Tofu Salad
Servings: 4 - 6 people
VEGGIES
- 8 packed cups (250 grams) lettuce chopped
- 1 cup (150 grams) cucumber diced
- 1 cup (160 grams) cherry tomatoes halved
- ½ cup (80 grams) corn
- 2 spring onions finely chopped
- 1 avocado
TOFU
- 14 ounces (400 grams) tofu firm or extra firm
- 4 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1½ tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
DRESSING
- ⅓ cup (80 grams) tahini
- ⅓ cup (80 grams) water
- 2 tablespoons (30 grams) lemon juice
- 1 clove garlic
- ¼ teaspoon salt
MAKE THE DRESSING
- To a small bowl, add ⅓ cup tahini, ⅓ cup water, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 1 clove garlic (crushed), and ¼ teaspoon salt. Whisk until well combined and set aside.
PAN FRY TOFU
- In a large container with low edges, mix 4 tablespoons cornstarch, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon paprika, 1 teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon black pepper.Cut the 14 ounces tofu into ½-Inch cubes (1.3 cm) and toss it in the mix until coated.
- In a large non-stick pan, warm up the olive oil then arrange tofu on a single layer and fry on medium-high heat for 12 minutes, flipping it every 2-3 minutes. The tofu is ready when golden brown on most sides.
MIX THE VEGGIES
- To a large salad bowl, add 8 packed cups lettuce (chopped), ½ cup corn, 1 cup cucumber (chopped), 2 spring onions, thinly sliced, 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved, and the tofu. Pour in about half of the dressing.Toss well, then when you are ready to eat it, add thinly sliced or 1 avocado (diced). Give it another quick mix, taste it, adjust for salt, and serve immediately.
Nutrition information is an estimate for 1 large portion of tofu salad out of 4 portions.
STORAGE
Make Ahead: the salad is best when freshly made; however, you can chop the veggies ahead of time (except the avocado) and store them in the refrigerator to keep them crunchy.
You can also make the dressing in advance and keep it in an airtight container for 3 days. The fried tofu doesn't keep well, so it's best to cook it just before assembling the salad.
Refrigerator: keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 24 - 36 hours. The salad and the tofu will lose their crisp, but they'll still be tasty and nutritious.
Freezer: this recipe is not freezer friendly.
SUBSTITUTIONS
- Lettuce: sub butter lettuce, watercress, lamb's lettuce, batavia lettuce, curly endive, spring mix, little gem, iceberg lettuce, radicchio, arugula, chopped kale, and spinach. You can also add thinly sliced red or green cabbage.
- Cucumber: sub English cucumber, Persian cucumber, kirby cucumber, thinly sliced zucchini, sliced fennel, radishes, or chopped broccoli florets.
- Tomatoes: sub larger tomatoes such as grape tomatoes, Roma tomatoes, Heirloom tomatoes, and vine tomatoes cut into wedges, diced red bell pepper, strawberries, or diced watermelon.
- Corn: sub yellow bell peppers or grated carrots.
- Spring onions: sub red onion or shallots, or add fresh herbs like parsley or chives.
- Avocado: sub with roasted butternut squash, roasted pumpkin, roasted kabocha squash, roasted sweet potatoes, roasted cauliflower, boiled or roasted asparagus.
- Pan-fried tofu: sub with air fryer tofu, marinated tofu, or oven-baked tofu.
- Dressing: sub honey mustard dressing, Italian dressing, or carrot ginger dressing for tahini sauce.
MAKE AHEAD & STORAGE
- Make Ahead: the salad is best when freshly made; however, you can chop the veggies ahead of time (except the avocado) and store them in the refrigerator to keep them crunchy.
You can also make the dressing in advance and keep it in an airtight container for 3 days. The fried tofu doesn't keep well, so it's best to do it right before assembling the salad.
- Refrigerator: keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 24 - 36 hours. The salad and the tofu will lose their crunch, but they'll still be tasty and nutritious.
- Freezer: this recipe is not freezer friendly.
