Chicken and Broccoli Stir Fry

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Bite-sized morsels of chicken and lightly crunchy broccoli pieces tossed in a salty and sweet stir fry sauce makes for a dinner that tastes like take-out, but is actually quite quick and easy.

We eat a lot of chicken and broccoli around here, so it only makes sense that we make a chicken and broccoli stir fry. In fact, the Tofu and Broccoli Stir Fry is very much based on this recipe, we just use tofu instead of chicken for meatless meals.

The chicken is lightly battered in cornstarch, which helps to thicken the sauce once it’s added. The sauce is initially just 3 ingredients whisked together: broth, soy sauce, and sugar. Then, the chicken is cooked up, some garlic and ginger are added for aroma, and finally, the sauce. The broccoli is added in just at the very end, and steams up in 2-3 minutes. Tada! Simple enough for all but the busiest of evenings, and delicious to boot.

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Recipe from my Mama

Chicken and Broccoli Stir-Fry

Serves about 3-4

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup / 237g vegetable or chicken broth

  • 3 Tbsp / 42g soy sauce

  • 2 tsp / 10g sugar

  • 1lb / 454g chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized piece

  • 2 Tbsp / 15g cornstarch

  • oil, for pan

  • 2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger

  • 2 garlic cloves, minced

  • 2 cups broccoli florets

  • Red pepper flakes, sesame seeds, sliced green onions, lime wedges, fresh mint, etc. for topping, as desired

Directions:

  1. Combine broth, soy sauce, and sugar; set aside.

  2. Toss chicken with cornstarch.

  3. Generously drizzle an iron skillet or other large pan with oil; place over medium-high heat.

  4. Add chicken, stirring frequently, until internal temperature reaches 165°F / 74°C, about 3-5 minutes.

  5. Reduce heat to low; add ginger and garlic; stir, until fragrant and sizzling, about a minute.

  6. Add in broth mixture and stir occasionally, until starting to simmer.

  7. Add in broccoli, cover, and let sit for 2 minutes for “al dente” broccoli, or a couple more minutes for softer broccoli.

  8. Remove from heat. Serve over rice with desired garnishes.

Chicken and Broccoli Stir-Fry
Yield 3-4
Author
Prep time
15 Min
Cook time
15 Min
Total time
30 Min

Chicken and Broccoli Stir-Fry

Bite-sized morsels of chicken and lightly crunchy broccoli pieces tossed in a salty and sweet stir fry sauce makes for a quick and easy dinner that tastes like take-out!
Cook modePrevent screen from turning off

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. Combine broth, soy sauce, and sugar; set aside.
  2. Toss chicken with cornstarch.
  3. Generously drizzle an iron skillet or other large pan with oil; place over medium-high heat.
  4. Add chicken, stirring frequently, until internal temperature reaches 165°F / 74°C, about 3-5 minutes.
  5. Reduce heat to low; add ginger and garlic; stir, until fragrant and sizzling, about a minute.
  6. Add in broth mixture and stir occasionally, until starting to simmer.
  7. Add in broccoli, cover, and let sit for 2 minutes for “al dente” broccoli, or a couple more minutes for softer broccoli.
  8. Remove from heat. Serve over rice with desired garnishes.

Nutrition Facts

Calories

286.74

Fat

9.11 g

Sat. Fat

1.3 g

Carbs

13.21 g

Fiber

2.07 g

Net carbs

11.14 g

Sugar

1.77 g

Protein

36.45 g

Sodium

1503.43 mg

Cholesterol

98.34 mg

Nutritional information is approximate, based on 1 serving of 3.

chicken stir fry, better than take-out, broccoli stir fry, sweet and sour stir fry, healthy stir fry
dinner
Asian
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Cozy Lentil Curry

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Cozy lentils cooked to perfection with flavors of ginger, garlic, and curry, served over rice. Easy, nutritious, and filling for when you want a comforting meal.

