Quick Cook: A vegetarian-meets-sheet-pan “Stroganoff”
I’ve been a fan of recipes that feed a crowd on the cheap with very little clean-up ever since I started a “meal service” for my then-boyfriend-now-husband and his buddies as a side-hustle my sophomore year of college. If I could scrounge an ingredient in my pantry or at the bottom of the produce drawer and it fit on a sheet pan… well, it was destiny.
This latest concoction, an okonomiyaki-stroganoff mash-up, was thrown together some 20 years later in my kitchen to feed him and the two little buddies that we made, but it struck me as an homage to that time in my life.
Tofu, cabbage and noodles — all made both crispy and gooey by high-heat braising — are flavored with fresh ginger, miso, crunchy scallions and Gomashio, a toasted sesame seasoning salt, for a hodgepodge of textures and flavors that simply works. Spoon and scrape it into heaping bowls and enjoy washing just one pan later.
This is a mash-up, so it’s flexible. Substitute regular shredded cabbage for the savoy or try bok choy. Use tempeh instead of tofu — or go for chicken or shrimp, if you’re not aiming for a vegan dish.
Ovens vary greatly, so keep an eye on the pan to ensure things aren’t burning. That said, there should be some crispy bits, or it won’t be as fun.
Sheet Pan Ginger Miso “Stroganoff”
Serves 5 to 6
INGREDIENTS
8 ounces fine egg noodles, such as Manischewitz brand
1 small savoy cabbage, finely shredded
1 package firm tofu, cubed
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
3 tablespoons miso
2 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari
4 cups seasoned vegetable broth, hot
Gomashio (toasted sesame salt)
1 bunch finely sliced scallions
DIRECTIONS
Preheat the oven to 475 degrees.
Combine the uncooked egg noodles, cabbage, tofu, garlic and ginger on a sheet pan and spread out the mixture to cover the whole pan.
In a separate bowl or large measuring cup, combine the miso, soy sauce and hot vegetable broth. Drizzle the broth mixture over the cabbage mixture. Place the sheet pan in the preheated oven and bake for 5 minutes.
Remove the sheet pan and use a wide spatula to stir and flip the noodle-cabbage mixture before placing it back in the oven. Bake an additional 10 to 15 minutes, until the noodles on the bottom are cooked, and the noodles and tofu on the surface are starting to crisp and brown. Sprinkle with Gomashio and fresh scallions and serve.
Registered dietitian and food writer Laura McLively is the author of “The Berkeley Bowl Cookbook.” Follow her at @myberkeleybowl and www.lauramclively.com.