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Crispy Baked Tofu Salad with Lime Tahini Dressing

Tofu salad with lime tahini dressing is just one of the many mouthwatering ways you can make crispy baked tofu into a meal. Try it with cold noodles too!

To me, crispy baked tofu is like a splurge purchase. Let me explain.

Think about when you’re out shopping and a shirt catches your eye as you browse the racks.

crispy baked tofu salad with lime tahini dressing
Photo: Casey Barber

There’s something about it–maybe a strong but whimsical floral pattern, maybe a few sequins here or there, maybe a voluminous ruffle–that intrigues you. But you hesitate, wondering if it’s a one-time wear or if you can truly pull it off.

Then a salesperson swoops over, convincing you to try it on, promising, “it’s such a versatile piece, you’ll wear it with everything!”

And you look good in it, you really do. You decide to take the plunge. You fork over the card. And to your surprise, the salesperson was so right.

That sequined floral ruffled blouse really does go as well with a denim jacket as it does with your black kilt. You end up wearing it constantly, turning to it any time you need a little bit of a sartorial pick-me-up.

That’s how it is with crispy baked tofu. And I’m here to sell it to you, promising that you will eat it with everything.

crispy baked tofu salad with lime tahini dressing
Photo: Casey Barber

After a few rounds of making it and baking it, you’ll find new ways to pull it into your everyday dishes, those meals that are so regular that you don’t even really need a full recipe to make them.

While you can go the extra step and dress it up in tofu veggie dumplings, its practical applications are much less labor-intensive.

Like in this tofu salad with lime tahini dressing.

crispy baked tofu salad with lime tahini dressing
Photo: Casey Barber

It’s a main dish salad that gets gussied up with cubes of crispy baked tofu, crunchy peanuts and radishes, and a truly killer dressing that’s creamy, sweet, nutty, and tangy all at once.

When you want to feel a little more fancy than your usual grilled chicken over lettuce and veggies, or to break out of your tuna-and-balsamic rut, this is the salad that will get you there.

(It’s also excellent as a cold noodle salad variation, if you’re feeling that too. Versatile!)

When the weather’s hot and spicy, use your toaster oven to bake the tofu and the rest takes care of itself.

If it’s too hot to even think about turning on the toaster oven, you can also grill your tofu as instructed in this recipe for lemongrass tofu banh mi.

See what I mean? You’re already thinking of new ways to make this tofu salad a weekly thing, aren’t you?

crispy baked tofu salad

Crispy Baked Tofu Salad with Lime Tahini Dressing

Yield: 4 servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes

Tofu salad with lime tahini dressing is just one of the many mouthwatering ways you can make crispy baked tofu into a meal.

Ingredients

Lime Tahini Dressing

  • 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice (from 2-3 limes)
  • 1/4 cup (2 ounces; 57 grams) tahini
  • 2 tablespoons fish sauce
  • 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon maple sugar
  • 2 teaspoons finely grated ginger

Salad

  • 1 5-ounce package salad greens
  • 4 medium radishes, sliced paper-thin
  • 1 small carrot, julienned (or about 1/4 cup matchstick carrots)
  • 1 batch crispy baked tofu
  • 1/2 cup roasted, salted peanuts, roughly chopped
  • fresh cilantro leaves, for garnish
  • sesame seeds, for garnish

Instructions

Make the dressing:

  1. Whisk the lime juice, tahini, fish sauce, brown sugar, and maple sugar together until the sugar dissolves.
  2. Whisk in the ginger until blended.

Assemble the salad:

  1. Toss the greens, radishes, and carrots together in a large bowl with the dressing.
  2. Divide between 4 individual salad bowls. 
  3. Divide the tofu and peanuts evenly between the bowls. 
  4. Top each salad with cilantro leaves and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
  5. Serve immediately.

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