Something about August sits different. It’s still summer, yet somehow, inexplicably, you can feel that maybe before you’re ready, fall will be here. School starting, shorter evenings, cooler weather. Curries are one of my favorite cozy weather dishes. They’re easy to make and there are so many! While I love summer and all the summer no-cook or grilled dishes that go along with the season, I do start to miss cooking and hearty dishes. Those hot days where it’s too hot to turn on the oven are hard on me! Michigan summers are mild compared to Florentine summers, but I was still excited that this week held some cooler days that felt perfect for this lentil curry with rice.

I first started making this curry in Florence, I think it was during 2020 and have been making it regularly ever since. I love to add spinach to get in some vegetables, and I would often make it in a crockpot while also adding rice and more water straight to the crockpot; curried lentils and rice all cooked up together!

A note about ground coriander

While most of the ingredients in this recipe would be considered pantry staples, the biggest exception for me would be ground coriander. (Coconut milk might not be a staple for everyone, but if you make Asian dishes frequently it is!!) Now, a little pet peeve of mine is recipes that sound wonderful but call for one or more obscure ingredients that are “essential”, but also ones you’ll never use again. You know what I’m talking about, right? Well, normally I would be tempted to skip or find a substitute for ground coriander since that has never been a spice I’ve really used. The first time I made this recipe I somehow had coriander seeds in a spice grinder. It was a labor of love to hand grind 1 1/2 tsps, but I was surprised at how good it was! It’s not that you can taste the coriander itself, but the one time I didn’t have enough I could actually tell and missed the depth of flavor it lended. Bottom line, you can make this curry without it, but if you plan on making this again I would get yourself a bottle of ground coriander!

This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase using these links, Jennyblogs may receive a small commission, at no extra cost to you. This helps to support Jennyblogs. Where possible, links are prioritized to small businesses and ethically and responsibly made items. For further information see the privacy policy. Grazie!

Recipe adapted from Janet’s Munch Meals

Cozy Lentil Curry

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

  • 1 Tbsp oil

  • 1 onion or shallot, diced small

  • 4 garlic cloves, minced

  • 1 Tbsp grated fresh ginger

  • 1 Tbsp curry powder

  • 1 Tbsp cumin

  • 2 tsp chili powder or paprika

  • 1 1/2 tsp ground coriander

  • 1 cup / 210g dry lentils

  • 1 (15 oz) can diced or crushed tomatoes

  • 1 (14 oz) can coconut milk

  • 2 cups / 474g vegetable broth or water

  • salt and pepper to taste

  • Several handfuls of spinach, 100-200g spinach, finely chopped, optional

  • Rice, cilantro, red pepper flakes, sesame seeds, for serving, optional

Directions:

  1. Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion and cook for several minutes, until translucent.

  2. Add garlic, ginger, curry, cumin, chili powder, and coriander and cook for about 3 minutes, until toasted and fragrant.

  3. Add lentils, tomatoes, coconut milk, broth, salt and pepper, and bring to a boil.

  4. Lower heat, cover, and allow to simmer for 25-30 minutes or until lentils are tender, stirring occasionally. Add more liquid at any point, if necessary.

  5. Stir in spinach and cook for another minute or two.

  6. Serve over rice with cilantro and red pepper flakes, as desired.

Jenny’s Notes:

  • This lentil curry can also be made in a crockpot: Place all ingredients in crockpot and stir. Cook on high for 4 hours or low for 8 hours, or until lentils are tender, stirring occasionally and adding any extra liquid as necessary.

Cozy Lentil Curry
Yield 4-6
Author
Prep time
5 Min
Cook time
45 Min
Total time
50 Min

Cozy Lentil Curry

Cozy lentils cooked to perfection with flavors of curry, ginger, and garlic, served over rice for a meal that is quick, nutritious, filling, and easy on the budget!
Cook modePrevent screen from turning off

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion and cook for several minutes, until translucent.
  2. Add garlic, ginger, curry, cumin, chili powder, and coriander and cook for about 3 minutes, until toasted and fragrant.
  3. Add lentils, tomatoes, coconut milk, broth, salt and pepper, and bring to a boil.
  4. Lower heat, cover, and allow to simmer for 25-30 minutes or until lentils are tender, stirring occasionally. Add more liquid at any point, if necessary.
  5. Stir in spinach and cook for another minute or two.
  6. Serve over rice with cilantro and red pepper flakes, as desired.

