OMG you guys… This Curried Tofu Salad is SO GOOD and SO PERFECT for summer. So good, in fact, that I made twice in a row because after after it was gone, I still wanted more. It’s incredibly fast to prepare (ten minutes, max), very cold and refreshing, light yet surprisingly filling, inexpensive, and so nom-nom delicious! And the best part is that there is no need to press the tofu or any of the other usually arduous steps required when making tofu dishes. Just mix everything together and enjoy.
How to Serve Curried Tofu Salad
Just like with any type of chicken or egg salad, you can stuff this into a tortilla to make a wrap, scoop it up with crackers, serve it over a bed of greens, or just go at it with a spoon (that’s how I ate it for lunch today). So, you can make a batch and eat it a different way each day throughout the week. :)
What Type of Tofu Should I Use?
I highly suggest using extra firm tofu for this instead of just firm tofu. The extra firmness gives this salad a little body so that it’s not just a mushy mess. I also have to note that not all brands of tofu are created equal. I’ve made this with two different brands so far (Soy Boy and Simply Organic) and they differed in firmness and flavor, despite both being “extra firm.” I definitely preferred the Soy Boy, although I gobbled up the Simply Organic just as readily.
What Kind of Curry Powder is Best?
Curry powders can vary quite a bit from brand to brand, so you may need to experiment a little to find one that you like the best. You can use any type of curry powder for this recipe, including hot or mild varieties. If you’d like to try making your own curry powder, try this recipe for Easy Homemade Curry Powder from Spiceitupp.com.
Other Add-In Ideas
If you want even more texture in your salad, you can add in a variety of other ingredients that you may have on hand. I wouldn’t go out of my way to purchase these specifically for the salad, but if I had them on hand I would toss them in: finely diced red onion, shredded carrot, sliced almonds, cashews, diced celery, sliced green onions, or dried mango.
Substitutions
I know, I know, some of you just can not do cilantro. While I do believe the cilantro offers a unique freshness to this salad, I suppose I’ll be okay if you using sliced green onion instead. ;) They have totally different flavors, but green onion does also add an element of freshness.
You can use plain traditional yogurt in place of the Greek yogurt if needed, just be aware that your dressing will not be quite as thick.
Want more recipes with curry powder? Check out our Curry Powder Recipe Archives!
Curried Tofu Salad
Servings 4 3/4 cup eachIngredients
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise ($0.41)
- 1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt ($0.71)
- 1 tsp lemon juice ($0.20)
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard ($0.03)
- 1 tsp honey (0.04)
- 1/2 Tbsp curry powder ($0.15)
- 1/2 tsp salt ($0.02)
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro ($0.12)
- 14 oz. extra firm tofu ($1.79)
Instructions
- Remove the tofu from its package and allow it to drain in a colander as you prepare the dressing.
- In a medium bowl, stir together the mayonnaise, yogurt, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, honey, curry powder, salt, and chopped cilantro.
- Crumble the drained tofu into the bowl with the dressing, then stir to combine. Serve immediately, or refrigerate until you’re ready to eat.
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Nutrition
Have you tried this recipe?Mention @budgetbytes or tag #budgetbytes on Instagram!How to Make Curried Tofu Salad – Step by Step Photos
Remove a 14oz. block of extra firm tofu from its package and allow it to drain in a colander as you prepare the dressing for the salad.
To prepare the dressing, stir together 1/4 cup mayonnaise, 1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt, 1 tsp lemon juice, 1 tsp honey, 1 tsp Dijon mustard, 1/2 Tbsp curry powder, and 1/2 tsp salt.
Then stir in about 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro.
Crumble the block of tofu into the bowl…
Then just stir everything together! That’s it! I had a hard time not eating it straight out of the bowl…
I love this Curried Tofu Salad when it’s ice cold. SO GOOD. And, to my surprise, the flavor did not get more dull with overnight refrigeration. #win
I made this recently, and had to use dried cilantro (not recommended) as I didn’t have the cilantro I thought I had. It was still so very good! I tried a couple kinds of crackers, but didn’t want anything to come between my tongue and the tofu! I made another batch today with fresh cilantro….even better. Now I intend to explore additions!
