Air fryer Thai crunch salad with crispy tofu
Golden crispy tofu over a big crunchy pile of cabbage, carrot, edamame and herbs with a creamy peanut lime dressing, vegan and full of protein.
- 45 min total
- 25 min hands-on
- Follow-a-recipe easy
- Serves 4
- About $2.25 a serving
- 430 calories
- Good the next day
- Vegan
- Gluten-free
- Dairy-free
Dolly says: Make the full amount. It’s just as good for lunch the next day.
Ingredients
For 4 servings.
- 14 oz extra-firm tofu
- 3 tbsp gluten-free tamari, divided
- 1 cup frozen shelled edamame, thawed
- ¼ cup peanut butter
- 1 lime, juiced
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tsp fresh ginger, grated
- 1 clove garlic, grated
- ½ head napa cabbage, thinly sliced
- 2 cups red cabbage, thinly sliced
- 1 cup shredded carrots
- 3 green onions, thinly sliced
- ½ cup cilantro, chopped
- ⅓ cup peanuts, chopped
From your pantry
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 2 tbsp rice vinegar
Each serving has about 430 calories, 27 g protein, 29 g carbs and 26 g fat, and costs about $2.25 at typical US grocery prices. Both are estimates from what the recipe uses.
Missing something?
- No extra-firm tofu? Firm tofu works.
- No limes? Lemons work.
- No red cabbage? Green cabbage or coleslaw mix works.
- No shredded carrots? Carrots work.
- No green onions? Chives work.
- No cilantro? Fresh parsley works.
Steps
Tap an underlined word for a quick explanation.
Wrap the tofu in a clean towel and set something heavy on it for 15 minutes to press out the water.
Timer: 15 min
Dolly’s tip: The drier the tofu, the crispier it gets. A skillet with a few cans in it makes a good press.Food safety: Tofu is safe to eat straight from the package; cooking is only for texture and flavor.
the air fryer to 400°F. Cut the tofu into ¾-inch and with 1 tablespoon of the tamari, then the cornstarch and oil.
Preheat. Preheating means turning the oven on before you start, so it’s fully hot when the food goes in. Food that starts in a cold oven cooks unevenly and doesn’t brown the same.
How you’ll know: The oven beeps or its light clicks off, usually 10 to 15 minutes after you turn it on.
Cube. Cubing means cutting food into chunky, even squares, usually three quarters of an inch to an inch. Same-size cubes cook at the same speed and brown on every side.
How you’ll know: Your pieces look like a handful of sugar cubes, a little bigger than diced, all close to the same size.
Toss. Tossing means gently lifting and turning food so everything gets coated, like pasta in sauce or vegetables in oil. It coats every piece evenly without mashing anything.
How you’ll know: Every piece looks glossy or evenly coated, with no dry spots hiding underneath.
Air fry 15 to 18 minutes, shaking the basket twice, until and on the edges.
Golden brown. Golden brown is the color of good toast, somewhere between yellow and light brown. It means the outside is cooked and crisp but not burnt.
How you’ll know: It looks like toast and smells toasty; dark brown with a bitter smell means it went too far.
Crispy. Crispy means the outside is dry, firm and crunchy. It comes from high heat, a little oil and room in the pan, because crowded food steams and goes soft.
How you’ll know: It sounds crunchy when you tap or bite it, and it doesn’t flop when you lift it.
Timer: 16 min
Meanwhile, microwave the edamame in a covered bowl for 2 to 3 minutes, until steaming hot, then spread it on a plate to cool.
Food safety: Frozen vegetables aren’t ready to eat straight from the bag, because they can carry listeria. Cook or microwave them until steaming hot, then let them cool before they go into a cold salad, bowl or wrap.
the peanut butter, rice vinegar, lime juice, maple syrup, ginger, garlic, the rest of the tamari and 2 tablespoons of warm water until smooth.
Whisk. Whisking means beating quickly with a whisk or a fork to blend things together. It smooths out lumps and mixes eggs, oil or sauces evenly.
How you’ll know: It all looks one even color and texture, with no streaks or lumps.
both cabbages and the green onions and the cilantro and peanuts.
Thinly slice. Thinly slicing means cutting slices about an eighth of an inch thick, roughly two coins stacked. Thin slices cook in seconds and soften fast, which quick dishes need.
How you’ll know: A slice bends a little when you hold it by one edge, and slow, steady cuts beat fast ones.
Chop. Chopping means cutting food into bite-size pieces that don’t need to be neat. Keep them roughly the same size so everything cooks evenly.
How you’ll know: Your pieces are about half an inch and roughly alike, even if none of them are pretty.
the cabbages, carrots, edamame, green onions and cilantro with most of the dressing, then top with the tofu, peanuts and the rest of the dressing.
Toss. Tossing means gently lifting and turning food so everything gets coated, like pasta in sauce or vegetables in oil. It coats every piece evenly without mashing anything.
How you’ll know: Every piece looks glossy or evenly coated, with no dry spots hiding underneath.
Dolly’s tip: Cabbage stays crunchy for days, so you can dress the lunches ahead. Keep the tofu and peanuts separate so they stay crisp.
Plan this in Dollop, and get the grocery list
Dollop puts this dinner on a night that suits your week, lists only what you still need to buy, and walks you through each step while you cook.
