Vegan Stir-Fried Rice Noodles with Tofu

These Vegan Stir-Fried Rice Noodles are everything with bold flavors, crispy tofu, and the perfect sauce. A great weeknight dinner idea!

Fast, flavorful, and fully plant-based! This Vegan Stir-Fried Rice Noodles with Tofu dish is perfect for those nights when you want something satisfying but don’t want to spend hours in the kitchen. Featured:

• Crispy tofu
• Saucy rice noodles
• Pak choi, garlic & sesame combo!

This stir-fried noodle bowl is here to satisfy every craving – saucy, savory, and loaded with veggies.

And here’s the secret to crispy tofu that holds up in stir-fries: press it well, tear instead of cube for craggier edges, & toss in cornstarch before frying.

Then mix it with saucy rice noodles, pak choi, garlic, sesame, and scallions for a killer plant-based stir-fry.

Not convinced yet?

This recipe is plant-based, ready in under 30 minutes, and packed with flavor! It’s our favorite dish, and we make it just about every week!

Vegan Stir-Fried Rice Noodles Ingredients

We hate complicated ingredient lists, so we are keeping this ingredient list short and sweet! Here’s what you will need:

For the Stir-Fry:

• Flat rice noodles. Wide rice noodles work best. Soak or cook according to package instructions before stir-frying.
• Firm tofu, pressed and torn into bite-sized pieces. Press for at least 15 minutes to remove excess moisture. Tearing instead of cutting gives crispier, textured edges.
• Cornstarch. For coating the tofu. It helps achieve a crispy golden crust when frying.
• Vegetable oil. Use a neutral oil with a high smoke point like canola or sunflower.
• Onion. Red or yellow both work well.
• Carrot, thinly sliced into matchsticks or rounds.
• Garlic
• Pak choi (bok choy), stems and leaves separated. Use baby or regular pak choi. The stems need more time to cook than the leaves. We had rather large pak choi heads, so we needed 2, but if you use baby pak choi, you may need more.
• Spring onions (scallions). Add the white/light green parts to the stir-fry; reserve green tops for garnish.
• Sesame seeds for garnish.

For the Stir-Fry Sauce:

• Low-sodium soy sauce for the base
• Dark soy sauce. Adds rich color and deeper umami. You may skip this if you don’t have it.
• Hoisin sauce. Adds sweetness, tang, and complexity. Don’t have it? Drizzle in a bit of ketchup (I know, this is not conventional!)
• Lime juice
• Brown sugar
• Fresh ginger
• Garlic
• Water to thin the sauce slightly and help it coat the noodles evenly.

That’s it!

Time to get cooking!

But wait!

Can I use other vegetables in this recipe?

Yes, you can! This recipe is super flexible; you can easily swap or add other vegetables based on what you have on hand or what’s in season.

Be mindful to keep the total amount of vegetables about the same (3–4 cups) to keep the balance with noodles and sauce.

Cook denser veggies first, and delicate ones last, so nothing gets mushy.

Stir-frying works best with vegetables cut into similar sizes/thickness for even cooking.

Quick-cooking veggies (add toward the end): spinach or kale, bean sprouts, snow peas or sugar snap peas, or shredded cabbage.

Medium-cooking veggies (add mid-way): bell peppers (red, yellow, green), zucchini, mushrooms (shiitake, cremini, oyster), and green beans.

Longer-cooking veggies (sauté a bit longer): broccoli florets, or eggplant.

What kind of rice noodles can I use in this recipe?

You have several options when it comes to rice noodles, and each type brings a slightly different texture and feel to the dish.

BEST: Wide flat rice noodles (a.k.a. “ho fun” or “sen yai”)
These are chewy and soft, perfect for absorbing sauce. Use these if you want an authentic stir-fry feel, similar to Thai or Cantonese noodle dishes. These noodles often come fresh (refrigerated) or dried. Fresh ones don’t need soaking, but they tear easily; dried versions require a long soak or boil.

Medium or Pad Thai Rice Noodles (about ¼ inch wide)
Softer and slightly bouncy in texture. Use if you want something more readily available and familiar. Soak or cook until pliable but not mushy before stir-frying.

Vermicelli Rice Noodles (very thin)
If you prefer a lighter dish or plan to serve it in lettuce wraps or as a noodle salad. These noodles are very thin, light and delicate, but they are not ideal for stir-fries as they can break easily and soak up sauce too fast.

How to make Vegan Stir-Fried Rice Noodles with Tofu

Making a stir-fry may sound scary or complicated if you’ve never heated a wok before. The trick is to have all your ingredients ready to go – washed, sliced, prepped, and on standby.

But if you follow these step-by-step instructions, you will soon turn into a wok-master! 😀

Start by preparing the rice noodles.

Soak or cook your rice noodles according to the package instructions.

