Cold Tofu Salad With Tomatoes and Peaches

By Hana Asbrink

Published July 20, 2021

Cold Tofu Salad With Tomatoes and Peaches
Linda Xiao for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Hadas Smirnoff.
Total Time
20 minutes
Rating
4(1,514)
Comments
Read comments

Sweet, savory and refreshing for summer’s hottest days, this is the salad to make when tomatoes and peaches are at their prime, on the verge of bursting. Inspired by Italian caprese salad and Japanese hiyayakko, it features juicy, ripe wedges of peaches and tomatoes seasoned with flaky salt, which draws out their juices to mingle with soy-balsamic dressing and creamy silken tofu. Top the salad with a shower of fragrant basil and mint, a nod to the shiso that often accompanies hiyayakko, and a few cranks of black pepper. Be sure to spoon the umami-rich dressing (the best part!) over the tomatoes, peaches and tofu so that it pools at the bottom of the serving platter.

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Ingredients

Yield:4 to 6 servings

    For the Salad

    • 12 to 14ounces silken tofu, chilled
    • 2 to 3ripe medium peaches
    • 3 to 4ripe medium tomatoes
    • Flaky sea salt
    • ¼cup packed fresh basil leaves
    • 2tablespoons fresh mint leaves
    • Black pepper

    For the Dressing

    • 3tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
    • 1tablespoon balsamic vinegar
    • 1tablespoon unseasoned rice vinegar
    • 1tablespoon toasted sesame oil
    • 2teaspoons soy sauce
    • 1teaspoon granulated sugar
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)

175 calories; 12 grams fat; 2 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 7 grams monounsaturated fat; 3 grams polyunsaturated fat; 12 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams dietary fiber; 9 grams sugars; 7 grams protein; 505 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Prepare the tofu: Carefully drain the tofu in its packaging, then remove the tofu. Gently wrap it with paper towels or a clean kitchen towel to absorb excess moisture and set it on a plate.

  2. Step 2

    Meanwhile, prepare the peaches and tomatoes: Pit and cut each peach into 1-inch-thick wedges, then core and cut each tomato into 1-inch-thick wedges. Place tomatoes and peaches on a serving platter, pouring any tomato or peach juices from the cutting board over the dish. Season generously with flaky sea salt to draw out juices.

  3. Step 3

    Remove the tofu from the paper towels and place it back on the plate. Using a large spoon, scoop out tofu mounds onto the tomatoes and peaches. Season tofu with flaky sea salt.

  4. Step 4

    Prepare the dressing: In a small glass jar, combine dressing ingredients, cover and shake to combine. Spoon 4 tablespoons of the dressing over the tomatoes, peaches and tofu. Extra dressing can be served alongside.

  5. Step 5

    Just before serving, stack together the basil and mint leaves and roughly chop. Top the salad with chopped herbs and black pepper. Serve immediately, taking care to spoon extra dressing and juices from the bottom of the platter.

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Ratings

4 out of 5
1,514 user ratings
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Comments

HK

Don't get why people are suggesting "make it with cheese instead." Of course you could, but the author states the recipe is "inspired by Italian caprese salad and Japanese hiyayakko" which uses tofu. This dish is an invitation to try tofu in a way you may have not before. Everyone knows cheese is amazing, but suggesting cheese here is like reading a recipe for vegan meatballs and saying, "try this, but make it with meat."

MainLineMike

For all of you advocating cheese in lieu of silken tofu, there are a couple of things to consider: cheese has substantially more fat than tofu, cheese is an animal product taking the recipe out of the vegan realm and cheese creates potential lactose issues for some eaters. Just saying.

Lucy

made as written but used maple syrup instead of sugar and added roasted chickpeas and some micro greens. amazing...an explosion of yummy flavors

cheching

I have made this with both tofu and ricotta (as per the suggestions here). I can confirm that the dressing definitely pairs much better with tofu.

Dianna

with excellent tomatoes this could be good. Mine were so so and the recipe didn't save them. Then again, everything is good with excellent tomatoes so I might just stick with tomato and mayonnaise sandwiches.

Gale S

I used my homegrown tomatoes and an excellent locally grown peach. Also used firm tofu which is a staple in my pantry. I feel the peach and tomatoes were delicious on their own and didn’t need any salad dressing. The tofu would have been just fine with traditional sesame oil, shoyu, and a smattering of grated fresh ginger.

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