Matcha Soba With Spicy Tofu Nuggets Recipe

Chef Chloe Coscarelli has been vegan since 2004 and has published three plant-powered cookbooks. Her latest offering, Chloe Flavor, just hit the shelves and it’s filled with more than 125 recipes that are not just simple to make but really deliver when it comes to satisfying your taste buds, vegan or not. We’re smitten with this soba bowl not only because of the addition of matcha and spicy tofu, but the sauce can be made in advance and refrigerated for up to three days, making this dish a weeknight winner.

“I love creamy pastas like fettuccine Alfredo, but I also love the spices and flavors of Asian cuisine. I decided to meld my two loves into one creamy and comforting yet bold and spicy dish that revolves around my greatest love of all—matcha!”
—Chloe Coscarelli

Matcha Soba With Spicy Tofu Nuggets Recipe

Yield: 4 servings
Total Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

8 to 10 ounces soba noodles

For the creamy matcha sauce:
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 small onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
½ cup raw cashews
1 cup water
2 teaspoons pure maple syrup
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 ½ teaspoons sea salt
1 teaspoon matcha green tea powder

For the tofu nuggets:
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 (16-ounce) package extra-firm tofu, pressed and cut into ¼-inch cubes
2 tablespoons tamari
2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
1 tablespoon sriracha

For the toppings:
Thinly sliced scallions
White or black sesame seeds

Instructions

Make the soba noodles:
Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the noodles and cook according to the package directions. Drain and rinse with cold water. Return noodles to the pot, off the heat.

Make the matcha sauce:
In a large nonstick skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. When it shimmers, add the onion and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, until softened. Add the garlic and cook for about 1 minute more, until fragrant. Transfer the mixture to a blender, reserving skillet for later use. Add the cashews, water, maple syrup, lemon juice, salt, and matcha. Blend on high speed for about 2 minutes, until very smooth.

Make the tofu:
In reserved skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. When it shimmers, add the tofu and cook for about 3 minutes on each side, until golden all over. Add the tamari, maple syrup, and sriracha, reduce the heat to medium, and cook for about 5 minutes, until the tofu is evenly coated and the sauce has thickened.

Over low heat, add the sauce to the pot of noodles and toss to coat, about 2 minutes, until heated through. Taste and adjust seasonings. Top each serving with tofu nuggets, scallions, and sesame seeds.

Reprinted from Chloe Flavor. Copyright © 2018 by Chloe Coscarelli. Photographs copyright © 2018 by Christina Holmes. Published by Clarkson Potter/Publishers, an imprint of Penguin Random House, LLC.