Notes

  • This lentil curry can also be made in a crockpot: Place all ingredients in crockpot and stir. Cook on high for 4 hours or low for 8 hours, or until lentils are tender, stirring occasionally and adding any extra liquid as necessary.

Nutrition Facts

Calories

497.79

Fat

29.02 g

Sat. Fat

21.57 g

Carbs

48.62 g

Fiber

20.69 g

Net carbs

27.95 g

Sugar

10.59 g

Protein

17.68 g

Sodium

705.08 mg

Cholesterol

0 mg

Nutritional information is approximate. Based on 4 servings, not including rice.

curried lentils, vegetarian, vegan, cheap meals, budget meals, curry
dinner
Asian
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Simple Sesame Noodles

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Some of my favorite things include pasta, Asian flavors, and easy dinners. Enter, these Simple Sesame Noodles.

This dish is ready in as little time as it takes to cook pasta, because the sauce can be ready before the water even comes to a boil. You can add veggies as you wish, or not to keep it as quick as possible. Veggies can be baked, steamed, or stir-fried then added in when you add the sauce.

It’s hard to believe, but an even easier pasta dish quite similar to this exists on this blog. This one has a few more ingredients and depth of flavor, but for when you need the absolute easiest pasta dinner, try these 6 ingredient Simple Thai Noodles.

This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase using these links, Jennyblogs may receive a small commission, at no extra cost to you. This helps to support Jennyblogs. Where possible, links are prioritized to small businesses, and American companies and products made in the USA for American readers. For further information see the privacy policy. Grazie!

Simple Sesame Noodles

Serves 3-4

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb / 500g linguine or other long pasta

    For the Sauce

  • 1/4 cup / 68g soy sauce or tamari

  • 3 Tbsp / 42g olive oil or other oil of choice

  • 3 Tbsp / 42g sesame oil

  • 2 Tbsp / 40g maple syrup, honey (42g), or sugar (25g)

  • 2 Tbsp / 28g rice vinegar

  • 2 Tbsp / 28g water

  • 4 cloves of garlic, minced

  • 1/2 tsp hot chili oil or red pepper flakes, optional

    Garnishes, optional

  • green onions, sliced

  • cilantro

  • peanuts, roughly chopped

  • sesame seeds

  • crushed red pepper flakes

  • fresh mint

Directions:

  1. Place a large pot of water over high heat; bring to a boil and cook pasta according to package directions. Drain, reserving about 1 cup of pasta water.

  2. Meanwhile, whisk together all sauce ingredients.

  3. Add sauce to cooked pasta, toss to combine, adding pasta water as desired to thin out sauce.

Jenny’s Notes:

  • Adding pasta water to a sauce that is already thin may seem unusual, but even thin sauces thicken as the pasta cools and continues to absorb liquid. So for extra saucy sauce, add a touch of pasta water. The starch in pasta also lends a certain creaminess to sauces. Pasta water is the secret ingredient to many a good pasta and sauce, helping to marry the pasta to the sauce. You probably won’t need the whole cup, but once the pasta water is drained you can’t get it back, so as a general rule of thumb I always reserve at least 1 cup.

Simple Sesame Noodles
Yield 3-4
Author
Prep time
10 Min
Cook time
15 Min
Total time
25 Min

Simple Sesame Noodles

Thai inspired flavors give this pasta a burst of flavor, you'd never guess it's one of the quickest and easiest pasta recipes!
Cook modePrevent screen from turning off

Ingredients

For the Sauce
Garnishes, optional

Instructions

  1. Place a large pot of water over high heat; bring to a boil and cook pasta according to package directions. Drain, reserving about 1 cup of pasta water.
  2. Meanwhile, whisk together all sauce ingredients.
  3. Add sauce to cooked pasta, toss to combine, adding pasta water as desired to thin out sauce.

