I love creating beautiful, crowd-pleasing salads. This Thai-inspired salad is a far cry from the standard, ho-hum romaine, tomato, crouton restaurant salads. Instead this Thai tofu salad is loaded with crispy tofu, crunchy vegetables, edamame and coconut curry cashews. A creamy tahini dressing provides the finishing touch. If you are looking for a salad full of texture and flavor then this is it!
Why I love this salad
- Nutrient dense: This Thai tofu salad recipe is big on plants and therefore nutrients. Tofu and edamame are both sources of plant-based protein. Nervous about soy foods? See my post on the science behind dietary soy. This salad also contains a diversity of fiber-containing plant foods, which is optimal for achieving a healthy gut microbiome.
- Big on texture: I can’t stress enough how much texture is in this salad. With crunchy cabbage, crispy tofu, al dente edamame and creamy dressing this salad is the opposite of boring.
- Super filling: This salad can easily stand alone as a meal. The combination of vegetables, edamame and tofu provides enough calories and fiber to provide satiety while balancing blood sugar.
- The dressing!: Nothing beats homemade dressing. Once you start making your own you can’t go back to store bought. This one utilizes pantry staples featuring tahini as the star ingredient.
Ingredients
For the salad
Tofu- Choose firm or extra firm for this recipe. It is important to drain and press the moisture out of the tofu. I like to wrap the block of tofu in an absorbent kitchen towel and place it on a plate. Then I place something heavy like a le Creuset pan lid on top to act as a press.
Purple cabbage- You could use green cabbage but the purple adds so much color.
Kale- Kale is my first choice, but another crunchy green like romaine would work.
Carrots- Pre-packaged matchstick carrots can save time in this recipe. For maximum crunch slice carrots or you can choose to use a peeler and do ribbons.
Green onions
Cilantro
Edamame- Frozen, shelled edamame are a time saver. Just measure them out ahead of time while prepping the cashews and tofu and they will be thawed by the time you assemble the salad. Alternatively, place the edamame in a colander under lukewarm running water to thaw.
Cashews- I like to use raw cashews that have not been roasted with salt and other oils. Roasting with coconut oil imparts a hint of sweetness. Plus you can control the sodium level of the nuts when choosing raw.
For the dressing
Tahini- Tahini is made from ground sesame seeds and tastes mildly sweet and nutty. Tahini can be transformed easily into a sweet or savory dressing.
Rice vinegar- A mild vinegar that I find does not overpower in this dressing.
Honey- A bit of honey balances the flavors in this dressing.
Garlic powder- Onion powder is a suitable substitute.
Olive oil- Avocado oil can also be used.
Sesame oil- A touch of sesame oil enhances the tahini.
How to make Crispy Thai Tofu Salad Bowls
Follow these steps to achieve the best workflow when making these salad bowls:
First start by roasting the cashews.
While the cashews are roasting, prepare the tofu (drain, press, chop, marinate and toss in the arrowroot starch).
Once the cashews are out of the oven, raise the oven temperature and bake the tofu.
While the tofu is roasting add the vegetables to a large salad bowl and prepare the tahini dressing.
Finally remove the tofu from the oven and allow it to cool. Then top the salad with the tofu and cashews. You can choose to either dress the salad and toss or serve the dressing on the side.
Recipe modifications and ingredient swaps
Mix up the veggies– Use both green and purple cabbage, or add cucumbers, pea pods, red onion or even thinly sliced jalapeño.
Add a protein– If you want to change the protein in this salad, instead add tempeh or grilled shrimp or chicken.
Play with toppings– Chopped peanuts, pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds can be used if you don’t have time to make the coconut curry cashews. Mint is another fresh herb that compliments the flavors in this Thai tofu salad and would work well as a garnish.
Replace the tahini with peanut butter– Not a fan of tahini? Easily swap it out and use peanut butter instead. If you go the peanut butter route then swap the cashew for chopped roasted peanuts.
Storage tips
If you plan to have leftovers I would recommend serving the dressing on the side. The salad does not hold up for leftovers once the salad dressing has been added. Otherwise the undressed salad will stay fresh in a glass, airtight container for up to three days. Store leftover dressing in an airtight glass jar for up to five days.
Recipe
Crispy Thai Tofu Salad Bowl
Ingredients
For the cashews
- 2/3 c. raw cashew pieces
- 1/2 tsp. curry powder
- 1/2 tsp. curry paste
- salt to taste
For the tofu
- 1 package of firm tofu
- 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 2 Tbsp tamari
- 1 tsp onion or garlic powder
- 2 Tbsp arrowroot starch
- 1 tsp. coconut oil melted
For the salad
- 1/2 small head of purple cabbage sliced thin
- 4 cups kale chopped
- 1 cup carrots sliced thin
- 2 green onions chopped
- 1/2 cup cilantro rough chop
- 1 1/2 cups frozen shelled edamame, thawed
For the tahini dressing
- 3 Tbsp. tahini thinned with a 2-3 tsp. warm water
- 3 Tbsp. rice vinegar
- 2 Tbsp. honey
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 Tbsp sesame oil
Instructions
For the cashews
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
- Place the cashews on a small baking sheet.
- Drizzle with the melted coconut oil and add the curry powder and curry paste. Season with salt.
- Roast for 8-10 minutes until golden. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.
For the tofu
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
- Drain and press the tofu. Cut the tofu into cubes and place in a bowl.
- Add the olive oil, tamari and garlic powder to a small bowl and whisk. Pour over the tofu and stir gently. Let the mixture sit for a few minutes until the liquid is absorbed by the tofu.
- Add the arrowroot starch to the tofu and gently toss to coat.
- Place tofu on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes, flipping halfway through, until golden and crisp. Turn the oven up to 450 for the final 5 minutes of baking for extra crispiness.
- Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.
For the salad
- Add the cabbage and kale to a large salad bowl and toss.
- Add the remaining vegetables.
- Once cooled, add the tofu and curry cashews.
- Top with the tahini dressing and toss to combine.
For the dressing
- Add all of the ingredients to a mason jar and fit tightly with a lid. Shake vigorously until ingredients are combined.