• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • ABOUT
  • RECIPES
  • INDIAN 101
  • CONTACT
  • COOKBOOKS

Hooked on Heat logo

menu icon
go to homepage
  • ABOUT
  • RECIPES
  • INDIAN 101
  • CONTACT
  • COOKBOOKS
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • ABOUT
    • RECIPES
    • INDIAN 101
    • CONTACT
    • COOKBOOKS
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • ×

    YOU ARE HERE: HOME » Kids Lunchbox Ideas

    Jul 7, 2008 | 29 Comments | THIS POST MAY CONTAIN AFFILIATE LINKS. THIS BLOG GENERATES INCOME VIA ADS.

    Tofu Garlic Noodles

    Jump to Recipe - Print Recipe

    Today I have for you my very own recipe of Tofu Garlic Noodles - what I like to call one of my 'no-recipe recipes'. These are a class of recipes that I often come up with at the spur of the moment - they have no reason, no inspiration. Just a bunch of ingredients thrown together in the hopes of creating something edible.

    Recipe for Garlic Tofu Noodles taken from www.hookedonheat.com. Visit site for detailed recipe.

    While a few of such of my creations have turned out perfect to go into the trash, many of them have become a family favourite over the years and continue to make their appearances on my dinner table. Most of them are throw-it-all-into-one-pot-and-hope-for-the-best kinda meals, while others are quick assembly ones. But they each have one thing in common: a few starving mouths waiting to be fed.

    I remember this one time when I tried cooking spaghetti with some leftover meatball curry - spaghetti bolognese a la Indian, which did not work out much to our liking. Neither is combining paneer with green curry paste in hopes of creating a Thai-Indo fusion fried rice such a great idea. But I digress, a ravenous tummy = brains cells on holiday! But sometimes, the lack of time, energy and a frighteningly increasing hunger can create the most delicious meal.

    Take today for example - I woke up with a strong will to bake. And bake I did! A bunch of sorry looking carrots found its way into my baking pan and turned into the most deliciously moist treat, a perfect pairing for my evening cup of coffee (but that's a recipe for another day!). Then I slowly crossed off things on my to-do list one after the other. I was on a roll and nothing was going to stop me. Except, of course, my screaming stomach who knows nothing about keeping its cool when hungry.

    A quick glance at the clock confirmed that I was past my regular lunchtime, and I had to act fast! So I did what I could - picked a bunched of that, chopped a few of those, boiled a pot of this, and stir-fried them all together. And might I add, as hideously simple as it sounds - it was a great meal. Or maybe that's just my tummy talking!

    Recipe for Garlic Tofu Noodles taken from www.hookedonheat.com. Visit site for detailed recipe.
    Print Recipe

    Tofu Garlic Noodles

    Prep Time10 mins
    Cook Time20 mins
    Total Time30 mins
    Servings: 4
    Author: Meena, www.hookedonheat.com

    Ingredients

    • 2 tablespoon light cooking oil
    • 1 large onion, finely sliced
    • 2 tablespoon finely chopped garlic
    • 1 cup diced extra-firm tofu
    • 1 cup finely shredded cabbage
    • 1 tablespoon Sambal Olek (chilli paste)
    • 3 cups boiled egg noodles
    • 2 tablespoon light soya sauce
    • salt, to taste

    Instructions

    • Heat oil in a deep non-stick wok and saute onions and garlic, till lightly browned and fragrant. Add in tofu and fry for a few minutes till crisp around the edges. By this time, the onions and garlic should be caramelized and very fragrant.
    • Add in the shredded cabbage and Sambal Olek, and stir-fry for a few minutes to combine well. Stir in noodles, sprinkle soya sauce, and stir fry to coat noodles well with the sauce and veggies. Season with salt and serve warm.

    If you like this recipe, then you will surely like my Curry Noodle Bowl.

    Tried this recipe? Leave a Comment and let me know, also Rate it by clicking the number of stars on the recipe card. Want to share your version with me? Tag me on Instagram @hookedonheat

    Related Posts:

    • Fried Tofu & Peanut Sauce
      Fried Tofu & Peanut Sauce
    • Thai Curry Noodle Soup with Tofu & Veggies
      Thai Curry Noodle Soup with Tofu & Veggies
    • Honey-Garlic Chicken Wings
      Honey-Garlic Chicken Wings
    • Spicy Honey-Garlic Spring Rolls
      Spicy Honey-Garlic Spring Rolls
    « Chana Dal Masala
    Fried Egg Sambal »

    Filed Under: 30-Minutes or Less!, Gluten-free, Kids Lunchbox Ideas, Popular Recipes, Recent Posts, Recipes: Paneer/Tofu, Recipes: Pasta/Noodles

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Karen says

      May 28, 2020 at 2:32 am

      5 stars
      Just wanted to say thank you! I made this recently and my kids loved it - they've been begging me to make it again soon!

