Curried Tofu Salad (Vegan and Gluten Free)

As my first savory recipe on the blog, this Curried Tofu Salad deserved some new pictures since it’s still one of my favorites!!! The tofu is roasted in a marinade with turmeric, paprika, and curry powder for a real pop of flavor. Then once roasted, the tofu is mixed with fresh chopped vegetables and creamy avocado with a touch of vegan mayo.

It’s light and fresh with loads of flavor. Plus the texture of roasted tofu, crunchy vegetables, and marinade is just amazing. I make this all the time for a quick lunch or dinner and Andy loves it too! Goes great on a sandwich, as a side dish, or even in buddha bowl creations. After all, what’s not to love about a healthy + delicious tofu salad?!

If you’re looking for another fresh and healthy vegan “salad” to enjoy this year, check out my Kale, Apple, and Quinoa Salad. Fluffy quinoa and quick pickled apple slices are the star of this massaged kale salad that’s brimming with fresh flavor and great textures. Plus the healthy homemade salad dressing is extra creamy and gives the salad a bit of tang!

Ingredients

Tofu – I always buy the super firm tofu as it has better texture. No matter what variety you use, be sure to properly drain it before cooking.

Chili Powder – Adds a kick of heat to the tofu marinade. Omit if sensitive to spice.

Turmeric – Adds a warming note to the marinade without being spicy.

Paprika – A combination of warming + spice that balances out the other spices.

Curry Powder – A blend of spices including turmeric, coriander, cinnamon, cumin, garlic, Organic ginger, black pepper, and cloves. The unique flavor of curry powder is what adds so much flavor to this curried tofu salad!

Soy Sauce – The bite of soy sauce balances the spices in the marinade. To keep this recipe 100% gluten free, sub coconut aminos for the soy sauce.

Sesame Oil – One of my favorite oils to use with tofu as the flavor is amazing. Sesame oil has a subtle yet rich flavor to it that works great in marinades and with roasting.

Celery, Red Onion, Carrots – The crispness of thin sliced fresh vegetables makes for great texture with the tofu. Feel free to sub with any vegetables you’re partial to.

Avocado – The creaminess of avocado takes this tofu salad to the next level while remaining extra healthy. Make sure you’re avocado is ripe and soft so that it mashes into the salad well.

Vegan Mayo – Adds extra moisture and the tangy flavor that most tuna/chicken/tofu salads are known for. My favorite brand is Primal Kitchen, the flavor and ingredients are great!

How to Make Tofu Salad

1. Preheat oven to 375F and line a baking tray with parchment paper.
2. Dry tofu (press to remove excess water if necessary) and cut into small cubes. Place cubed tofu into a large mixing bowl.
3. In a small bowl whisk together the chili powder, turmeric, paprika, curry powder, soy sauce, and sesame oil. Once combined, pour liquid over cubed tofu and mix well, ensuring all pieces are coated.
4. Move cubed tofu to baking tray and cook for 30 minutes at 375F.
5. While the tofu is baking, combine your diced celery, minced red onion, shredded carrots, diced avocado, and salt/pepper to the mixing bowl used to marinate the tofu.
6. When the tofu is done cooking, let cool for 10-15 minutes on the baking tray so it is easier to handle. Re-add baked tofu to the large mixing bowl that now also contains the vegetable base (celery, red onion, carrots, and avocado) and stir to combine.
7. The avocado should start to break down so you already have a creamy tofu salad. Add this point, start with 1/4 cup vegan mayo and add more to taste.
8. Serve warm, chilled, or at room temperature. Store leftovers in the fridge for up to a week.

How to Make Tofu Taste Good

If you’re cautious of trying tofu or have had a “bad” experience with it in the past, you need to try this tofu salad. Once you know how to properly prepare and cook tofu, it changes everything! It took me a while to find my preferred method but now I absolutely love it.

First, you need to drain the tofu. My go-to method for this is to drain the water from the tofu package then place the tofu onto a flat surface covered with a towel or paper towels. Place another towel (or paper towels) overtop and add something flat + heavy on top. This could be another baking sheet, a cutting board, a pan, or anything else that can press down on the tofu and essentially squeeze all the excess water out.

