Vegetarian Vietnamese Vermicelli Bowl with Grilled Tofu and Nuoc Cham

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-06-17 · Updated 2026-06-17

Light and refreshing Vietnamese vermicelli bowl layered with charred lemongrass tofu, fresh herbs, crisp vegetables, and drizzled with tangy nuoc cham dressing. This Vietnamese-inspired vegetarian recipe, ready in about 45 minutes, pairs rice vermicelli noodles, extra firm tofu, lemongrass stalks for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 350 calories and feeds 4, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Ingredients

• 8 oz rice vermicelli noodles
• 14 oz, pressed and sliced into 1/2-inch slabs extra firm tofu
• 2, finely minced lemongrass stalks
• 3 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp brown sugar
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1/2 medium, julienned cucumber
• 1 medium, julienned carrot
• 1/4 cup fresh mint leaves
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves
• 1/4 cup, chopped roasted peanuts
• 1/2 cup (see instructions) nuoc cham sauce
• 1 tbsp lime juice
• 1/4 cup water
• 3 tbsp fish sauce (or soy sauce for vegan)
• 2 tsp sugar
• 1, minced garlic clove
• 1, thinly sliced red chili

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Instructions

1. Step 1: Cook 8 oz rice vermicelli noodles according to package instructions in boiling water for 4 minutes until tender, then drain and rinse under cold water. Set aside.
2. Step 2: In a bowl, whisk together 3 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp brown sugar, 2 tbsp vegetable oil, and 2 finely minced lemongrass stalks. Marinate 14 oz pressed and sliced extra firm tofu slabs in this mixture for 20 minutes.
3. Step 3: Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Grill tofu slabs for 3-4 minutes per side until charred marks appear and tofu is heated through.
4. Step 4: To make nuoc cham: combine 1/4 cup water, 3 tbsp fish sauce or soy sauce, 2 tsp sugar, 1 tbsp lime juice, 1 minced garlic clove, and 1 thinly sliced red chili in a small bowl; stir until sugar dissolves.
5. Step 5: Assemble bowls by dividing noodles, grilled tofu, 1/2 julienned cucumber, 1 julienned carrot, 1/4 cup fresh mint leaves, and 1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves among 4 bowls.
6. Step 6: Drizzle each bowl generously with 2 tbsp nuoc cham sauce and sprinkle 1 tbsp chopped roasted peanuts on top before serving.