This easy Veggie Sesame Cashew Crunch Salad is packed with fresh veggies – brussel sprouts, broccoli and carrots, and it’s chockfull of crunchy toasted cashews and sesame seeds. And to make it even more satisfying, it’s topped with baked sesame coated tofu bites and a delicious sesame ginger dressing. It can easily be made ahead making it perfect for meal prep!
This salad. has. it. all! Insane flavor? Yes. Vibrant nourishing veggies? Yes. Hearty brown rice and delicious sesame coated tofu bites? Yes. Massive crunch that will leave you wanting more? Yes! Yes! This Veggie Sesame Cashew Crunch Salad seriously checks all the boxes!
Ingredients For This Veggie Sesame Cashew Crunch Salad
This salad is a great way to use up any random veggie bits hanging out in the fridge. In fact, that’s exactly how this salad was born. In an attempt to clean out the fridge I tossed what veggies we had lurking behind the ketchup bottle into a bowl, topped it with some nuts and baked tofu and then dressed it with a bomb gingery dressing. And a salad was born! No need to make a special trip to the store for the veggies in this recipe. Substitute any fresh veggies you have: cauliflower, cabbage, bell peppers, cucumbers, kale, radishes or even beans sprouts would all work great in this salad.
Sesame Tofu Bites
The BEST part of this salad (in my opinion) are the little bites of sesame coated baked tofu. They’re so fun! And making them could not be easier. Here’s all you do:
- Press the tofu. Tofu holds a lot of moisture, so it’s important to press the tofu to remove enough water so that it holds it’s shape when it’s cooked. Removing the moisture also helps to create a much crispier bite. To press tofu, place a dish cloth or paper towels on a plate. Then place the tofu on top, then another dish cloth or more paper towels over the top of the tofu. Place a plate with something heavy like a can of tomatoes on top.
- Cut and marinate the tofu. Slice the tofu into 1/2 inch cubes. Add to a bowl and toss with coconut aminos, sesame oil and neutral oil (such as canola). Let sit for about 15 minutes or so while you prepare the remaining ingredients for the salad.
- Coat with sesame seeds. Gently toss the marinated tofu with cornstarch and sesame seeds.
- Bake the tofu. Spread the sesame coated tofu out onto a parchment lined baking sheet and bake until lightly browned all over.
If you make this Veggie Sesame Cashew Crunch Salad make sure to leave a comment or give it a rating! And if you’re into taking photos of your food (like me), be sure to give me a tag on Instagram!
Veggie Sesame Cashew Crunch Salad
- Prep Time: 15 Minutes
- Cook Time: 20 Minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: About 4 Salads 1x
- Category: Salad
Description
This easy Veggie Sesame Cashew Crunch Salad is packed with fresh veggies – brussel sprouts, broccoli and carrots, and it’s chockfull of crunchy toasted cashews and sesame seeds. And to make it even more satisfying, it’s topped with baked sesame coated tofu bites and a delicious sesame ginger dressing. It can easily be made ahead making it perfect for meal prep!
Ingredients
Sesame Crusted Tofu:
1 (14oz.) package extra firm tofu
1 Tbsp. coconut aminos
1 tsp. toasted sesame oil
2 tsp. canola oil
1 Tbsp. cornstarch
3 Tbsp. sesame seeds
For The Salad:
3c. shaved brussel sprouts
2 large carrots, shredded
3c. shredded broccoli
4 green onions, thinly sliced
1 c. chopped toasted cashews
1/4 c. sesame seeds
2 1/2 c. cooked brown rice (about 1 c. uncooked)
Dressing:
2 Tbsp. canola (neutral oil)
1 Tbsp. toasted sesame oil
1 Tbsp. grated ginger
2 cloves garlic, grated
1 Tbsp. coconut aminos
1 Tbsp. brown rice vinegar
1 tsp. maple syrup
1 to 2 tsp. sriracha
Optional: Garnish with cilantro
Instructions
Preheat oven to 425 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. To prepare the tofu, press the tofu between dish towels or layers of paper towels to remove excess moisture. After about 10 minutes of pressing, cut the tofu into 1/2 inch cubes. Add the tofu to a bowl and add in the coconut aminos, sesame oil and canola oil. Getnly toss to coat and let this marinate for about 15 minutes. Once marinated toss the tofu with cornstarch and sesame seeds until evenly coated. Spread the tofu out onto the prepared baking sheet and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until lightly browned all over.
While the tofu bakes, toss the brussel sprouts, carrots, broccoli, green onions, cashews, sesame seeds and rice in a large bowl. Set aside.
To make the dressing, whisk together the canola oil, sesame oil, ginger, garlic, coconut aminos, brown rice vinegar, maple syrup and optional sriracha. Toss the salad with the dressing. Top with the baked tofu bites and garnish with optional cilantro. Enjoy!
Keywords: tofu, sesame, chopped salad, ginger, brussel sprouts, broccoli, carrots, cashews, baked tofu, winter, meal prep, make-ahead, veggies, vegetables, coconut aminos
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