Grilled Tofu Salad Recipe (2024)

By Kay Chun

Updated Oct. 10, 2023

Grilled Tofu Salad Recipe (1)

Total Time
40 minutes
Prep Time
10 minutes
Cook Time
30
Rating
4(271)
Notes
Read community notes

Perfect for simple summer grilling, this vegetarian salad makes a great weeknight meal or easy-to-transport picnic fare. Grilled tofu and zucchini pick up smoky notes and light char from the grill in just 10 minutes. They’re dressed in a rich and tangy lemon-miso vinaigrette that does double duty as basting sauce and dressing. The grilled salad is brightened by a final shower of fragrant herbs, plus a raw snap pea topping that adds fresh, crisp bites. Leftovers turn into a fantastic pasta salad the next day; simply toss with cooked short pasta and finish with more olive oil and grated Parmesan.

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings

  • Neutral oil, for greasing grates
  • 2tablespoons lemon juice
  • 2tablespoons white miso
  • 1teaspoon minced garlic
  • 6tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • Kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal) and black pepper
  • 4slices sourdough or country bread
  • 1pound firm tofu, drained, patted dry and sliced crosswise into 4 (1-inch-thick) slices
  • 1pound (2 medium) zucchini, quartered lengthwise
  • 4ounces snap peas, thinly sliced on the bias (1 ¼ packed cups)
  • ½cup mixed chopped herbs (such as parsley, dill, chives and scallions)
  • Parmesan (optional), for garnish

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

530 calories; 37 grams fat; 5 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 20 grams monounsaturated fat; 10 grams polyunsaturated fat; 30 grams carbohydrates; 8 grams dietary fiber; 7 grams sugars; 27 grams protein; 778 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Grilled Tofu Salad Recipe (2)

Preparation

  1. Step

    1

    Heat grill to medium and grease grates with neutral oil. In a small bowl, combine the lemon juice, miso, garlic and 2 tablespoons of water and whisk, mashing the miso until it dissolves. While whisking constantly, slowly drizzle in ¼ cup of the olive oil; season with salt and pepper.

  2. Step

    2

    Brush both sides of the bread with the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil. Season tofu and zucchini with salt and pepper, then brush ¼ cup of the lemon-miso dressing evenly all over both. Grill, turning occasionally, until bread is toasted, tofu is nicely charred and zucchini is tender, about 5 minutes for the bread and 8 minutes for the tofu and zucchini.

  3. Step

    3

    Transfer the tofu and zucchini to a cutting board; slice the tofu crosswise 1-inch-thick and chop the zucchini into 1-inch pieces.

  4. Step

    4

    Arrange the grilled tofu and zucchini on a large serving platter and drizzle over 2 tablespoons of the dressing. Add snap peas and herbs to the remaining dressing and toss to evenly coat. Scatter the mixture all over the salad and shave some cheese on top, if using. Serve with grilled bread on the side.

Ratings

4

out of 5

271

user ratings

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Private Notes

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Cooking Notes

Joycets

Delicious!!!! The lemon brings a brightness and flavor punch to the miso. Didn't grill, instead baked the tofu and zucchini at 400 to get a crispy coating. Be sure to have dressing leftfor the final salad assemblage. Good return for the easy effort.

C Davis

I eat tofu at least 4 days a week and ALWAYS press it!!! Even the extra firm has some liquid in it. Just my 2 cents!

Susan

Works with grill pan or under broiler

Nic M

Made this for Father's Day for my vegetarian dad. I used extra firm tofu; I didn't press it; it was still delicious. You will be ok if you don't press it :)

Grams

Very good we thought! Added basil because we had it. Used a little Cojito cheese for the same reason. Used left over grilled tofu and a little left over grilled salmon because it’s what was available. Seems that the basic recipe is good enough to handle what’s left and turn it it into a very nice dish.

joanie

Thought it was delicious and don’t think I would change a thing!

rlc

No need to press the tofu first?

