Vietnamese vermicelli bowl with lemongrass tofu

A Vietnamese vegan dish built on whole ingredients.

Servings: 4
Active time: 35 min
Total time: 1 h

Organic sourcing

Cucumbers and fresh herbs like mint and cilantro are worth sourcing organic due to pesticide residues often found on such produce. Tofu is often non-GMO and organic by default, but check labels.

Ingredients

• 200 g vermicelli rice noodles
• 400 g firm tofu
• 2 stalks lemongrass
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 lime
• 2 tbsp soy sauce (gluten-free)
• 1 tbsp maple syrup
• 1 cucumber
• 1 carrot
• 1 cup bean sprouts
• 1/4 cup fresh mint leaves
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves
• 2 tbsp roasted peanuts
• 3 tbsp vegetable oil
• to taste sea salt
• to taste black pepper

Method

1. Cut the tofu into 1-inch cubes. Trim and finely chop the lemongrass. Mince the garlic.
2. In a bowl, mix the lemongrass, garlic, soy sauce, maple syrup, and lime juice. Add salt and pepper.
3. Add the tofu to the marinade, toss to coat, and let it marinate for at least 20 minutes.
4. Cook the vermicelli noodles according to package instructions, then drain and rinse under cold water.
5. Heat vegetable oil in a pan over medium heat. Sauté the marinated tofu until golden, about 5 minutes.
6. Julienne the cucumber and carrot. Prepare a bowl with noodles, tofu, cucumber, carrot, and bean sprouts.
7. Top each bowl with fresh mint, cilantro, and chopped peanuts. Serve with additional lime wedges if desired.

Notes

• Use tamari instead of soy sauce for gluten-free.
• Peanuts can be replaced with toasted sesame seeds.
• Prepare tofu marinade ahead to enhance flavor.

Source

Paraphrased from the culinary canon by Organic.is editors, 2026. Classic Vietnamese recipe. If you'd like a specific source for further reading, ask Tinni (bottom-right) for a book recommendation.