Notes

  • Adding pasta water to a sauce that is already thin may seem unusual, but even thin sauces thicken as the pasta cools and continues to absorb liquid. So for extra saucy sauce, add a touch of pasta water. The starch in pasta also lends a certain creaminess to sauces.  Pasta water is the secret ingredient to many a good pasta and sauce, helping to marry the  pasta to the sauce. You probably won’t need the whole cup, but once the  pasta water is drained you can’t get it back, so as a general rule of thumb I always reserve at least 1 cup.


Nutrition Facts

Calories

884.69

Fat

31.96 g

Sat. Fat

4.59 g

Carbs

125.66 g

Fiber

5.84 g

Net carbs

119.79 g

Sugar

12.53 g

Protein

22.74 g

Sodium

1109.09 mg

Cholesterol

0 mg

Nutritional information is approximate. Based on 1 serving if this recipe serves 3, including all garnishes.

quick dinner recipe, easy thai noodles, asian pasta, lo mein, sesame noodles
dinner
Asian
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Tofu and Broccoli Stir Fry

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Last Updated September 7, 2024

This Tofu and Broccoli Stir Fry is deliciously salty, satisfying, and nutritious.

My family makes this recipe quite a bit, it’s quick and easy, providing protein and vegetables and a carb, if you serve it over rice.

If you’re watching your salt intake, you might prefer to use a low-sodium soy sauce and broth. Using low-sodium ingredients allows you to have more control over how salty your dish is, whether or not you actually may need low-sodium for health reasons.

This dish is also delicious meat-ified…by that I mean, with chicken instead of tofu. I’m not a vegetarian, and I love this recipe both ways. If making with chicken, you’ll want to cut it into cubes or bite-sized pieces. You can still coat the chicken in the cornstarch, and proceed with recipe as written. You’ll simply want to cook the chicken thoroughly, before adding in the garlic and ginger and finishing the stir fry. Voila! Meat-ified.

This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase using these links, Jennyblogs may receive a small commission, at no extra cost to you. This helps to support Jennyblogs. For further information see the privacy policy. Grazie!

Tofu and Broccoli Stir Fry

Serves about 3-4

Ingredients:

  • 1 14oz / 400g container of extra-firm tofu

  • 2 Tbsp / 15g cornstarch

  • 1 cup / 237g vegetable or chicken broth

  • 3 Tbsp / 42g soy sauce

  • 2 tsp / 10g sugar

  • oil, for pan

  • 2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger

  • 2 garlic cloves, minced

  • 2 cups broccoli florets

Directions:

  1. Open and drain tofu. Wrap tightly in paper towels, place on a plate or cutting board, and place a weighted object on it, such as a bowl. Once the paper towel is soaked through, change them out for fresh paper towels. Repeat until paper towels remain mostly dry. Slice tofu into approx. 1/2” / 1cm cubes. Toss in a medium bowl with the cornstarch.

  2. Combine broth, soy sauce, and sugar; set aside.

  3. Generously drizzle an iron skillet or other non-stick pan with oil; place over medium-high heat.

  4. Fry tofu until golden brown and crispy, about 3-5 minutes. Flip the tofu, and fry other side until golden brown, another 3-5ish minutes.

  5. Lower heat to low; Add ginger and garlic and stir, until fragrant and sizzling, about a minute.

  6. Add in broth mixture and stir occasionally, until it starts to simmer.

  7. Add in broccoli, cover, and let sit for 2 minutes for “al dente” broccoli, or a couple more minutes for softer broccoli.

  8. Turn off heat and serve over rice.

Suggested toppings: red pepper flakes, sesame seeds, sliced green onions, etc.

