Rainbow Berry Salad with Almond Dressing

Rainbow Berry Salad with Almond Butter Dressing. This salad is bursting with fresh fruit, crispy tofu, almonds and a bright almond-butter dressing.

this Recipe

I remade this recipe last weekend for lunch and loved it so much, I thought I would share it again with you. It’s my favorite salad to eat in the spring and summer, when my fridge always has fresh berries inside just begging to be tossed with creamy almond dressing.

Sometimes I feel like my mission is making tofu appealing. After 15 years as a predominantly plant-based eater, I’ve realized that not liking tofu is usually related to not having it prepared properly. 

Tofu, like tempeh, can be gross if it’s not served correctly. In fact, the first block of tofu I ever bought I ended up throwing away because I couldn’t force myself to actually cook with it.

Now I’m a tofu-loving machine. Baked, fried, raw in eggless salads, pureed, or whipped, it’s a food that I just can’t get enough of. I think it’s always worth mentioning that most of the negative things you hear about tofu are wrong.

What is tofu? 

Not sure what tofu is? It’s basically solidified soy milk. You first boil soybeans in water, then add in a coagulant to form curds– the most typical one is calcium sulfate, which adds in additional tofu. Finally, the mixture is drained, pressed into molds, and cut into squares to become tofu. How much coagulant and how long it’s pressed is what makes soft, firm or extra firm tofu. 

If you want to learn more about tofu, sign up for my FREE 7-Day Plant-Based Protein Course. I go into detail on how to cook it and the health benefits along with beans, lentils and tempeh. 

How to make tofu for this Rainbow Berry Salad

If you’re new to tofu, I’ve got two fool-proof ways to enjoy it. The first is my bake, marinate and sauté method that I use in my peanut buddha bowl. That recipe has been shared hundreds of thousands of times and consistently gets rave reviews. Honestly, I think it’s because the tofu doesn’t taste like tofu. It’s golden, chewy, and perfectly covered in a savory peanut sauce.

While I love that method, it also takes a bit of planning and the use of a marinade. For nights when I want chewy, perfectly fried tofu without a ton of oil, I use this bake method instead. 

First, you need to press your tofu. Pressing tofu allows the water to be removed so it can bake up properly and absorb whatever seasoning you’re using. Not pressing the tofu can lead to soggy tofu. 

Then, cover your cubes in a base of soy sauce (or tamari for gluten-free option), a little olive oil and whatever seasoning you’d like. From there, toss in a bit of arrowroot starch or cornstarch. This allows the tofu to get really golden and crisp, without having to deep fry.

Honestly, I eat about half the pan once it comes out of the oven. It’s just so, so good. 

I stumbled upon this berry salad recipe from Pinch of Yum and instantly knew I wanted to recreate it with tofu instead. I’ve been on a huge fruit kick lately and this salad looked so refreshing; especially with all of the various textures.

So, I baked the tofu, then added in plenty of blueberries, blackberries and grapes. You could almost stop there, with the slightly-spicy tofu and juicy fruit. Almost. To finish things off, stir in a healthy serving of toasted almonds, and a creamy almond-butter dressing. I opted for my favorite dairy-free feta, but you could use regular feta or leave it out completely. 

This is going to be my salad of the summer.

If you try this recipe, let me know! Leave a comment, rate it, and tag your Instagram photos with #delishknowledge . I absolutely love seeing your creations. Happy cooking! 

Rainbow Berry Salad with Almond Dressing

• Author: Alex Caspero
• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 20 minutes
• Total Time: 35 minutes
• Yield: Serves 4
• Category: lunch, salad, healthy, vegetarian
• Cuisine: American
• Diet: Vegetarian

Description

Rainbow Berry Salad with Almond Dressing. This salad is bursting with fresh fruit, crispy tofu, dairy-free or regular feta, almonds and a bright almond-butter dressing. Adapted from Pinch of Yum.

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• Author: Alex Caspero
• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 20 minutes
• Total Time: 35 minutes
• Yield: Serves 4
• Category: lunch, salad, healthy, vegetarian
• Cuisine: American
• Diet: Vegetarian

• Author: Alex Caspero
• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 20 minutes
• Total Time: 35 minutes
• Yield: Serves 4
• Category: lunch, salad, healthy, vegetarian
• Cuisine: American
• Diet: Vegetarian

Scale 1x2x3x

Ingredients

Crispy Tofu: 

• 1 block organic, firm or extra-firm tofu
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce (or tamari for gluten-free version)
• 1 tablespoon arrowroot starch
• 2 teaspoons chili powder

Almond Butter Dressing:

• 1/4 cup almond butter
• 2 tablespoons orange juice
• 3 tablespoons hot water
• 1 teaspoon spicy brown mustard or dijon
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 small clove garlic, minced

Berry Salad Ingredients: 

• 4–5 cups lettuce, chopped
• 2 cups grapes, halved
• 1 cup fresh blueberries
• 3/4 cup fresh blackberries
• 1/2 cup dairy-free or regular feta cheese*
• 1/2 cup chopped almonds

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Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
2. For crispy tofu, it needs to be pressed first. Wrap the tofu in a kitchen towel or paper towels and place a heavy object on top, like a pan or cans. Let drain for at least 15 minutes.
3. Unwrap the tofu and cube, then place in a large bowl. Toss with olive oil, soy sauce, arrowroot starch and chili powder until the tofu is evenly coated.
4. Place on the baking sheet and bake for 20-25 minutes until golden brown and crispy. Set aside while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.
5. Whisk together the ingredients for the dressing. Season to taste with salt, as needed. Depending on the consistency of your almond butter, you may need to add a bit more water to thin it out.
6. Place all ingredients to the salad in a large bowl and add the dressing. Toss well to combine, then divide among 4 bowls and serve.

Notes

The tofu can be made ahead of time and eaten cold or reheated in a pan or in the microwave.

*For a dairy-free feta, I love Violife’s cheese.

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