Looking for something fresh, tasty and a little bit different for dinner? These rainbow almond butter noodles with tofu steaks are a delicious choice. You’ve got crunchy, colourful veggies, a rich, nutty dressing and crispy golden tofu – all coming together in one seriously satisfying bowl.

Not sure if you like tofu, or even know what it is?

Tofu is a soft, mild block made from soybeans. It’s made by curdling soy milk and pressing it into a solid form, a bit like how cheese is made.

On its own, it doesn’t have much flavour but that’s what makes it so versatile. It absorbs whatever seasoning or sauce you cook it with, making it a great plant-based protein for all kinds of dishes, from stir-fries and curries to salads and noodle bowls.

Best of all, tofu is high in plant-based protein, low in saturated fat, and a good source of iron, calcium, and other essential nutrients. Plus, it’s naturally low in calories and cholesterol-free. Recipe compliments of Instant Pot.

Ingredients

For noodle bowl:

• 125g rice noodles, dried
• 1 litre water
• 350g organic plain tofu, sliced into triangles + scored with a knife so that it can absorb the flavours of the marinade
• 1 medium sized red onion, finely chopped
• 150g carrot noodles, raw
• 150g zucchini noodles, raw
• 150g beetroot noodles, raw
• 2 rainbow carrots, shaved
• 4 radishes, finely sliced
• 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
• 1 tsp dried veg stock

For tofu marinade:

• 3 tbsp sesame oil
• 3 tbsp tamari
• 2 tbsp brown rice vinegar
• 1 tbsp maple syrup

For almond butter sauce:

• 3 tbsp almond butter
• 3 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 tbsp tamari
• 1 tbsp water
• 1 tsp maple syrup
• 1⁄2 tsp grated ginger
• Pinch of salt

To serve:

• Spring onions, thinly sliced
• Black sesame seeds, toasted

Method

1. In a bowl mix together the marinade for the tofu and place tofu slices into the marinade while you make the rest of the dish. This can also be made in advance and refrigerated overnight.
2. Place radishes into bowl with pinch of salt and generous dash of apple cider vinegar to make a quick pickle. Make the sauce by blending all the ingredients together in a food processor.
3. Place marinated tofu into air fryer, leaving gaps in between each piece, and cook for 6 minutes on high (204C). Turn over at 3 minutes.
4. Place water, red onions, garlic and dried veg stock into the Instant Pot pressure cooker, add rice noodles into pot so they’re on top of onions and garlic but submerged in the liquid. Press the pressure cooker function and select 1 minute. Once the pot has completed 1 minute of cooking, allow the steam to release and immediately remove lid. Add carrot, beetroot and zucchini noodles on top of the rice noodles. Place lid back on for a few minutes, so veg noodles are lightly steamed.
5. Place rice noodles and vegetable noodles into a bowl, top with tofu steaks, shaved carrots, pickled radish, spring onions and black sesame seeds.