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    Home » Recipes » Vegan Salad Recipes

    Silken Tofu Salad

    By: Amy Katz · Published: Apr 12, 2018 · Last modified: Apr 22, 2022 · This post may contain affiliate links. · As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

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    Special diet: gluten-free, nut-free, vegan
    Collage of 4 images of Silken Tofu Salad and the ingredients needed to make it,.

    Silken Tofu Salad is a delicious combination of tofu, tomatoes, cucumber, and avocado with a light flavorful dressing. This Japanese-style tofu salad is perfect as a nutritious lunch or as a starter with other Asian-inspired dishes.

    Plate of Silken Tofu Salad with blue napkin and wooden chopsticks.

    I first tried a silken tofu salad at a Japanese restaurant which offered it as a vegan option. Not only did I enjoy it, I realized I could easily make it at home with only a few ingredients.

    Jump to:
    • Why you'll love this recipe
    • Ingredients
    • Instructions
    • Serving suggestions
    • Storing
    • FAQ
    • More salads featuring tofu
    • 📋 Recipe

    Why you'll love this recipe

    • You can make it in 15 minutes with only 7 ingredients.
    • You don't need to cook the tofu since it's served cold, straight from the box.
    • It's light and refreshing, making it perfect as a warm-weather meal.

    Ingredients

    Labeled ingredients needed to make this recipe.

    For the complete list of ingredients with measurements plus recipe instructions, please see the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

    Silken tofu comes in different textures: soft, firm, and extra firm. Besides salads, it's also used in recipes for sauces, desserts, and silken tofu scramble.

    For this easy tofu salad recipe, you can choose whichever texture you prefer. I usually use firm or extra firm because it’s easier to cube, but this is purely for aesthetics rather than taste.

    When you open the box to remove the tofu, don't worry if some of the tofu has crumbled. It will still taste delicious even if it's not cut into perfect cubes.

    Ume plum vinegar (also known as umeboshi vinegar), is tangy and salty, and a little bit goes a long way. Please note that if you are on a low-sodium diet, you can substitute rice wine vinegar in place of the ume plum vinegar.

    Eden Ume Plum Vinegar

    • Made from picked ume plums and shiso leaves.
    • Adds tangy, salty flavor to dressings and marinades, greens, vegetables, and pickles.
    • Naturally fermented and gluten-free.
    Buy from Amazon

    Instructions

    This salad is easy to make in minutes. All you need to do is combine the cubed tofu with cherry or grape tomatoes, cucumber, and avocado.

    Then the simple two-ingredient dressing is drizzled on top, along with a sprinkle of toasted sesame seeds.

    Serving suggestions

    Close up of sliced cucumbers, quartered cherry tomatoes, chunks of avocado, and cubes of tofu topped with toasted sesame seeds next to wooden chopsticks.

    This recipe makes one serving as a meal. Or you can divide it up and serve it as a refreshing starter.

    It goes well with other Asian-inspired dishes such as Coconut Jasmine Rice and Marinated Asparagus Spears.

    And even though Silken Tofu Salad features Japanese ingredients and flavors, it’s a wonderful choice as part of a plant-based Mediterranean diet. After all, tofu is made from crushed soybeans, and beans are a staple of the Mediterranean diet.

    Storing

    This salad is best enjoyed right away. While you can store the leftovers in the refrigerator for a few days, it will get rather soggy and won't taste nearly as fresh, so I don't recommend it.

    FAQ

    What is silken tofu?

    If you've ever eaten miso soup, the little cubes of tofu floating in the soup are usually silken tofu. It's creamy with a custard-like texture. Unlike regular tofu, it hasn't had any water pressed out.

    Where can I buy silken tofu?

    Silken tofu is typically sold in shelf-stable aseptic boxes. Look for them in the Asian foods section of major supermarkets, at Asian markets, and online. The hermetically sealed boxes keep the tofu protected from spoiling. And they will last unopened in your pantry for a whole year.

    Can I substitute regular tofu for silken tofu?

    If you can't find silken tofu, you can use soft tofu in its place for many recipes like salads, sauces, and desserts.

    More salads featuring tofu

    • Bowl of salad on a gray and white napkin
      Tomato Basil Cucumber Salad with Tofu Feta
    • Bowl of Mediterranean Vegan Orzo Salad next to blue and white napkin.
      Mediterranean Vegan Orzo Salad
    • Overhead of millet salad with tofu feta, tomatoes, cucumbers, red onions, and Kalamata olives.
      Vegan Greek Millet Salad
    • Jar of Vegan Greek Dressing.
      Vegan Greek Dressing

    And for even more recipes, join the Vegan Mediterranean Diet Recipes Facebook group for support, inspiration, and fun.

    If you love this recipe, please give it 5 stars! ★★★★★

    📋 Recipe

    Plate of tofu salad with wooden chopsticks.

    Silken Tofu Salad

    Japanese-inspired Silken Tofu Salad is a delicious combination of tofu, tomatoes, cucumber, and avocado in a light and flavorful dressing.
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Pin SaveSaved! Rate Text recipe + ingredient list Email recipe + ingredient list
    Special diet: gluten-free, nut-free, vegan
    Course: Appetizer, Salad
    Cuisine: Asian, Fusion, Japanese
    Prep Time: 15 minutes
    Total Time: 15 minutes
    Servings: 1
    Calories: 283kcal
    Author: Amy Katz

    Ingredients

    • 1 Tablespoon ume plum vinegar, (umeboshi vinegar)
    • 1 Tablespoon sesame oil
    • 1 box Mori-Nu Silken Tofu , (12.3 ounces) cubed (Soft, firm, or extra-firm can be used.)
    • ½ cup cherry or grape tomatoes, quartered
    • ½ cup cucumber, (Persian or English, if available) sliced
    • ½ cup avocado, cubed
    • 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds
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    Instructions

    • In a small bowl, whisk together the ume plum vinegar and sesame oil to form the dressing.
    • Arrange the silken tofu cubes, tomatoes, cucumber, and avocado on a serving plate or in a bowl.
    • Drizzle the dressing over the salad.
    • Top with the toasted sesame seeds and serve.

    Notes

    This salad serves one as a main course or four as a starter. It's best enjoyed immediately.
     
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    Nutrition

    Calories: 283kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 8g | Monounsaturated Fat: 13g | Sodium: 3120mg | Potassium: 681mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 522IU | Vitamin C: 27mg | Calcium: 46mg | Iron: 1mg

    Nutritional information is an estimation only.

    More Vegan Salad Recipes

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      Vegan Greek Salad
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      4 Ingredient Vegan Tofu Feta
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    About Amy

    Amy Katz is a vegan recipe developer, photographer, and Certified Vegan Nutrition Health Coach. She loves sharing delicious plant-based Mediterranean diet recipes that home cooks of all levels can enjoy. Her easy vegan recipes have been featured on HuffPost, LIVESTRONG, Healthline, Parade, VegNews, BuzzFeed, MSN, Greatist, Country Living, Insider, Brit+Co, Well+Good, and more. She lives in Orange County, California with the love of her life, Brad, and their adorable black cat, Ozzy.

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