Thai Salad with Tofu and Peanut Dressing

This Thai salad with peanut dressing features savory seared tofu, which turns it into a complete meal. Ready in just 40 minutes.

I’ve never been the type of person to throw lettuce and other raw veg in a bowl and call it a meal. (If you’re familiar with me and my recipes, you probably already know this). I just don’t like cold/raw food and am rarely satisfied by just salad. Unless it’s very hot out, of course, and even then, it’s not salad that I crave but something more substantial like sushi or cold peanut udon.

Nevertheless, on a recent and particularly humid Sunday, Rene and I found ourselves at a new-to-us Thai restaurant here in Brooklyn. In an atypical turn of events, I ordered their “Thai Salad” instead of my usual pad see ew. It had lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, tofu, and peanut dressing. The salad was cold, refreshing, but still filling. Surprisingly, I thoroughly enjoyed the combo, so I made a note to recreate it at home and here we are.

What’s In This Salad

This has the typical “garden salad” base of lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, red onions, and fresh herbs. Then you’ve got spiced seared tofu and a rich peanut dressing on top.

The high protein content of tofu and peanut butter make this salad satisfying; the healthy fats from peanuts help in that department, too. I absolutely love the contrast of the cold vegetables with the warm, chewy tofu and creamy sauce. This Asian-inspired dish kinda has gado-gado vibes and lends itself to endless interpretation (substitution ideas below).

Disclaimer: I’m far from an expert on Thai food, have never been to Thailand, and can’t find any evidence online that something like this is actually eaten there. So for my intents and purposes, this is just inspired by a single restaurant meal.

Key Ingredients + Substitutions

• Tofu: “Extra firm” tofu is best for this salad, but “super firm” also works. (Note that “super firm” doesn’t need to be pressed.)
• Lettuce: Get whatever mild crunchy lettuce looks best at the store that day, whether it’s romaine, little gem, green/red leaf, etc. Stay away from kale and arugula for this Thai-inspired dish.
• Tomatoes: Vine, roma, and cherry tomatoes all work well here.
• Cucumbers: Kirby, Persian, or English cucumbers are all fair game.
• Other vegetables: Bell peppers, carrots, cabbage, or radishes would all be fun additions here.
• Peanut butter: Be sure to use natural peanut butter – the only ingredient should be peanuts (and maybe salt). Avoid peanut butter with any additives like oils, sugars, or emulsifiers.
• Thai curry paste: Sold in most supermarkets these days, this chili condiment adds heat, fragrance, and umami. If you don’t have any, you can skip it in this recipe and just add a splash of hot sauce if you want.

How to Make Thai Salad with Tofu

Find complete instructions with ingredient amounts in the recipe card below.

Step 1: Cook the Tofu

Start by draining and pressing the tofu (complete instructions in the recipe card below). Then slice it up, season it, and pan-fry until golden brown. For ultimate crispness, resist the urge to flip the tofu more than necessary; it takes at least 6 minutes per side.

Step 2: Make the Sauce

While the tofu’s happening, make the peanut dressing by combining peanut butter with lemon/lime juice, soy sauce, Thai curry paste, maple syrup, fresh garlic and ginger, and water. This creamy all-purpose sauce is nutty, tangy, and spicy thanks to the curry paste.

Step 3: Assemble the Salad

Once the tofu and sauce are ready, divide the vegetables among bowls, and top with the tofu and peanut sauce.

Make-Ahead Tips

Both the tofu and peanut dressing are meal prep-able; make them in advance and store in the fridge for up to 5 days. Hold off on chopping the vegetables until day-of.

More Recipes with Tofu…

• Palak Tofu
• Vegan Niçoise Salad
• Sesame Garlic Tofu
• Peanut Tofu Stir-Fry

Let me know if you try this recipe! Give it a rating below and leave a comment, and don’t forget to tag your creation with @thenewbaguette on Instagram.