Jenny’s Notes:

oven baked tofu

  • In an ideal world the tofu is prepared a bit in advance, so it has ample time to release as much water as possible. However, you can also wrap the tofu just 2x in paper towels. It only takes a couple minutes and still gets a good amount of water out. You may need more cornstarch in this case since the tofu will be moister, and that’s perfectly fine. Frying time may also take a few minutes longer, for the water to evaporate and get a proper crisp on the tofu.

  • If you prefer to bake tofu instead of frying: Prepare tofu as in step 1, than transfer onto a silpat or parchment paper lined cooking sheet. Bake in an oven preheated to 400°F / 205°C for 25-30 minutes, or until crisp and golden. Stir tofu once or twice during baking time. Add tofu into simmering sauce, let simmer for a few minutes, then add in broccoli to finish.

  • This is wonderful with red pepper flakes, sesame seeds, cilantro, and green onions sprinkled on top for garnish.

Tofu and Broccoli Stir Fry
Yield 3-4
Author
Prep time
20 Min
Cook time
15 Min
Total time
35 Min

Tofu and Broccoli Stir Fry

Crispy tofu with lightly crunchy broccoli in a salty stir fry sauce makes for a quick and satisfying dinner that is as good as take-out!
Cook modePrevent screen from turning off

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. Open and drain tofu. Wrap tightly in paper towels, place on a plate or cutting board, and place a weighted object on it, such as a bowl. Once the paper towel is soaked through, change them out for fresh paper towels. Repeat until paper towels remain mostly dry. Slice tofu into approx. 1/2” / 1cm cubes. Toss in a medium bowl with the cornstarch.
  2. Combine broth, soy sauce, and sugar; set aside.
  3. Generously drizzle an iron skillet or other non-stick pan with oil; place over medium-high heat.
  4. Fry tofu until golden brown and crispy, about 3-5 minutes. Flip the tofu, and fry other side until golden brown, another 3-5ish minutes.
  5. Lower heat to low; Add ginger and garlic and stir, until fragrant and sizzling, about a minute.
  6. Add in broth mixture and stir occasionally, until it starts to simmer.
  7. Add in broccoli, cover, and let sit for 2 minutes for “al dente” broccoli, or a couple more minutes for softer broccoli.
  8. Turn off heat and serve over rice.
  9. Suggested toppings: red pepper flakes, sesame seeds, sliced green onions, etc

Notes

  • In an ideal world the tofu is prepared a bit in advance, so it has ample time to release as much water as possible. However, you can also wrap the tofu just 2x in paper towels. It only takes a couple minutes and still gets a good amount of water out. You may need more cornstarch in this case since the tofu will be moister, and that’s perfectly fine. Frying time may also take a few minutes longer, for the water to evaporate and get a proper crisp on the tofu.
  • If you prefer to bake tofu instead of frying: Prepare tofu as in step 1, than transfer onto a silpat or parchment paper lined cooking sheet. Bake in an oven preheated to 400°F / 205°C for 25-30 minutes, or until crisp and golden. Stir tofu once or twice during baking time. Add tofu into simmering sauce, let simmer for a few minutes, then add in broccoli to finish.
  • This is wonderful with red pepper flakes, sesame seeds, cilantro, and green onions sprinkled on top for garnish.


Nutrition Facts

Calories

223

Fat

11 g

Sat. Fat

1 g

Carbs

16 g

Fiber

3 g

Net carbs

13 g

Sugar

2 g

Protein

16 g

Cholesterol

2 mg

Sodium

1322 mg

Nutritional information is approximate, based on 3 servings, not including rice or garnishes.

stir fry, tofu, broccoli, takeout, Chinese takeout, vegetarian dinner
dinner
Asian
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Tofu and Broccoli Stir Fry

Sticky Sesame Tofu

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Adjustments.jpeg

Last Updated August 10, 2024

Lightly pan-fried, crispy tofu nuggets tossed in a sweet and salty, sticky sesame sauce and served over rice. Extra delicious when served with hot pepper flakes, green onion, sesame seeds, and broccoli.

