Description
This flavourful tofu vermicelli salad is perfect for a light and refreshing meal any night of the week.
Ingredients
For the Tofu
- 1 350 g package extra-firm tofu
- 3 tbsp reduced-sodium soy sauce
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- salt and pepper
For the Dressing
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 2 tbsp water
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 jalapeno, de-seeded and minced (approx. 3 tbsp, or more for extra heat)
- 1 tbsp sambal oelek or chili garlic paste
- 5 tbsp reduced-sodium soy sauce
- 2 tbsp lime juice
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
For the Salad
- 1 small head napa cabbage or iceberg lettuce, chopped (or a mix)
- 2 cups grated carrot
- 1/2 cup finely chopped cilantro
- 1/2 cup thinly sliced scallion
- 7 oz. rice vermicelli noodles (approx. 200 g)
For Serving
- 1/2 cucumber, cut in half lengthwise then sliced
- 1/2 cup chopped cashews or peanuts or a mixture of both (2 tbsp per serving)
- fresh mint and/or Thai basil, optional
Instructions
- Press the Tofu: Start by pressing the tofu. Use a tofu press or fold a dish cloth over the block of tofu and place a heavy object on it. If you’re not using tofu, skip this step and use any other protein cooked to your preference. You can also leave the protein off all together and just make the noodles, dressing and salad.
- Marinate Tofu: Slice the tofu into thin rectangles then toss with the tofu ingredients. Set aside while you preheat the oven to 400 F and prepare the dressing.
- Prepare Dressing: Add all of the dressing ingredients to a container and mix well. Set aside.
- Bake Tofu: When the oven is fully preheated, place the tofu on a parchment-paper lined baking pan, allowing space between each piece, and bake for 30 minutes.
- Prepare Salad: While the tofu is baking, chop up the salad ingredients and mix together in a large mixing bowl. Divide the mixed salad between 4 plates.
- Make Noodles: Cook the rice vermicelli noodles according to package instructions. When they’re ready, rinse them thoroughly under cold water until they’re cooled then separate into smaller clump with your hands and divide them between the 4 servings. To make it easier to eat, consider cutting the noodles up before or after adding to the salad (I just cut then up a bit right on top of the salad before eating).
- Add Tofu: When the tofu is ready, divide it between the salads.
- Serve: Top each salad with a few slices of cucumber and a sprinkle of peanuts and/or cashews and serve immediately. For even more flavour, serve each salad with a sprig of fresh mint and/or Thai basil and a wedge of lime. Spoon the dressing over each serving until you’ve used it all up. If you’re storing the salads for later, store the dressing separately and add just before serving.
Notes
Noodle amount doesn’t have to be exact so feel free to use the serving size on your packaging to determine how many to use for 4 servings.
The tofu is optional and can be swapped for another other protein or omitted.
For convenience, you can use a bag of coleslaw mix to replace the cabbage/lettuce and carrot.
Nutrition facts include entire recipe (tofu, nuts, etc.). For a lower-calorie/low-fat salad, omit the nuts.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1
- Calories: 516
- Sugar: 25 g
- Sodium: 1015 mg
- Fat: 13 g
- Carbohydrates: 82 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 19 g