Flavor-packed lentil dip comes together fast with serious protein and fiber punch! Lentils, roasted corn, veggies and crispy capers with herby pepper lime dressing is perfect for parties, potlucks, cookouts, and snacking! (gluten-free, soy-free, nut-free) High fiber, protein and iron!
This is the perfect lentil dip for summer. I was inspired by a lentil dip that went viral on TikTok, where you just take some lentils, add bruschetta and feta, Instead of those flavors, we’re adding a load of veggies and a fantastic dressing, and also crisp capers! All these flavors and textures have made this my fave this summer! There’s also kale in the dip, hidden along with some herbs, so it’s a great way to sneak in kale. There’s just so much amazing flavor and texture overall in this lentil dip.
There’s the protein from the lentils. There are the fresh, crunchy veggies, jalapeño, and onion. There’s sweetness from the corn and the apple, the tart freshness from the cherry tomatoes, and refreshing vibrancy from the lime zest.
The nutritional yeast adds a bit of cheesiness and protein, while the hemp seeds bump up the protein and texture even more. And all of that balances out with a hint of spice from the jalapeño and the pepper flakes and a savory burst of flavor from the crispy capers.
This lentil dip is a great source of protein, fiber, vitamin C, B vitamins, potassium, magnesium, and iron because of all the plant-based ingredients in it. You can use whichever veggies you have on hand. If you don’t like lentils, you can use chickpeas or white beans and add some more spices to the dressing.
Make this dip and serve it with tortilla chips, crispy crackers, garlic bread or baguette slices. You can also use it to make wraps with pita bread or tortillas. It’s a versatile lentil dip that will disappear in no time.
Why You’ll Love this Lentil Dip
protein- and veggie-packed dip with amazing flavors and textures
quick and easy herb-lime dressing comes together in 1 jar
crispy capers add a little crunch and a ton of umami
Have you ever whipped your tofu? This one simple trick turns a block of tofu into a creamy, versatile breakfast base – sweet or savory – that powers 9 different recipes. Make a batch, keep it in the fridge, and you’ve got easy vegan breakfasts ready all week long.
This video went viral!
Blending tofu into a thick, creamy base is a game-changer for breakfast meal prep. I whip up a batch, keep it in the fridge, and use it all week to make egg fry, omelettes, waffles, tofu chia pudding, protein pancakes, and so much more.
If I am planning to use it for only savory breakfast, I add the cornstarch and salt, otherwise I just blend tofu and water as the base and store it.
Try these whipped tofu recipes, and let me know other ways you use whipped tofu cream!
If you’d love to have all of these recipes in one place, here’s the free PDF guide I shared in my YouTube video — perfect for printing and keeping in your kitchen
Why You’ll Love Whipped Tofu
Quick and easy to make.
A protein-packed base with endless sweet and savory uses.
Naturally gluten-free and nut-free.
You can also use whipped tofu in recipes such as pasta sauce and mozzarella cream, or to thicken curries and make them extra creamy.
This epic roasted garlic chili coconut tofu sandwich stars this toasty, flavor-packed chili-garlic-coconut chutney(Indian Vada Pav Chutney) that coats the tofu paired with this creamy, herbed yogurt sauce and tangy pickled cabbage. 18g Protein 7g fiber!
I am so excited to bring you another sandwich in my series of reimagining sandwiches inspired by popular Indian street food! This one is spicy, nutty, coconutty, sweet, crunchy, creamy, and tangy all at once. It’s such an incredible combination of flavors and textures. Don’t miss all the summer sandwiches in the series! These are some of my best sandwiches, Big flavor, and nutrient dense! Watch me make them on my YouTube channel! 🌶️
These stacked, make ahead friendly sandwiches and the Indian jalapeño popper toasts (15g protein per toast!) and my Indian crispy Chikin tofu sandwich, all pack incredible flavor and also Protein and fiber!
We’re going to make this chili garlic coconut chutney, which is a dry condiment (lasun chutney) often found in vada pav, a popular Indian sandwich. Vada pav usually has that chutney and a green chutney, and then there is this fried fritter of potatoes that’s tucked into bread. It’s so delicious.
I’m taking that amazing chutney and adding it on top of some tofu slices and baking them, then using them to fill up the coconut tofu sandwich. We’re piling them high in the sandwich along with a creamy, cooling, herby yogurt sauce as well as some tangy pickled cabbage. You can also use other pickled vegetables in this sandwich and add some roasted veggies, as well. This is a very flexible sandwich.
The main flavor component of this coconut tofu sandwich is that chili garlic chutney, so don’t skimp on it. Definitely make that chutney, and don’t skimp on the garlic or the chili when you do. They give it an amazing flavor.
