Creamy gochujang salad dressing is a dream poured over fresh lettuce and mint with crunchy, fresh veggies! Add your favorite protein to make it a meal.
Mix together the oils and the teaspoon of soy sauce, then toss well with the tofu in a large bowl. In a small bowl, mix together the cornstarch, salt, black pepper, and garlic powder, then toss the tofu in the cornstarch mixture, coating well.
Air fryer directions: Arrange the tofu in your air fryer basket, spreading it out as much as possible. Air fry at 375° F for 10 minutes, then shake the basket well and air fry for 5 to 10 more minutes, or until the tofu turns a beautiful, crispy, golden brown.
Stovetop directions: Heat 2 tablespoons of toasted sesame oil and 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large 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, making sure that the pieces don’t overlap. Cook the tofu for 6 to 7 minutes, until you can see that the bottoms are golden brown. Use a spatula to flip, and cook for another 6 to 7 minutes, so it browns on the other side. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels or a clean cloth napkin to drain until you're ready to use.
Make the salad dressing and prep the veggies while the tofu cooks.
Combine all of the ingredients in your blender, and blend until you have a nice, smooth dressing. Add more water by the teaspoon, as needed, to reach your desired consistency.
Some tahini can have a more bitter flavor that comes through in the dressing. If your dressing tastes bitter, add a tablespoon or so of maple syrup to balance it out. Blend and taste again.
Assemble the salad
Divide the veggies between your bowls and top with the tofu and dressing and a sprinkle of fresh mint. You can also sprinkle on some sesame seeds, if you like.
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Notes
Nutritional information uses half of the salad dressing, since you'll likely only use that much. You really can't make a smaller batch, because your blender could have trouble blending such a small amount.If you are using garlic powder, you can make the dressing with a whisk in a bowl instead of in the blender.If you can't find tahini, use almond butter instead! The flavor profile will be slightly different, and you may need more water.If you have leftovers, I recommend storing the tofu, gochujang dressing, and veggies in separate containers. That way, you can heat up the tofu, and the dressing won't wilt the veggies.Gochujang salad dressing will keep for up to a week in the refrigerator. The tofu will keep for three to four days in the refrigerator. Store it separately, and heat it back up in the air fryer, oven, or toaster oven, so it gets crispy again. The cut veggies will keep separately from the tofu and dressing for two to three days.