Creamy Asian Cucumber Salad Bowl
Crunchy cucumber, baked tofu, edamame and avocado in a creamy sriracha dressing. Shake it in a roomy jar or toss it in a bowl. Allow 10 minutes to assemble once the tofu and edamame are prepared.
Servings 1 generous serving
Calories 850kcal
Cost $4.50 USD
Equipment
- Sharp knife
- Cutting board
- Mixing bowl
- Spoon or spatula
- Mandoline slicer (optional)
Ingredients
- 1 whole cucumber (thinly sliced)
- 1 small onion (thinly sliced)
- 1 large handful of Crispy baked tofu (≈ 150 g) or other protein of choice
- 1/3 cup Edamame shelled, prepared according to package directions, cooled and drained
- 1 small carrot (julienned)
- 1 spring onion (sliced)
- 1/2 avocado (cut into 1 cm cubes)
- 1 tbsp vegan cream cheese
- 1 tbsp vegan mayo
- 1 tbsp Sriracha
- 1 tsp Chili-crisp oil
- 1 tbsp Soy sauce
- 1 tbsp Sesame seeds
- OPTIONAL sushi boost – 1–2 tsp crushed nori flakes, sprinkled on top for a subtle “sushi” flavour
Instructions
- Prepare the components. Have the baked tofu ready and cooled. Prepare the shelled edamame according to its package directions, then cool, drain and pat dry. Thinly slice the cucumber and onion, julienne the carrot, slice the spring onion and cube the avocado. The 10-minute time assumes the tofu and edamame are already prepared.
- Load the jar. Use a large, wide-mouth jar with a secure lid and enough room for the salad to move. Add the cucumber, onion, tofu, edamame, carrot, spring onion and avocado. Spoon over the vegan cream cheese, mayo, sriracha, chili-crisp oil and soy sauce. Add the sesame seeds. If the jar is crowded, use a large mixing bowl instead.
- Dress the salad. Secure the lid and shake until the dressing coats the vegetables. Tip into a bowl and gently toss if needed. For the bowl method, stir the cream cheese, mayo, sriracha, chili-crisp oil and soy sauce together first, then toss with the salad and sesame seeds. This also helps blend a firmer cream cheese smoothly.
- Serve immediately. Sprinkle with the optional crushed nori just before eating. Enjoy as one generous salad meal, or serve over rice, with chilled noodles or in lettuce cups. For make-ahead lunches, keep the dressing, tofu and vegetables separate and add the avocado and nori at serving time.
Notes
Timing: The 10-minute prep time assumes the baked tofu and edamame are already prepared and cooled. Allow extra time if making them from scratch.
Texture: Pat washed vegetables and edamame dry. A thin-skinned English cucumber works well; scoop out the watery seeds if using a large, seedy cucumber. Baked tofu softens once coated in dressing.
Heat: For a milder salad, start with less sriracha and chili-crisp oil, then add more to taste.
Make ahead: Keep the dressing, tofu and vegetables separate. Add avocado and nori just before serving. The dressed salad is best fresh; refrigerate leftovers promptly in a sealed container and use within 2 days, allowing for how long the prepared tofu has already been stored. Do not freeze.
Gluten-free option: Use gluten-free tamari and check the tofu coating, marinade and all condiment labels.
Nutrition: Approximate values for the full recipe as one generous serving, calculated with USDA food data and representative condiment labels. The estimate uses about 300 g cucumber, 70 g onion, 50 g carrot, 15 g spring onion, 75 g avocado and 52 g prepared edamame. The baked tofu is modeled as one third of the linked tofu recipe, including its oil, starch and seasonings, with an assumed finished batch weight of 450 g. Actual cooked yield and oil retained will change the values. Sodium uses regular soy sauce and excludes the unknown amount absorbed from the drained bouillon soak. Optional nori, extra salt, rice and noodles are excluded. Tofu and condiment brands can substantially change the totals.
Nutrition
Calories: 850kcal | Carbohydrates: 56g | Protein: 42g | Fat: 57g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Sodium: 2000mg | Fiber: 18g | Sugar: 18g