It should take anywhere from 15 to 25 minutes to properly drain the tofu then you’re ready to move on. The next tip is to cube + properly season the tofu as otherwise it’s just bland. In this curried tofu salad recipe I use a marinade to roast the tofu in. This not only adds immense flavor but gives the tofu a slight caramelization on the outside as the inside stays soft.

After that, it’s all about the cooking execution. You can roast the tofu in the oven (as with this recipe), saute it, air fry it … you can essentially cook it anyway you’d like! Different methods will give you different textures but they’re all equally delicious. Just be sure to oil the pan in whatever method you use!

How to Store Curried Tofu Salad

Just as with all chicken/tuna/and now tofu salad, be sure to keep this chilled. In an airtight container in the fridge, this tofu salad should last up to a week. The texture will definitely be less crisp as the days pass but you can enjoy it chilled or reheated on the stovetop.

And as I mentioned above, I love using this tofu salad as a side dish, on toast, in a wrap, with crackers, in a buddha bowl … truly so many ways to enjoy it! I’ll include a few recipes below that would be perfect with this salad.

Herb Quick Bread – A soft and fluffy gluten free quick bread infused with flavor from thyme and parsley. Warm a slice up and top with curried tofu salad for an easy meal.

Southwestern Burrito Bowl – A brown rice base layered with chipotle roasted sweet potatoes + corn and fresh vegetables. Add a scoop of tofu salad for extra flavor and the creamy texture + a boost of protein!

If you try this recipe, please let me know by leaving a comment and rating in the boxes below! I always love to hear from you and it helps other people find this recipe when they search online for the BEST Curried Tofu Salad 🙂

Curried Tofu Salad

Author Casey Colodny

Prep: 20 minutes minutes

Cook: 30 minutes minutes

Total: 1 hour hour 5 minutes minutes

Servings: 6 side servings

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This recipe is not just for vegans and vegetarians, but anyone who loves chicken or tuna salad. You won’t even miss all the mayo in traditional recipes as this healthified version uses avocado to ensure a creamy texture, and is filled with carrots, red onion, and celery for a nice crunch.

Ingredients

Tofu + Marinade

• 2 pounds super firm tofu cubed
• 1.5 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 2 tsp paprika
• 2 tsp curry powder
• 1/3 cup soy sauce (sub coconut aminos to keep gluten free)
• 1/3 cup sesame oil

Salad Add In’s

• 1 ripe avocado diced
• 2 celery stalks diced
• 1/2 red onoin minced
• 1/3 cup carrots shredded
• 1/4 – 1/2 cup vegan mayo
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp ground pepper

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 375F and line a baking tray with parchment paper.
• Dry tofu (press if necessary) and cut into small cubes. Place cubed tofu into a large mixing bowl.
• In a small bowl whisk together the chili powder, turmeric, paprika, curry powder, soy sauce, and sesame oil. Once combined, pour liquid over cubed tofu and mix well, ensuring all pieces are coated.
  
• Move cubed tofu to baking tray and cook for 30 minutes at 375F.
  
• While the tofu is baking, combine your diced celery, minced red onion, shredded carrots, diced avocado, and salt/pepper to the mixing bowl used to marinate the tofu.
  
• When the tofu is done cooking, let cool for 10-15 minutes on the baking tray so it is easier to handle. Re-add baked tofu to the large mixing bowl that now also contains the vegetable base (celery, red onion, carrots, and avocado) and stir to combine.
  
• The avocado should start to break down so you already have a creamy tofu salad. Add this point, start with 1/4 cup vegan mayo and add more to taste.
  
• Serve warm, chilled, or at room temperature. Store leftovers in the fridge for up to a week.
  

Notes

*Make sure to press excess water out of your tofu if you used firm tofu. For this recipe, I find the super firm tofu from Trader Joe’s works the best.

*Sub coconut aminos for the soy sauce to keep gluten free

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