Asian Tofu Salad Recipe

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

5 from 7 votes

This Asian Tofu Salad combines crispy tofu, roasted red cabbage, vermicelli noodles, and crunchy vegetables with a creamy, tangy peanut-sesame dressing.

Prep Time10

Cook Time20

Total Time30

Course: Main Course, Salad

Cuisine: Vegan

Diet: Vegan, Vegetarian

Servings: people

Calories: 349kcal

Author: Nisha Melvani

Ingredients

1 (14 to 16-ounce) packet super firm tofu or extra firm tofu, pressed
1 ½ tablespoons tamari or soy sauce (preferably low sodium)
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
Dash of garlic powder (optional)
Drizzle of olive oil (optional)
½ small head red cabbage chopped (6 cups)
½ lemon juice

For the Asian dressing:

3 tablespoons tamari or soy sauce (preferably low sodium)
2 tablespoon peanut butter or any nut butter, or SunButter for nut-free
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 tablespoon lime juice
½ teaspoon ground ginger (optional)
1 jalapeño minced (optional)
2 tablespoons sesame oil or neutral oil or water

For the salad:

3 green onion thinly sliced (green and white parts)
1 large carrot grated
1 tablespoon sesame seeds (optional)
2.5 ounces vermicelli noodles or glass noodles, cut into about 4-inch pieces (optional)

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 425ºF, or an air fryer to 400ºF.
Bake the tofu: Break the tofu in to 1-inch chunks and place them onto a large rimmed nonstick baking sheet. Toss the tofu in tamari, nutritional yeast, and optional garlic powder. Drizzle with olive oil, if using. Bake or air fry for about 20 minutes, or until golden brown.
Cook the red cabbage: Toss the cabbage in lemon juice. Add an optional drizzle of oil. Bake with the tofu, or air fry separately, for about 10 minutes, or until the desired texture.
Cook the noodles (optional): Cook the vermicelli or glass noodles according to the package directions. Drain and rinse under cold water. Cut into about 4-inch pieces, if needed.
Make the dressing: Add the tamari, peanut butter, rice vinegar, lime juice, jalapeño, and 1 tablespoon warm water to a medium bowl. Mix to combine. Drizzle in the sesame oil while whisking to incorporate, or add hot water gradually instead for oil-free, and whisk until the desired consistency. Add a touch of maple syrup for a hint of sweetness, as desired.
Combine: Add the cabbage, tofu, carrot, green onion, sesame seeds, and dressing to a large bowl. Add the noodles, if using. Gently mix to incorporate.

Notes

Nutrition information includes noodles.
Cutting the tofu: Breaking the tofu with your hands increases the surface area around each piece much more than slicing it with a knife. This means it absorbs more of the marinade, and becomes even more flavorful and crispy in the oven.
Red cabbage: Adding a dash of lemon juice to the red cabbage before roasting prevents it from losing it's purple color in the oven.
Air fryer tofu is even crispier. Use an air fryer of you have one. You can also cook the cabbage in an air fryer! Set it to 400ºF and cook until the desired crispiness.
Cooking the red cabbage is optional. Cooked cabbage is easier to digest, and the body may absorb even more antioxidants than from raw cabbage. However, raw cabbage has different health benefits.
Storage: Refrigerate any remaining Tofu Salad in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

Nutrition