Spicy Veggie Laksa with Crispy Tofu
Spicy veggie laksa with crispy tofu – packed with veggies, this easy Thai soup with noodles is absolutely full of flavour!
I adore a Thai curry, and I’m always looking for new ways to use my favourite Thai curry paste. It’s such an easy way to make an immensely tasty dinner. This spicy veggie laksa is basically a new twist on an old favourite – any excuse!
What is laksa?
Laksa is a spicy noodle soup that’s made in various forms all over East Asia, with each region putting their own spin on the dish. I suppose this is my own spin, since I didn’t really follow any recipe in particular – it may not be authentic, but it was bloomin’ delicious.
I tend to prefer egg noodles usually, but since laksa traditionally uses rice noodles (…at least, it does according to my trusty Wikipedia – don’t say I don’t do my research…), I used them this time instead. To be honest I thought they tasted much the same as usual – not sure why I thought I didn’t like them before! They also have the added benefit of being gluten-free and vegan, so hopefully most people will be able to enjoy this recipe. Spreading the veggie laksa love!
I topped my spicy veggie laksa with some crispy tofu – a great way to add some protein to the dish. I used my usual tofu cooking method, frying it until it was golden brown and crispy all over – be patient with it, it takes a little while! It’s so worth it to avoid soggy, spongey tofu.
Et voilà ! This spicy veggie laksa is an easy vegan dinner that’s jam packed with flavour. I made mine nice and fiery, but feel free to skip the extra chillies if your curry paste is hot enough on its own!
Spicy veggie laksa with crispy tofu
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Print Pin CommentIngredients
For the crispy tofu:
- 1 tbsp oil
- 200 g extra firm tofu, cut into 1.5cm dice (~ 1 cup when diced)
- Salt
- Black pepper
For the veggie laksa:
- 1 tbsp oil
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 tsp ginger, minced
- 1/2 small mild red chilli, finely diced (optional)
- 2 tbsp red Thai curry paste
- 1 carrot, sliced or cut into ribbons with a peeler
- 1 bell pepper, sliced (I used yellow)
- 1/4 head broccoli florets
- inch ~ 6 spears asparagus, cut into 2 pieces
- 250 ml tinned coconut milk (~ 1 cup)
- 250 ml vegetable stock or water (~ 1 cup)
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- Black pepper
- 200 g fresh rice noodles (~ 2 cups)
To serve:
- Fresh coriander (cilantro)
- Fresh basil
Instructions
- Heat 1 tbsp oil in a frying pan, and add the diced tofu. Season generously with salt and pepper, and leave to cook over a medium-high heat for around 10 minutes, turning occasionally, until the tofu is golden brown and very crispy all over.
- Meanwhile, heat the remaining 1 tbsp oil in a large frying pan or wok, and add the minced garlic, ginger, and chillies if using. Cook over a medium heat for a couple of minutes, until fragrant. Add the curry paste, veggies, coconut milk, veggie stock, and soy sauce, along with a pinch of black pepper. Bring to a gentle simmer, and cook for around 5-8 minutes, until the vegetables are tender but not overcooked. Add the rice noodles, and cook for a couple more minutes, until the noodles are cooked.
- Serve the veggie laksa with the crispy tofu, topped with plenty of fresh coriander (cilantro) and basil.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is approximate, and will depend on your exact ingredients. Please calculate your own nutritional values if you require accuracy for health reasons.
This looks really nice. I am always looking for vegetarian recipes that my meat eating husband would love too. And this one sounds perfect as he likes his food a bit spicy
This is definitely the kind of thing that meat-eaters would love too – there’s so much flavour that they’d never miss the meat :)
Those spices sound really good. I’m new to tofu and I think I’d really enjoy it like this.
Tofu doesn’t have much flavour on its own, so it’s great with the super flavourful curry paste!
The more spice the better although my acid reflux does not agree lol. I love the sound of this spicy cripsy tofu dish!
Haha oh no, that’s a shame! You could definitely skip the extra chilli in this!
I’ve not cooked with tofu that much but the laska sounds gorgeous.
You should give it a try – it’s really easy to use, and as long as you cook it properly, it can be really tasty :)
I love making things with crispy tofu, such a great dish x
This looks amazing, I’ve been looking for a good vegan thai curry recipe for a while now! I’ll definitely bookmark this for later.
This looks AMAZING. I’ve always wanted to make a vegetarian laksa.
My mother loves spicy food so this will be right up her street. Bookmarking.
This looks so yummy! I love all the colors. I will have to try to make it soon!
This Laksa reminds me of my trip to Malaysia where we enjoyed different versions of delicious Laksas. I love tofu, and baking it in the oven until golden and crispy is my favourite way to prepare it!
I actually don’t think I’ve ever tried baking tofu! I should give it a go, I guess it’s a lazier way of getting crispy tofu :)