Vegetarian Laksa With Baked Tofu & Quinoa Noodles (Vegan)
Vegetarian Laksa With Baked Tofu And Quinoa Noodles.
A Vegan, Coconut Laksa Style Soup You Can Make Hot, Medium Or Mild.
My New Favourite Laksa Style Soup. Just Bring A Bib!
Introduction to vegetarian laksa
Vegetarian laksa is a laksa style soup of coconut milk and vegetable stock, spiced with ginger, garlic, turmeric and curry powder, and filled with baked tofu, quinoa noodles and plenty of vegetables. This version is vegan, and you can make it hot, medium or mild.
When I first shared this, I put laksa in quotation marks. Strictly speaking, many would say it isn’t a classic laksa, and I agree. You may prefer to call it a laksa style soup, or a broth.
But for my household, it’s as close to a traditional laksa as we wanted to go. It tastes very similar, and we think it tastes better.
One warning. Laksa, and soups like it, are messy, although delicious. So have a bib handy, and don’t eat it in your white clothes, or your best clothes!
If you have any comments or questions, please contact us. Or chat with me at a Flametree yoga or meditation class via these timetables.
Vegetarian laksa, ready to eat
My vegetarian laksa, with quinoa noodles. The brown cubes are baked tofu.
Ingredients for vegetarian laksa
Here are the ingredients for this Flametree Yoga Studio dish.
The spices and flavourings
- A small red or brown onion
- 3 to 4 medium cloves of garlic
- A tablespoon of grated ginger
- A teaspoon of fresh turmeric
- A tablespoon of fresh ginger
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Olive oil, for sautéing
- A quarter teaspoon of smoky paprika, or chilli flakes, to vary the heat to your taste
- A dessert spoon of sesame oil
- One and a half teaspoons of medium hot curry powder
- A tablespoon each of mirin and tamari (soy sauce)
- The juice of one lime
- One heaped teaspoon of coriander
- Three spring onions, finely chopped
- Half a teaspoon of cumin
- Sesame seeds, to sprinkle
The soup, tofu and noodles
- Half a block of extra firm tofu, drained of water
- A tablespoon of cornflour
- 3 cups of vegetable stock (once mixed with hot water)
- A tin of coconut milk
- A packet of quinoa noodles
- One medium carrot, finely sliced
- One small to medium head of broccoli, finely cut
- 1 small to medium fresh red capsicum, finely chopped
- 1 small to medium cob of fresh corn
- A few chopped green beans
- 2 medium sticks of celery, finely sliced
- 6 to 8 snow peas
- 2 medium tomatoes, skinned
There’s no laksa paste in this recipe. Labels vary on tamari, stock, cornflour and quinoa noodles, so check them if you need to avoid gluten. For where I buy quinoa noodles in Darwin, see my quinoa noodle stir fry.
The vegetarian laksa ingredients
The ingredients for my vegetarian laksa, spring onions included.
How to make vegetarian laksa
Use these steps to make this vegan laksa with baked tofu.
Step 1: Bake the tofu
- Heat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius.
- Cut the drained tofu into cubes and coat them with the cornflour.
- Mix the tamari with a small amount of water.
- Coat a baking tray with a little olive oil, and spread the tofu on it.
- Bake the tofu until it puffs up and turns golden. Watch it closely so it doesn’t burn.
Step 2: Stir fry the flavours and vegetables
- Heat the wok, then add the olive oil and sesame oil.
- Sauté the garlic, onion, turmeric and ginger.
- Stir in the curry powder, coriander, cumin and paprika.
- Add the vegetables, all except the snow peas and spring onions.
- Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring often.
Step 3: Simmer the soup
- Add the stock, coconut milk, tamari and mirin.
- Bring it to the boil.
- Simmer for 8 to 10 minutes, until mostly cooked, but not overcooked.
- Add the snow peas, lime juice and spring onions.
Step 4: Cook the noodles
- While the soup simmers, cook the noodles in boiling water.
- As soon as they’re cooked, run cold water over them.
Step 5: Finish and serve
- Add the noodles and the baked tofu to the soup.
- Add salt and pepper to taste, then turn off the heat.
- Garnish with sesame seeds. Add more spring onions and sesame seeds if you like.
- If you like it hotter, add chilli flakes or fresh chilli.
- Serve it in a bowl or bowls, and eat.
Run cold water over the noodles as soon as they’re cooked
Quinoa noodles, cooked and ready to add to the soup.
The finished vegetarian laksa
The finished soup, ready to serve.
Is vegetarian laksa vegan and gluten free?
This one is vegan. It has no fish sauce, no shrimp, and no laksa paste. Traditional laksa pastes often contain shrimp paste, so if you use a paste in another recipe, check the label.
It isn’t automatically gluten free. Tamari, stock, cornflour and quinoa noodle mixes all vary, and in Australia some cornflour is made from wheat. So choose ones labelled gluten free if you need to.
Is vegetarian laksa a real laksa?
Not strictly, and I agree with the people who say so. There’s no laksa paste. The flavour comes from curry powder, ginger, garlic, turmeric, lime and coconut milk.
It tastes very similar to laksa, though, and we think it tastes better.
Are quinoa noodles healthier than rice noodles?
Quinoa noodles, or noodles made with some quinoa, tend to have more protein than plain rice noodles. So I find they fill me up more, and I’m less tempted to snack later.
White pasta and rice noodles are easy to eat too much of, because they feel less filling. That’s another reason I suggest you try quinoa noodles, if you can get them. Brands vary, so check the packet.
Vegetarian laksa: quick questions answered
How hot is this vegetarian laksa?
As hot as you like. Use the smoky paprika for a mild one, or add chilli flakes or fresh chilli for a hotter one.
Can I use rice noodles instead of quinoa noodles?
Yes. Rice noodles work too. I prefer quinoa noodles because they fill me up more.
Why run cold water over the noodles?
It keeps them from going gluggy. Do it as soon as they’re cooked, then add them to the soup.
Where can I buy quinoa noodles in Darwin?
I’ve sometimes found them at Greenies, but they often sell out. Mail order works too. Order enough to make the postage worthwhile, perhaps with a friend.
What is the best way to eat laksa?
With a bib! Laksa is messy, although delicious, so don’t wear your white clothes, or your best clothes.
Laksa lunch is served
My new favourite laksa style soup. Lunch is served!
More Flametree noodle and tofu recipes
Love noodles and tofu? Try my quinoa noodle stir fry with tofu, my black rice noodles with tofu and edamame, or my easy tofu vegetable stir fry.
Do you have a vegan recipe or dish you’d like to share?
Please contact me with any dishes you’d like to share with me.
Obviously, I’m especially interested in any dish that is already a great Darwin vegan option.
Alternatively, it may be a potential vegan Darwin recipe that I could adapt, or be inspired by, as I did here.
Experience eating alternatives at a Flametree Yoga Retreat
By the way, there are several upcoming Flametree yoga retreats in Bali in 2027.
Contact us for details of our Darwin yoga retreat packages, or our yoga class packages in the orange lines below.
Top yoga & meditation retreats, classes, & videos
Meanwhile, start or re-start yoga or meditation with one of the HALF price deals below, or check out the retreat deals.
Learning to eat mindfully, as a result of yoga and pranayama meditation, is a great way to start more of a vegetarian or vegan journey, or simply mindfully eat whatever you choose.
Flametree upcoming yoga & meditation retreats
2 FREE yoga classes with each HALF price 10 pack; for yoga newcomers or 3 months lapsed
HALF price video yoga classes, plus FREE LIVE classes
Recipe by Chris Lalor, Flametree Yoga Studio, Darwin NT. General information only.