Rebecca

This was so delicious and simple. Made exactly as instructed.

Laura B

Cooked it as written just to see what I would change - this was truly excellent as is. Better than the sum of its parts. Will put in regular summer rotation.

Torrey

Really good, but I found that it only served three of us with no leftovers. So, unless you're making this as a side dish, if it's your main meal you probably will need to more than 1x the recipe to get to the 4 full servings it lists. I would also increase the peas amount, but that's just a personal preference because I really like them. I went a bit heavier on the lemon juice simply because the lemons I pressed had more juice than the recipe called for, and then I just cut back on the water.

DaisyShine

This sauce is amazing. Suggest serving the couscous instead of bread. Sauce could make anything taste better!

Mo

Really great. I only had red miso and it worked just fine.

carolyn

Made this tonight . Very easy. Grill times perfect . I toss with scallions and parsley . I did not use cheese and I don’t think it needed any. Look forward to trying with pasta . Did not need bread either but could have been good

ac

If you don't want to grill. I pan fried flavors hodo tofu and zoodled the zucchini! Delicious

Anna

Very successful and enjoyed by all in dinner party. Marinated the tofu in the dressing for an hour before grilling.

debsa

Re: the question of pressing. Rather than press, I drain, pat dry then dust v lightly with arrowroot powder (& a little salt and pepper). This seems to absorb the extra liquid and encourages a crispy coating. Once cooked, the tofu develops a crispy/chewy outer crust with moist and tender inside….a consistency akin to frying, but without oily residue.

Jenn

I made this in a frying pan and it turned out great. What I love about recipes like this is they give me ideas about adding more / different vegetables. This helps me cook more veg and thus eat more veg. Yay! Hetty's book is on my Christmas list.

Tracy

This is great but the zucchini makes it so it doesn’t keep that well. Everything else keeps fine but the zucchini gets a little soggy. I think next time I would add the zucchini to individual dishes and save the rest (which would still taste great) without.

elise

Flavorful summer dish, a crowd pleasing recipe! Great dressing— I let the tofu and zucchini marinate for an hour or so before grilling, and was very generous with chopped herbs and snap peas. Refreshing and filling. I cut the tofu block lengthwise to grill then sliced. Nice to munch on with grilled bread but would still enjoy without. Will make again!!!

beekoleek

Made this recipe with broccolini and green beans instead of zucchini and snap peas -- and I don't have a grill, so I broiled the tofu and veggies in the oven, side by side on the same baking sheet (turning everything over and brushing with dressing midway through). My mix of fresh herbs was parsley, basil, rosemary and a touch of mint, cuz that's what I had. Everything was absolutely DELICIOUS.That dressing is the bomb.

thereyougothen

How do you know if you are slicing your tofu crosswise or lengthwise?

Barbara Titus

Broiled the squash and tofu,used dill, scallions and parsley. Fabulous!

Maggie B

This was good, but would benefit from a counterpoint, like a mild and creamy cheese (more than the Parmesan garnish), or a nutty grain.

Toussaint

We laughed as we gathered the ingredients, because this is definitely one of the stranger combinations we've seen at this site. But it's absolutely fabulous and wouldn't change a thing. We did skip the parmesan but will try it next time!

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Grilled Tofu Salad Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What not to mix with tofu? ›

What to not serve with tofu? According to studies, a high volume consumption of tofu and spinach together can increase your risk of kidney stones. Tofu and spinach contain calcium and oxalic acid respectively and the combined can form kidney stones.

What type of tofu is best for grilling? ›

Extra-firm only!

This grilled tofu recipe will only work with extra-firm tofu. Don't try making it with soft or silken tofu (or even regular firm tofu, for that matter). All of them will be too soft and watery to hold up on the grill.

Why do you soak tofu in hot water? ›

Many cooking experts champion a quick soak as a way to give the protein more texture and flavor. “Simmering cubed tofu in salted water for 60 seconds pulls out excess moisture and tightens the proteins on its surface,” Lukas Volger told Bon Appétit in 2021.

