Recipes | Cucumber Salad with Crispy Tofu and Roasted Pepper Dressing
Cucumber Salad with Crispy Tofu and Roasted Pepper Dressing
This Cucumber Salad features crisp slices of Ontario Greenhouse grown mini cucumbers, crispy oven-roasted tofu, and a rich and creamy roasted pepper dressing. The salad is rounded out with pickled shallots, crunchy cashews, cilantro, and sesame seeds. This dish is an ideal meal prep candidate; the dressing makes enough for 3 salads, and the crispy tofu can be revived in the oven or an air fryer. It’s also great cold, just a little less crispy.
This recipe comes from one of our wonderful brand ambassadors, Susan Keefe. Susan is a food photographer, food stylist, and recipe developer. Explore more of her work on her website, Rhubarb and Cod!
Ingredients
Servings
For the Dressing
- 7 Mini Peppers, Sliced in Half
- 2 Shallot, Thinly Sliced
- 1/4 Cup Rice Vinegar
- 3 Tbsp. Neutral Oil
- 3 Tbsp. Soy Sauce
- 1 Tbsp. Sesame Oil
- 1 Tsp. Granulated Sugar
For the Crispy Tofu
- 1 Brick Extra Firm Tofu, Torn into Pieces
- 1 Tbsp. Soy Sauce
- 1/2 Tsp. Salt
- 1 Tsp. Fresh Ground Pepper
- 1/4 Cup Cornstarch
For the Salad
- 5 Mini Cucumbers, Sliced Thin
- 4 Sweet Peppers, Sliced Thin
- 1/2 Cup Unsalted Cashews
- 1/4 Cup Cilantro Leaves
- 1 Tbsp. Black Sesame Seeds
- 1/2 Tsp. Chili Flakes
Instructions
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 400 °F. Arrange the peppers, cut side down, on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Roast until blistered. About 30 minutes.Step 2
Place the shallots in a bowl and pour the vinegar over top. Set aside to lightly pickle.Step 3
Place the tofu in a bowl and add the soy sauce, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine. Add the cornstarch and toss to coat. Arrange the tofu on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Roast for 20-25 minutes, turning once halfway through.Step 4
Remove the seeds and stems from the roasted peppers and place them in a food processor. Blitz them until they resemble mulch. Add the vinegar from the shallots, neutral oil, sesame oil, soy sauce, and sugar. Blitz until smooth and creamy.Step 5
Place the cucumbers, sweet peppers, pickled shallots, and cashews in a bowl. Drizzle with ⅓ of the dressing and toss to coat. Taste and season with additional salt if necessary.Step 6
Transfer the salad to a platter and top with the crispy tofu, cilantro leaves, sesame seeds, and chili flakes. Serve immediately.
Looking for more fresh salad ideas to add local fruits and vegetables to your weekly meal rotation? Try our Honeycrisp and Delicata Squash Salad, or check out our full library of curated produce-centered recipes!