Asian Tofu Salad

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This Asian Tofu Salad combines crispy tofu with roasted red cabbage, vermicelli noodles, crunchy vegetables, and a creamy peanut-sesame dressing with fresh lime. Every bite is packed with contrasting textures and bold, tangy, nutty flavor, making this easy tofu salad a satisfying lunch or dinner that's also perfect for meal prep. Oil-free option.

Tofu Salad with roasted tofu and red cabbage, grated carrots, chopped scallions, sesame seeds, glass noodles, and Asian dressing in a white bowl.

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🔍 Quick Look: Asian Tofu Salad
👩🏽‍⚕️ Dietitian's Note
👩🏼‍🌾 Ingredients
🌱 Substitutions
📝 How to Make Asian Tofu Salad
✔️ Storage & Meal Prep Tips
🍲 More Flavorful Bowls to Try
🙋🏽‍♀️Recipe FAQs
🍽 Related Recipes
👩🏽‍🍳 Made this recipe?
⚖️ Convert the Recipe to Metric (g & mL)
Asian Tofu Salad Recipe
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💬 Comments

🔍 Quick Look: Asian Tofu Salad

⏱️ Prep Time: 10 minutes
🎛 Cook Time: 20 minutes
👥 Servings: 4
📊 Calories: ~349 kcal (based on nutrition panel)
👩🏽‍🍳 Flavor Profile: Savory, nutty, tangy, and slightly sweet, with crispy tofu, roasted cabbage, and a creamy peanut-sesame-lime dressing.
💪🏼 Nutrition: 26 grams of protein, 8 grams of fiber
⭐ Difficulty: Easy. This Asian-style tofu salad comes together in about 30 minutes.

👩🏽‍⚕️ Dietitian's Note

This Asian tofu salad pairs soy protein with a colorful cruciferous vegetable, making it an especially nutrient-dense meal. Super-firm tofu is an excellent source of plant-based protein and typically contains more protein per ounce than softer varieties because more water has been removed. Tofu can also provide calcium when it is made with calcium salts, so check the nutrition label if calcium is a priority.

Red cabbage adds more than color and crunch. As a cruciferous vegetable, it provides fiber, vitamin C, and beneficial plant compounds, including the anthocyanins responsible for its deep purple-red color. Pairing it with tofu, vegetables, and the healthy unsaturated fats in peanut butter and sesame creates a satisfying meal with a variety of nutrients and plant compounds.

Why You'll Love This Recipe:

This Asian Tofu Salad combines crispy tofu, roasted red cabbage, fresh vegetables, and noodles with a creamy peanut-sesame dressing. It's also:

Packed with contrasting textures: Crispy tofu and roasted cabbage pair with tender noodles, crunchy carrots, scallions, and sesame seeds in every bite.
Big on flavor: A creamy peanut dressing with lime, rice vinegar, tamari, and sesame gives the salad a bold, tangy, nutty flavor.
A satisfying meal: Tofu, peanut butter, vegetables, and optional vermicelli noodles turn this salad into a substantial lunch or dinner.
Easy to customize: Serve it with or without noodles, adjust the heat to taste, or swap in your favorite crunchy vegetables. Oil-free option.

👩🏼‍🌾 Ingredients

Below, I share ingredient notes from both a nutrition expert's and trained chef's perspective.

Lime, peanut butter, green onions, jalapeño, tofu, carrot, garlic, nutritional yeast, red cabbage, sesame oil, tamari, sesame seeds, maple syrup, and rice vinegar on a gray backdrop.

Extra-firm or super-firm tofu works best for this Asian Tofu Salad because it holds its shape and gets crispy around the edges while staying tender inside.
Red cabbage, also known as purple cabbage, becomes tender and slightly sweet when roasted while retaining some bite. Its hearty texture stands up well to the crispy tofu and creamy peanut dressing without becoming soggy.
Peanut butter forms the rich, creamy base of the dressing and gives it a deep, nutty flavor that balances the tangy lime and rice vinegar and savory tamari. Use natural, unsweetened peanut butter for the best flavor.
Nutritional yeast adds savory, umami-rich flavor to the tofu and helps create a flavorful coating as it cooks.
Sesame oil is optional. Use water instead as desired.
Maple syrup is optional.

See the printable recipe card below for quantities.

🌱 Substitutions

This recipe is versatile and easy to adapt. Below are some simple ingredient substitutions.