      Reply
    2. Andi says

      October 11, 2014 at 6:32 pm

      5 stars
      Looks delicious - I love noodles any way!

      Reply
    3. Bree says

      October 10, 2014 at 2:18 pm

      5 stars
      I just found your blog and LOVE LOVE LOVE it!! These noodles sound so good and easy, and your pictures are gorgeous, can't wait to give them a try!

      Reply
    4. Kay @ The GO Mamas says

      October 10, 2014 at 11:15 am

      5 stars
      This is the type of meal I really enjoy. I am doing no grains right now, so I will try this recipe with some spiralized veggie noodles.

      Reply
    5. Jennifer Sikora says

      July 05, 2014 at 9:27 am

      5 stars
      That looks really delicious!

      Reply
    6. Wendy says

      July 04, 2014 at 6:44 pm

      5 stars
      Yum! Plenty of garlic and tofu make a delicious noodle dish! This is so quick and easy it would be great as dinner on a busy week night!

      Reply
    7. Payal says

      October 28, 2012 at 11:47 am

      5 stars
      Can Sambal Olek be substituted with the Sriracha sauce?

      Reply
      • Meena says

        October 29, 2012 at 10:17 am

        Yes, of course!

        Reply
    8. elaine says

      November 17, 2010 at 3:08 pm

      5 stars
      thought you could help me out with this -- where would i be able to find sambal olek? do asian stores in the US stock this?

      Reply
      • Meena says

        November 19, 2012 at 10:19 am

        You should be able to find it in most regular grocery stores as well, Elaine. It's pretty easily available nowadays.

        Reply
    9. Catherine says

      August 28, 2010 at 2:30 am

      Is sambal olek easily find in the market?

      Reply
    10. indra says

      June 04, 2010 at 3:18 pm

      5 stars
      very simple and easy recipe and your blog looks great

      Reply
    11. mahek says

      October 12, 2009 at 5:42 am

      5 stars
      hi
      I am going to try this recipe for sure!!! Thank you for this wonderful dish...

      Reply
    12. Archana says

      September 15, 2008 at 8:56 pm

      5 stars
      I love your blog, which I found recently. All your recipes are so easy, especially for beginners like me 🙂

      Reply
    13. [eatingclub] vancouver || js says

      July 30, 2008 at 9:41 pm

      5 stars
      These noodles look so good! Garlicky noodles are the best.

      Reply
    14. Bart says

      July 25, 2008 at 2:22 pm

      5 stars
      I made these last night. Went overboard on the garlic and sambal. To my benefit. Added a dash of curry powder and a dash of black pepper. So delicious. Eating the leftovers right now as this recipe filled my whole wok.

      Reply
    15. Padma says

      July 22, 2008 at 2:38 pm

      5 stars
      Those noodles are worth drooling. You take such nice pictures... I love coming back to you blog always...

      Reply
    16. Tworzenie says

      July 15, 2008 at 6:37 am

      5 stars
      Very, very good blog!

      Reply
    17. Christy says

      July 10, 2008 at 11:13 am

      5 stars
      Sounds wonderful! I am alway looking for something new to try with our tofu so thanks!

      Reply
    18. Sujatha says

      July 10, 2008 at 12:49 am

      5 stars
      Wow, I am drooling on your noodles! I like your term "No-recipe recipes" 🙂 Yes, many times a quick toss of simple things result in an utterly delicious treat..

      Reply
    19. Homecooked says

      July 09, 2008 at 3:21 am

      5 stars
      Wow.....looks amazing. Truly yummy!

      Reply
    20. Bhawana says

      July 08, 2008 at 9:43 pm

      5 stars
      Hi Dear, today only I got 2 recipes from ur blog which I want to try. This is the third one :).

      Reply
    21. Mansi says

      July 08, 2008 at 7:09 pm

      5 stars
      Looks great meena! these are my fav kind of noodles too, except that i add some scallions to it, and my hubby loves some bean sprouts on the top!:)

      Ooh... beansprouts! Now that would be a delicous addition!

