We eat a lot of salads. Actually, most days I eat a salad for either lunch or dinner.
We live in Florida where it is normally hot, so cold salads are my go to. I also love Thai and summer rolls, and really wanted to make a salad that included all of the goodness of a summer roll, but didn’t require me rolling up a batch.
If I am being perfectly honesty, I am terrible at rolling them. If they handed out awards for ugly summer rolls, I know I could win! So I created this Asian summer roll salad with grilled tofu, and added in all the things I would put in a summer roll. Soaking rice stick noodles and adding them to this salad gives it a more summer roll feel and makes it extra delicious.
I meant to add fresh mint and forgot, but will definitely add it next time and maybe even some cilantro. This salad is perfect for hot summer days. It was also great as leftover, even after being tossed in the dressing.
So if you love summer rolls, but not all the work, give this salad a try. It’s quick, easy, delicious, and no rice paper rolling skills required.
INGREDIENTS:
1 head romaine lettuce, chopped
2 cups copped/shredded cabbage
1/2 English cucumber, halved and thinly sliced
1 cup shredded carrots
1/2 cup edamame
2 green onions , chopped
3 oz rice stick noodles
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
1 avocado, thinly sliced
optional add ins: fresh mint leaves, cilantro
THE TOFU:
1 block extra firm tofu
3 tablespoons coconut aminos
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoons garlic powder
PEANUT DRESSING:
3 tablespoons peanut butter
1/4 cup coconut aminos
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
2 tablespoons water
INSTRUCTIONS:
Drain tofu and wrap in a clean kitchen towel or a few paper towels. Place a few books on top or a heavy pan, and let sit for 10 minutes to press out any excess liquid.
Slice the tofu into strips. In a shallow pan mix remaining tofu ingredients. Let the strips marinate in the mixture for about 10 minutes. Heat a large grill pan over medium heat. You can use a regular skillet if you don’t have a grill pan. Give it a spray with some cooking oil, and add the tofu along with all of the marinade. Let the tofu cook, turning the pieces several times until the liquid is absorbed, and the tofu is slightly crispy around the edges.
Place the rice noodles in a dish and cover in hot tap water. Let the noodles sit for about 5 minutes. Drain noodles and rinse in cold water. Set aside.
In a small bowl whisk the ingredients for the dressing. I like to use a fork to get the peanut butter all mixed in. It takes a minute to get it broken down and mixed well with the other ingredients.
Toss all of the the salad ingredients in a large bowl along with the rice noodles and cooked tofu. Drizzle the dressing over the salad and toss again.
Serves around 6.
If you like this recipe, try these:
Raw Sesame Zucchini Noodle Salad
