This Asian-inspired tofu salad combines black rice, crunchy vegetables and smoked tofu, tossed together in a subtle miso dressing. A fresh and satisfying plant-based meal packed with bold umami flavors!
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Introducing a healthy and highly addictive Asian-style salad! I’ve been making it on repeat lately and I never ever get tired of it. I love everything about it: the smoked tofu, the hearty black rice, the crunchy veggies and the umami miso dressing with fresh herbs. Simple to put together, it makes a colorful lunch that makes your day a little brighter!
This Asian salad is also very forgiving and you can easily bring your own touch to it. Simple add or swap some of the recipe ingredients to make it your own (check the recipe variation section below). Last but not least, it works great for meal prep, which makes it perfect for an office lunch box that will make your colleagues ask you for the recipe!
Asian Smoked Tofu Salad, in short:
- A healthy, nutritious and satisfying plant-based meal
- Packed with Asian umami flavors
- Au audacious lunch, easy to put together
Key recipe ingredients
These are the key ingredients to this Asian smoked tofu salad with black rice. Head over to the recipe card for the full, detailed recipe with an exhaustive list of ingredients.
- Smoked tofu. A favorite of mine (and my kids too!). There is almost no preparation involved when cooking with smoked tofu, yet it brings some incredible bold umami flavors to almost any dish. If you want to go more plant-based but are not ready to do the big jump (and you don’t have to make the big jump anyway), you should definitely consider using it in your recipes.
- Miso. I used white shiro miso to prepare the dressing, bringing a bold Asian touch and some incredible umami flavors to the dish.
- Black rice. Now this is a little twist of mine that makes this Asian salad unique.
- Crunchy veggies and fresh herbs. Shredded red cabbage, carrot ribbons, radishes, scallions and fresh cilantro bring some very refreshing flavors and a wonderful pop of color in this Asian salad!
Recipe variations and meal prep
Recipe variations. Consider adding some cucumber, bell peppers, and/or edamame to this salad. You could also complete with some roasted sweet potatoes for a warmer version (you can then serve it lukewarm). Instead of black rice, feel free to use sushi rice, quinoa or even some rice vermicelli. You can also add some crunchy toasted cashews, peanuts or almonds to the salad.
Meal prep. You can prep this recipe up to 4 days in advance, storing the recipe components in separate airtight containers: black rice (together with the diced tofu), crunchy veggies, and dressing. Assemble and pour the dressing over when ready to serve.
More Asian-inspired recipes
If you want to explore cooking with an Asian touch, here are some recipes you can start with. They are Asian-inspired (not strictly Asian) and made approachable for the beginner chef. I hope you’ll like them!
- Thai Peanut Quinoa Salad
- Tofu Crispy Rice Salad (viral recipe)
- Vegetable Gyoza
- Tahini Miso Ramen with Crispy Tofu
- Miso Roasted Sweet Potatoes
Also if like me you have a sweet tooth, make sure you try these Brown Butter Miso Chocolate Chip Cookies. They’re just out of this world!
Crunchy Asian Black Rice Tofu Salad
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 25 mins
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Salads & Bowls
- Diet: Vegan
This Asian-inspired tofu salad combines black rice, crunchy vegetables and smoked tofu, tossed together in a subtle miso dressing. A fresh and satisfying plant-based meal packed with bold umami flavors!
Email me this recipe
We’ll send it straight to your inbox, along with weekly food inspiration!
Ingredients
For the salad:
- 1 cup (200g) uncooked wild black rice
- 7.7 ounces (220g) smoked tofu, diced
- 1 Tablespoon canola oil
- 1 Tablespoon soy sauce
- ½ small red cabbage, shredded or thinly sliced
- 4 carrots, cut into ribbons
- 1 handful radishes, sliced
- 1 handful fresh cilantro, chopped
- 4 or 5 scallions, thinly sliced
- White and black sesame, toasted, for serving
- Lime wedges, for serving
For the miso dressing:
- 2 Tablespoons white miso paste (shiro miso)
- ½ teaspoon grated ginger
- 1 Tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 Tablespoon sesame oil
- 3 Tablespoons canola oil
- 2 Tablespoons soy sauce
Instructions
- For the rice. Cook wild black rice according to package instructions. Drain and set aside.
- For the slaw. Toss the carrot, cabbage and radishes together in a large bowl.
- For the tofu. Add canola oil to a sauté pan placed over medium heat. Add the smoked tofu, 1 Tablespoon of soy sauce, and toss to combine. Sauté for about 2-3 minutes, stirring often, until slightly golden on all sides.
- Prepare the miso dressing. In a bowl or mason jar, add all the miso dressing ingredients and whisk well. Add one or two teaspoons water to thin out the dressing if needed.
- To assemble the salad, toss together black rice with vegetables and diced tofu in a large mixing bowl. Drizzle the miso dressing over, and garnish with fresh cilantro, scallions and toasted sesame. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
Note that the recipe proportions are just a starting point and fairly forgiving. Feel free to add more veggies if desired.
Did you make this recipe?
Lastly, if you make this Crunchy Asian Black Rice Tofu Salad, be sure to leave a comment and give this recipe a rating, letting me know how you liked it. And of course, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Thank you and enjoy!
