Asian-Inspired Tofu Salad Rolls
Perfect for any day of the week, these fresh and fun Asian-Inspired Tofu Salad Rolls are a veggie-lovers dream lunch come true!
Jam-packed with fresh, crisp and textural veggies, leafy greens, and a savoury-sweet baked tofu, this finger-foodie lunch is surprisingly filling. I love that whether you’re just quickly whipping up meal or making a fancy spread, these salad rolls always look so impressive!
JUMP TO RECIPEINGREDIENTS
If you have a few extra minutes to throw around at lunchtime, or want to prepare a make-ahead lunch for the week ahead, these Asian-Inspired Tofu Salad Rolls are hands down the best. They’re surprisingly filling, yet don’t leave you feeling heavy. Happy tummy = happy human.
The ingredients for these salad rolls are 1) totally customizable and 2) cheap and easy to find! What’s not available in the produce aisles will definitely be in your grocer’s Asian foods aisle. Or better yet, get everything at your local Asian grocery store!
- Asian-Inspired Tofu Marinade: Gluten-free soy sauce, sesame oil, maple syrup, and cayenne pepper.
- Crisp, Fresh Veggies: Spinach, daikon radish, carrot and zucchini, plus savoury nori (seaweed) sheets.
- 4-Ingredient Dipping Sauce: Tahini, gluten-free soy sauce, lemon juice, and coconut sugar.
HOW TO MAKE ASIAN-INSPIRED TOFU SALAD ROLLS
With just a little mastery of timing and preparation, these salad rolls come together very easily, plus they’re pretty fun to make!
- Using a tofu press or a heavy cutting board, press a block of firm or extra-firm tofu for 20 minutes to squeeze out any excess moisture. In the meantime, make the tofu marinade. In a small jar combine the soy sauce, sesame oil, maple syrup and cayenne pepper.
- Slice the tofu into 8 equal pieces, place in a sealable bag and pour in the marinade. Massage the tofu to evenly coat each piece, and let marinate in the fridge for at least 20 minutes. Bake on the top rack in your oven for 40 minutes at 425F, flipping halfway through.
- Meanwhile, prep your veggies. Peel the zucchini into ribbons, julienne the carrots, and thinly slice the daikon and red onion. Wash and dry the spinach.
- Once the tofu is baked and cool enough to touch, slice each piece in half. Set aside with the veggies.
- Wet a rice paper sheet, lay flat and layer in your veggies, nori sheet and 1 halved piece of tofu. Roll up like a little burrito, and set aside. Repeat with the remaining ingredients.
- Make the 4-ingredient dipping sauce. In a small bowl combine the tahini, gluten-free soy sauce, lemon juice and coconut sugar. Mix until smooth and drippy.
- Serve, dip, munch, enjoy!
PARTING THOUGHTS
By marinating your tofu overnight you could save yourself a few extra minutes of prep time the next day, but regardless, these crisp, fresh salad rolls are full of savoury, sweet and salty flavour, plant-based protein and loads of veggies. Did I mention how dang pretty they are?! Perfect for any day of the week, these keep well in the fridge for up to 3 days so leftovers can be a great workday lunch.
Looking for some more easy and delicious lunch ideas? My Zesty Black Bean Mash, Tofu Egg Salad or Fajita Pasta might interest you!
Lastly, if you make this recipe and share it on Facebook or Instagram, don’t forget to tag me @SteamyVeganKitchen + #SteamyVeganKitchen! I can’t wait to see your yummy recreations!
Asian-Inspired Tofu Salad Rolls
Ingredients
Tofu Marinade
- 2 tbsp gluten-free soy sauce or tamari
- 2 tbsp sesame oil
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- dash cayenne pepper
Lemon Tahini Dipping Sauce
- 2 tbsp tahini
- 2 tbsp gluten-free soy sauce or tamari
- juice of half a lemon
- 1 tsp coconut sugar or maple syrup
Salad Rolls
- 1 block firm or extra-firm tofu
- 8 rice paper sheets
- 8 nori snack sheets
- 1.5 cups spinach leaves
- 1/4 cup carrot, julienned
- 1/4 cup daikon radish, thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup red onion, thinly sliced
- 1 small zucchini, peeled into ribbons
Instructions
Prepping the Tofu & Marinade
- Remove the tofu from the package, drain the excess liquid, and fold it up in a clean kitchen towel. Place a heavy, flat object on top like a cutting block with a frying pan or a couple cook books on top. Leave it for about 20 minutes.
- In a small jar, combine the gluten-free soy sauce or tamari, sesame oil, maple syrup and cayenne pepper. Seal the lid, and give it a good shake to combine.
- Once the tofu has been pressed, slice into 8 equal squares. Place them inside a sealable bag, laying flat beside each other, pour in the marinade and seal the bag. Gently massage and turn the bag to ensure each piece is evenly coated. Marinate in the fridge for a minimum of 20 minutes, or up to overnight if you plan to make this the next day.
- Once marinated, preheat your oven to 425F. Place each piece of tofu on a baking tray lined lined with parchment paper or a baking mat. Pour any remaining marinade over the tofu for extra flavour! Bake on the top rack for 40 minutes, flipping halfway through.
Making the Salad Rolls
- While the tofu is baking, prep your veggies. Wash and dry the spinach, julienne the carrots (no longer than 4"), thinly slice the daikon radish and red onion, and peel the zucchini into ribbons.
- Prep your work 'station'. Fill a shallow plate with warm water, unpackage the nori sheets and rice paper, and have the veggies ready. Once the tofu is baked and cool enough to handle, slice each piece in half and have ready to use.
- Run a rice paper sheet through the water, gently shaking off any excess, and lay flat on a cutting mat. Layer in small amounts of each ingredient, including 2 tofu slice halves, and a single nori sheet. Play around with how you layer in the ingredients for each roll. Gently roll up the rice paper starting with the sides, like you would a burrito. If your first couple rolls don’t turn out very pretty, don’t worry! Practice makes perfect.
- Once all 8 salad rolls are made, you can quickly whip up the dipping sauce. In a small bowl, combine the tahini, gluten-free soy sauce or tamari, lemon juice and coconut sugar. Mix until smooth and drippy.
- Serve, dip, munch, and enjoy!
