I'd recommend using those.
  • Water Chestnuts - Adds the perfect crunch to this noodle salad. You can use either water chestnuts or daikon radishes. I personally would recommend using the daikon radish. However, it can sometimes be hard to find in stores (Asian markets usually carry it!).
  • Fresh Cilantro - If you're not a fan of cilantro, you can leave it out. However, I strongly recommend that you keep it in this recipe. Cilantro is one of the key flavors in these noodles, and adds some extra greens to the mix. Feel free to chop it as finely as you want. I personally love cilantro, so I prefer the larger pieces.
  • Jalapeños - Add as many, or as little jalapeño slices as you like. The level of spiciness in this recipe is totally up to your personal preference. 
The healthy vegan lunch in a bowl without the dressing

For The Smoked Tofu:

  • Extra Firm Tofu - Whenever I am cooking with tofu I always use the extra firm variety (the one that comes wrapped in plastic, not in a plastic container). If you're running into the problem of your tofu falling apart when you're cooking with it, this could be why. I also recommend pressing your tofu to get rid of any excess water.
  • Smoked Paprika - Smoked Paprika is one of my favorite spices to cook with in any recipe. It has a strong smokey and savory flavor that goes well with so many recipes. If you're looking for one spice to add to your plant-based protein to achieve a better flavor, I recommend using smoked paprika.
  • Garlic Powder - Another great spice for flavoring plant-based protein is garlic powder. It goes well with everything, and a little goes a long way.
  • Liquid Aminos - If you're unfamiliar with liquid aminos, they are essentially just lower-sodium soy sauce. Compared to soy sauce which contains about 1000mg of sodium per serving, liquid aminos only contain about 300mg and taste the exact same.
  • Vegetable Broth/Oil - This recipe can be made oil-free, or with oil depending on how you want to cook the tofu. If you want it crispier, use toasted sesame oil, if you want it with fewer calories, use vegetable broth.

For The Creamy Sriracha Dressing:

  • Aquafaba - Aquafaba is the liquid from a can of chickpeas. I know it sounds crazy to use chickpea liquid as the base of a dressing but trust me on this one. It whips up and has the perfect flavor for this dressing. Both low-sodium and regular chickpeas will work. Make sure not to use unsalted. I love using aquafaba because it achieves a similar texture to vegan mayo except it is extremely low calorie. 
  • Raw Cashew Butter - Makes up the creaminess of this dressing. I love using Wilderness Poets SPiN Cashew Milk and Cream Concentrate. It has the perfect smooth and creamy texture to use in dressings. You can use my code: "NATURALVEGAN" for $10 off!
  • Sriracha - You can use regular, or extra hot sriracha for this dressing. I love True Made Foods sriracha, because it is free of refined sugars, and it contains added vegetables. The best part is it tastes the exact same as traditional sriracha.
  • Apple Cider Vinegar - The tiniest bit of apple cider vinegar ties this dressing together. It gives it the perfect kick.
  • Garlic Powder - Even though sriracha contains garlic powder, I like to add a little extra to elevate the flavor of this dressing even more. 

See the recipe card for quantities.

How To Make These Banh Mi Noodles:

These Banh Mi Noodles are one of my favorite quick, easy, and healthy meals to make. It's a delicious meal packed full of vegetables and only takes about 15 minutes to make. All you'll need is a cutting board, a knife, a julienne peeler, a blender, and a large bowl. 

1. Begin by boiling a pot of water and cooking the brown rice noodles according to package instructions. 

2. Marinate the tofu by combining the liquid aminos, garlic powder, and smoked paprika together in a shallow small bowl or plate. Mix the marinade until smooth. Cut the tofu into triangles, place in the dish, and flip a couple of times to marinate.

3. While the brown rice noodles are cooking and the tofu is marinating, prepare the vegetables. Use the julienne peeler on the carrots and cucumbers, cut the jalapeños into thin slices, strain and rinse the water chestnuts, and roughly chop the cilantro. 

4. Cook the tofu with either vegetable broth, or sesame oil in a medium saucepan set to medium heat, flipping once the tofu is crispy on each side.

5. Make the dressing by combining all dressing ingredients together and blending until smooth. 

6. Add the noodles, vegetables, and tofu together in a large bowl. Cover with the dressing, and serve the banh mi bowls. Enjoy!

Hint: The longer the tofu marinates the deeper the flavor. If you can remember I recommend marinating it the night before!

