Low Carb Vegan Air Fried Tofu Salad With Creamy Tahini Dressing
Everyone loves a good salad! Salad is also a staple for the Vegan Keto dieter as it is a blank canvas for protein and a variety of vegetables. This low carb salad made up of delicious, nutritious dark green Lacinato kale, fresh, crisp English cucumbers, and sweet cherry tomatoes. However, what makes this salad a superstar (and Paleo!) is the ultra-crispy, slightly spicy, air fried tofu that studs the bed of kale. Then the final mixture is drizzle with the most luscious creamy, tahini, garlic-lemon dressing that makes this the ultimate salad. This will be a go-to Keto vegan recipe for you as it can be easily adjusted to include other toppings instead. Also, it would make an easy Keto lunch or Keto dinner.
How to Make It
Step 1
Slice the extra-firm tofu into even slices and then cut them the other direction to make small cubes. The cubes should be about 1” x 1”. Place the cubed tofu into a medium-sized mixing bowl and toss the tofu with the avocado oil, ¾ tsp kosher salt (you want them to be kinda salty which makes them so delicious!) and the sambal paste. Please omit the sambal paste if you do not like spice. Toss it all together well using a spoon.
Step 2
In the bottom of an air fryer, add the air frying tray and then dump the coated tofu cubes into the basket. Set the air fryer to 400 F and cook the tofu for 10 minutes. Once the 10 minutes have elapsed, take the basket out, and give it a good shake. Place the basket back into the air fryer and give it another 10 minutes at 400 F. At this point, the tofu should be nice and crispy. If you do not have an air fryer, you can do this same thing in a conventional oven, it will just take longer in time at 400 F with several more stirs needed.
Step 3
While the tofu is cooking, wash the kale and remove any fibrous stems. Any tender stems can stay in the kale. Then slice the kale very thin and place it in a large salad bowl. Chop the chives into 2” pieces and tuck inside the sliced kale. Also, chop the cilantro and tuck it in. Top with cucumber that has been sliced into thin circles, about ⅛” thickness. Also, top with cherry tomatoes cut in half. Tuck a few pieces of fresh mint into the salad as well.
Step 4
At this point, the air fried tofu should be done and crispy. Place it on top of the salad right down the middle. The tofu will gently fall where it will want to go if you place it in the center.
Step 5
In a small mixing bowl, combine the tahini, ¼ tsp kosher salt, lemon juice, water, and 1 grated clove of garlic. The consistency should coat the back of the spoon. If you run your finger through the coating on the spoon the line should not run back together or run together slowly. This will be the right consistency of dressing for a salad.
Step 6
Drizzle the finished salad with the tahini dressing and serve immediately! Take a look at the introduction to this recipe if you are looking to prep this salad ahead of time.
Ingredients
- Vitasoy Usa Organic Nasoya Extra Firm Tofu
1 pound
- Avocado Oil
2 tablespoon
- Coarse Kosher Salt by Morton
¾ tsp
- Sambal Oelek Paste Of Chili by Rooster
2 teaspoon
- Vegetables Leafy Greens Organic Lacinato Kale by Freshdirect
4 ounce
- Cucumber
½ medium
- Cherry Tomato
16 cherry
- Chives
2 tablespoon
- Spearmint, Fresh
1 tablespoon
- Cilantro
2 tablespoon
- Tahini
¼ cup
- Coarse Kosher Salt by Morton
¾ tsp
- Lemon Juice
2 tablespoon
- Water
3 tablespoon
- Garlic
1 clove