Get the Recipe: Ginger Sesame Tofu Chopped Salad
This Ginger Sesame Tofu Chopped Salad is inspired by the salads that you may find at some American Japanese Restaurants. I’ve always have loved that fresh carrot and gingery zing. It’s easily adaptable to suit your taste buds.
Ingredients
For the Tofu:
- 14 oz. extra firm tofu, pressed and cut into bite size pieces
- a good drizzle tamari, or soy sauce
- olive or neutral cooking spray
- salt, to taste
For the Carrot Ginger Sesame Dressing (makes about ⅔ cup of dressing):
- ¼ cup carrots, shredded
- ¼ cup white onion, roughly chopped
- 1 inch knob ginger, roughly chopped
- 2 tablespoons tamari, or soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon ketchup
- 1 teaspoon honey , or agave nectar or pure maple syrup, if vegan
- 1 teaspoon Sriracha, optional, if you like a little spice
- salt and pepper, to taste
For the Salad:
- 1 large head romaine lettuce, roughly chopped
- ½ cup cucumbers, thinly sliced
- ¼ cup purple cabbage, thinly sliced
- ¼ cup carrots, shredded
- 1 small avocado, thinly sliced
- ½ cup crispy wonton noodles, add when you're ready to serve, so they remain crispy
- 1 to 2 tablespoons almonds, sliced
Optional toppings:
- 1 to 2 scallions, thinly sliced
- cilantro leaves, roughly chopped
Equipment
- sheet pan
- Small Food Processor or High-Speed Blender
- ` Cutting Board
- Chef's Knife
Instructions
Bake the Tofu:
- Preheat the oven to 400 °F.Arrange the pressed pieces of tofu onto a plate and drizzle with a little tamari. Flip each piece over to ensure that they are fully coated with the tamari on all sides and that they soak up any remaining tamari that is left on the plate.
- Spray a little cooking spray on a lined sheet pan and transfer the pieces of tofu onto the sheet pan. Spray a little more cooking spray on the tops of the tofu and season with a little salt. Place the sheet pan onto the center rack of the oven. Bake the tofu until each piece is nicely browned and slightly crispy about 30 minutes, flipping the pieces over halfway through. Once done, set to the side to rest and cool slightly.
Make the Carrot Ginger Sesame Dressing:
- Meanwhile, combine all of the ingredients for the dressing along with 1 tablespoon of water in the base of a high-speed blender and blend until smooth, about 15 seconds. Taste and add more salt, if needed. Store in an air-tight container for up to 2 to 3 days in the fridge.
Assemble the Salad:
- Arrange the ingredients for the salad in a large serving bowl or platter, all pretty like. Add the tofu and drizzle with the dressing. Top with additional toppings, if using and enjoy!
Serving: 8ounces, Calories: 295kcal, Carbohydrates: 22g, Protein: 13g, Fat: 19g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g, Monounsaturated Fat: 10g, Sodium: 703mg, Potassium: 951mg, Fiber: 8g, Sugar: 7g, Vitamin A: 16503IU, Vitamin C: 18mg, Calcium: 114mg, Iron: 4mg