@theallnaturalvegan

🌟Banh Mi Noodles 🌟 Happy Friday friends! I’ve got the perfect quick, easy, and healthy noodles for you guys! If you’ve ever had a Banh mi sandwich, then you know how delicious these noodles are, if you haven’t, you HAVE to check it out. It’s spicy, creamy, and so freaking delicious! This recipe is: vegan, gluten-free, refined sugar-free, and can easily be made oil-free. You can find the full recipe on my website: theallnaturalvegan.com (link in bio), or head to my story high for a direct link! I used my favorite @wildernesspoets SPiN cashew milk base to make the ultimate creamy dressing that is just 🤌. As always my code “VEGAN10” gets you $10 off your purchase (link in bio). Enjoy 💕 #veganuary #veganrecipes #veganfood #veganrecipes #healthyvegan #healthyveganfood #cleaneating #banhmi #wfpb #plantbased #plantbasedfood #wfpbno #oilfreevegan #glutenfreedairyfree #dairyfree #noodles #healthynoodles #easyrecipe #plantbasedmeals

♬ Dancing in the Moonlight - Jubël
the banh mi noodles in a large bowl with fresh ingredients all around

​Substitutions:

There are a couple of easy substitutions that can be made to these banh mi noodle bowls if needed. Here are some common substitutions:

  • Rice - You can replace the noodles with rice. Rice is one of my favorite foods so I will often do this. I recommend using jasmine rice.
  • Bean Sprouts - You can add a handful of bean sprouts to replace the water chestnuts, or in addition to the water chestnuts. 
  • Mint - If you love the fresh herbs in banh mi sandwiches, you can replace the fresh cilantro with fresh mint for a flavorful substitution. 

Vegan Banh Mi Noodle Variations:

If you're looking for new ways to spice up this banh mi noodle recipe, be sure to try out some of these variations.

  • Pickled - The traditional Vietnamese sandwich features a variety of pickled veggies. You can add pickled vegetables in place of fresh vegetables for a more authentic bowl.
  • Tofu - Add a little sriracha to the tofu marinade for a spicy variation, or make this sticky miso tofu for a sweet and salty variation.
  • Veggie Packed - There are plenty of vegetables that can be included in these banh mi noodles. I love adding spring onions, bell pepper, green leaf lettuce, etc. for added nutrients and volume. 

What You Need To Make These Banh Mi Noodles:

​These banh mi noodles are great for home chefs of all levels because they require hardly any equipment. Here's what I recommend using.

  • Medium Saucepan - I recommend using some sort of nonstick pan to prevent the tofu from sticking to the pan.
  • Chefs Knife/Cutting Board - Any knife and cutting board will do. 
  • Julienne Peeler - I absolutely love my Julienne peeler. It makes it so easy to get the perfect vegetable strips.
  • Blender - Any blender will work. You can also use a whisk and a medium bowl, however, it's much easier just to use a blender.
  • Large Bowl - You will need a large bowl to serve these banh mi noodles in. 

As always you can find all my go-to equipment on my Amazon storefront or my affiliate page.

How To Store These Banh Mi Noodle Bowls:

This recipe is great for easy meal prep because you can individually package each bowl into the perfect on-the-go lunch!

If you have leftovers simply store the noodles in an airtight container. However, if you are planning on meal prepping, I recommend assembling each bowl with ingredients independently and then storing the sauce on the side This will ensure the fresh vegetables and noodles will stay fresh. If stored correctly this recipe will keep for a full week.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Are These Banh Mi Noodles Good For Weight Loss?

These Banh Mi Noodles are one of my favorite vegan weight loss meals, because they're high in fiber and volume, yet they're low in calories. If you make these noodles with low calorie noodles they're even better for weight loss, because they're extremely low in calories.
The dressing is slightly high in calories, but this should not be something you should worry about since the noodles and vegetables are so low in calories. The dressing is full of healthy fats and whole foods plant-based ingredients.

Related Vegan Pasta And Noodle Recipes:

Looking for more delicious vegan noodles and pastas? Make sure to check out some of the other recipes on my website!

