Sesame tofu salad with satay dressing

A vegan lunch dish that is great for summer

Sesame tofu salad with satay dressing is a vibrant vegan salad that is perfect for lunch or dinner.

Firm tofu marinates in garlic, ginger and soy sauce before being sprinkled with sesame seeds. It is then fried until crisp then combined with crunchy raw vegetables. A creamy, spicy satay dressing is then mixed into the salad just before serving.

This vegetable salad is a lighter lunch/dinner option to enjoy during the warmer summer months.

Indonesian-style vegetable salad

This recipe is inspired by the flavours of gado-gado – an Indonesian vegetable salad that traditionally consists of lightly cooked vegetables, tofu, potatoes, hard-boiled eggs and a peanut sauce.

My version doesn’t contain eggs or potato but feel free to add both if you like (but please note the recipe would then not be vegan due to the eggs).

Sesame tofu salad with satay dressing is full of vitamin-rich raw vegetables:

• Zucchini
• Capsicum
• Carrot
• Spring onion
• Red cabbage
• Sweetcorn

The tofu, sesame seeds and peanut butter provide protein and the end result is a filling and nutritious salad.

You should make sesame tofu salad because it is:

• A healthier lunch option that is full of fresh vegetables.
• Seasonal: capsicums and zucchinis are now in season (summer).
• Vegan: a delicious dairy-free and meat-free salad.
• Budget-friendly: inexpensive seasonal veggies are the main elements of this recipe.
• Quick and easy to prepare. Raw vegetables are at the heart of this dish.

Sesame tofu salad’s main ingredients:

• Tofu
• Sesame seeds
• Peanut butter
• Zucchini, carrot, capsicum, red cabbage

Tips for busy cooks

Make the marinade in advance and marinate the tofu in the fridge overnight until needed.

This recipe would also work well with store-bought flavoured tofu if you don’t have time to marinate plain tofu.

You could buy a pre-prepared bag of spiralized or shredded vegetables instead of spiralizing your own veggies.

Serving suggestions:

1. Healthier lunch: enjoy a bowl of tofu salad for your midday meal.
2. Light dinner: perfect for an evening meal on a warm summer’s evening.

A colourful summer salad with crispy tofu

Sesame tofu salad with satay dressing is a flavourful salad that is ideal for vegans and vegetarians.

Full of seasonal veggies, tofu and Southeast Asian flavours, this vegetable salad is lovely to eat during summer.

Did you enjoy this salad for lunch or for a light dinner?

Let me know by leaving a comment and a recipe rating below – I’d love to hear from you.

Have you made this recipe? Tag @vegcoastcook on Instagram or use the hashtag #vegcoastcook so that I can see!

Looking for another tasty vegan dish? Try this recipe next: vegan arancini with zucchini hummus

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Sesame tofu salad with satay dressing

Sesame tofu salad with satay dressing is a vibrant vegan salad that is perfect for lunch or dinner. Crunchy veggies, crispy tofu and a spicy satay dressing.

Meal Type Dinner, Lunch, Salad

Cuisine Southeast Asia-Inspired

Keyword Dairy-Free, Tofu salad, Vegan, Vegetarian

Marinate tofu 30 minutes

Total Time 20 minutes

Servings 4 people

Author Veg Coast Cook

Ingredients

Sesame tofu

• 2 tbsp soy sauce reduced salt
• 1 garlic clove peeled & crushed
• 20 g fresh ginger finely grated
• 250 g firm tofu cut into cubes
• 40 g sesame seeds
• 2 tsp peanut oil

Satay dressing

• 3 tbsp peanut butter
• 200 ml light coconut milk
• 2 tbsp fresh lime juice
• 1 small red chilli stalk removed, deseeded & finely chopped

Salad vegetables

• 200 g zucchini spiralized or shredded
• 150 g carrot spiralized or shredded
• 50 g red capsicum stalk removed, deseeded & sliced
• 50 g green capsicum stalk removed, deseeded & sliced
• 30 g spring onion roots & top removed, sliced diagonally
• 100 g red cabbage roughly chopped
• 100 g sweetcorn kernels

Garnish

• Lime zest
• Fresh coriander leaves

Instructions

1. In a medium-sized bowl, mix soy sauce, garlic and ginger together with a fork. Add tofu and mix until evenly coated with marinade. Cover bowl and marinate in fridge for 30 minutes.

2. Once marinated, drain tofu through a sieve with a bowl beneath it. Reserve marinade liquid for later.
3. Transfer drained tofu to a large bowl and sprinkle in sesame seeds. Mix until tofu is evenly coated with sesame seeds.

4. Heat peanut oil in a large non-stick frying pan on a medium heat. Make sure you don’t heat the oil up too high as the sesame seeds will spit when you add them. Add sesame-coated tofu and fry for 5 minutes (turning the tofu to fry all sides). Remove frying pan from heat.

5. Satay dressing: using a food processor or stick blender, mix together the leftover marinade liquid and the satay dressing ingredients until nearly smooth.
6. Mix cooked tofu and salad vegetables together in a large bowl.
7. To serve using a deep soup bowl per person: pour a small amount of satay dressing into the bowl and swirl it around so it comes up the sides of the bowl. Add tofu and salad vegetables. Garnish with lime zest and coriander leaves. Mix salad with dressing just before eating. Serve cold.

Made this recipe? Tag @vegcoastcook on Instagram or use the hashtag #vegcoastcook