You want to use super firm tofu for the best results, but extra firm tofu works, as well. I like to slice it thin, almost like deli slices, because the more surface area, the more flavor you get from all of that chutney.
The chili garlic chutney has loads of garlic that gets toasted, then process it up with toasted sesame seeds, peanuts, toasted coconut, and a good amount of Kashmiri chili powder. I use Kashmiri chili powder a lot in my Indian recipes. If you don’t have it, you definitely need to get some. It has a very distinctive flavor and isn’t overly hot, so you can use it in non-Indian recipes, as well, in place of paprika. It adds beautiful color and amazing flavor. You can find Kashmiri chili powder online or at Indian grocery stores.
We make the yogurt sauce with yogurt, herbs, lime juice, and a little maple syrup to balance the savoriness. The pickled cabbage is simply cabbage pickled with vinegar, salt, sugar, and pepper flakes. You can use the same ingredients to pickle other vegetables, like cucumber, radishes, or onions, as well.
This sandwich has amazing flavors and textures in every bite!!!
Why You’ll Love this Coconut Tofu Sandwich
toothsome tofu smothered in toasty, flavor-packed chili garlic coconut chutney
creamy, herbed non-dairy yogurt sauce
crunchy, tangy pickled cabbage contrasts all of those rich, deep flavors
This spin on Indian chilli cheese toast is absolutely decadent and delicious. It’s sort of like an Indian-inspired jalapeño popper cheese toast! Each toast has 10-15gm Protein, and ready in 15 minutes!
This is another recipe in my series of amazing, hearty summer sandwiches inspired by popular Indian sandwiches. I’m reimagining those sandwiches or components from those sandwiches. The goal is to create sandwiches with lots of texture and flavor while also making them hearty, high in protein and fiber, easy to make, and perfect for an easy summer lunch. These toasts boast 10 to 16 rams of protein and 5 to 7 grams of fiber per toast!
Indian chilli cheese toast is usually very simple. It doesn’t have anything other than green chillies and cheese, sometimes with a few veg like onion and peppers, herbs, and seasonings. The two main ingredients are shredded cheese and green chillies. It doesn’t have any bean chili. This is all about green chilli.
That combination of green chillies, cheese, salt, pepper, and chaat masala tastes incredible, so I took that idea and added tofu for extra protein and volume. I also added nutritional yeast for more flavor and protein and hemp seeds for even more protein. Then, I added a generous amount of green chillies, piled everything onto toasted sourdough, and broiled it.
Most of the time involved is simply chopping the vegetables and green chillies and crumbling the tofu. After that, it only takes about three minutes under the broiler.
I also make a crispy tempeh and garlic topping to level up the texture and flavor and add even more protein. The crispy garlic is incredibly delicious on top. I add Kashmiri chili powder to the tempeh for color and that deep Kashmiri chili flavor, along with lime zest. All of these flavor combinations are just heavenly.
Depending on the size of your toast and how much filling you use, you can get anywhere from 10 grams of protein up to 16 grams of protein per slice. It also depends on the bread you’re using. Whole grain bread usually has even more protein! If you want to keep it gluten-free, use gluten-free bread, a gluten-free tortilla, or my almond flour gluten-free naan as the base.
You can broil these chilli cheese toasts, air fry them, or even put them on a grill. This recipe is crispy, cheesy, spicy, zesty, and packed with incredible flavor and texture. It’s an absolutely fabulous combination. You need these cheese toasts in your life! And see recipe notes for more flavor combinations!
Why You’ll Love Chilli Cheese Toasts
crisp bread topped with creamy chilli-cheese mixture that turns golden brown in the oven
crispy, savory, tangy crumbled lime tempeh topping adds even more flavor and texture!
This crispy curry tofu sandwich has amazing, sweet-and-savory garam masala caramelized onions, curry leaf chilli oil glaze and a creamy yogurt sauce with swirls of chili oil. It’s sort of an Indian-inspired hot honey situation, and it’s so delicious!
This summer I am bringing you sandwiches inspired by popular Indian sandwiches. This one is a crispy spicy Chikin sandwich made vegan with crispy tofu that is coated in a curry leaf chili oil glaze, topped with garam masala caramelized onions (these are soooooo good) and paired with a herby cooling yogurt sauce. This sandwich packs so much flavor and texture.
Unlike the usual crispy chicken sandwiches that have a batter and are deep fried, we’re making a coating with cornstarch, white rice flour, and plenty of spices. The tofu gets tossed with oil, coated in the mixture, and then baked or air fried. The white rice flour and cornstarch make everything super crispy, and the tofu is ready in about 15 minutes.
