Tofu Cucumber Salad with Spicy Peanut Dressing

Making tofu tastier can be as simple as tossing it in a knockout sauce like this Sichuan-inspired peanut dressing. To make this cucumber salad recipe a meal, add rice noodles and double the dressing. Serve with an extra drizzle of sesame oil and sliced scallions.

Ingredients

Spicy Peanut Dressing

• 1 ½ tablespoons natural peanut butter
• 1 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• 1 ½ teaspoons toasted (dark) sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon black bean-garlic sauce
• 1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
• ½ teaspoon chile-garlic sauce or Sriracha, or to taste
• ½ teaspoon sugar
• ¼ teaspoon finely chopped garlic
• ¼ teaspoon ground Sichuan peppercorns

Salad

• 8 ounces extra-firm water-packed tofu, drained and cut into ½-inch cubes
• 1 large English cucumber, quartered and sliced ¾ inch thick
• 1 cup coarsely chopped cilantro, divided
• ¼ cup chopped salted roasted peanuts
• ¼ cup thinly sliced scallion greens

Instructions

• To prepare dressing: Combine peanut butter, soy sauce, vinegar, sesame oil, black bean-garlic sauce, ginger, chile-garlic sauce (or Sriracha), sugar, garlic and ground peppercorns in a medium bowl; whisk until well combined.
• To prepare salad: Combine tofu, cucumber and ¾ cup cilantro in a large bowl. Add 2 tablespoons of the dressing; toss until well coated. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• To serve, transfer salad to a serving bowl. Drizzle with the remaining dressing. Top with peanuts, scallions and the remaining cilantro.

Tips

MAKE AHEAD TIPS

• Refrigerate peanut dressing (Step 1) for up to 1 week; bring to room temperature and whisk before serving.

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