      Reply
    22. Kate says

      July 08, 2008 at 6:50 pm

      5 stars
      Finally a vegetarian dish that looks good! This recipe looks amazing. I'm going to try it this weekend!

      Reply
    23. arundathi says

      July 08, 2008 at 5:02 am

      5 stars
      absolutely lovely! right up my alley -thanks!

      Reply
    24. Roma says

      July 08, 2008 at 3:36 am

      5 stars
      The final dish and picture looks very professional.

      Reply
    25. JPT says

      July 08, 2008 at 12:05 am

      5 stars
      OOH! Can't wait to try this one. May skip the cabbage though but sounds yummy!

      Reply
    26. Madhuram says

      July 07, 2008 at 7:43 pm

      5 stars
      This is so simple to prepare and looks so good. I'm going to try this very soon. I think your web layout is also new, it looks very elegant.

      Reply
    27. Cassie says

      July 07, 2008 at 4:04 pm

      5 stars
      Sounds delicious, Meena. The thought of sambal olek makes my mouth water, as does the thought of just about anything spicy. Can't get enough of it! Your meal looks wonderful!

      Reply

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    I would love to show you how simple, delicious and quick family-friendly meals can be created in a heart beat. Read more about me here ...

    LET’S CONNECT

    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube

    New to Indian Cooking?

    Need Inspiration?

    Need Easy Dinner Ideas? Try these!

    Tofu Garlic Noodles
    Tofu Garlic Noodles
    Ginger Shrimp Stir-fry
    Ginger Shrimp Stir-fry
    Sweet Potato & Chicken Coconut Curry
    Sweet Potato & Chicken Coconut Curry
    Everyday Instant-Pot Dal
    Everyday Instant-Pot Dal
    Alu Chana
    Alu Chana
    Mushroom & Peas Pulao
    Mushroom & Peas Pulao

    Footer

    MOST POPULAR RECIPES

    Recipe for Indian-style Spiced Grilled Corn (Bhutta) taken from www.hookedonheat.com. Visit site for detailed recipe.

    Spiced Grilled Corn - Indian-style (Bhutta)

    A bowl of Matar Poha garnished with fresh cilantro

    Matar Poha with Aloo: Poha with Peas and Potato

    Recipe for Palak Gosht (Lamb & Spinach Curry) taken from www.hookedonheat.com. Visit site for detailed recipe.

    Palak Gosht: Lamb & Spinach Curry in an Instant Pot

    A bowl of Palak Paneer

    Palak Paneer (Paneer with Spinach)

    More Popular Recipes

    Need SCHOOL LUNCH IDEAS? Look NO Further!

    Recipe for Edible Cigars taken from www.hookedonheat.com. Visit site for detailed recipe.

    Edible Cigars

    Recipe for Vegetable Hakka Chowmein taken from www.hookedonheat.com. Visit site for detailed recipe.

    Vegetable Chow Mein - Hakka-style

    Recipe for Potato & Chickpea Rice taken from www.hookedonheat.com. Visit site for detailed recipe.

    Potato & Chickpeas Rice

    A plate of Aloo Tikki Burger (Vegan Potato Burger)

    Aloo Tikki Burger: Vegan Potato Burger

    MORE LUNCHBOX IDEAS

    INSTANT POT RECIPES

    Recipe for Palak Dal (Lentils with Spinach) taken from www.hookedonheat.com. Visit site for detailed recipe.

    Palak Dal in an Instant Pot: Lentils with Spinach

    Recipe for Instant Pot Tomato Rice taken from www.hookedonheat.com. Visit site for detailed recipe.

    Instant Pot Tomato Rice

    Recipe for Instant Pot Chole (Chickpea Curry) taken from www.hookedonheat.com. Visit site for detailed recipe.

    Instant Pot Chole (Chickpea Curry)

    Recipe for Achari Gosht (Hot & Sour Lamb Curry) taken from www.hookedonheat.com. Visit site for detailed recipe.

    Instant Pot Achari Gosht: Hot & Sour Lamb Curry

    MORE INSTANT POT RECIPES

    ALL CONTENT INCLUDING IMAGES © 2020 · HOOKED ON HEAT by MEENA AGARWAL.
    Hooked on Heat contains affiliate links. When you make a purchase through these links Hooked on Heat receives a small commission that helps support this site at no additional cost to you.