This recipe is sponsored by EZ Tofu Press. All opinions are 100% my own.
Quick-cooking noodles, tender bok choy and sweet chili sauce are the co-stars of this deliciously easy crispy tofu bowl. Supper is SERVED! My family can't get enough of this noodle bowl, and I love how easy it is to make.
Y'all, we are a tofu family. We eat a tofu bowl like this at least twice a week, whenever we can get our hands on tofu.
I love tofu because it's versatile, it's quick and easy to cook, and my family enjoys it. That's basically the trifecta of foods, as far as I'm concerned.
For this tofu bowl, you can prepare your tofu and bok choy in the oven or in the air fryer. I'll include directions for both.
Making the tofu and bok choy
The recipe for the tofu and bok choy is a mashup of my Crispy Air Fryer Tofu and my Air Fryer Baby Bok Choy. It's incredibly easy to make, and don't worry! If you don't have an air fryer, you can follow the oven directions I include below.
Start by pressing your tofu. I like to do this in my EZ Tofu Press, because it gets out about 1/2 cup of water in just 10-15 minutes! It does this while also maintaining the shape of the block, which is perfect for cubed tofu recipes like this one. It's also easy to clean by hand but also dishwasher safe, in case you're ultra lazy about cleaning, like I am.
Then, marinate your tofu in soy sauce, rice vinegar, and toasted sesame oil. The toasted sesame oil brings a lot of flavor to this dish, but if you don't do oil, you can use a touch of extra soy sauce instead.
While the tofu marinates, chop and wash your bok choy, and set it aside to drain.
Now, it's time to bake or air fry that tofu. But first! Toss the marinated tofu with cornstarch, which is what will give it its crispy outer coating.
Either transfer the tofu to your air fryer basket or a lined baking sheet. Bake or air fry, and toward the end of cooking time, add the bok choy right to the basket or baking sheet.
Let the bok choy roast with the tofu for a few minutes.
Then, open the air fryer or remove the baking sheet from the oven, and give that bok choy a stir, so that it will cook evenly. You can spray with a bit more oil, if it looks dry when you stir.
Bake for a few more minutes, and then you're ready to serve over noodles!
Making the noodles
While the tofu and bok choy cook, make those noodles! You can use any quick-cooking noodles you like, and prepare them according to package directions. Preparation will vary depending on what noodles you choose.
I have made this bowl using:
Truly, any quick-cooking noodle works fine. Choose something with a three to four minute boiling or soaking time.
You just need something you can cook completely while the tofu is cooking, so you can get this on the table in a flash.
Putting it all together with sweet chili sauce
Once the tofu and bok choy finish cooking, it's assembly time! Divide the noodles and the tofu-bok choy mixture between your serving bowls.
Then, top this off with sweet chili sauce, sesame seeds, and chopped green onions.
Feel free to have fun with toppings here. No sesame seeds? Try roasted cashews or pumpkin seeds instead. And feel free to add extra goodies, like sliced avocado, toasted nori, and any chopped or shredded fresh veggies you like.
Alternative sauce ideas
You can also play with the sauces. If sweet chili sauce isn't your thing, try:
Have fun with it! This dish is incredibly versatile, so use what you have or what you are craving.
Crispy tofu bowl with sweet chili sauce
Ingredients
For the tofu and bok choy
- 1 block extra firm tofu - pressed and cut into 1" cubes
- 2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon seasoned rice vinegar
- 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil - (Or 2 extra teaspoons soy sauce. See note.)
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch - or potato starch
- 1 medium bunch bok choy - chopped, rinsed, and drained
- spray oil
For the tofu bowls
- 4 servings quick-cooking noodles
- 1/2 cup sweet chili sauce
- 1/4 cup sesame seeds
- 1/4 cup chopped green onion - green and white parts
Instructions
- If you are baking, preheat the oven to 375° F
For the crispy tofu and bok choy
- In a large bowl, toss together the tofu, soy sauce, vinegar, and oil. Set aside to marinate for 10-30 minutes. You can prep the bok choy while the tofu marinates.
- Air fryer directions: Toss the marinated tofu with the cornstarch, then pour into the basket of your air fryer. Cook on 370° F for 20 minutes, shaking after 10 minutes. When there are 5 minutes remaining, add the bok choy to the air fryer and spray with oil (see note). Shake when there are 2 minutes of time remaining.
- Oven directions: Toss the marinated tofu with the cornstarch, then arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Leave about 1/2 of the baking sheet empty. This is where the bok choy will go. Bake for 40 minutes. When there are 10 minutes remaining, add the bok choy to empty part of the baking sheet and spray with oil. Gently stir the bok choy when there are 5 minutes of cooking time remaining.
For the tofu bowls
- Prepare your noodles according to package directions. Directions can vary, but this should take between 3 and 5 minutes. Divide the cooked noodles between your serving bowls.
- Top each bowl with 1/4 of the tofu-bok choy mixture, 2 tablespoons of the sweet chili sauce, the sesame seeds, and the green onions.
Equipment
Video
Notes
- For an oil-free option, use extra soy sauce to replace the oil.
- Estimated cooking time is for the air fryer. Add another 20 minutes, if you are using the oven.
- Do not use canned spray oil in your air fryer, as this can damage the finish on your basket. Instead, invest in an oil sprayer, like this one.
Have a question? Tried this recipe? Share your thoughts!