Vegan Gluten-Free Vietnamese Noodle Bowls

I feel like I should be posting a “cozier” vegan recipe today – even though it’s only October 3, it snowed here in Winnipeg! And I’m not talking about snowflakes that instantly disappear. The trees became white! When I went to pick up a coffee, my coat was covered with snow. It’s not snow that’s sticking around, but wow was it beautiful. I might be the only one in Winnipeg thinking that, so here is a recipe for Vegan Gluten-Free Vietnamese Noodle Bowls that might make you think of warmer days!

The shining star in these noodle bowls is the sauce. If I am not mistaken, it is called Nước chấm and is considered a condiment / dipping sauce. I was doing some reading and apparently it is the most common sauce made from fish sauce. The trick, then, for us veggies is to replace the most fundamental ingredient in the sauce. No problem, right?

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I have not been able to find a vegan and gluten free fish sauce. I’ve done some research and there are some (at least vegan) ones out there, but apparently it’s just not the same. I’ve even searched for recipes, but I’m told they still don’t compare. So for the sauce, I’ve done what many vegan recipes do: replace the fish sauce with soy sauce. I haven’t had fish sauce in over 13 years, so I really cannot tell you how this sauce compares to the real deal. What I can tell you, though, is that it is delicious.

I made these Vietnamese Noodle Bowls so many times this summer. They’re fresh, bright, easy to prepare, and require minimal cooking which is crucial for me in the summer. I love stews, soups, and roasted root vegetables, but I have been overloading on those kinds of dishes lately that I am craving something cool, refreshing, and packed with raw veggies.

Some notes for making these Vegan Gluten-Free Vietnamese Noodle Bowls:

• Try to use fresh limes! Even the “fresh” pre-squeezed stuff doesn’t taste the same – although it still works in a pinch (and is often cheaper!)
• Change around the veggies! Use whatever veggies you like, I just think the bean sprouts are an important part, but again, work with what you’ve got!
• Mint. It’s so beautiful in this dish and makes such a difference. I have done this with basil, but mint was by far better. I’m sure cilantro would be a good substitute too, if you don’t like or can’t get mint.
• I love tofu in this dish because it really soaks up the flavours of the sauce, but use whatever protein you like! Some grilled “chicken” strips or “beef” would probably be just as delicious!

I hope you enjoy this dish! It’s been a busy month and a bit for me and it’s going to start to calm down after thanksgiving, so I am hoping I’ll get to cook more and get some more recipes posted. Just to keep your attention, I have the best ever vegan and gluten-free gravy recipe that just needs to be photographed. After that comes, I see a thanksgiving poutine in this blog’s future…

If I’m not back on here till after thanksgiving, I hope you all enjoy the long weekend and get to do whatever makes you happy! These food-based holidays can be tricky for us vegans—I can’t remember how many times people have made fun of my veganism or tried to get me worked up—just remember that compassions tends to be the best way to go. Oh, and make better food than them. That always throws people off 🙂

Check out more vegan and gluten-free recipes:

• Savoury Summer Salad 
• Roasted Cauliflower Chickpea Salad
• Roasted Beet Salad with Almond Feta Cheese
• BBQ Jackfruit Tacos with Mango Avocado Salsa

5 from 1 vote

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Vegan Gluten-Free Vietnamese Noodle Bowls

Prep Time

30 mins

Total Time

30 mins

 

This recipe for Vegan Gluten-Free Vietnamese Noodle Bowls is easy to make and adaptable, but still packed with tons of flavour!

Servings: 4 servings

Ingredients

For the sauce

• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1/3 cup lime juice (preferably fresh squeezed if possible!)
• 1/3 cup tamari
• 3 tbsp brown sugar
• 2 tbsp rice vinegar
• 2-4 tbsp finely chopped lemongrass - the soft inside part*
• 3 red chilies**
• 1/2 cup water

For the noodle bowls

• 1 tbsp oil
• 350 grams extra firm tofu, sliced into small triangles
• 200 grams vermicelli
• 1 cucumber, julienned or spiralized
• 2 carrots, julienned or spiralized
• 1 1/2 cups bean sprouts
• 2 cups iceberg lettuce, chopped
• 1/2 cup fresh mint, loosely chopped
• green onions, for serving
• roasted salted peanuts, for serving

Instructions

For the sauce

1. Cut the red chilies in half (do not de-seed them). Add the chilies along with the rest of the ingredients into a bowl and mix until combined. Set aside for a while so the chilies have time to release their flavour - you'll be removing them before using the sauce.

For the tofu

1. Preheat a large frying pan (preferably cast-iron, but I also use my non-stick with success) over medium-high heat.

2. When the pan is hot, add the oil and then the tofu. Do not overcrowd the pan - you want every piece of tofu to get crispy.

3. When the tofu has browned on one side (about 5 minutes, but every stove is different, and it also changes depending on the pan you use - so watch the tofu carefully!), flip it onto the other side and cook till browned.

4. When your tofu is brown and crispy, turn the heat down to medium-low. Add 1/4 cup of the sauce into the pan (make sure to avoid adding the chilies!), making sure all the tofu gets coated.

5. Cook for a couple of minutes, then remove from heat and set aside until serving.

To assemble the bowls

1. Prepare the vermicelli according to the package (I cover mine in water, bring to a boil, then turn the heat off and let sit for a couple of minutes). When the noodles have cooked, make sure to rinse them in cold water. I always toss them in a little bit of sesame oil to help prevent them from sticking together, but it is not necessary. 

2. To serve, place the lettuce at the bottom of a bowl, place the noodles on top, and then top with the bean sprouts, cucumber, carrots, and tofu. 

3. Remove the chilies from the sauce - you can also remove the lemongrass, but I love keeping it in. Pour 1/4 of the remaining sauce (approximately 1/4 cup) on top of all that yummy food in your bowl.

4. Garnish with mint, green onions, and roasted salted peanuts. 

Recipe Notes

*I adore lemongrass, so I load up my sauce with it. But, the sauce is also delicious with little (or even no) lemongrass.

**The red chillies I have in the fridge currently are so spicy! I would test them on the tip of your tongue before deciding to throw in extra.