Best Tofu Salad Recipes

SESAME TOFU SALAD

Steps:

• To make the dressing: Put the soy sauce, vinegar, ginger, brown sugar, sesame oil, red pepper flakes, garlic and 2/3 cup of the olive oil into a blender. Blend until completely emulsified. Taste the dressing and adjust to your taste, adding more vinegar or sugar as needed. Pour half of the dressing into a jar and refrigerate for the salad.
• Put the tofu cubes into a bowl and pour over the remaining dressing. Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour.
• Remove the tofu from the dressing and pat dry. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the tofu on all sides until nicely browned and crisp, about 10 minutes. Toss in the sesame seeds and cook for another minute. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate.
• To assemble the salad, put the mixed greens, halved tomatoes and sliced onion in a large bowl. Pour on half the remaining dressing, reserving the rest for later use. Toss to coat. Arrange the tofu and mandarin oranges all over the greens. Serve immediately.

TOFU SALAD

Steps:

• In a large bowl, mix the chili sauce, ginger, garlic, soy sauce, and sesame oil. Place tofu in the mixture, and marinate 1 hour in the refrigerator.
• Bring a pot of water to a boil. Immerse the snow peas in the boiling water for 1 to 2 minutes, then immerse in a a bowl of cold water. Drain, and set aside.
• Toss the peas, carrots, cabbage, and peanuts with the tofu and marinade to serve.

TOFU SALAD

Steps:

• Blot tofu dry. Wrap in a clean kitchen towel; place on a plate and refrigerate at least 1 hour. In a large shallow dish, whisk vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, sriracha, peanut butter and ginger until smooth. Add tofu; turn to coat. Cover and refrigerate 3-5 hours, turning occasionally. Drain tofu reserving marinade; pat dry. In a large skillet, heat canola oil over medium-high heat. Add tofu; cook until crisp and golden brown, 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from pan; drain on paper towels. In a large bowl, combine romaine, carrots, avocado, tomatoes, onion and tofu. Pour reserved marinade over salad; toss to coat. Sprinkle with sesame seeds. Serve immediately.

JAPANESE TOFU SALAD

Steps:

• Place tofu between two plates, and weigh down with a heavy book. Allow tofu to drain for 1 hour, pouring out the expelled liquid every 20 minutes.
• Whisk together the soy sauce, mirin, sesame oil, and rice vinegar in a small bowl. Heat the oil in a small pan over medium heat, stir in the garlic and ginger, and gently cook until lightly golden; stir into the soy sauce mixture.
• Cut tofu into bite-sized pieces, and toss together with the tomato, onion, and cilantro. Pour in the dressing and toss to coat. Garnish with a sprinkle of sesame seeds.

WATERCRESS AND TOFU SALAD

Steps:

• Drain tofu on paper towels in refrigerator for at least 1 hour.
• After tofu is drained, cut into 1" blocks.
• Heat pot of lightly salted water.
• Cut 2 inches off bottom of watercress and discard.
• Cut watercress into 3" pieces.
• When water comes to boil, add cut watercress and parboil for 30 seconds.
• Drain and cool in ice bath.
• Meanwhile, make Oriental Salad Dressing: Combine all other ingredients - soy sauce, rice vinegar, ginger, sesame oil, sugar, sesame seeds and blend.
• Arrange drained and cooled watercress on a platter with tofu, tomato, and fish.
• Drizzle with Oriental Salad Dressing at time of serving.

EASY TOFU SALAD WITH TUNA AND WATERCRESS

Steps:

• Layer the bean sprouts, tofu, tuna, watercress, tomatoes, and Japanese pickled radish in a 9x13-inch baking dish. Set aside. Place the onion in a bowl.
• Heat the garlic in the sesame oil in a skillet over medium heat until garlic is browned and fragrant, about 5 minutes. Remove garlic slices, then pour the hot oil over the onion. Stir in the soy sauce and pour dressing over the salad.