This Sticky Sesame Tofu is like Sesame Chicken and General Tso’s Chicken all wrapped up in one. Except it’s tofu, and not chicken, which makes it a vegan recipe. I’m not vegan, I just happen to love tofu. BUT this recipe can also be made with chicken! Simply pan fry it until cooked through, then proceed with the recipe as written.

Some notes about this recipe for making it in Italy vs. US:

  1. The tofu I would get in Italy, seems to come in 380g packages instead of the 400-450gish (14-16oz) like in the States, which means that recipe proportions will be a tiny bit different. The photos you see on this post are when I used the Italian 380g package of tofu, but I used to make half the sauce recipe as written below. If you are using a smaller than 380g block of tofu, you could consider cutting this recipe in half, to keep it more “sticky” and less saucy.

  2. Tofu in Italy also comes in a vacuum-packed container and not in water like in the States. This means the tofu starts out less watery and is easier to dry. Usually one heavy duty napkin or paper towel is sufficient for pressing.

This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase using these links, Jennyblogs may receive a small commission, at no extra cost to you. This helps to support Jennyblogs. For further information see the privacy policy. Grazie!

Recipe by Jenny

Adjustments.jpeg

Sticky Sesame Tofu

Serves 3-4

Ingredients:

For the Crispy Tofu

  • 1 box / roughly 400g firm or extra firm tofu, drained

  • 1/2 cup / 60g cornstarch

  • 2 Tbsp / 28g peanut oil or other high-heat oil, plus more as needed

For the Sticky Sesame Sauce

  • 1/2 cup / 120g soy sauce or tamari

  • 6 Tbsp / 90g tomato purée

  • 6 Tbsp / 76g brown sugar, or 6 Tbsp / 120g maple syrup

  • 2 Tbsp / 30g rice vinegar

  • 2 tsp sriracha or 1 tsp red pepper flakes

  • 2 tsp freshly grated ginger or 1/4 tsp ground ginger

  • 2 tsp / 10g cooking oil

  • 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped

  • 2 tsp / 10g sesame oil

For Serving (optional):

  • rice

  • steamed broccoli

  • avocado, sesame seeds, sliced green onion, lime wedges, red pepper flakes, cilantro

Directions:

Make the Crispy Tofu

  1. Place tofu block between some paper towels and press to absorb extra water. Repeat until tofu feels dry and no more water comes out. You can also do this ahead of time by placing something heavy over the tofu and paper towels, such as a bowl or pot, and leave it for several minutes.

  2. Place corn starch in a medium bowl. Slice tofu into squares and toss in the corn starch until evenly coated.

    Pan fry:

  3. Heat oil in a large fry pan and add tofu. Fry for a few minutes until golden, then flip tofu over. You can do this with tongs, or simply sauté/flip the tofu. The second way is faster, but requires a bit more skill and you have less control over which sides of the tofu land down. Add more oil to the pan as needed to get a nice golden crust on the tofu. Remove from heat when done.

    OR Bake:

  4. Disperse tofu cubes evenly onto a parchment paper or silpat lined baking sheet. Bake in a preheated 400°F / 205°C for about 30 minutes, or until light golden and crispy. Ideally, flip tofu halfway through baking.

Make the Sticky Sesame Sauce:

  1. While tofu is frying or baking, prepare the sauce. In a bowl stir together soy sauce, tomato purée, brown sugar, rice vinegar, sriracha, and ginger.

  2. Heat cooking oil in a medium pan over medium-low heat. Add garlic and cook until just starting to turn golden, 1-2 minutes.

  3. Add soy sauce mixture and cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until sauce just starts to thicken. Stir in sesame oil.

  4. Add tofu to sauce and toss until evenly covered; serve immediately with rice, broccoli, and garnishes, if desired.

Jenny’s Notes:

  • For the sodium conscious, you may wish to use reduced-sodium soy sauce. If you only have regular soy sauce available, you can replace 1/2 of the soy sauce with water.

  • If you don’t have rice vinegar, use any vinegar you have on hand.