Is there a downside to eating tofu? ›

Incorporating tofu into your daily meals and snacks can bring several health benefits. Those benefits include brain health promotion, ease of menopause symptoms, and heart disease prevention. However, eating tofu has some risks, as it might lead to digestive issues or interact with certain medications like MAOIs.

Why can't you eat spinach with tofu? ›

- It is said that tofu cannot be eaten together with spinach at the same time. As tofu and spinach contain calcium and oxalic acid respectively, the combination of the two will form kidney stones. But in fact, only prolonged and volumionous consumption of tofu and spinach at the same time will pose this risk.

What can I marinate tofu in? ›

In a mixing bowl or measuring cup with a spout, whisk together the marinade: soy sauce, maple syrup, rice vinegar, olive oil, sesame oil, garlic powder, smoked paprika, ginger, and Sriracha. Drizzle over the tofu. If any pieces look bare, turn them over in the marinade a few times so all of the sides are coated.

Is tofu healthier than grilled chicken? ›

Tofu nutrition. This meatless option is a staple for vegetarians, and rightfully so. It boasts more fiber, calcium, iron, magnesium, zinc and folate than chicken and contains fewer calories.

Can you eat tofu everyday? ›

Similarly, the American Cancer Society sees no dangers from eating soy. "For the vast majority of people, it should be reasonable to incorporate tofu in their daily diet without any issues," Sun said.

Can you eat tofu raw in a salad? ›

Can you eat raw tofu? It's not dangerous, as long as you take care to observe good hygiene. As we mention below, just like any other food, if tofu is not stored and prepared correctly, you run the risk of bacterial contamination, and you could get sick.

Why is restaurant tofu so good? ›

Restaurants understand the power of salt and use it liberally to ensure that tofu is well-seasoned. As masters of flavors, professional chefs know that tofu's porous nature allows it to absorb the flavors it's cooked with, and they use this to their advantage.

How to make tofu taste good? ›

Press tofu and cube it. Coat it in garlic, black pepper, salt (plus more of your favourite seasonings), liquid aminos and some olive oil. Then mix it into some cornstarch and toss it all together, then bake for about 20 minutes. Cornstarch also helps to draw out excess moisture so it really gets the tofu crispy.

What happens if you don't drain tofu before cooking? ›

Here's the thing: even though tofu might be labeled firm or extra-firm, it contains a lot of water. This excess water can cause the tofu to crumble when you cook it, and it will also have a hard time crisping up. But when you press tofu, you remove the excess moisture.

Should you marinate tofu before cooking? ›

Let the marination magic happen

You should aim to marinate tofu for at least 2 hours in the fridge. To infuse more flavour, you can leave it to marinade for up to 2 days before cooking up.

How to tell if tofu is done? ›

If you're cooking slices or cubes, cut the tofu into slices, layer them between paper towels and weigh down the individual slices. The finished tofu should be spongy yet dry (you'll need to weigh it down for 30 minutes to 2 hours).

Is tofu a high inflammatory food? ›

Tofu and tempeh.

Studies suggest people who eat soy-based foods have lower odds of inflammation-related diseases like heart disease, diabetes, and some cancers. Nuts and legumes, Tree nuts like almonds and walnuts, along with peanuts, are rich in unsaturated fats, along with anti-inflammatory vitamins and minerals.

Can we eat tofu and egg together? ›

Yes, you can eat eggs and soya chunks together. Both eggs and soya chunks are good sources of protein, and consuming them together can help meet your daily protein requirements. You can add boiled or scrambled eggs to your soya chunk curry or stir-fry for a balanced meal.

What can I add to tofu to make it taste better? ›

Coat it in garlic, black pepper, salt (plus more of your favourite seasonings), liquid aminos and some olive oil. Then mix it into some cornstarch and toss it all together, then bake for about 20 minutes. Cornstarch also helps to draw out excess moisture so it really gets the tofu crispy.

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