Caesar Tofu Salad Recipes

VEGAN CAESAR SALAD WITH CRISPY BAKED TOFU

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400F. Lightly grease a baking sheet.
• Cut tofu into 1-inch cubes; place in a medium bowl. Add oil, Italian seasoning, nutritional yeast, salt and pepper; toss to combine.
• Arrange tofu cubes in a single layer on the baking sheet. Bake for 30 minutes, flipping halfway through.
• In a blender or food processor, add all ingredients for the dressing. Blend until completely smooth.
• In a large bowl, add lettuce, tomatoes, baked tofu and Caesar dressing; toss to combine.
• Serve immediately. Store in the fridge for up to 4 days.

GLUTEN-FREE TOFU CAESAR SALADS

Steps:

• In blender, place Dressing ingredients. Cover; blend on high speed until thoroughly combined. Set aside.
• In 10-inch nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat until hot. Add firm tofu; cook 3 to 4 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Add salt; toss to coat. Remove from heat; cool slightly.
• Meanwhile, in large bowl, place lettuce and cucumber. Add 1 cup of the dressing; toss to coat.* Divide among 8 serving plates; top with firm tofu and Parmesan cheese. Serve immediately.

GREEN BEAN AND TOFU SALAD WITH PEANUT DRESSING

Steps:

• Bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil. Meanwhile, stir the peanut butter, hoisin, lime juice, sugar and red-pepper flakes in a large bowl. Add 2 tablespoons boiling water from the saucepan to the peanut dressing and stir well. The dressing should be runny but still thick. If needed, stir in another tablespoon boiling water.
• Add the green beans to the boiling water and cook until brighter in color and just tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Drain well, rinse under cold water until cool, then drain again. Transfer the green beans and tofu to the peanut dressing and stir gently until evenly coated. Season to taste with salt, then sprinkle with more red-pepper flakes. Serve immediately or refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 2 days.

TOFU SALAD

Steps:

• Blot tofu dry. Wrap in a clean kitchen towel; place on a plate and refrigerate at least 1 hour. In a large shallow dish, whisk vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, sriracha, peanut butter and ginger until smooth. Add tofu; turn to coat. Cover and refrigerate 3-5 hours, turning occasionally. Drain tofu reserving marinade; pat dry. In a large skillet, heat canola oil over medium-high heat. Add tofu; cook until crisp and golden brown, 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from pan; drain on paper towels. In a large bowl, combine romaine, carrots, avocado, tomatoes, onion and tofu. Pour reserved marinade over salad; toss to coat. Sprinkle with sesame seeds. Serve immediately.

TOFU CAESAR DRESSING

Steps:

• In a blender or food processor combine tofu, lemon zest and juice, garlic, water, Worcestershire sauce, Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper. Puree until smooth. If the consistency is too thick, add more water.

RADICCHIO CAESAR SALAD

Steps:

• Prepare the bread crumbs: Add all of the anchovy oil from the tin (about 2 tablespoons) to a large skillet. Transfer the anchovies from their tin to a cutting board, draining them well. Finely chop 2 anchovies and add to the skillet, then turn the heat to medium-high. Cook the anchovies, stirring occasionally, until they start to sizzle, about 1 minute. Stir in the bread crumbs and cook, stirring constantly, until golden and toasted, 5 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate.
• Make the dressing: Set aside 4 anchovies (for garnish later) and finely chop the rest (there should be about 6). Add the chopped anchovies to a large bowl, along with the garlic, olive oil, mayonnaise, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce and Parmesan. Season generously with pepper and whisk to combine.
• Dress the salad: Add the radicchio leaves to the dressing and toss. The salad should be lightly dressed, not thickly caked. Taste for acidity, adjusting with more lemon juice if your radicchio is especially bitter. Transfer to a large plate, piling the leaves high. Top with a final grating of Parmesan and the bread crumbs, and garnish with the remaining anchovies. Serve immediately.

CAESAR SALAD WITH TOFU CROUTONS

Steps:

• To make the Tofu Croutons, preheat the oven to 450°. Cut the tofu into 1-inch cubes and place them in a single layer in an oiled baking dish. In a small bowl, mix the oil, soy sauce, sage, fennel, red pepper, and garlic. Pour this marinade over the tofu and stir well. Bake until the edges of the tofu are crisp and most of the liquid has evaporated, about 25 minutes. Stir the tofu once or twice during baking.
• Meanwhile, rinse and dry the lettuce leaves. Slice or tear them into bite-sized pieces and place in a large salad bowl. Prepare the Caesar Dressing.
• Just before serving, toss the lettuce with some of the dressing. Pass the Tofu Croutons, grated cheese, and more dressing at the table.
• Serving & menu ideas
• Serve with a crusty baguette and sweet butter. On a night when a soup and salad supper would hit the spot, heat up some Creamy Onion Soup with Sherry (page 132).