COLD TOFU SALAD WITH TOMATOES AND PEACHES

Steps:

• Prepare the tofu: Carefully drain the tofu in its packaging, then remove the tofu. Gently wrap it with paper towels or a clean kitchen towel to absorb excess moisture and set it on a plate.
• Meanwhile, prepare the peaches and tomatoes: Pit and cut each peach into 1-inch-thick wedges, then core and cut each tomato into 1-inch-thick wedges. Place tomatoes and peaches on a serving platter, pouring any tomato or peach juices from the cutting board over the dish. Season generously with flaky sea salt to draw out juices.
• Remove the tofu from the paper towels and place it back on the plate. Using a large spoon, scoop out tofu mounds onto the tomatoes and peaches. Season tofu with flaky sea salt.
• Prepare the dressing: In a small glass jar, combine dressing ingredients, cover and shake to combine. Spoon 4 tablespoons of the dressing over the tomatoes, peaches and tofu. Extra dressing can be served alongside.
• Just before serving, stack together the basil and mint leaves and roughly chop. Top the salad with chopped herbs and black pepper. Serve immediately, taking care to spoon extra dressing and juices from the bottom of the platter.

TOFU SALAD DRESSING

Steps:

• Place tofu, olive oil, garlic and herb seasoning, almond milk, lemon juice, garlic, and sea salt in a blender or food processor; blend until smooth. Let stand for 2 to 3 hours before serving.

EASY TOFU AND WATERCRESS SALAD

Steps:

• Cut watercress into 1 1/2-inch lengths. Combine with tofu, bean sprouts, grape tomatoes, tuna, and green onion in a large bowl.
• Mix shoyu, olive oil, sugar, sesame seeds, ginger, and garlic together in a bowl. Drizzle dressing over salad (a little goes a long way) and toss before serving.

AMAZING CRUNCHY TOFU SALAD

Steps:

• Toss the tofu with lemon juice and 2 tablespoons of soy sauce in a small bowl, set aside to marinate.
• Combine the cornstarch and bread crumbs with 1 minced shallot and half of the green onions in a bowl. Toss the tofu with the cornstarch mixture to generously bread; reserve the remaining marinade.
• Heat about 1/4 inch of oil in a skillet over medium heat. Fry the tofu cubes on all sides until golden brown, remove to drain on a paper towel.
• Whisk together the remaining marinade with the vinegar, 4 tablespoons of soy sauce, sugar, and chili oil; set aside. Toss together the salad mix, cucumber, tomato, and tofu cubes in a large bowl; add the dressing and toss to combine.

SPINACH AND TOFU SALAD

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375 degrees. Slice tofu into 1-inch-by-2-inch pieces about 1/4-inch thick and place in a deep bowl or on a platter.
• Make the marinade: In a medium bowl, whisk together soy sauce, sesame oil, vinegar, sake, brown sugar, ginger and cayenne. Pour marinade over tofu slices to coat well. Leave in marinade for at least 15 minutes. (You may marinate the tofu up to 24 hours in advance.)
• While the tofu marinates, pick over spinach leaves and remove any tough stems. Swish the spinach in a deep bowl of cold water. Lift leaves from water into a colander. If you see any sand in the water, repeat up to 3 times, using fresh water each time. Drain well and dry spinach, then wrap in a kitchen towel and refrigerate until ready to use. (You may wash the spinach up to 24 hours in advance.)
• Make the dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together lime juice, brown sugar, sesame oil, vegetable oil, soy sauce, miso, garlic and ginger.
• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, and arrange the tofu pieces in a single layer. Spoon remaining marinade over tofu. Bake, uncovered, for 15 to 20 minutes, until slightly crisped. Remove and leave at room temperature.
• To make the salad, arrange spinach in a low, wide salad bowl or on a deep platter. Scatter cucumber, daikon and edamame over spinach, then sprinkle with sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds and peanuts. Tuck slices of tofu here and there.
• Sprinkle a pinch of salt over everything, then drizzle salad with dressing and serve.

CRUNCHY VIETNAMESE CABBAGE SALAD WITH PAN-SEARED TOFU

Steps:

• To make vinaigrette, whisk together 2 tablespoons soy sauce, brown sugar, 1 1/2 teaspoons fish sauce, lime zest and juice, jalapeño and garlic. Whisk in 3 tablespoons peanut oil.
• Pat the tofu dry with paper towels. Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon peanut oil in a large skillet, preferably nonstick. When it shimmers, add the tofu. Cook 3 minutes without moving, until golden brown on the bottom. Flip and cook 2 minutes more. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce and 1/2 teaspoon fish sauce. Move the tofu to a cutting board, and brush both sides of each slice generously with this mixture. Cut tofu into bite-size pieces.
• In a large bowl, toss together tofu, cabbage, carrot, peanuts, cilantro and vinaigrette. Garnish with more peanuts and cilantro.

