Black Pepper Tofu Quinoa Salad

⭐️ Why You Should Try This Recipe

• Easy & delicious. This tofu quinoa salad is super quick to prepare and versatile. It features plenty of crispy vegetables like carrots, red onions, and cucumbers, as well as sweet and peppery tofu slices!
• Protein-packed. With 21g of protein per serving, lots of fiber, and plenty of vegetables, this salad is healthy and hearty. Plus, it will keep you full for several hours!
• Great for meal prep. If you are looking for a salad that keeps well for a few days in the fridge, you are going to love this one! It stays fresh for up to 3 days in the refrigerator, so you can have leftovers for your work lunch.

🥕 Ingredient Notes

This salad is simple and requires basic ingredients. Here is what you will need:

• Tofu – Use semi-firm or firm tofu. You can easily replace the tofu with tempeh or seitan.
• Maple syrup – To help with the caramelization of the tofu. Feel free to use agave or your favorite liquid sweetener if you don’t have maple syrup.
• Soy sauce – For a balance of sweetness and saltiness.
• Quinoa – I went with regular quinoa, but you can use tricolor quinoa for more color!
• Vegetables – For the veggies, we have crunchy raw carrots, diced cucumber, red onion, and a handful of spinach. Again, you can omit or replace some of these vegetables with what you have in your fridge. Bell peppers, radishes, or corn would make great additions.
• Sun-dried tomatoes – Optional, but highly recommended! Sun-dried tomatoes add a natural sweetness and plenty of flavor to this salad. You can use store-bought or homemade sun-dried tomatoes.
• Baby spinach – For a vibrant green color and more nutrients. You can use kale or chopped lettuce as well.

For the herby and tangy dressing, you will need the following:

• Pesto – Make sure you are using vegan pesto, as regular pesto usually contains parmesan.
• Olive oil – For richness and a fruity aroma.
• Maple syrup and soy sauce – For sweetness and saltiness. If you don’t like the combination of sweet and salty, simply omit or reduce the amount of maple syrup.
• Lime juice – For a citrusy and sour flavor. If you want the salad a bit more citrusy, add lime zest as well!
• Garlic – Preferably fresh garlic.

It starts with the tofu that is brushed with a sweet and salty glaze. To prepare the tofu:

1. Make the glaze. In a small bowl, combine the maple syrup, soy sauce, oil, and ground black pepper.
2. Slice the tofu and brush it. Slice the tofu into bite-sized pieces and arrange them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Using a pastry brush, generously brush the tofu with the glaze.
3. Bake. Once the tofu is coated with the glaze, pop it in the oven for about 10 minutes or until browned on the edges.
4. Flip and bake again. Use a fork or spatula, carefully flip each slice of tofu and brush with the remaining glaze. Bake for another 5 minutes or until golden brown.
5. Let cool. Remove from the oven and let the tofu cool for at least 20 minutes.

🌿 How To Make Tofu and Quinoa Salad

While the tofu is baking, cook the quinoa, and prepare the vegetables and the dressing:

1. Cook the quinoa. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook the quinoa according to the package instructions. Drain and set aside.
2. Slice/grate the vegetables. Peel and grate the carrots, dice the red onions and cucumbers, and chop the sun-dried tomatoes.
3. Prepare the dressing. In a small bowl, combine the vegan pesto, lime juice, olive oil, maple syrup, minced garlic, and salt.
4. Assemble. Finally, add the quinoa to a large mixing bowl. Add the vegetables, baked tofu, and dressing. Toss to coat and taste to adjust the seasonings to your liking.

📔 Tips

• Use leftover quinoa. Instead of cooking quinoa specifically for this salad, you can use leftover quinoa! Not only will it be already cold, but it will also save you time.
• Add dried fruits or nuts. You can add some crunch and extra sweetness by adding nuts like walnuts, almonds, and cashews or dried fruits like raisins or chopped dates.
• Chill in the refrigerator. I recommend refrigerating the salad for at least 2 hours. This will allow flavors to merge and the salad to cool a bit.

🥗 More Healthy Salads

• Creamy Cucumber Salad with Miso Tempeh
• Deconstructed Falafel Pasta Salad
• Mint & Lemon Quinoa Salad!

Let me know in the comments if you try this recipe!