Hold your horses because this tofu salad recipe will blow your brains out. And I mean that in a good way.
I love this tofu salad recipe because it’s healthy and delicious, and like all my other recipes, it takes less time in the kitchen. As I mentioned in my most recent post, I just came off the keto diet. Honestly, what kept me full during that season was this salad. I would always eat it at work with a side of fruit, and it had me filled!
Since transitioning into veganism, I’ve been eating a lot of tofu. It is a great way to add protein to your diet. There are many ways to incorporate tofu into your meals without even noticing it’s there. It’s so versatile! And the best part? It’s healthy! Tofu contains no cholesterol and is high in protein, calcium, and iron. You can even make desserts with it!
But maybe you still need to learn how to cook with tofu… Well, fear not; you can check out this recipe to prepare tofu properly.
HOW TO PREPARE THE VINEGARETTE DRESSING
This recipe uses only five primary ingredients: tofu, spring mix (containing baby lettuce, spinach, kale, and arugula), green and red bell peppers, onions, and thinly sliced carrot. Of course, we also are going to remember the tasty balsamic vinegarette dressing that ties everything together.
Balsamic vinegar has an intense, rich flavor that pairs well with fresh greens and bold ingredients like tomatoes, avocados, bell peppers, and many others.
To make a dressing, combine 4 tbsps of balsamic vinegar with two tablespoons of olive oil in a bowl or jar. Add minced garlic or garlic powder, dijon mustard, honey or maple syrup, salt, and pepper to taste.
You can use this dressing on its own or as a marinade for meat, fish, or any meat substitute before you cook.
MAKING THE TOFU SALAD
I decided to use crumbled tofu for this recipe, but feel free to cut yours into bite-sized pieces.
The trick is all in the preparation—marinate your tofu for at least 15 minutes before cooking to absorb all the spicy goodness of your marinade! Usually, I prefer to bake my tofu, but for this recipe, I sautéed it in a skillet. It made the preparation much faster, and I didn’t have to wait for a preheated oven.
Do you know what’s great about this salad recipe? It’s so simple, but it’s also so versatile. You can add whatever veggies you want, and it will still be delicious. And it’s perfect for any occasion—you can serve it at a party or bring it to work, or just make a big serving for yourself and eat leftovers for days.
It is a great way to use up all the vegetables in your fridge!
So go ahead and get cooking! Plus, tag me on Pinterest if you gave this a try.
The only tofu salad recipe you need
Ingredients
- ¼ block tofu - (scrambled or cut into bite-sized pieces)
- 1 cup mixed greens - (containing baby spinach, lettuce, kale, and arugula)
- ¼ cup carrot - shredded
- ½ red bell peppers - diced
- ½ green bell peppers - diced
- ½ onion - diced
- 1 handful cherry tomatoes - sliced in half
Tofu Marinade
- 2 tbsps soy sauce
- 2 tbsps lime juice
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- ½ tsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp garlic - minced
- ½ tsp allspice
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp nutmeg
- ½ tsp thyme
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
Balsalmic Dressing
- 4 tbsps Balsamic Vinaigrette -
- 2 tbsps olive oil
- 1 tbsp dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp garlic - minced
Instructions
Preparing the Tofu
- Drain tofu and pat dry with a paper towel. Break the tofu into crumbles and set aside.
- In a small bowl, combine soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, ginger, garlic, and all other spices for the marinade together. Once combined, add in the tofu.
- Cover the bowl with sealing wrap and leave to marinate for at least 30 mins (This gives the tofu enough time to soak up the ingredients.)
- To a skillet on medium heat, add some olive oil, and saute the marinated tofu until browned (usually about 10 minutes).
Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing
- In a small bowl, combine balsamic vinaigrette, olive oil, salt, pepper, dijon mustard, minced garlic, and honey.
Making the salad
- Add all mixed greens into a shallow bowl, then top with sliced carrots, cherry tomatoes, red & green bell peppers, onions, and tofu.
- Gently pour in the vinegarette dressing and combine.
- Sprinkle some sesame seeds (optional) and serve.
