This Thai salad with peanut dressing is super easy to throw together, and great for feeding a crowd or weekend salad meal prep! The peanut dressing comes together quick, too, and packs tons of flavor.
1block(14 oz) Extra Firm Tofu, drained, pressed, and sliced
1tablespoonToasted Sesame Oil
1tablespoonLow Sodium Soy Sauce
2teaspoonRice Vinegar
1teaspoonCrushed Red Pepper,or to taste
For the Salad
3cupsshredded Napa Cabbage
3cupsshredded Red Cabbage
2large Carrots,shredded or julienne
1Red Bell Pepper,sliced thin
5Green Onions,sliced (both white and green parts)
½cupCilantro,chopped
¼cupMint,chopped
½cupchopped Peanuts
For the Peanut Dressing
⅓cupNatural Peanut Butter
2tablespoonLime Juice
2tablespoonHoney(or Maple syrup)
2tablespoonRice Vinegar
1tablespoonLow Sodium Soy Sauce
2teaspoonToasted Sesame Oil
1inchcube Fresh Gingerchopped or grated
1cloveGarlicminced
Warm water to thin dressing
Instructions
For the Tofu:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Make the Baked Tofu by adding the first 4 ingredients in a small bowl. Whisk to combine.
Arrange tofu slices in a 9×12 baking dish, and pour sauce over the slices. Flip slices once to coat.
Bake for 25 minutes, until edges of tofu begin to brown.
Remove from oven, and allow to cool.
For the Salad:
In a large bowl, toss all the salad ingredients together, except chopped peanuts. Reserve those for garnishing at the end.
For the Peanut Dressing:
Add all the dressing ingredients to a small blender or food processor, and blend on high until smooth.
If the dressing is too thick, add warm water, 1 tablespoon at a time until it reaches a consistency you like. (I had to add 1 tablespoon to mine)
To assemble:
Divide the salad among 5 bowls or meal prep containers.
Top each of the 5 salads with equal amount of tofu, and sprinkle with the reserved peanuts.
For the dressing, you can either divide it among 5 small dressing cups for transport, or pour an equal amount on each of the salads. The salad is robust enough to have the dressing on it for a few days without becoming soggy.
Garnish with extra mint leaves, cilantro, and/or slices of lime, as desired.
Notes
Tip: Make this recipe lightening fast by using 7 cups of bagged coleslaw mix (without dressing) instead of the napa cabbage, red cabbage, and carrots.