While the tofu gets crispy, we caramelize onions with garlic, garam masala, and black pepper until everything turns golden brown. These sweet, umami-filled peppery onions take the sandwich to the next level.
Then, we make the curry leaf chili oil glaze. This is the biggest star of the sandwich. The glaze is sweet, spicy, zesty, and packed with curry leaf flavor. It makes the tofu juicier and pairs amazingly with the rest of the sandwich.
We also stir some of the glaze into a yogurt sauce made with fresh herbs, such as cilantro, mint, or parsley. Then everything gets layered into a sandwich, wrap, grain bowl, or salad bowl. Each component is ridiculously delicious on its own, and together they become four times more ridiculously delicious! You can use these components separately as well. That crispy tofu is an amazing addition to bowls, wraps or salads. The curry leaf chili oil glaze is fantastic to add to any creamy dip or yogurt, to drizzle over curries , or use as salad dressing! The yogurt sauce is a fantastic dip! These components, can also be paired to make a wrap or a bowl without the bread! Every bite is an explosion of textures and flavors.
It was a struggle to name the sandwich if you have ideas for a better title do let me know!
Why You’ll Love Crispy Curry Tofu Sandwiches
Indian-inspired sandwich with tons of amazing flavors and incredible textures
garam masala caramelized onions add so much flavor and texture
versatile! Serve as a sandwich, wrap, salad, grain bowl, etc.
each component can be used separately!
easily made gluten-free, soy-free, and/or nut-free
If you think tofu is boring, these creamy chilli tofu noodles are about to change your mind. Silky tofu sauce with a crispy, umami-packed tofu crumble on top makes this one of the most satisfying noodle bowls I’ve ever made at home.
We eat these creamy chilli tofu noodles so often at home that I’ve lost count. They’re warm, comforting, and have this incredible depth of flavour from the shiitake mushrooms and homemade chilli oil. And because we make both the sauce and the crumble from tofu, every serving is protein-rich, something that’s not very common with noodle dishes.
The whole thing takes about 30 minutes and uses ingredients that are easy to find. This is easily one of our favorite weeknight noodle bowls, and it’s usually on rotation with peanut butter ramen and chilli chicken noodles.
Ingredients for Creamy Chilli Tofu Noodles
Tofu: Use firm tofu for best results. It holds up well both when blended into a sauce and when crumbled and fried.
Shiitake Mushrooms: Dried, soaked in hot water for 10 minutes, and finely chopped.
Walnuts: Roughly chopped, for crunch and richness in the crumble.
Crumble Marinade: Oyster sauce, dark soy sauce, vinegar, garam masala, grated garlic, and grated ginger.
Tofu Sauce: Peanut butter, garlic, salt, and water blended with tofu.
Noodles: Any thick noodle works well here. Cook as per package instructions.
Chilli Oil: For drizzling on top before serving.
Spring Onions: Whites and greens, separated.
Oil: Any neutral cooking oil.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make this without oyster sauce?
Yes. Use a tablespoon of soy sauce mixed with half a teaspoon of sugar as a substitute. The flavour won’t be identical but it’ll still taste great. If you’re making this fully vegan, look for a vegetarian oyster sauce which is usually mushroom-based.
Can I use a different mushroom instead of shiitake?
You can use dried or fresh cremini, button, or oyster mushrooms. But shiitake brings a deeper umami flavour that other mushrooms don’t quite match. If using fresh mushrooms instead of dried, just chop them fine and fry a little longer to get the moisture out.
What kind of noodles work best for this recipe?
Any thick noodle works well. Udon, egg noodles, or even ramen noodles are all good options. Avoid very thin noodles like vermicelli as they get lost under the sauce and crumble.
How spicy are these chilli noodles?
The spice comes mainly from the chilli oil drizzled on top, so you have full control. Start with a teaspoon and add more if you want it hotter. Without the chilli oil, the noodles are savoury and creamy but not spicy at all.
Can I add more vegetables to the noodles?
Yes. Broccoli, bok choy, edamame, and baby corn all work well. Stir fry them quickly and add them on top with the crumble so they stay crunchy.
Richa’s Top Tips
Use firm tofu, not silken. Silken tofu is too soft and watery for both the sauce and the crumble. Firm tofu blends into a smooth sauce while still having enough structure to crumble and fry without falling apart.
Keep frying the crumble even when it looks mushy. It will turn mushy at first and that’s completely normal. Keep going on low heat for 4-5 minutes and it’ll turn golden and crispy. That’s where all the texture comes from.
