Spicy tofu noodle meal prep bowls are the perfect healthy alternative when you are craving a big bowl of noodles! With whole wheat spaghetti, zucchini noodles, tofu and a sweet/savory/spicy sauce.
There's just something about noodles that screams comfort food, isn't there? I love a big bowl of noodles, but I also love sneaking some zucchini noodles in there too. These spicy tofu noodle meal prep bowls might just be my new favorite lunch recipe!
If these photos look familiar, you may have made my Cold Sesame Noodles Meal Prep! They were 100% the inspiration for this recipe, but I swapped chickpeas for tofu and gave the sauce a totally different flavor.
Guys, this recipe took me FOUR TRIES to get right. I needed a sauce that had some flay-vah, but also the right balance of tangy, spicy, sweet and savory, and I finally nailed it with this recipe.
And the great news is that it works perfectly for meal prep!
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We love these spicy tofu noodle meal prep bowls because
- you can't really tell the zucchini noodles are even in there; it's just a big slurp-able bowl of noodles!
- the sauce is sweet, spicy, tangy and savory
- the tofu holds it's texture well over the course of four days
Recipe video
Watch the video below to see exactly how I prepped these noodle bowls. It’s so easy! You can find more of my recipe videos on my YouTube channel, or on Facebook.
How to make them
There are a few different components to this recipe but you can multitask and have it all done in under 45 minutes!
- Tofu- press it, cut it into ½ inch cubes, and toss in olive oil, salt & pepper. Fry it up for about 15 minutes to give it a nice, chewy texture.
- Sauce- 5 ingredients and 5 minutes. Shake it up, then divide into condiment containers (I use these ones)
- Pasta- I used whole wheat pasta, you could probably change it up for gluten-free if you are GF...but I haven't tried! Cook it up, then portion out with the zucchini noodles (don't cook the zucchini noodles)
Can I swap out the tofu? Absolutely, you can swap it out for some chickpeas, or if you're not vegetarian, some cooked chicken.
How long do these tofu meal prep bowls keep for? These guys keep in the fridge for up to 4 days. They are not freezer-friendly.
Do you eat these hot or cold? You could do either, but we heat ours up! Toss in the sauce first so it kind of absorbs into the pasta/zucchini noodles as it heats.
Tips & equipment
- I love these meal prep containers and these re-usable condiment containers
- make sure to use extra-firm tofu
- looking for more vegan meal prep recipes? Try this Vegan Moroccan Chickpea Skillet, these Roasted Veggie Meal Prep Bowls with Turmeric Tahini Sauce, and this round up with more than 65 Vegan Meal Prep Recipes!
Did you make this? Tag me on social @sweetpeasandsaffron and be sure to leave a comment and rate the recipe!
Spicy Tofu Noodles Meal Prep
Ingredients
Tofu
- 12 oz extra firm tofu note 1
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 zucchini spiralized (medium-sized); note 2
- 4 oz whole wheat pasta uncooked; note 3
Sauce
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar note 4
- 2 tablespoons reduced sodium soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup or honey
- 1 teaspoon sriracha more for spice
Instructions
Prepare the Tofu:
- Press tofu - Remove tofu from package, draining extra liquid. Sandwich the tofu between two paper towels on a plate. Top with a second plate and place a heavy object, such as a 28 oz can, on top. Press for at least 30 minutes to remove extra liquid.
- Cook tofu - When the time is up, discard the paper towels and cut the tofu into ½ inch cubes. Toss in olive oil and salt and pepper, and sautee for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tofu is lightly golden. Set aside to cool.
- Pasta- Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain, cool slightly, then divide between meal prep containers.
- Spiralize zucchini - Use a spiralizer to create zucchini noodles. Do not cook.
- Sauce - Shake together sauce and portion out into small containers (roughly 1.5 tablespoons per portion).
- Portion- Divide the tofu, spaghetti, zucchini noodles between four 2-cup capacity meal prep containers, garnishing with sesame seeds, green onions and red pepper flakes if desired.
Tips:
- firm tofu may also work, but silken or soft should be avoided for this recipe
- spiralize the zucchini yourself or use store-bought; frozen zucchini noodles should be avoided
- you can swap for other types of pasta but spaghetti or longer noodles mix best in with the zucchini noodles
- we tend to use seasoned rice vinegar in our recipes; you may want to taste and adjust salt if you use unseasoned
Video
Nutrition Information
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