This has been such a day-brightener in this time of Covid! I rapidly grew bored with sandwiches for lunch, but didn’t have the bandwidth to plan lunches while also cooking everything! This is a refreshing change of pace for lunch, and so easy I can “just do it.”
Definitely a keeper. Used my Tofu Press to really drain the tofu so I could really taste the yummy dressing.
This is my new favorite. I added extra Curry , thinly sliced green onion , shredded carrots and sesame seeds. Absolutely delicious!
Shockingly good and easy to make. Perfect for a hot summer evening! Substituted sour cream for yogurt and it turned out lovely.
I’ve made this recipe so many times that I’m at the point where I can just eyeball the ingredients—I love it!
I really dislike mayo and don’t want to buy it just for this, so I double the Greek yogurt instead. It comes out great!
This recipe caught my attention really quick, even though (weirdly enough) I never made anything with curry and tofu before. And – holy shizzle – this was sooo good! Very, very tasty and fun to make. Super filling too. I had to deviate from the recipe though, purely because I couldn’t find cilantro (so I threw in a bunch of other random greens) and greek yoghurt (I took the regular one instead). Also, just for the hell of it, I threw in some seed mix (sesame, pumpkin, sunflower and such) to make it crunchier. Might try it with walnuts next time, and with less mayo and more mustard. Thanks for the recipe!
Im not sure if this is because i didnt drain the tofu enough or its supposed to happen. Flavors are alright but thisis a bit too wet for me.
Addicting and perfect for meal prep. I had cashews and Craisins in the pantry so I added those in, but it is delicious without any extras as well.
Oh yes additions are great but you’re right this is just as good as is too!
This was sooooooo good! And I don’t even like curry that much! But this so well balanced, it’s going in my rotation of fave recipes
I’ve never made anything with tofu at home before, so I wasn’t sure what to expect – but this was awesome! So quick, easy and delicious! I’m totally inspired to try using tofu more.
I add white pepper to tofu when it’s supposed to be an egg substitute. It gives it a touch of sulfur-y eggy-ness.
I don’t love mayo but I love this recipe. If I don’t have Dijon mustard I use spicy mustard. Sometimes I use cilantro, sometimes not. I make this on Sunday for my weekday lunch.
How log does this keep? 😊 thinking of making this as a food prep for the work week lunches!
About 4 days give or take some depending on the storage conditions. :)
I just made this recipe and it’s simple, fast and delicious! I used soy yogurt and vegan mayo due to food sensitivities and it was still wonderful. This will go in our regular rotation for sure.
I made this tonight, but had to sub a few things I didn’t have. I used sour cream instead of yogurt, and I had no lemon juice (and no substitute: boo). I also had no cilantro, so I used that refrigerated cilantro-in-a-tube stuff, instead (2 TB).
Taking Beth’s advice in the narrative, I added a carrot (I finely minced it), 2 finely sliced green onions, and a finely sliced celery stalk.
Finally, having no crackers, I put this on some big romaine lettuce leaves with some fresh chopped tomatoes.
I think the lemon is mandatory: this is not to be skipped. I can tell it’s missing the bright flavor from the lemon.
I think the carrot is nice and highly recommend it.
I think the celery provides a nice crunch, but it really wants to take over the whole dish: I might recommend cucumber instead or just skip it altogether. I added a lot of salt to try to bring out the other flavors to balance what I found to be almost overpowering celery.
I think the crackers are imperative. I suspect they balance with the curry well and the lettuce leaves didn’t do it justice. I’m going to grab some crackers tomorrow to eat the leftovers with.
This is a lovely recipe. I’ll definitely make it again. Thank you so much!!
This is far better than it has any right to be. It’s all I can do not to eat the whole thing as soon as I’ve made it.
How many chickpeas did you use, one can worth? I am going to try it…yumm
I’ve made this before as written–delicious. Today I tried it with chickpeas instead of tofu, and it also turned out very well. Very versatile recipe!