Crispy Tofu Salad with Creamy Tahini Dressing

Name: Crispy Tofu Salad with Tahini Dressing
Prep time: 35 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 60 min
Ingredients: 1 block tofu ((12 ounces)); 1 package spinach ((5 ounces)); 4 small radishes; 1 medium carrot ((or 2 small carrots)); 1 ripe avocado; ⅓ cup green peas; 2 Tbsp sesame seeds; 2 Tbsp soy sauce; 2 Tbsp olive oil; 1 tsp honey; ½ tsp black pepper; ½ tsp paprika; salt (to taste); 3 Tbsp tahini; 1 Tbsp lemon juice; 1 Tbsp olive oil; 2 tsp honey; 2 Tbsp water; 1 clove garlic; ⅓ tsp black pepper; 1 tsp salt

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Crispy Tofu Salad with a creamy tahini dressing makes this salad a new favorite for vegans and vegetarians. It’s one of my favorite tofu recipes that I’m happy to finally share with you!

a white plate with tofu salad and a fork.

If you tried the baked feta cheese trend, this baked tofu shouldn’t be a problem, it actually can be a solution for vegans. Trying out tofu combined with spices and soy sauce is a great way to try out the new trends. All without compromising your diet or lifestyle! While the feta cheese may have turned out soft, this crispy baked tofu makes the best kind of meal: a crunchy and flavorful one!

Table of Contents

Tofu is so easy to work with in the kitchen.

Tofu is one of the easiest and most versatile ingredients to cook. You don’t have to check its internal temperature for bacteria or take any special preparation measures. All you get to do is to add the flavor that you’d like to taste in it and then take care of cooking it however you’d like!

Add garlic, pair it with Brussels sprouts, or make a rice noodles and tofu dish, fried tofu, marinated tofu. Any flavor combination you like pairs well as a great protein option with fresh vegetables.

Making tofu in the air fryer is also a great option along with baking. It makes a good option to enjoy with other side dishes as well, if you’re making a different recipe.

tofu salad on two white plates with peas olive oil and other ingredients scattered around

What is tahini?

This power bowl salad has the most flavorful tahini sauce dressing. If you like to make hummus, you’ll be familiar with this ingredient. It’s commonly used to add in so much flavor to recipes. Tahini itself is made of ground sesame seeds so it’s a sesame butter paste. Essentially, this tahini dressing is a flavorful sesame dressing!

What is in the salad portion of this recipe?

This salad does not lack in benefits! It gives you iron-rich spinach, radishes, vitamin A-filled carrot, and avocado rich in healthy fats. These are just a few that I’ve mentioned.

The crunchy veggies just add more pleasing textures to this salad, especially with the smooth tahini dressing. This is a good recipe to add to your meal rotation and into your grocery shopping list, too. This main dish salad is so rich in benefits, you’ll be blown away.

Key Ingredients

Tofu salad ingredients tofu, radishes, carrots, sesame seeds, green peas, spices, olive oil, soy sauce, avocado, honey, spinach, lemon, garlic, salt, water, and tahini.

Tofu of course! You’ll need to bake it for this crispy tofu bowl.

Tahini dressing has simple on-hand ingredients that are easy to put together or find in the grocery store.

Spinach is rich in iron.

Radishes are rich in calcium and vitamin C.

Carrots are rich in vitamin A and support eye health.

Avocados are rich in healthy fats and make meal prep fun. I love adding creamy avocados to my buddha bowls!

Green peas are rich in vitamin E and zinc.

Sesame seeds add the cherry on top to this salad. You’ll need a quick sprinkle of a single layer and you’ll be good to go. I love sesame seeds, they are perfect for simple salads.

Find the full printable recipe with specific measurements below.

How to make a Crispy Tofu Salad with Sesame Dressing

Step 1: Prep the tofu

Drain the tofu with a paper towel and cut it into small cubes.

Chopped tofu on a cutting board with a knife.

Step 2: Make the marinade

Mix all the ingredients for marinade – olive oil, soy sauce, honey, paprika, salt and pepper.

Soy sauce mix for tofu in a white bowl with a spoon.

Step 3: Marinate the tofu

Place tofu into a bowl and pour the marinade over it. Gently stir. Let the tofu marinate for about 30 minutes.

Chopped and marinated tofu squares in a clear bowl.

Step 4: Prepare to bake

Spread the tofu cubes in a baking sheet, covered with parchment paper. Arrange in an even layer. Preheat the oven to 400F.

Step 5: Bake the tofu

Bake the tofu for about 20-25 minutes until it turns golden brown and crispy.

Steps 6 & 7: Prepare the salad ingredients

Shred the carrots.

Slice radishes and dice avocado (sprinkle avocado with lemon juice to keeps It from browning).

Chopped avocado and radishes on a cutting board with a knife on the side.

Step 8: Tahini Dressing

Combine tahini, lemon juice, olive oil, honey, water, garlic, black pepper, and salt.

Creamy tahini dressing in a bowl with a spoon.

Arrange the Salad

Steps 1 & 2: Arrange and dress the salad

Place spinach on a serving plate.

Spread all the veggies over spinach. Sprinkle with tahini dressing.

A white plate with chopped salad ingredients on it.

Step 3: Top with tofu and garnishes

Top it with baked tofu and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Add more dressing on top. Enjoy!

Crispy tofu atop a bed of chopped veggies on a white plate.

Expert Tips:

Adjust the water quantity in the tahini dressing to achieve the desired consistency, whether for drizzling or tossing.
Achieve a firmer texture in tofu by pressing it before marinating, extracting excess water for better absorption of flavors.
You don’t want it to have excess water from the package. You’ll need to press tofu to get the excess water out with paper towels. Having less water in your tofu pieces helps for them to turn out crunchy.
Use the creamy dressing for more salad recipes! Keep them vegan or vegetarian with a tahini dressing that stores well in the refrigerator.
Use the leftovers for other dishes because tofu is versatile! Serve it with veggies, in a stir fry, in a noodle dish, with scrambled eggs, etc.
Make it in the air fryer! This recipe walks you through baking your tofu, but you could always pop it in the air fryer as well.

Recipe FAQs

Can I prepare the tofu a day in advance?

Yes, marinate and bake the tofu in advance. Store it in an airtight container until ready to assemble the salad.

What other vegetables can I add to this salad?

Experiment with additional veggies like cherry tomatoes, bell peppers, or cucumber for added freshness and color.

What does tahini taste like?

It tastes a bit earthy because it’s made from ground sesame seeds. Once it’s mixed into the dressing, however, it’ll be a bit sweet and super creamy!

A plate of tofu salad with marinated baked tofu blocks atop a bed of veggies.

More Salad Recipes To Try

Try this classic olivier salad, which is also known as Russian Potato Salad. It’s uniquely delicious!
This fresh quinoa salad is full of protein and healthy fats, then topped with a simple vinaigrette.
This simple bean salad is a great way to get protein in a vegetable-based diet!
This healthy cobb salad is so packed with nourishment that you certainly won’t be left wanting.
Avocado chickpea salad makes the perfect side dish or quick and healthy lunch!

More avocado recipes

If you tried these Crispy Tofu Salad with Tahini Dressing or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how you enjoyed it in the📝 comments below. I love hearing from you!