Preparation

This recipe was born from a weeknight exhaustion moment when I realized I could break tofu apart with my hands instead of slicing it perfectly. The result? Craggy, crispy pieces that catch sauce like nobody's business.

Preparation Steps

1. Pat the tofu dry with paper towels, then crumble it with your hands into bite-sized irregular pieces directly into a large pot. No cutting board needed.
2. Turn heat to medium and let the tofu pieces sit undisturbed for 3-4 minutes until golden on the bottom. Use a wooden spoon to flip them and brown another 2-3 minutes. Remove tofu to a plate.
3. In the same pot, add the frozen udon noodles and vegetable stock. Bring to a boil, then reduce to simmer for 3 minutes, using a fork to separate the noodles.
4. In a small bowl, whisk together miso paste, peanut butter, soy sauce, honey, garlic powder, and sesame oil with 3 tablespoons of warm water until smooth.
5. Add the frozen edamame and the sauce mixture to the pot. Stir everything together and simmer for 2 minutes until edamame are heated through.
6. Return the crispy tofu to the pot and toss gently. Serve immediately, topped with crushed peanuts if desired.

Accessibility Note: This recipe uses frozen ingredients that don't require chopping, hand-crumbled tofu instead of knife work, and one pot to minimize cleanup and movement.