RICE NOODLE SALAD WITH CRISPY TOFU AND LIME-PEANUT DRESSING

Steps:

• Place the rice threads in a large bowl and cover with hot water. Let sit for 20 minutes while you prepare the other ingredients.
• Heat a medium skillet over medium-high heat for 2 minutes and add 1 tablespoon peanut oil, canola oil or rice bran oil. When the oil is hot, add the tofu and saute on both sides until golden brown. Remove from the heat and allow to cool. Cut in matchsticks.
• Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Add salt to taste if desired. Drain the noodles and add to the boiling water. Boil 1 minute, then drain, rinse briefly with cold water, and using a scissors, cut into manageable lengths. Transfer to a salad bowl and add the tofu, red pepper, chives, cilantro, lettuce and half the peanuts.
• Whisk together all of the dressing ingredients in a small bowl or measuring cup. Pour over the noodles and toss together. Sprinkle the remaining peanuts over the top and serve.

TOMATO-PEACH SALAD WITH TOFU CREAM

Steps:

• Blend tofu, 2 tablespoons vinegar, 1 tablespoon oil, and 1 tablespoon soy sauce in a blender until light and smooth; season tofu cream with salt.
• Whisk remaining 3 tablespoons oil, 2 tablespoons vinegar, and 1 tablespoon soy sauce in a large bowl; season with salt and pepper. Add tomatoes, peaches, onion, corn, tarragon, and chopped chervil and toss to combine. Adjust seasoning if needed.
• Swipe tofu cream on a platter and arrange tomato salad over; top with chervil sprigs. Serve with bread.
• Do Ahead
• Tofu cream can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.

ASIAN CRISPY TOFU SALAD

Steps:

• Whisk all ingredients except for tofu in a 9x9 inch square baking dish.
• Drain and slice tofu in half lengthwise to make two thinner slabs. Blot with a paper towel.
• Preheat non-stick skillet over medium heat and spray with non-stick spray. Slide tofu slices onto skillet and grill for about 4-5 minutes per side, flipping carefully with a large spatula. Brown it nicely to give it color and texture.
• Slip tofu slices into marinade, and turn with spatula at least once. While the tofu is sitting in the marinade, cut each slab 3 times lengthwise and widthwise with a sharp knife to make 16 squares per slab. Toss carefully.
• Let marinate for up to 30 minutes and remove garlic and ginger slices before serving warm, at room temperature or chilled.

KALE AND QUINOA SALAD WITH TOFU AND MISO

Steps:

• In a small saucepan, combine the quinoa with 3/4 cup water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then cover and cook over medium-low until the water is absorbed, 10 to 12 minutes. Turn off the heat and let sit for 10 minutes. Fluff it with a fork.
• Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk together the vinegar, miso, mirin, sesame oil, 2 tablespoons grapeseed oil and 1/2 teaspoon sriracha. Stir in the ginger.
• Add the kale, massage it with the dressing and set aside to marinate. Spoon the cooked quinoa onto the kale and toss to coat.
• In a nonstick skillet, heat the remaining 4 tablespoons grapeseed oil over medium. When the oil shimmers, cook the tofu, turning occasionally, until crisp on all sides, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to absorb any excess oil, then scatter it over the kale salad. Drizzle lightly with sriracha and honey and serve immediately.

TOFU PASTA SALAD

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook rigatoni in the boiling water, stirring occasionally until cooked through but firm to the bite, about 13 minutes. Drain and cool.
• Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a skillet over medium heat; cook and stir garlic until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Add tofu and thyme; cook until tofu is lightly browned, 5 to 10 minutes. Drizzle with soy sauce and remove from heat to cool.
• Combine rigatoni, tofu mixture, onion, tomato, carrot, basil, and cilantro in a large bowl. Drizzle with 1/4 cup olive oil; stir to coat.

