This cashew crunch salad gets its "crunch" from a variety of ingredients such as roasted cashews, cabbage, carrots and a secret ingredients that you probably have never tried adding to your salad: crispy baked shredded tofu.
Inspired by my Edamame Lentil Salad, I wanted to make a similar salad, containing lots of plant-based protein but with loooooots of crispy texture. As a result, I chose veggies with a delightful bite such as cabbage, carrots, cucumber and celery plus added roasted cashews for an extra burst of crunchiness.
The dressing is both sweet and tangy which immediately made me think that tofu would also make a great addition. To make sure that the tofu complemented the other ingredients I knew what I had to do: turn it into chewy shredded tofu.
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Ingredients & substitution notes
- Tofu: make sure to choose extra firm tofu for the best shredded tofu consistency. I also always use organic tofu if possible.
- Edamame: I used frozen edamame beans and cooked according to package instructions. If you can't find edamame, you could try using frozen peas instead.
- Cucumber: I used a regular English cucumber. Make sure to remove the seeds and only keep the crunchy parts.
- Cilantro: Adds some nice additional Asian flavors. If you're not into cilantro you could use parsley instead.
- Soy sauce: Stick to tamari for a gluten-free option.
- Sesame oil: I used toasted sesame oil because it adds some great flavor. You could
- Smoked paprika: adds some nice smoky flavors to the tofu.
- Rice Wine Vinegar: Could be replaced with regular white vinegar. The rice wine one will add a bit more Asian flavors.
See recipe card for quantities.
Step-by-step instructions
Step 1: Use the large holes of a box grater to grate the tofu block into shreds (don't forget to press the tofu first).
Step 2: Add the grated tofu to a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Add all the spices and mix well. Then roast for about 30 minutes.
Step 3: Once the tofu is ready, add it, together with all the other salad ingredients to a large salad bowl.
Step 4: Whisk together the dressing and add it to the salad. Serve immediately.
Katie's tips
- Roasted cashews: I highly recommend using roasted cashews over plain, simply because they add even more flavors. You can definitely also roast the cashews at home yourself.
- Cutting cabbage: Cutting cabbage properly is essential for achieving the right texture in your salad. Slice it into thin strips using a sharp knife or use a mandoline slicer for even, fine shreds.
- Smoked paprika: Don't skip the smoked paprika powder- it adds some deliciously smoky flavors to the tofu. If you can't find any, liquid smoke would also be an option.
Variations
- Other veggies: Feel free to add other veggies of choice- red bell pepper or spring onions would make a great addition.
- Spice it up if you're into spicy food. You can either add some fresh chili or make the dressing spicy by adding a bit of sriracha.
- Nut-free: This salad is vegan and gluten-free, if you need it to be nut-free, you could try replacing the roasted cashews with roasted pumpkin seeds or roasted sunflower seeds.
Storage
- To store: Store this salad in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. I highly recommend storing the dressing in a separate container and adding it shortly before serving. I would also store the cashews separately and add them to the salad later. Otherwise they won't be as crunchy the next day.
FAQ
Can I buy frozen edamame beans?
Absolutely, I also used frozen, shelled edamame beans and cooked them according to package instructions.
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📖 Recipe
Cashew Crunch Salad
This cashew crunch salad combines some really delicious flavors, textures and is packed with a whooping 27 grams of protein! Plus, it's reading in 20 minutes!
If you love this recipe as much as we do, click on the 5-stars below!
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Servings: people
Equipment
- 1 cutting board + sharp knife
- 1 salad bowl
Ingredients
Crispy Tofu
- 1 block (350 g/ 12.3oz) extra-firm tofu
- 2 teaspoon paprika powder
- 2 teaspoon smoked paprika powder
- 2 tablespoon neutral vegetable oil *I used olive oil
- 3 tablespoon soy sauce
Salad
- ¼ head red cabbage *fineley shredded or chopped
- 2 carrots *peeled & & shredded
- 1 cup cooked edamame
- 2 celery stalks *diced
- ½ cucumber *seeds removed, diced
- 1 cup roasted cashews 140g
- 1 bunch of fresh cilantro *or parsley
Dressing
- 5 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
- 3 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- 2 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder or fresh garlic
- pinch of salt
You can find detailed step-by step-photos above the recipe card.
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C).
- Press the tofu. Place the tofu on a plate or cutting board and cover it with a clean kitchen cloth or paper towels. Use your hands to squeeze out any excess water.1 block (350 g/ 12.3oz) extra-firm tofu
- Grate the tofu using a grater. Transfer to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Add all the spices and mix well using your hands.2 teaspoon paprika powder, 2 teaspoon smoked paprika powder, 2 tablespoon neutral vegetable oil, 3 tablespoon soy sauce
- Roast for 25-30 minutes for a still soft tofu or 30-35 minutes for a more firm, crispy texture. Stir once or twice to ensure even baking.
- Meanwhile prepare the dressing. Whisk together all the dressing ingredients and set aside.5 tablespoon rice wine vinegar, 3 tablespoon olive oil, 2 tablespoon toasted sesame oil, 2 tablespoon maple syrup, 1 teaspoon garlic powder or fresh garlic, pinch of salt
- Once the tofu is crispy, remove from the oven and let cool for about 10 minutes.
- Toss together all the salad ingredients including the tofu. Drizzle with salad dressing and serve!¼ head red cabbage, 2 carrots, 2 celery stalks, ½ cucumber, 1 cup cooked edamame, 1 cup roasted cashews, 1 bunch of fresh cilantro
- Taste and adjust salt. This recipe only uses salt in the dressing- feel free to add a pinch of salt to the salad as well.
Video
Notes
- Wash veggies: Make sure you give all your veggies a proper wash before using them.
- Tofu texture: Make sure to taste the shredded tofu after around 25 minutes. If the texture is still too soft for you liking, keep roasting it for a couple of minutes longer. Make sure not to overdo it though or you'll end up with dry tofu shreds
- Roasted cashews: I highly recommend using roasted cashews over plain, simply because they add even more flavors. You can definitely also roast the cashews at home yourself.
- Cutting cabbage: Cutting cabbage properly is essential for achieving the right texture in your salad. Slice it into thin strips using a sharp knife or use a mandoline slicer for even, fine shreds.
- Smoked paprika: Don't skip the smoked paprika powder- it adds some deliciously smoky flavors to the tofu. If you can't find any, liquid smoke would also be an option.
Nutrition
Serving: 1. | Calories: 826kcal | Carbohydrates: 46g | Protein: 27g | Fat: 62g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 13g | Monounsaturated Fat: 36g | Sodium: 1.847mg | Potassium: 985mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 18g | Vitamin A: 8.935IU | Vitamin C: 44mg | Calcium: 306mg | Iron: 8mg
All nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered estimates.
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