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Recipe
Black Pepper Tofu Quinoa Salad

Black Pepper Tofu Quinoa Salad

5 from 4 votes
Author: Thomas Pagot
This black pepper tofu quinoa salad features marinated tofu, quinoa, and crunchy veggies like carrots, cucumber, and spinach. It's healthy and colorful and comes with a bright, herby, and tangy pesto lime dressing!
Prep Time : 35 minutes
Cook Time : 15 minutes
Total Time : 50 minutes
Servings 3 servings (as a main)
Calories 528 kcal

Ingredients
 

Baked Tofu

  • 7 ounces firm tofu
  • 1 tbsp maple syrup
  • 1 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1 tsp oil
  • 1/2 tsp ground black pepper

Salad

  • 1 cup quinoa uncooked
  • 1/2 cup cucumber chopped
  • 1 carrot shredded
  • 1/2 red onion finely diced
  • 3-4 sun-dried tomatoes diced
  • 1 cup baby spinach

Pesto Dressing

  • 5 tbsp vegan pesto
  • 1/4 cup lime juice
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tbsp maple syrup
  • 1 clove of garlic minced
  • 1/4 tsp salt

Instructions
 

Baked Tofu

  • Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  • Cut the tofu into rectangles of about 2x1-inch and 1/2-inch thickness. Alternatively, you can simply cut it into bite-size cubes. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet and arrange into an even layer, making sure the tofu slices don't overlap each other.
  • In a small bowl, whisk together the maple syrup, soy sauce, oil, and black pepper. Generously brush the tofu slices with half of the sauce. Bake for 10 minutes.
  • Using a fork, flip each tofu slice and brush with the remaining sauce. Bake for another 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let it cool.

Salad

  • Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add the quinoa, and cook until tender, according to the package instructions. If you have already cooked quinoa, use about 3 cups.
  • Prepare the dressing: in a small bowl, mix the vegan pesto, olive oil, lime juice, maple syrup, garlic, and salt.
  • To a large mixing bowl, add the cooked quinoa, chopped cucumber, shredded carrots, red onion, sun-dried tomatoes, baby spinach, and baked tofu. Pour in the dressing and stir well to coat everything. Serve at room temperature, or let it chill for about 2 hours in the refrigerator.
  • This quinoa salad will keep for up to 3 days in the refrigerator.

Notes

  • Use leftover quinoa. Instead of cooking quinoa specifically for this salad, you can use leftover quinoa! Not only will it be already cold, but it will also save you time.
  • Add dried fruits or nuts. You can add some crunch and extra sweetness by adding nuts like walnuts, almonds, and cashews or dried fruits like raisins or chopped dates.
  • Chill in the refrigerator. I recommend refrigerating the salad for at least 2 hours. This will allow flavors to merge and the salad to cool a bit.
  • This recipe serves 3 as a main meal or 4-5 as an appetizer.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 serving | Calories: 528 kcal | Carbohydrates: 56.3 g | Protein: 21 g | Fat: 24.7 g | Fiber: 6 g | Sugar: 12.3 g
Course : Main Course, Salad
Cuisine : Mediterranean
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