Easy Weeknight Vegan Soba Noodles with Squash & Greens
I LOVE noodles. Of all kinds. There are few meals that I am always in the mood for…but noodles are one of them. But it doesn’t mean I am painstakingly preparing my own broth on a Tuesday night. I want noodles…and I want them, NOW! So this soba recipe is not only easy, but packed with protein and veggies so you can feel nourished AND satisfied.
You also might be wondering, are soba noodles gluten free?? They can be, but you have to choose carefully. Here’s why…
Soba Noodles + Nutrition
Soba noodles are typically made with buckwheat flour, which — despite the name — is gluten free and has nothing to do with wheat. Buckwheat is technically the seed pod of a plant related to rhubarb. Pure buckwheat flour has a relatively low GI and is rich in minerals like calming magnesium and energizing copper.
However, as a gluten free grain, buckwheat flour isn’t super easy to work with. So most soba noodles are made with a blend of buckwheat flour and wheat flour, which helps provide structure to the dough.
Luckily, pure gluten free buckwheat soba is available so just be sure to look from King Soba in Canada or Eden Foods in the US. And if you’re not strictly gluten free, take your pick!
Now…let’s eat!!
There might be three different steps here…but it all comes together very simply while the tofu and squash cooks. You’ll be slurping noodles with glee in less than 40 minutes! If you have leftover roasted squash, which I did the first time I made this, there is even less chopping
Easy Vegan Soba Noodles with Squash & Greens
Ingredients
- 1 package of extra firm tofu, 350g
- 1 smallish acorn squash (or 3 cups leftover roasted acorn squash chunks)
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil
- 2 tbsp gluten free tamari or soy sauce
- 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
- 1 tsp sriracha-style hot sauce
- 1 package of soba noodles (pure buckwheat if gluten free)
- 1 L mushroom broth
- 2 tbsp gluten free tamari or soy sauce
- 1 bunch enoki mushrooms, trimmed - or 2 cups sliced crimini mushrooms
- 4 cups baby bok choy, washed and leaves separated
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450 Fahrenheit (230 Celsius).
- Prepare a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Cut tofu into 1 inch cubes and place on one half of the baking sheet without any oil.
- If using fresh squash, trim and scoop out innards. Then, slice the squash into 1/2 inch (1 cm) by 1 inch (2.5cm) pieces.
- In a mixing bowl, toss squash pieces with 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil and a generous pinch of salt and pepper and place on other half of baking sheet.
- Bake squash and tofu for 22-25 minutes until tofu is dried out and crisp and squash turns golden. Remove from heat.
- In the same mixing bowl, mix 2 tbsp tamari, 1 tbsp sesame oil and sriracha and toss tofu cubes with marinade. Set aside.
- Meanwhile, fill a large pot halfway with water and heat to boiling.
- In a medium pot, simmer mushroom broth over low medium heat with 2 tbsp tamari.
- When the large pot is boiling, add soba and cook according to package directions
- Place the enoki mushrooms and the bok choy in a colander in the sink. When the soba is ready, carefully pour it over the vegetables to help them wilt. Give the noodles a quick rinse with cool water.
- To assemble, portion out the noodles and vegetables. Top with tofu. Pour out the remaining tofu marinade into the broth and then ladle broth over the noodles.
