This herby zucchini soba salad with peanut tofu is a recipe I’ve had in my pocket for ages. It’s on the menu almost weekly in some variation: sometimes paired with this miso grilled salmon in place of tofu, sometimes with gojuchang in place of the chilli and garlic in the dressing, with chunks of fresh mango or creamy roasted eggplant in summer, with whatever herbs and greens are lingering in the fridge and nuts in the pantry. The zucchini bulks up the noodles and seems to help prevent that frustrating situation of clump soba noodles, and the dressing is a nutty, salty mix of tahini, miso, lime and ginger.
It’s also much more representative of my day to day cooking than the highlight reel of elaborate pastry and cake over on my instagram feed. Don’t get me wrong, my sweet tooth hasn’t gone anywhere – but on busy weeknights, this is the sort of food I turn to. Mostly plant-based, quick and highly left-over friendly. (I know the ingredient list might seem long, but you probably have most of the dressing components already). There are many more cakes on the way, but I would be interested to know which sorts of recipes you come to this blog for and what you’d prefer – continuing the mix of both? More easy weeknight dinners? Or simply the celebration cakes and gooey brownies?
Peanut tofu has in itself been a minor revelation. I didn’t grow up eating tofu so always saw it as some strange bland entity to be treated with suspicion. I mean, the bland bit was partially correct, but it is very versatile, holds onto whatever flavours you marinate it in and is an easy source of plant based protein. Here it’s important to use firm tofu so it fries rather than crumbling up in the pan. It’s first marinated in chilli, garlic and soy while you prepare the rest of the salad, then panfried until golden and tossed in a lime-peanut sauce. If you’re a tofu hater, give it a chance to change your mind!
Peanut tofu adapted from Anna Jones.
- 300 g soba noodles
- 2-4 zucchini depending on size (about 4-500g)
- 1/2 cup basil or mint torn
- 3/4 cup coriander roughly chopped
- 3/4 cup mix of sesame, pumpkin and sunflower seeds
- 1/2 cup spring onion finely sliced
- 1 cup edamame beans blanched
- green beans or broccolini, optional or fresh mango in season
- 1 ripe avocado
- 300 g firm tofu cubed
- 1 red chilli
- 1 garlic clove
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- juice of 1 lime
- 2 heaped tablespoons crunchy peanut butter
- splash of water
- 1/2 red chilli
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 tablespoon finely grated ginger
- 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 1 tablespoon white miso
- 2 tablespoons hulled tahini (runny)
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon honey
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Mix the cubed tofu with the chilli, garlic and soy to coat. Set aside. Mix together the lime juice, peanut butter and a splash of water to form a creamy sauce. Set aside.
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Mix all dressing ingredients together and set aside.
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Bring a medium pot of water to the boil for the soba noodles.
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Toast the seeds in a dry pan.
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If using, pan fry the beans or broccolini in olive oil with salt and pepper.
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Julienne the zucchini into a large bowl. Add the herbs, toasted seeds, beans or mango, spring onion and edamame beans.
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Cook the soba noodles according to packet instructions. Drain and rinse in cold water. Add to the salad along with the dressing and toss to thoroughly combine.
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Heat a medium fry pan over medium heat with a tablespoon or two of olive oil. Drain the tofu and add the remaining soy marinade to the peanut butter mixture. Fry the tofu until golden on all sides, then add the peanut butter mixture, turn the heat off and stir until the tofu is coated, it’s no longer runny and you get a few browned crunchy peanut bits.
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Serve up the salad with hot peanut tofu and sliced avocado.
This is the kind of meal I want to eat all summer! <3
Now that’s a delicious looking plate! I enjoy a mix of both healthy, easy meal recipes and yummy desserts….balance! 😉
Thank you! Yes I’m exactly the same – glad you like both too. All about balance, absolutely
What a nice surprise! I love tofu combined with peanut butter ! Thank you so much for this one !
Holey moley! This was delicious. No tofu, instead jammy boiled eggs because, they deserve to be eaten with everything!!! 😉