  • You can add more sriracha or red pepper flakes if you want it extra spicy, or omit if you don’t like spice.

  • If not serving all the tofu right away, it’s best to store it separately from the sauce if you wish to keep the tofu crispy.

Sticky Sesame Tofu
Yield 2-3
Author
Prep time
10 Min
Cook time
20 Min
Total time
30 Min

Sticky Sesame Tofu

Lightly pan-fried or baked, crispy tofu nuggets tossed in a sweet and salty, sticky sesame sauce and served over rice. Tastes like Sesame Chicken or General Tso's Chicken, but vegan!

Ingredients

For the Crispy Tofu
For the Sticky Sesame Sauce
For Serving (all optional):

Instructions

Make the Crispy Tofu
  1. Place tofu block between some paper towels and press to absorb extra water. Repeat until tofu feels dry and no more water comes out. You can also do this ahead of time by placing something heavy over the tofu and paper towels, such as a bowl or pot, and leave it for several minutes.
  2. Place corn starch in a medium bowl. Slice tofu into squares and toss in the corn starch until evenly coated.
  3. Pan fry:
  4. Heat oil in a large fry pan and add tofu. Fry for a few minutes until golden, then flip tofu over. You can do this with tongs, or simply sauté/flip the tofu. The second way is faster, but requires a bit more skill and you have less control over which sides of the tofu land down. Add more oil to the pan as needed to get a nice golden crust on the tofu. Remove from heat when done.
  5. OR Bake:
  6. Disperse tofu cubes evenly onto a parchment paper or silpat lined tray. Bake in a preheated 400°F / 205°C for about 30 minutes, or until light golden and crispy. Ideally, flip tofu halfway through baking.
Make the Sticky Sesame Sauce:
  1. While the tofu is frying, prepare the sauce. In a bowl stir together soy sauce, tomato purée, brown sugar, rice vinegar, sriracha, and ginger.
  2. Heat the cooking oil in a medium pan over medium-low heat. Add the garlic and cook until just starting to turn golden, 1-2 minutes.
  3. Add the soy sauce mixture and cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until sauce just starts to thicken. Stir in the sesame oil.
  4. Add tofu to the sauce and toss until evenly covered; serve immediately with rice, broccoli, and garnishes, if desired.

Notes

  • For the sodium conscious, you may wish to use reduced-sodium soy sauce. If you only have regular soy sauce available, you can replace 1/2 of the soy sauce with water.
  • If you don’t have rice vinegar, use any vinegar you have on hand.
  • You can add more sriracha or red pepper flakes if you want it extra spicy, or omit if you don’t like spice.
  • If not serving all the tofu right away, it’s best to store it separately from the sauce if you wish to keep the tofu crispy.

Nutrition Facts

Calories

529

Fat

23 g

Sat. Fat

3 g

Carbs

76 g

Fiber

4 g

Net carbs

71 g

Sugar

40 g

Protein

9 g

Sodium

3296 mg

Cholesterol

0 mg

Nutritional information is approximate. Based on 2 servings of tofu with sauce, not including rice or garnishes

vegan, sticky sesame sauce, tofu, Sesame chicken tofu, General Tso's chicken tofu, sweet and sour
Dinner, Main
Asian
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IMG_3749.jpeg
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Simple Thai Noodles

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Some nights you get caught unprepared and need something quick to whip up for dinner. Or maybe that’s every night? I know Sunday food prepping is all the rage, and it’s a really great idea…if you’re only feeding yourself or a small family, and not taking into account the unexpected that happens. Even if you’re the most organized person cooking just for yourself, those nights are going to spring up on you when you want something quick and easy, delicious, and you have all the ingredients on hand. This recipe for Simple Thai Noodles falls in that category.

Sesame oil might not be in everyone’s pantry, but if you invest in a bottle, it can last you months, depending on how often you make Asian or other dishes that often call for sesame oil. It really is worth it, if you try and substitute another oil it won’t be the same. It lends such a nutty depth to dishes!

