Maple Glazed Vegan Soba Noodles with Caramelized Mushrooms and Tofu

Vegan soba noodles glazed with a tasty sweet-tangy-spicy sriracha-maple sauce

These maple glazed vegan soba noodles are one of our favorite dinner dishes. They take under 30 minutes to make and they are incredibly delicious: each noodle is coated in a spicy, sweet and tangy sauce of sriracha, rice vinegar and maple syrup and studded with golden, caramelized mushrooms and cubes of tofu. It's a one-dish meal that will leave you feeling happy and your belly satisfied. It's also gluten-free and nut-free and can be soy-free.

When you have very little time to make dinner, make these yummy maple-glazed vegan soba noodles. They take under 30 minutes from stove to table with some clever but easy multitasking, and they will put a smile on every face at the dinner table.

There is so much flavor in each bite of these noodles, and so much texture. Every strand of the noodles is coated with a yummy sauce made of maple syrup, sriracha sauce and rice vinegar. And each bite includes chewy, baked tofu, caramelized mushrooms, the flavorful noodles and crunchy sesame seeds.

You can serve these noodles to almost anyone, kid or adult, and they will love them. Caramelizing the mushrooms makes this controversial veggie acceptable to even picky eaters (at least it did to mine) because they taste so yummy.

Why you'll love these vegan soba noodles

• They're so yummy. With such a vivid interplay of flavors and textures, you are certain to love these soba noodles.
• They're so easy to make. Like I said above, with some clever multitasking you could make these noodles in under 30 minutes. And it's a one-dish meal with the veggies, protein and carbs all in one pot, so you can just serve them by themselves for a lovely meal.
• They are suitable for all diets. The soba noodles are gluten-free because buckwheat flour, which they are made from, do not have any gluten. However some soba noodle brands do add wheat so make sure you read the labels on the package if you are gf. If you are soy-free, replace the tofu with soy-free vegan sausage or a handful or two of nuts. Replace the tamari with coconut aminos, which will add a similar flavor without the soy.

Ingredients

• 8-10 oz soba noodles. If gf, make sure you check the labels and buy one made with only buckwheat flour.
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil. If you wish you can cut this down to 1 tablespoon but the oil really helps caramelize the noodles and stir-fry the noodles for the most flavor.
• 24 oz crimini mushrooms. That might seem like a lot but the volume will drop significantly as the mushrooms caramelize and lose their water.
• 6 cloves garlic + 1-inch knob ginger
• Seasonings for sauce: 4 tablespoon maple syrup, 2 tablespoon rice vinegar (or white vinegar), 1 tablespoon sriracha or any hot sauce and 3 tablespoon tamari (or soy sauce). Taste the noodles and add more of any sauce ingredient if you feel like you need to balance the flavors to your liking.
• 2 tablespoon sesame seeds.
• 14 oz baked tofu (approx two packages). You can buy baked tofu or bake or air-fry your own. If making the baked tofu at home I air-fry a cubed 14-oz block lightly, for about seven minutes, so it remains a bit spongy to absorb the flavorsome sauce.
• Salt and ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoon cilantro or scallions. Optional, for garnish.

How to make the vegan soba noodles

• Put a large pot of salted water to boil. Cook the soba noodles according to package instructions until they are al dente or have a slight bite. Drain and run cold water over the noodles so they don't stick. Set aside in a colander.
• While the water for the noodles is boiling, slice the mushrooms.
• Heat the wok over high heat and add the vegetable oil. Add the sliced mushrooms and cook, stirring them frequently. The mushrooms will express a lot of juice initially but don't be alarmed--be patient and let the juices evaporate completely. Then let the mushrooms cook, stirring them only every couple of minutes, until they caramelize and become golden-brown. Be patient. This is the longest step in the recipe and everything else will come together quickly, so while the mushrooms are cooking is a good time to get other ingredients ready.

• Once the mushrooms have caramelized, add the ginger and garlic and stir-fry for a few seconds. Stir in the tofu.
• Add in all the sauce ingredients--maple syrup, sriracha, vinegar and tamari or soy sauce and stir in. Add the sesame seeds.

• Add the drained noodles to the pot and stir-fry for 3-4 minutes over high heat. Check salt and add more if needed.
• Turn off heat and garnish with cilantro. Serve hot or warm.

Storage instructions

These noodles will keep nicely in the refrigerator for up to three days. If you plan to freeze the noodles, make sure you cook the noodles al dente so you can reheat them without mushing them up.