This Crispy Tofu Salad with Peanut Dressing, options completely fried tofu, quinoa, crimson cabbage, cucumbers, tomatoes, and carrots. Tossed in a creamy, savory peanut dressing, this wholesome and satisfying dish is ideal for a fast and scrumptious meal.
Crispy Tofu Salad with Peanut Dressing
This recipe is impressed by this energy grain bowl I ate virtually each weekend on the meals corridor once I was in college. It was like a boujee salad bar with so many choices. That they had all kinds of grains, greens, proteins and dressings to select from and the peanut dressing was one among my favourites. I’m an enormous texture individual in the case of my meals, I like having a range so I’d add 10 various things and douse it within the peanut sauce. This recipe consists of my favorite components with my model of that peanut dressing.
I’ve made this recipe so many instances for family and friends and so they all the time ask for the recipe, and I’ve all the time simply shared it by way of an extended textual content message however I figured it deserves a spot on my meals weblog.
Substances
This salad is of course vegan and gluten free! It’s additionally extremely versatile and you’ll substitute all of the salad components with no matter you’ve got available. Right here’s the whole lot you’ll want:
- Crispy tofu: To make crispy tofu, all you want is a block of medium agency, agency or further agency tofu and a few potato starch.
- Quinoa:Â A wholesome grain for carbs and provides a bit if nuttiness and physique to the salad.
- Veggies: You should utilize any greens, actually however as the bottom I like to recommend cabbage (crimson, inexperienced or napa!), carrots, cucumbers and tomatoes.
- Herbs: I extremely suggest including cilantro and scallions for extra flavour!
- Nuts:Â Any nuts or seeds you want for further crunch, thats completely different from the crispy tofu.
- Peanut Dressing:Â made with peanut butter, kewpie mayo, soy sauce, rice vinegar, lime juice, sugar, sesame oil, ginger and garlic.
Make Crispy Tofu Quinoa Salad
This salad is extremely low effort and simple to make. Plus, it’s nice for meal prep!
- Cook dinner quinoa: Cook dinner the quinoa and fluff it up with a fork. Put aside to chill.
- Put together greens: Slice, cube and julienne all of the greens. The number of completely different chopping strategies makes for extra texture.
- Mix dressing components: Mix all of the components till easy and creamy. You may as well hand whisk the components however there might be bits of garlic and ginger.
- Fry tofu: Dice the tofu, season, toss in potato starch and fry at 350 F / 180 C for 2-3 minutes, flipping half means.
- Assemble: Toss the whole lot collectively, garnish with nuts and herbs.
Variations
- Grains: As an alternative of quinoa, you should use different grains like wild rice, couscous or wheat berries
- Proteins: As an alternative of tofu, you’ll be able to swap it out for some cooked beans, baked tempeh, shredded rooster or shrimp.
- Greens: Use any greens you’ve got available! The dressing goes properly with any greens. You’ll be able to even use roasted greens like candy potatoes, cauliflower or pumpkin.
Retailer
I like to recommend storing the greens, quinoa, tofu and dressing in separate containers and assembling on the day of serving. The ready greens, quinoa and tofu will hold for 3-4 days. Quinoa may also be frozen! The dressing will final one week.
Get pleasure from!! If you happen to make this Crispy Tofu Salad with Peanut Dressing recipe, let me know! Depart a remark, ranking and should you determine to share it on socials, tag me on instagram @Okonomikitchen. I’d love to listen to from you!
Peanut Dressing
- 1/3 cup + 1 tbsp (90 g) easy peanut butter
- 1/3 cup + 1 tbsp (90 g) kewpie mayo
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) soy sauce
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) rice vinegar
- juice of 1 lime
- 2 tbsp (25 g) granulated sugar
- 2 tsp (10 g) sesame oil
- 2 tsp (10 g) ginger
- 2 garlic cloves, or extra to style
- water or oil to skinny, to your liking
Salad
- 1 cup (180 g) Quinoa
- 2 cups (500 ml) water
- 1 pint (224 g) cherry tomatoes, halved
- 2 cups (250 g) crimson cabbage, shredded
- 1 cucumber (130 g), diced
- 1 bell pepper (115 g), diced or sliced
- 1 medium carrot (80 g), shredded
- 2 scallions (20 g) thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup (20 g) cilantro leaves , finely chopped
- 1/3 cup (45 g) almonds or cashews, chopped
Crispy tofu
- 1 14 oz pack of medium agency, agency or further agency tofu
- Potato starch or corn starch
- Salt and pepper, to style
Quinoa
- Rinse the quinoa underneath chilly water for 1-2 minutes utilizing a high-quality mesh strainer to take away any bitterness.
- Mix the rinsed quinoa, water or broth, and a pinch of salt (elective) in a saucepan, and convey it to a boil over medium-high warmth.
- Cut back the warmth to low, cowl the saucepan with a lid, and let it simmer for 15-20 minutes till the quinoa absorbs all of the liquid and turns into tender. Then, fluff it with a fork earlier than serving.
Dressing
- Mix all of the components collectively. Style and modify to your liking
Salad
- Put together all of the greens and toss in a big bowl.
Crispy tofu
- If utilizing medium agency or agency tofu, I like to recommend freezing in a single day and thawing. If you happen to put together forward of time, you’ll be able to double freeze and thaw it for a extra meat-y texture.
- Drain the tofu and squeeze out extra liquid with a tofu press for for 10-Half-hour. Pat fry.
- Season with salt and pepper.
- Toss in potato starch. I add a layer of tofu to a bowl, mud with potato starch and toss it. Be certain that all the edges are coated.
- Warmth oil to 180 C. Fry for 2-3 minutes or till they seem like they’ve flaked up and are crispy.
Assemble
- Toss all of the greens and quinoa collectively, add crispy tofu and drizzle with dressing.
- Prep Time: quarter-hour
- Cook dinner Time: 20 minutes
- Class: Salads
- Methodology: Range high
- Delicacies: Thai-inspired