I actually have several versions of lo mein, Thai noodles, fried rice, etc. and even a couple more waiting to be tried that all have in common varying quantities and varieties of green onion, sesame oil, soy sauce, ginger, peanuts or peanut butter, and a sweet and a spicy element. Each with their merits, and the occasions for which I like to make them. If you can’t tell, I love Asian dishes, whether they’re authentic or simply inspired by Asian flavors.

This pasta is kept in my repertoire for its simplicity while still retaining all the delicious flavors, and now you can make it too, whether you’re in a pinch for a quick dinner, or not! No one said you have to make it only when in a pinch. :)

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Recipe adapted from A Small Snippet

Simple Thai Noodles

Serves 4-6

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Ingredients:

  • 16 oz / 500g linguine or spaghetti

  • 2 Tbsp / 28g olive oil, or oil of choice

  • 1/4 cup / 54g sesame oil

  • about 1 Tbsp / 5g red pepper flakes

  • 3 Tbsp / 63g honey

  • 3 Tbsp / 45g soy sauce

  • cilantro, chopped peanuts, chopped green onions, julienned carrots, sesame seeds, or your choice of toppings

Directions:

  1. Bring a large pot of water to boil, adding salt just before it boils. Cook pasta according to directions on box; drain, and return to pot.

  2. While the pasta is cooking, whisk together the oils, red pepper flakes, honey, and soy sauce in a small bowl.

  3. When the pasta is done and drained, add the sauce to the noodles and toss to coat well.

  4. Serve immediately, adding toppings of choice.

Jenny’s Notes:

  • You can adjust the amount of red pepper flakes to suit your spicy preference. 1 Tbsp, as in the recipe, results in reasonably spicy, but not overwhelming. Also, you could use a spicy oil if you have some on hand instead of the red pepper flakes.

  • For a stronger sesame taste, use all sesame oil instead of olive oil. (6 Tbsp / 84g total of sesame oil.)

  • Feel free to add veggies or a protein, if you desire. For veggies, chop small and sauté in a pan with a bit of oil for a few minutes or until tender, toss in when you add the sauce. Cook your protein and slice as desired, add at the end on top of plates of pasta or mix in with sauce.

Simple Thai Noodles
Yield 4-6 servings
Author
Prep time
10 Min
Cook time
10 Min
Total time
20 Min

Simple Thai Noodles

The simplest Thai noodles using only 6 pantry ingredients for a quick and easy dinner! Sweet, savory, and irresistible.
Cook modePrevent screen from turning off

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. Bring a large pot of water to boil, adding salt just before it boils. Cook pasta according to directions on box; drain, and return to pot.
  2. While the pasta is cooking, whisk together the oils, red pepper flakes, honey, and soy sauce in a small bowl.
  3. When the pasta is done and drained, add the sauce to the noodles and toss to coat well.
  4. Serve immediately, adding toppings of choice.

Notes

  • You can adjust the amount of red pepper flakes to suit your spicy preference. 1 Tbsp, as in the recipe, results in reasonably spicy, but not overwhelming. Also, you could use a spicy oil if you have some on hand instead of the red pepper flakes.
  • For a stronger sesame taste, use all sesame oil instead of olive oil. (6 Tbsp / 84g total of sesame oil.)
  • Feel free to add veggies or a protein, if you desire. For veggies, chop small and sauté in a pan with a bit of oil for a few minutes or until tender, toss in when you add the sauce. Cook your protein and slice as desired, add at the end on top of plates of pasta or mix in with sauce.

Nutrition Facts

Calories

676.11

Fat

23.63 g

Sat. Fat

3.4 g

Carbs

99.87 g

Fiber

4.71 g

Net carbs

95.17 g

Sugar

16.33 g

Protein

16.89 g

Sodium

794.7 mg

Cholesterol

0 mg

Nutritional info is approximate, based on 4 servings including toppings.

6 ingredients, 20 minute dinner, pasta, Thai Noodles
Dinner, Pasta
American
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