  • nut free pesto pasta featured image
    Easy Vegan Nut Free Pesto Pasta
  • nut free vegan mac and cheese
    Nut-Free Vegan Mac And Cheese
  • close up showing the creamy cauliflower sauce and the healthy vegetables
    Fettuccine with Cauliflower Alfredo Sauce
  • creamy golden beet pasta
    Creamy Golden Beet Pasta

If you try this Vegan Banh Mi Noodles With Tofu recipe, I’d really love to hear your thoughts in the comments below. I’d also really appreciate a recipe card rating! Make sure to share it on social media and tag @theallnaturalvegan to be featured! Thank you for supporting The All Natural Vegan!

banh mi noodles

Vegan Banh Mi Noodles With Tofu

These Vegan Banh Mi Noodles With Tofu are the perfect healthy and flavorful recipe. This recipe features fresh veggies and plant-based protein and is perfect for both lunch and dinner. This recipe is: vegan, oil-free, gluten-free, and refined sugar-free.
5 from 11 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 5 minutes mins
Cook Time 15 minutes mins
Total Time 20 minutes mins
Course Main Course, Pasta, Salad
Cuisine Asian
Servings 4 people

Equipment

  • 1 julienne peeler
  • 1 chef knife
  • 1 cutting board
  • 1 large bowl

Ingredients
  

For The Noodles:

  • 1 package rice noodles can sub low calories noodles such as miracle noodles, or kelp noodles.
  • 2 english cucumbers
  • 4 medium carrots
  • 2 cans water chestnuts
  • ½ bunch cilantro
  • ½-1 jalapeño

For The Smoked Tofu:

  • 1 package extra firm tofu
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1 teaspoon garlic
  • 3 tablespoon liquid aminos

For The Creamy Sriracha Dressing:

  • ⅔ cup aquafaba or the liquid from one can of chickpeas
  • ½ cup raw cashew butter "NATURALVEGAN" for $10 off
  • 4 tablespoon sriracha
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
Get Recipe Ingredients

Instructions
 

  • Begin by boiling a pot of water and cooking the brown rice noodles according to package instructions. 
  • Marinate the tofu by combining the liquid aminos, garlic powder, and smoked paprika together in a shallow small bowl or plate. Mix the marinade until smooth. Cut the tofu into triangles, place in the dish, and flip a couple of times to marinate.
  • While the brown rice noodles are cooking and the tofu is marinating, prepare the vegetables. Use the julienne peeler on the carrots and cucumbers, cut the jalapeños into thin slices, strain and rinse the water chestnuts, and roughly chop the cilantro. 
  • Cook the tofu with either vegetable broth, or sesame oil in a medium saucepan set to medium heat, flipping once the tofu is crispy on each side.
  • Make the dressing by combining all dressing ingredients together and blending until smooth. 
  • Add the noodles, vegetables, and tofu together in a large bowl. Cover with the dressing, and serve the banh mi bowls. Enjoy!
Keyword Banh mi, Banh mi noodles, healthy lunch, noodles, rice noodles
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
recipe card stating this recipe is vegan, gluten-free, oil-free, and refined sugar-free

More Tofu Recipes:

If you love tofu you have to check out some of the delicious vegan tofu recipes on my website!

  • red curry tofu featured image
    Creamy Vegan Thai Red Curry With Tofu
  • Delicious Vegan Crispy Rice Salad
  • tofu wonton featured image
    Tofu Wontons (2 Ways!)
  • oil-free stir fry recipe
    Tofu Vegetable Fried Rice
« Healthy Vegan Eggnog Cheesecake
High-Protein Vegan Raspberry Smoothie Bowl »

Reader Interactions

Comments

    5 from 11 votes (3 ratings without comment)

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    Recipe Rating




  1. Judith

    January 07, 2023 at 4:39 pm

    5 stars
    This looks so delicious with so many fresh veggies. A great lunch that can be prepared quickly.

    Reply
  2. Melissa

    January 07, 2023 at 7:47 pm

    5 stars
    Thank you for the clear and easy directions. I really enjoyed this light and fresh recipe!

    Reply
  3. Christina's Bread Bakes

    January 07, 2023 at 10:00 pm

    5 stars
    Yummy flavors and textures in this vegan meal.

    Reply
  4. Jess

    January 08, 2023 at 12:57 am

    5 stars
    Such a delicious and filling meal

    Reply
  5. tianna

    January 08, 2023 at 3:10 am

    5 stars
    This looks so good the picture just makes you want one right now.

    Reply
  6. Sam

    January 09, 2023 at 5:56 pm

    5 stars
    I’m obsessed with this recipe! The flavors are just incredible and this keeps my satisfied all afternoon. Such a yummy meal!

    Reply
  7. Kris

    January 10, 2023 at 4:15 pm

    5 stars
    I made this last night and it was FANTASTIC! So filling and it makes a lot of food. Can't wait to make it again.

    Reply
  8. Isabella

    January 20, 2023 at 2:53 am

    5 stars
    Banh Mi sandwiches are my favorite sandwich, so I was absolutely stoked when I saw this Banh Mi Noodles recipe! It turned out amazing and was super easy to make!

    Reply

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