Summer Roll and Peanut Tofu Bowls

This recipe for Summer Roll and Peanut Tofu Bowls takes all the components of fresh summer rolls and turns it into a quick and easy vegetarian salad. It's a bright and fresh simple lunch or an delicious make-ahead weeknight dinner.

Every time we eat at a Thai restaurant, I'm sure to order summer rolls. Not just because they are so light and fresh, but also because they are time consuming to make at home. We make homemade summer rolls every once in a while, but whenever I want those classic flavors, I often make this summer roll salad instead.

I think you'll love this recipe because it's so easy to make ahead of time, meaning when you have one of those busy evenings that keep your attention away from the kitchen, you can easily put these bowls together fast. In fact, all components of this recipe can be made ahead, including the tofu, peanut sauce and noodles.

You can make our recipe for Tofu Satay with Peanut Sauce up to four days ahead of time and use the tofu and peanut sauce for these summer roll bowls. And if you want to try a slightly different sauce, try using our Vietnamese Peanut Sauce, which features sweet and fruity hoisin sauce and no coconut milk.

Jump to:

• Ingredients that Matter
• Instructions
• Substitutions
• Serving Suggestions
• Air Fryer Tofu
• Equipment
• Storage
• FAQ
• Vegetarian
• Salads
• Recipe

Ingredients that Matter

This recipe may seem like it has a lot of ingredients, but the beauty is there's plenty of room to use what you already have in the refrigerator. Here are the ingredients you'll need to make this recipe:

• Tofu. I recommend using extra-firm tofu whenever you want a crispy, roasted or air-fried tofu.
• Rice Noodles. Use an 8-ounce package of vermicelli rice noodles. You will cook and cool these noodles and they'll serve as the base for the bowls.
• Red Curry Pasta. You will find red curry paste in the Asian section of your grocery store. If you want to keep this recipe vegan or vegetarian be sure to read the labels of the curry paste as many contain fish product. You can also use chili crisp, chili garlic sauce, sombal oelek or even sriracha.
• Soy Sauce. The tofu is marinated in a bit of soy sauce. I recommend using reduced-sodium soy sauce to control the sodium levels.
• Coconut Milk. The peanut sauce and marinade both use coconut milk. I recommend using full-fat unsweetened coconut milk. Be sure to stir it well before using.
• Garlic. Fresh garlic cloves are used in the marinade and the sauce.
• Lime. Fresh lime juice is also used in the marinade and sauce, plus you serve the summer roll salad bowls with lime wedges for garnish.
• Cilantro. Fresh cilantro leaves make a delicious garnish on these bowls.
• Peanut Butter. Reach for creamy natural peanut butter as the base for the peanut sauce.
• Vegetables. Here you can use what you have on hand, but I like to use carrots, radishes and watercress. You'll find more options under the substitutions sections.
• Peanuts. Chopped roasted and lightly salted peanuts are a crunchy and delicious topper for these summer roll noodle bowls.

See recipe card for quantities.

Instructions

This recipe has three main components, and all can be made ahead. Here is how you put together this recipe:

When ready to serve, simply cook the rice noodles according to package instructions, rinse under cold water, and assemble the bowls with the fresh vegetables, peanut tofu, chopped peanuts, cilantro and lime wedges. Then drizzle with the peanut sauce and serve with more sauce on the side.

Hint: You can even make the rice noodles ahead of time. Cook and rinse under cold water. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Just before serving, rinse under cold water if the noodles are stuck together.

Substitutions

There is a ton of flexibility in this recipe based on your dietary restrictions or flavor preferences. Consider the following substitutions:

• Vegetables - While I love the crunch of carrots and radishes in these noodle bowls, you can also use sliced bell peppers, steamed and chilled edamame, sliced cucumbers and very thinly sliced red onions. If you don't want to use watercress, try using arugula instead, or even baby lettuce greens, mache greens or even shredded cabbage.
• Peanut Sauce - You can use store-bought peanut sauce to make this recipe! You will likely find it in the Asian section of your supermarket. The homemade sauce is also easy to adjust. Feel free to use chunky peanut butter or even the kind of peanut butter with added sugar and palm oil, if that's what you have.
• Red Curry Paste - Note that many red curry paste products contain fish/anchovies. If you want to keep this recipe vegan and vegetarian, try instead using chili crisp, sombal oelek, chili garlic sauce or even sriracha.
• Kid Friendly Version - If you are making this for young kids (or other picky eaters), I first recommend serving this recipe as a "make your own" summer roll bowls! Keep the peanut sauce on the side, put cilantro in a small bowl, and let everyone decide what to put in their bowls. I also recommend leaving out the red curry paste if you are making this for kids as it is pungent!
• Herbs - Fresh mint or thinly sliced scallions also make delicious toppings for these noodle bowls.

Serving Suggestions

This recipe is a complete meal as is, but there are some swaps you can make if you'd like. Consider serving this recipe with our Coconut Cilantro Rice instead of the rice noodles. Instead of the vegetables, try serving the tofu, peanut sauce and rice noodles with our Purple Cabbage Slaw.

This recipe is also perfect for a dinner party, though you'll likely want to double the ingredients. You should have no problem fitting the extra tofu on one baking sheet.

Air Fryer Tofu

You can cook the tofu in an air fryer instead of the oven. Start by preheating an air fryer to 400F and spray the basket with cooking spray. Be sure to blot the tofu slightly before adding to the basket then cook for 10-12 minutes, flipping and basting halfway through. Continue to cook the tofu until the edges turn golden brown and slightly crispy.

Equipment

For this recipe you'll need a baking sheet like this 3 Piece set of Nordic Ware Baking Sheets. If you want to make this recipe in an air fryer, I'm quite partial to the Instant Vortex Plus 6QT Air Fryer with Odor Erase Technology.

Storage

You can store the components of this recipe in separate containers in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Store the peanut sauce in a mason jar or airtight container. You can make it up to 4 days ahead of time, though note that it will thicken the longer it sits in the refrigerator. Thin it out by adding a bit of water.

The tofu can be marinated for up to 1 day ahead of time and even cooked 4 days ahead. The rice noodles are best used within 1-2 days and may need to be rinsed under cold water after they sit in the refrigerator. It's best to eat the bowls soon after the dressing is added as the greens will wilt. You could always assemble the bowls ahead of time and leave the dressing on the side. Just be sure to store in the refrigerator, covered.

FAQ

Vegetarian

Looking for other vegetarian recipes like this? Try these:

Salads

Try these salad recipes for your next dinner:

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