VEGAN TOFU BOWLS WITH COCONUT RICE, CUCUMBER SALAD AND PEANUT SAUCE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Toss the tofu and cornstarch together in a medium bowl until evenly coated. Arrange the tofu cubes on the prepared baking sheet and bake until golden, about 20 minutes, flipping halfway through.
• Meanwhile, combine the rice, coconut milk, 1 cup water and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Lower the heat to a simmer, cover and cook until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender, 15 to 18 minutes. Remove from the heat and let stand, covered, for 5 minutes. Add the agave and fluff with a fork. Set aside.
• Combine the basil, cilantro, mint, cucumber, peanuts, rice vinegar, lime juice and chile in a small bowl. Stir and season with salt to taste. Set aside.
• Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the carrots and cook until tender, stirring and flipping occasionally, 6 to 8 minutes.
• Divide the rice evenly among bowls, top with the carrots, red cabbage and tofu. Drizzle with the peanut sauce and add a spoonful of the cucumber salad. Drizzle with sriracha and serve.

SKILLET SOBA, BAKED TOFU AND GREEN BEAN SALAD WITH SPICY DRESSING

Steps:

• Make the baked tofu: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line a sheet pan with parchment. Pat the tofu dry with paper towels and cut into dominoes, about 1/3 inch thick. In a large, wide bowl whisk together all of the marinade ingredients for the tofu. Pat each piece of tofu with paper towels, then dip into the marinade, making sure to coat both sides. Transfer to the baking sheet. Bake for 7 to 10 minutes, until the edges are just beginning to color and the marinade sets on the surface of the tofu. Remove from the heat and keep warm.
• Bring 3 or 4 quarts of water to a boil in a large pot. Add salt to taste and the green beans. Boil 5 minutes and using a slotted spoon or skimmer, transfer to a bowl of cold water and drain. Set aside.
• Bring the water back to a boil. Add the soba gradually, so that the water remains at a boil, and stir once with a long-handled spoon or pasta fork so that the noodles don't stick together. Wait for the water to come back up to a rolling boil - it will bubble up, so don't fill the pot all the way - and add 1 cup of cold water. Allow the water to come back to a rolling boil and add another cup of cold water. Allow the water to come to a boil one more time and add a third cup of water. When the water comes to a boil again, the noodles should be cooked through. Drain and toss with 2 tablespoons of the sesame oil. (If using rice noodles, boil 5 to 6 minutes without adding the water, until cooked al dente).
• Whisk together 1 tablespoon of the tofu marinade, the rice vinegar, garlic, ginger, hot chile oil or cayenne, soy sauce, remaining sesame oil and buttermilk. Pour over the noodles, add the beans, tofu and cilantro, and gently toss together.
• Heat a wide skillet over medium-high heat and add the noodle salad. Toss in the pan until heated through and serve.

KALE CAESAR SALAD WITH TOFU CROUTONS & KALAMATA CAESAR DRESSING

Steps:

• Make the tofu croutons. Remove the block of tofu from its packaging and drain the water. Press the tofu by laying a half dozen or so paper towels on a dinner plate and placing the tofu on top. Add a couple more paper towels and top with 4 or 5 more dinner plates. Let sit for 20-30 minutes, checking occasionally to move the plates if they're off balance. Or, much easier, use a tofu press!
• Set the tofu on a cutting board and cut it into crouton-size pieces, about 3/4-inch big.
• Heat the grapeseed oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. On a large plate or in a shallow baking dish, combine the corn starch, garlic powder, and salt with a fork. Working in batches, dredge the tofu in the corn starch mixture, turning to coat evenly. Carefully add tofu to hot oil in skillet. Cook on medium-high for about 10 minutes, turning occasionally to brown most sides. Remove tofu from pan and place on several paper towels, blotting to remove excess oil.
• Make the dressing. To a food processor or high-power blender, add the olives, garlic, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, vinegar, Worchestershire sauce, and pepper. Pulse until smooth, about 30 seconds. Drizzle in the olive oil and blend until smooth and creamy, about 15-20 seconds more.
• Prepare the salad. Add the kale to a large bowl and drizzle the dressing over the top. Toss well to coat all of the leaves. Top with the tofu croutons and a few shavings of Parmesan cheese, if desired. Serve with additional lemon wedges to squeeze over the top.