Creamy Tomato Coconut Noodles (with Crumbled Tofu & Curry Leaves)
These creamy tomato coconut noodles are cozy, rich, and packed with Southeast & East Asian–inspired flavors. Almost like a comforting pasta but with chewy wheat noodles, this dish is everything I want in a bowl—silky coconut cream, sweet-savory umami sauce, and crispy textures from fried shallots and curry leaves. It’s satisfying, layered with different flavors, and so good. Using coconut cream gives the sauce nice body and hints of coconut, which is not overpowering and just about right.This one comes together in under 30 minutes and makes use of pantry staples like soy sauce, coconut milk, and chili garlic sauce, plus a secret trick: I fry the curry leaves first, then use that infused oil for the rest of the dish. The tofu soaks up all that aromatic flavor, while the noodles are rinsed to remove starch and also prevent clumping.
Ingredients
Crumbled Tofu
- 1/2 lb extra firm tofu crumbled
- 1/2 tbsp dark soy sauce for color
- 1/2 to 1 tbsp soy sauce to taste
- 1 tbsp mirin
- 1/2 to 1 tbsp sugar or to taste
Curry Leaves
- 1 small bunch fresh curry leaves removed from stems
- Neutral oil for frying
Sauce
- 1 tbsp curry leaf oil from above
- 1 small shallot minced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 scallion white and green parts separated
- 1/2 tbsp ginger minced
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 cup coconut cream from a can
- 1/2 to 1 tbsp Lee Kum Kee chili garlic sauce to taste (see notes)
- 1 tbsp vegan fish sauce
- Salt and pepper to taste
Noodles
- 6.2 oz wheat noodles about 3 bundles
- Cold water for rinsing
To Finish
- Fried shallots see how to fry crispy shallots here
- Fried curry leaves
- Chili oil optional but recommended
- Crumbled tofu
Instructions
How to Make These Creamy Tomato Coconut Noodles
Fry the curry leaves
- In a large skillet or wok, heat a generous amount of neutral oil. Once hot, fry the curry leaves until crisp and turn slightly translucent—this only takes a few seconds. Be careful too since these can splatter when frying (especially if there's a little bit of moisture).
- Carefully remove and set aside. I like to place mine on paper towels to absorb any of the excess oil.
- Keep the oil for cooking the tofu and sauce.
Cook the crumbled tofu
- Using the same curry leaf oil, sauté the crumbled tofu over medium-high heat until golden. This can take a while as the tofu will slowly release excess moisture and start to resemble minced meat.
- Add the dark soy sauce, regular soy sauce, mirin, and sugar. Cook until slightly caramelized. Taste the tofu and adjust the seasoning to your taste. Set aside.
Cook the noodles
- Boil your noodles according to package directions or until chewy to your liking. Rinse well under cold running water to remove excess starch and prevent clumping. Drain and set aside.
Build the sauce
- In the same pan, heat more neutral oil. Sauté the shallot, garlic, ginger, and the white part of the scallions until fragrant.
- Add the 2 tablespoons of tomato paste and cook it down with the aromatics for 2–3 minutes until the paste deepens in color and the mixture turns slightly jammy.
- Then pour in the coconut cream, stir in vegan fish sauce, chili garlic sauce, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Simmer until the sauce thickens and turns creamy.
- Taste the sauce and adjust to your desired taste.
Combine
- Add the rinsed noodles to the sauce. Toss well to coat and let everything heat through. Add a splash of noodle water or more coconut cream if needed.
To Serve
- Top each bowl with:
- Crumbled tofu
- Fried curry leaves
- Fried shallots
- Green parts of the scallions
- Drizzle of chili oil (optional)
- This dish is best enjoyed fresh while the noodles are silky and the toppings are crispy. It’s flavorful, a little spicy, and super comforting—perfect for when you want something warm, bold, and satisfying.
Notes
CHILI GARLIC SAUCE
I used Lee Kum Kee's chili garlic sauce which adds a nice depth to the sauce since it's also very umami. If using other chili sauces, you may need to season the sauce with more salt or vegan fish sauce, to taste.NUTRITIONAL INFO
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 824kcal | Carbohydrates: 90g | Protein: 28g | Fat: 45g | Saturated Fat: 37g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 781mg | Potassium: 1018mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 305IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 108mg | Iron: 8mg
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