Don’t overcook the noodles. They need to hold up against the sauce and crumble, so slightly undercooked is better than overdone. Drain them as soon as they’re ready.
Assemble right before eating. The sauce, crumble, and noodles are best combined at the last minute. If they sit too long, the noodles absorb the sauce and lose that saucy, coated texture you want.
Storage Tips
In the fridge: Store the sauce, crumble, and noodles separately in airtight containers for up to 2 days. Keeping them apart prevents the noodles from absorbing all the sauce and the crumble from going soft.
Freezing: Not recommended. The tofu sauce changes texture once frozen, and the noodles become mushy after thawing.
Reheating tip: Warm the noodles with a splash of water, heat the crumble on a hot pan to crisp it back up, and serve with fresh sauce. The sauce is best at room temperature or gently warmed, not hot.
Serving Ideas
These creamy chilli tofu noodles are a full meal in a bowl, but if you want to add something on the side:
With Vegetarian Gyoza Potstickers: Crispy gyoza alongside a creamy bowl of noodles is always a winning combination.
With Veg Spring Rolls: Light, crispy spring rolls are a great contrast to the rich, creamy sauce.
With Asian Slaw: Something fresh and crunchy on the side balances the richness of the tofu sauce nicely.
With a fried egg on top: If you’re not keeping it vegan, a runny fried egg over the noodles adds another layer of richness and protein.
Customisation Ideas
Add more veggies: Broccoli, bok choy, edamame, or baby corn all work really well with the recipe. You can stir-fry them quickly and add them on top with the crumble so they’re crunchy and fresh.
Make it non-veg: You can toss in shredded chicken or prawns for a very different flavour profile; the tofu sauce goes just as well with both options.
Swap the peanut butter: If you want a milder yet creamier taste, you can use cashew butter or almond butter for a slightly nuttier flavour.
Make it spicier: For a deeper, more layered spice, you can add in a teaspoon of gochujang or sriracha to the tofu sauce before blending.
Did You Know?
Tofu was invented over 2,000 years ago in China, and the most widely accepted story credits it to a happy accident. Legend says a Chinese cook accidentally curdled soy milk by adding nigari, a mineral-rich salt derived from seawater. The curds that formed were pressed together, and tofu was born. The process hasn’t changed much since. Every block of tofu you buy today is still essentially soy milk that’s been curdled and pressed.
If you’ve been looking for a plant-based meal that actually feels satisfying and comforting, this tofu noodles recipe is the one to try. The sauce is creamy, the crumble is crispy, and the chilli oil ties it all together. We make it all the time, and it hasn’t gotten old yet.
Tag me on Instagram @my_foodstory when you make it; I always love seeing these recipes in your kitchens.
Creamy, spicy, nutty, and full of umami, these Creamy Chilli Tofu Noodles are a must-try for Indo-Chinese lovers. It's loaded with flavor, easy to make, and endlessly customisable.
2shiitake mushrooms hydrated and finely choppedrefer note 1
5walnutsroughly chopped
1tablespoonoyster sauce
2teaspoonsdark soy sauce
1teaspoonvinegar
¼teaspoongaram masala powder
1teaspoongrated garlic
1teaspoongrated ginger
For sauce
100grams tofuapprox. 1 cup
2tablespoonspeanut butter
2garlic cloveswhole
1pinchsalt
¼cupwater
Other
225gramscooked noodlesapprox. 2 ½ cups
1tablespooncooking oil
2tablespoonsfinely chopped spring onion whites
¼cupfinely chopped spring onion greensdivided
1tablespoonchilli oil
Instructions
Marinating tofu
Take tofu in a bowl, add chopped shiitake mushrooms, walnuts and rest of the ingredients for the marination, give a good mix and marinate for 10 minutes.
Heat a wide pan with 1 tablespoon cooking oil, add spring onion whites and fry for a few seconds on high until fragrant, add the marinated tofu and fry on medium heat. Initially they will turn mushy but keep frying on low for 4-5 minutes till they turn golden and crispy. Add 2 tablespoons of spring onion greens and take off the heat.
1 tablespoon cooking oil, 2 tablespoons finely chopped spring onion whites, ¼ cup finely chopped spring onion greens
To serve
Take cooked noodles in a bowl, sprinkle a few drops of water and microwave for 30 seconds. add tofu sauce, top with tofu crumble, 2 tablespoons of spring onion greens, drizzle chilli oil and serve immediately.
1 tablespoon chilli oil
Video
Notes
To hydrate shiitake mushrooms, soak in hot water for 10 minutes.
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if you have ideas for a better title do let me know!
