These Vietnamese noodle bowls with lemongrass tofu are perfect to make when you want a fresh and light healthy meal. This dish is completely vegan, gluten-free and delicious! 

two bowls filled with Vietnamese salad, rice noodles and lemongrass tofu

Oh Vietnamese food, how I love you so!

Especially Vietnamese bowls. THEY. ARE. THE. BOMB.

I love noodle stir fry dishes like my Pad Thai and Lo Mein, but sometimes it’s nice to have a noodle dish that is a bit more fresh and light.

These noodle bowls are made with Asian rice noodles and topped off with some marinated lemongrass tofu that gets cooked up until it’s nice and crispy. The bowls are served with a light sesame salad. 

Why you’ll love this recipe

  • These bowls taste fresh and healthy and take minimal effort to make. They’re perfect for whenever you want a healthy meal that is also delicious!
  • This recipe is naturally vegan and gluten-free. You can also make it grain-free by leaving out the rice noodles and serving it with more vegetables.
  • If you’re not a huge fan of tofu, this marinated tofu will change your mind! It’s full of flavour, crispy and delicious!
a bowl filled with Vietnamese salad, rice noodles and lemongrass tofu

How to make a Vietnamese noodle bowl

Vietnamese noodle bowls are traditionally made with rice vermicelli, protein, (traditionally grilled pork or chicken) and some salad. The bowls are typically served with a fish sauce type of dressing, but for this recipe we’re doing a soy sauce-based dressing!

  1. Marinate the tofu in the marinade for at least an hour, or if you have the time let it marinate overnight.
  2. Pan-fry the tofu with the sauce until it’s golden brown and crispy.
  3. Mix the dressing ingredients together while the tofu is cooking and prepare the salad
  4. Arrange all the ingredients together in a bowl and serve!
a bowl filled with Vietnamese salad, rice noodles and lemongrass tofu

A few notes on the recipe

The marinated tofu in this recipe should be left to marinade for at least 1 hour, though if you have the time I’d recommend to let the tofu marinade overnight. This will really intensify the flavour!

You’ll want to use a good non-stick pan to cook the tofu and make sure you’re pan is well coated with oil to prevent the tofu from sticking. You can also alternatively bake the tofu if you prefer at 450 degrees F for 25 minutes, flipping it halfway through.

Make sure to remove the lemongrass stalks from the marinade and not to eat them. They are very tough and not pleasant to chew on!

two bowls filled with Vietnamese salad, rice noodles and lemongrass tofu

More Asian noodle recipes to try

a bowl filled with Vietnamese salad, rice noodles and lemongrass tofu

If you tried these Vietnamese Noodle Bowls with Lemongrass Tofu or any other recipe on the blog let me know how you liked it by leaving a comment/rating below! Be sure to follow along on Pinterest, Instagram and Facebook for even more deliciousness!

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a bowl filled with Vietnamese salad, rice noodles and lemongrass tofu

Vietnamese Noodle Bowls with Lemongrass Tofu

★★★★★ 5 from 8 reviews
  • Author: Jessica Hoffman
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 15 minutes
  • Total Time: 30 mins
  • Yield: 2–4 servings 1x
  • Category: Entree
  • Method: Cook
  • Cuisine: Vietnamese
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Description

These Vietnamese noodle bowls are loaded with rice noodles, lemongrass tofu, and salad for a simple healthy and delicious meal!  

Scale

Ingredients

Lemongrass tofu:

  • 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • 1 tbsp grated ginger
  • 2 tbsp soy sauce
  • 2 tbsp lime juice
  • 2 tbsp coconut sugar
  • 1 stalk lemongrass, minced (*remove the tough outer layer and discard.) 
  • 1 block tofu (extra-firm), cut into cubes 
  • 2 tbsp avocado oil for frying 

Dressing: 

Bowls:

  • 1/2 pack rice noodles (approx 6 oz), cooked according to package directions
  • 1 cup lettuce, shredded
  • 1/2 cup purple cabbage, shredded
  • 1/4 cup carrots, shredded
  • 1/4 cup sliced cucumbers
  • 1 handful cilantro, roughly chopped
  • Lime, sesame seeds hoisin sauce and sriracha to serve (optional) 

Instructions

  1. Marinade the tofu:  Mix the marinade ingredients together in a shallow dish then add the tofu. Let sit and marinate for at least one hour or overnight 
  2. Cook the tofu: Remove the tofu pieces from the marinade then add to the pan with oil on medium-high heat. Do not discard the marinade sauce. Fry the tofu until golden brown on each side. Once the tofu pieces are browned, discard the lemongrass from the marinate and pour any leftover marinade sauce into the pan with the tofu, and stir to coat. Discard the chunks of lemongrass 
  3. Prep the dressing: Mix the dressing ingredients together. Set aside
  4. Assemble the bowls: Place the noodles at the bottom of the bowl then top with the tofu and salad. Pour the dressing everywhere and garnish with cilantro 

Notes

The marinated tofu in this recipe should be left to marinate for at least 1 hour, though if you have the time I’d recommend to let the tofu marinade overnight. This will really intensify the flavour!

Use a non-stick pan to cook the tofu and make sure you’re pan is well coated with oil to prevent the tofu from sticking. You can also alternatively bake the tofu if you prefer at 450 degrees F for 25 minutes, flipping it halfway through.

Make sure to remove the stalky outer layers of the lemongrass for this recipe. This part of the lemongrass is very tough and hard.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1/4 of recipe
  • Calories: 250
  • Sugar: 3g
  • Fat: 17g
  • Saturated Fat: 2g
  • Carbohydrates: 16g
  • Fiber: 2g
  • Protein: 9g

Keywords: how to make noodle bowls, Vietnamese recipe, vegan, vegetarian