If using soak-only noodles (like the ones we are using), place them in a large bowl of room-temperature water and soak for about 2 hours until pliable but not fully soft.

If you’re using quick-cook noodles, blanch them in hot water for 5–10 minutes, then drain and rinse with cold water to prevent sticking.

After soaking, drain well and set aside.

Make the sauce

In a small bowl, combine soy sauce, dark soy sauce, hoisin sauce, lime juice, brown sugar, freshly grated ginger, minced garlic clove, and water.

Whisk until the sugar dissolves and the sauce is smooth.

Taste the sauce and feel free to adjust the sweetness or saltiness to your preference before adding to the pan. Set aside.

Prepare the tofu

Place your pressed, torn tofu into a bowl and sprinkle with cornstarch. Gently toss until all sides are evenly coated.

Tearing instead of slicing creates rough edges that crisp up better in the pan – more texture, more flavor!

Prepare the veggies

Make sure your vegetables or also washed and prepped and ready to go – slice your carrot, onion, and pak choi. Mince the garlic.

Start cooking!

Heat 1 tbsp vegetable oil in a large non-stick skillet or wok over medium-high heat.

Once hot, add the tofu in a single layer. Let it sit undisturbed for 2–3 minutes before flipping, to allow a crust to form. Fry until golden brown and crispy on all sides, about 6–8 minutes total.

Season lightly with salt and a pinch of white pepper (or black pepper). I like to add 1 tbsp of hoisin sauce at this point and let it cook for a minute.

Remove from the pan and set aside on a plate. 

Stir-fry the vegetables

In the same pan, add the remaining 1 tbsp of oil. Heat over medium-high.

Add the sliced onion and carrot. Stir-fry for 2–3 minutes until they start to soften slightly but retain some crunch.

Add the minced garlic, white parts of the spring onions, and pak choi stems. Cook for another 2 minutes, stirring frequently.

Keep the heat high and stir constantly. This helps the veggies stay crisp and vibrant while also adding some char and flavour.

Add the noodles and sauce

Now add the soaked rice noodles to the pan and pour the prepared sauce over the top.

Toss everything together gently but thoroughly to ensure the noodles are well coated in sauce. Cook for 2–3 minutes, stirring frequently, until the noodles are tender and warmed through. The noodles will soak up the sauce as they cook.

If the noodles seem dry, splash in a tablespoon or two of water to loosen things up.

Finish with greens and tofu

Once the noodles are soft to the bite, add the pak choi leaves and the crispy tofu back into the pan.

Toss gently until the leaves are just wilted and the tofu is reheated, about 1–2 minutes.

Be gentle here to avoid breaking up the tofu.

Garnish and serve

Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds and top with the reserved green tops of the spring onions for a pop of freshness.

Serve immediately while hot and saucy!

Serving ideas

Serve these rice noodles hot from the pan, with a lime wedge and maybe some chili oil on the side, if you want to spice things up.

Here are some more serving ideas to make this dish sparkle 🙂

Serve the noodles in deep bowls to keep the heat and sauce locked in. Warm the bowls slightly before serving to keep the noodles hotter longer.

Pair with a light, clear broth-based soup like miso soup, vegan tom yum, or a simple ginger-garlic broth with mushrooms or seaweed.

Pair with a crisp, vibrant side salad! Some great suggestions are shredded cabbage + sesame dressing, mango + cucumber + mint salad, or an asian slaw with rice vinegar and toasted seeds.

How would you serve it?

Storage tips

Here are some storage tips to keep your Vegan Stir-Fried Rice Noodles fresh, delicious, and safe to eat:

Cool before storing
Let the stir-fry cool to room temperature before transferring it to storage containers.

Avoid leaving it out for more than 2 hours to prevent bacterial growth.

Store tofu and noodles together; there’s no need to separate them unless you want extra crispiness later.

If possible, store garnishes (like spring onion tops or sesame seeds) separately to keep them fresh and crunchy.

Refrigeration
Store in an airtight container and keep refrigerated for up to 4 days.

Freezing (not recommended)
Technically, you can freeze the meal, but the texture of rice noodles and tofu tends to change, becoming mushy or spongy.

If freezing, let it cool completely, then store in a freezer-safe container or bag for up to 1 month.

Only recommended if you’re okay with a softer noodle texture upon reheating.

Reheating Tips

• Stovetop (recommended): Add a small splash of water, soy sauce, or oil to the pan. Reheat over medium heat, tossing gently to warm through and revive the sauce.
• Microwave: Place noodles in a microwave-safe bowl. Cover loosely and heat for 1–2 minutes, stirring halfway through. Add a damp paper towel over the bowl to prevent drying out.

 

Similar recipes:

30-minute Vegetable Tofu Lo Mein

The Best Vegan Tofu Pad Thai

Vegan Yaki Udon Noodles