Red cabbage: Use green cabbage instead, or a mixture or red and green
Tofu: Use tempeh or chickpeas instead to change things up.
Glass noodles: Add glass noodles, or vermicelli noodles as desired.
Jalapeño: The jalapeño adds a kick to this Asian Tofu Salad recipe, but is an optional ingredient
Tamari: Use gluten-free tamari for gluten-free, or use soy sauce instead.
Peanut butter: Most kinds of nut butter (almond, cashew, walnut) will work in the Asian-style dressing for this tofu salad. For nut-free, use SunButter instead.
Green onion: Substitute with shallots or red onion.
Sesame oil: Substitute with any neutral-flavored oil or water.
Sesame seeds: Use toasted sesame seeds for a more intense, nutty flavor.

📝 How to Make Asian Tofu Salad

The complete recipe with exact amounts is below. These additional tips will help you get the best results.

Chunks of tofu tossed in marinade in a glass bowl.

Marinate the tofu: Tear the tofu into irregular chunks rather than cutting it with a knife. The rough edges create more surface area to absorb the tamari and nutritional yeast and become crispier as they cook.

Tofu chunks marinated in nutritional yeast and tamari on a white baking tray.

Bake or air fry the tofu: Spread the tofu pieces out so they aren't touching. Giving them plenty of space allows hot air to circulate around the edges so they brown and crisp instead of steaming.

Cook the red cabbage: Keep the cabbage in larger pieces rather than chopping it too finely so it develops lightly caramelized edges while retaining some bite. Cook it just until tender for the best contrast with the creamy dressing.

Dressing with tamari, jalapeño, lime juice, garlic, peanut butter, and vinegar in a grey bowl next to one-half lime and a citrus juicer.

Make the Asian dressing: Use warm water to help loosen the peanut butter and create a smooth, creamy dressing. Add it gradually until the dressing is thin enough to toss easily through the salad without becoming watery.

Tofu Salad with roasted tofu and red cabbage, grated carrots, chopped scallions, sesame seeds, and Asian dressing in a white oval bowl.

For serving: Place the cabbage, tofu, carrot, noodles, green onion, sesame seeds, and dressing in a large bowl. Add the noodles, if using. Gently mix to incorporate.

✔️ Storage & Meal Prep Tips

These simple tips will help keep your Asian tofu salad fresh and flavorful:

Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. For the best texture, keep the peanut dressing separate until serving.
Meal prep: Prepare the tofu, roasted cabbage, vegetables, noodles, and dressing ahead of time and store them separately. Assemble individual portions as needed so the vegetables stay crisp.
Before serving: The peanut dressing will thicken in the refrigerator. Stir in a splash of warm water or fresh lime juice until it reaches a pourable consistency.

🍲 More Flavorful Bowls to Try

This Tofu Sweet Potato Recipe combines crispy tofu, roasted sweet potatoes, tender orzo, and kale with a tangy garlic-herb dressing.

My Tofu Vermicelli Salad packs 28 grams of protein per serving with crispy tofu, tender rice noodles, crunchy vegetables, and a bold, tangy sesame dressing.

This Curried Cabbage Salad combines crunchy cabbage, crispy chickpeas, sweet golden raisins, and cashews with a creamy, tangy curry dressing.

🙋🏽‍♀️Recipe FAQs

How can I meal prep Asian Tofu Salad ahead of time?

Place the chopped cabbage in an airtight container, and the chopped jalapeño, green onion, and carrot in a second container. Marinate the tofu and place it in a third container. Make the Asian dressing and store it in a fourth airtight container. Bake or air fry the tofu and cabbage right before serving. Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl for serving.
You can also cook the tofu and cabbage ahead of time as cold tofu tastes great in this salad.

Can you eat tofu raw in a salad for weight loss?

Yes. Tofu is already cooked during processing, so it can typically be eaten straight from the package without additional cooking, however, drain off any excess water first. Adding tofu to a salad provides plant-based protein, which can help make meals more satisfying.

Can I make a cold tofu salad?

This Tofu Salad can be served warm or chilled. Add the baked tofu and red cabbage straight from the oven and enjoy. Or refrigerate this salad for up to 5 days and serve it chilled. It tastes amazing both ways.

What is a good dressing for a tofu salad?

A creamy peanut dressing pairs especially well with tofu because its rich, nutty flavor complements tofu's mild taste. For an Asian tofu salad, combine peanut butter with tamari, rice vinegar, fresh lime juice, and toasted sesame oil for a savory, tangy dressing with plenty of umami.