30-Minute Lemongrass Coconut Tofu Noodle Bowls

30-minute lemongrass coconut tofu noodle bowls make weeknight cooking feel effortless and indulgent. Skip the takeout this week in favor of these Asian-inspired, nutrient-packed bowls of bliss. Happy Monday, friends! Is anyone else feeling the lingering fatigue of last night’s Superbowl festivities? I probably consumed a weeks worth of sodium in one night (my puffy face is evidence this morning), but dang, what an exciting game! And I don’t even care about NFL! (Ha..)

But if you also indulged in one-too-many cheesy/salty/sugar-bomb treats last night, this 30-minute main is here to get you grooving today.Lemongrass is one of my favorite herbs when it comes to Asian cooking. It’s floral without being cloying, lemony without being tart, and plays especially well with other aromatics like garlic, onion, and ginger. However, lemongrass stalks are not the most weeknight-friendly herb to fuss with. Thus, enter: lemongrass paste!

Look for it by the packages of fresh herbs in your local grocery store. It bares all of the lemony, floral flavor of the stalks in a convenient squeeze bottle. The one caveat is that it is quite high in sodium, but I just accommodate for that by adding less salt to the other recipe components. Coconut milk adds velvety richness to the sauce and makes this dish feel ultra-indulgent. And for being such a quick sauce, it packs a major flavor punch. I personally like adding a ton of freshly grated ginger for extra zing, but you can scale back as you see fit.

As far as the grain, serve it over rice, noodles, or any whole-grain you like! I’m a big fan of Annie Chun’s Maifun Brown Rice Noodles (they’re super-light and cook in less than 4 minutes), but I also think this would be delicious over jasmine or basmati rice. Baby bok choy is rich in fiber and folate and becomes crisp-tender when seared—the perfect crucifer to lend texture and an extra dose of nutrients to this dish.

The EPICENTER of feel-good comfort food right here.

30-Minute Lemongrass Coconut Tofu Noodle Bowls

30-minute lemongrass coconut tofu noodle bowls make weeknight cooking feel effortless and indulgent. Skip the takeout this week in favor of these Asian-inspired, nutrient-packed bowls of bliss.

5 from 2 votes

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Course: Main dish

Cuisine: asian

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Servings: 4 servings

Author: Jamie Vespa MS, RD

Ingredients

• 1 14-oz. block extra-firm tofu, drained
• 1 Tbsp. freshly grated ginger
• 2 tsp. lemongrass paste*
• 2 garlic cloves minced
• 2 tsp. honey
• 1 1/2 tsp. fish sauce
• 1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/4 tsp. kosher salt
• Juice of 1 lime
• 1 cup lite canned coconut milk divided
• 12 oz. quartered baby bok choy
• 2 tsp. canola or coconut oil
• 1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves
• Brown rice noodles or rice for serving

Instructions

• Place tofu on a paper-towel lined plate and press a paper towel over top to absorb excess water. Slice tofu into cubes.
• Combine ginger, lemongrass paste, garlic, honey, fish sauce, red pepper flakes, salt, lime juice, and 1/4 cup of the coconut milk in a large bowl; mix well. Add tofu; gently toss to combine. Let stand 10 minutes.
• Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Add bok choy; cook until browned, 4 minutes. Reduce heat to medium; cover and cook until tender, 3 minutes. Remove bok choy from pan.
• Increase heat to medium-high and add tofu mixture. Cook 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until liquid reduces by half and tofu is lightly golden. Add remaining 3/4 cup coconut milk; cook 5 minutes.
• To prepare, serve tofu mixture and bok choy over grain of choice. Garnish with fresh cilantro.

Notes

Look for lemongrass paste by the packages of fresh herbs in your local grocery store.

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