Fried tofu salad with sweet-tart pieces of fresh strawberry is such an easy spring or summer meal! You're going to be seriously obsessed with this crispy tofu salad!
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Crispy tofu is definitely the star of this strawberry dinner salad. I just love the contrast of fried tofu to the fresh greens and strawberries plus creamy avocado and the strawberry salad dressing.
It's an easy weeknight meal that you can enjoy all spring and summer long!
Ingredients and substitutions
- tofu marinade - Soy sauce, rice vinegar, and garlic powder are the simple marinade for your tofu.
- tofu - Pressed, extra firm tofu is key to this recipe. Don't skip pressing!
- cornstarch - Helps the breading stick to the tofu. You can use potato starch or tapioca starch instead.
- flour and spices - This is the breading! White, wheat, and white wheat are all fine to use here. You can use rice flour instead for gluten-free.
- lettuce - This is the bed for your fried tofu salad! I like crunchy romaine best in this recipe, but feel free to use whatever lettuce or salad greens are seasonal where you are.
- avocado - This adds a creaminess that I just love! You can omit the avocado or substitute with nuts, like pecans or walnuts, instead.
- strawberries - Sweet-tart strawberries bring so much vibrance to this crispy tofu salad! They're also the base for the dressing.
- green onion - I love the crunch and umami that onion brings to a salad. You can use minced red or sweet onion instead, if you'd like.
- agave nectar - Enhances the sweetness of the strawberries in the dressing. You can use maple syrup instead, if you like.
- apple cider vinegar - This brings tartness to the dressing.
- sunflower oil - For frying the tofu and for the dressing. You can use other neutral oil instead, like avocado or canola oil.
- fresh basil - Brings an herbal element to the dressing that's just lovely.
How to make fried tofu salad
First, make the crispy tofu.
In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, vinegar, and ½ teaspoon of garlic powder. Pour over the tofu pieces in a shallow dish, then set aside to marinate for 15 to 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, prep your other salad ingredients and mix together the flour, salt, remaining garlic powder, and onion powder in a small bowl or mug.
Transfer the tofu to a large bowl, discarding any extra marinade. Add the cornstarch to the bowl, and toss together until the tofu is well coated. Then, add the flour mixture to the same bowl, tossing to coat evenly again.
Heat ¼ cup of oil in a large, nonstick skillet on medium-high heat, making sure that the pan is hot before adding the tofu. To check, wet your fingers under the tap, and flick a few drops of water into the oil. If it sizzles off immediately, the pan is ready.
Add the tofu to the pan, one piece at a time, making sure that the pieces don’t overlap.
Cook the tofu for seven to eight minutes, until you can see that the bottoms have turned golden brown. Use a spatula to flip the cubes over, and cook for another six to seven minutes, so they’re browned on the other side.
Transfer the crispy tofu to a plate lined with paper towels or a clean cloth napkin to drain for a few minutes.
To make the dressing, combine all of the dressing ingredients in your blender or food processor, and puree until smooth.
Now, assemble the salad!
Divide the romaine between your bowls, and top each salad with the tofu, avocado, strawberries, and green onion. You can either add the dressing now, or put it on the table, so everyone can dress their own salads.
Helpful tips
- Don't skip pressing the tofu! It gives you such a great, toothsome texture and prepares the tofu to drink in the simple marinade.
- Use a nonstick pan, if possible, to fry the tofu. I've tested this a cast iron skillet, and the results aren't as good, unless you want to use a lot more oil. Double the oil for a regular frying pan.
- Do place the tofu pieces into the pan one at a time, not by dumping them in. You need to space them out, or they'll stick to each other.
- Don't touch the tofu in the pan until the pieces are ready to flip! You need to let the breading come together, or it will come off when you try to flip the pieces over.
- I do not recommend olive oil for the dressing. I know that olive oil is more heart healthy, but putting olive oil in the blender can bring out an unpleasant, bitter flavor.
Storage directions
Store leftover tofu, dressing, and salad ingredients separately.
Leftover crispy tofu will keep for three to four days, and the dressing will keep for up to a week.
The other salad ingredients will only keep for a couple of days, so I recommend only prepping as much as you'll need.
To reheat the tofu, warm it in a 350° F oven or toaster oven for seven to 10 minutes or in the frying pan. Do not microwave, because the tofu will become mushy.
Frequently asked questions
Chances are, your pan wasn't hot enough when you put it in. The pan is ready when you can add a few drops of water, and they immediately sizzle off.
It could also be that you didn't press your tofu enough. Tofu holds onto water, which can make the breading go soggy.
You can, but it will get less crispy as it sits. It will still taste good, it will just have a slightly different texture.
More crispy tofu recipes
📖 Recipe
Crispy Fried Tofu Salad Recipe
Ingredients
For the crispy tofu
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce - low-sodium is OK
- 1 teaspoon rice vinegar
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 block extra firm tofu - pressed and sliced into 24 "fingers"
- ¼ cup flour - white, wheat, or white wheat are all fine
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch - or potato starch
- ¼ cup sunflower oil
For the strawberry-basil vinaigrette
- 1 cup strawberries - stems removed
- 2 tablespoons agave nectar
- ⅓ cup apple cider vinegar
- ⅓ cup sunflower oil
- ¼ cup basil leaves
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
For the salad
- 6 cups chopped romaine lettuce
- 1 Haas avocado - chopped
- ½ cup strawberries - sliced
- ¼ cup chopped green onion - Both white and green parts is fine.
Instructions
Make the crispy tofu
- In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, vinegar, and ½ teaspoon of garlic powder. Pour over the tofu pieces in a shallow dish, then set aside to marinate for 15-30 minutes.
- While the tofu marinates, mix together the flour, salt, remaining garlic powder, and onion powder in a small bowl or mug. You can also prep the salad veggies and the dressing now.
- Transfer the tofu to a large bowl, discarding any extra marinade. Add the cornstarch to the bowl, and toss together until the tofu is well coated. Then, add the flour mixture to the same bowl, tossing to coat evenly again.
- Heat the oil in a large, nonstick skillet on medium-high heat, making sure that the pan is hot before adding the tofu. To check, wet your fingers under the tap, and flick a few drops of water into the oil. If it sizzles off immediately, the pan is ready. Add the tofu to the pan, one piece at a time, making sure that the pieces don’t overlap.
- Cook the tofu for 7-8 minutes, until you can see that the bottoms have turned golden brown. Use a spatula to flip the cubes over, and cook for another 6-7 minutes, so they’re browned on the other side. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels or a clean cloth napkin to drain for a few minutes.
Make the dressing
- Combine all of the dressing ingredients in your blender or food processor, and puree until smooth.
Assemble the salad
- Divide the romaine between your bowls, and top each salad with the tofu, avocado, strawberries, and green onion. You can either add the dressing now, or put it on the table, so everyone can dress their own salads.
Mimi
Is the calorie info for the whole recipe? I have noticed that cooking blogs never mention what the portion size for the recipe is, it's very confusing ?
Becky Striepe
The calorie information is for one serving. This is a 4-serving recipe. I always put the number of servings in the recipe card, so hopefully that is helpful for you! :)