I love a good Kale Caesar Salad but I love a Kale Caesar Salad w/ Grilled Cajun Tofu more. I usually top off my Caesar salads with vegan chicken or tempeh bacon but I recently tried the addition of cajun seasoned tofu and it was delicious! The spicy flavorful tofu compliments the creamy dressing and it just works. I highly recommend switching up the protein in your salad with this Grilled Cajun Tofu!
I've made this kale Caesar salad w/ grilled cajun tofu way too many times this summer. It's definitely my favorite salad and I'm excited to share it with you! BUT if you're not feeling salad, I can't recommend making the grilled cajun tofu enough. This delicious tofu can be served with rice and veggies for a healthy and easy dinner!
What You Will Need For This Kale Caesar Salad w/ Grilled Cajun Tofu
Kitchen Essentials:
The cashew based caesar dressing requires a blender to create a smooth and creamy texture. The cashews are boiled for 15 minutes or soaked overnight so they will be softened and easy to blend!
The grilled cajun tofu requires a small grill pan. I found a small cast iron grill pan at TJ Maxx for about $7 and it works perfectly!
Main Ingredients:
- Finely Chopped Kale
- Marinaded Tofu
- Cajun Seasoning
- Cashews
Substitutions:
- Cashews: The cashews be replaced with silken tofu with great results. Texture won't be as creamy and thick but it will still be tasty.
- Kale: Use a nice spring mix or spinach!
How To Make The Best Kale Caesar Salad
Press your tofu! The extra firm tofu should be pressed to remove excess water for minimum of 30 minutes but I recommend an hour so that the tofu will be dry enough to soak up the flavorful marinade. Marinate the tofu overnight for the best flavor but if you're in a hurry, at least 30 minutes minimum is recommended.
I think kale salads are underrated but honestly, kale in general is underrated to me. I feel like most people eat it because it's healthy and they feel like they have to but don't really enjoy it or maybe you always buy it with intentions of eating it but it always goes bad in the fridge... I'm here to help! I regularly eat kale and actually enjoy it so I'm going to share my top two tips for how to make kale tasty and palatable so it doesn't feel like a chore to eat.
Massage it! Chop the kale and add a splash of your salad dressing and use your hands to massage it until it starts to break down. It'll get deeper green in color and will become softer and easier to digest and chew. Let the kale sit while you finish up prepping and cooking the rest of your ingredients. Most salads get soggy and gross when they sit already dressed but kale gets softer and more delicious.
My biggest tip is to chop it up! I ALWAYS cut my kale in tiny finely chopped pieces. In fancier terms, chiffonade it! Big pieces of kale can be tough to chew and not super pleasant.
More Tofu Recipes You Might Like:
Learn more about making the best tofu ever in the Ultimate Guide to Cooking Tofu.
More Salad Recipes You Might Like:
- Vegan Bacon Apple Spinach Salad w/ Apple Cider Vinaigrette
- Brussels Sprout & Sweet Potato Salad w/ Maple Mustard Dressing
If You Make This Recipe:
Tag me on Instagram! I’d love to see your delicious re-creations and feature them! As always, I would greatly appreciate if you share your review in the comments below. Don’t forget to add if you made any fun substitutions. Thank you!
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Recipe
Ingredients
Grilled Cajun Tofu:
- 1 Block of Extra Firm Tofu pressed
- 2 tablespoon Soy Sauce
- ½ cup Vegetable Broth
- Juice of Half a Lemon
- ½ tablespoon Organic Cane Sugar
- 1 tablespoon Nutritional Yeast
- 1 tablespoon Cajun Seasoning
Caesar Dressing:
- ½ cup Cashews boiled or soaked overnight
- ½ cup Water
- ÂĽ cup Lemon Juice
- 1 tablespoon Dijon Mustard
- 2 tablespoon Nutritional Yeast
- 2 Garlic Cloves
- 2-3 teaspoons Capers
- Salt & Pepper as needed
Kale Salad:Â
- 5 cups Kale finely chopped
- 1 Medium Sweet Potato
- â…“ cup Vegan Parmesan
- 1 tablespoon Capers
- Avocado Slices
Instructions
- Press the block of extra firm tofu for at least 30 Min to an 1 hour to remove excess water.
- Whisk together soy sauce, vegetable broth, lemon juice, sugar, nutritional yeast, and cajun seasonings. Pour in to a shallow Tupperware container.
- Cut the tofu through the middle and then cut each piece in half. You should have 4 rectangles. Place the tofu in to the marinade and cover. Refrigerate overnight or for at least 1 hour. Overnight is best. At this time, soak cashews overnight as well. Can also be boiled for 15 minutes.
- Dice the sweet potato and toss with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Optional seasonings include: paprika, cajun seasoning, garlic, and onion. Bake at 425F for 20-25 minutes or until crispy and cooked through.
- Make the dressing by combining cashews, water, lemon juice, dijon mustard, nutritional yeast, garlic, capers, salt and pepper in to a blender. Blend until smooth and creamy.
- Grill Marinaded Cajun Tofu on a well oiled grill pan on medium-high heat for 4-5 minutes, flip and grill for another 4-5 minutes. Remove from heat.
- Thinly chop kale in to bite size pieces. Add in ÂĽ cup of the caesar dressing and with clean hands massage the kale for a few minutes to break it down and make it easier to chew. Add in the sweet potatoes, capers and vegan parmesan. Plate the salad and top with avocado slices and grilled cajun tofu. Drizzle on extra dressing and enjoy!
Sonja says
Really great salad! The tofu and dressing were delicious and super flavorful! I ate it as salad and as wraps. Will definitely make again!
Liv says
Love the idea of making a wrap! Thank you for your review 🙂