Spring Mix Salad with Lemon Baked Tofu
Feb 17, 2023 (Last updated Jan 7, 2025) by Hannah Sunderani
Spring Mix Salad with Lemon Baked Tofu
I am so excited to be sharing this gorgeous Spring Mix Salad with you! It’s one of my favourites from the Two Spoons Cookbook pre-order recipe bundle. It’s the perfect salad for Spring with its bright pops of colour and refreshing lemon vinaigrette.
I absolutely love the combination of crunchy and creamy textures and bright and zesty citrus flavours. This is a recipe you won’t want to miss. Now let’s get into the details so you can share this stunning dish with your family pronto!
This Spring Mix Salad is…
- Nourishing
- Perfect for warmer weather
- A delicious side dish or main dish
- Paired with an easy dressing
- High in protein
- Gluten-free
- Meal prep friendly
- Dinner party worthy!
Ingredient Notes
This salad is made with three components: delicious spring mix salad, lemon baked tofu, and lemon vinaigrette. Here are a few key ingredients you won’t want to miss:
- Extra firm tofu is the main source of our protein. It’s pressed, tossed in a simple sauce, torn into bites, then baked until crispy.
- Olive oil helps add healthy fats, crisps up our tofu and is a key ingredient in making a luscious homemade vinaigrette.
- Boost and brighten the lemon flavor with both lemon juice and fresh lemon zest.
- Cooked and cooled quinoa adds additional protein, fiber, and helps make this salad a heartier meal.
- Finish your salad with radish for an extra crunch, creamy avocado, edamame, and fresh mint.
Make this salad with me
Make this salad with me on my YouTube Cooking Show Vegan Afternoon with Two Spoons. In this recipe I share 4 protein-packed salads including this spring mix salad!
How to Make Lemon Baked Tofu
A key component in this spring mix salad is the baked tofu bits. It’s rich in protein and helps turn this salad into a filling meal.
To start, preheat the oven and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
Next, press the tofu! My favourite way to do this is drain and rinse the tofu block and wrap in a clean kitchen towel. Set the tofu block on the countertop and place a large cutting board securely on top, followed by a heavy cast-iron skillet or heavy pot. Let the weight of the pot “press” the excess water out of the tofu for 15 minutes. Or, if you own a tofu press, feel free to use it!
While the tofu presses, prepare the tofu marinade. In a medium-sized mixing bowl, add the ginger, olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, mustard, miso, agave, dill, salt, and pepper. Whisk together until combined.
Using your hands, break apart the tofu into small, rough chunks directly over the bowl with the marinade and toss in the sauce to combine. Spread the tofu mixture on the prepared baking sheet and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, flipping half way through or until the tofu is golden and crispy.
How to Assemble a Spring Mix Salad
While the tofu bakes, make the lemon vinaigrette dressing. In a small bowl, whisk together the apple cider vinegar, green onion, olive oil, mustard, dill, salt, and pepper to combine.
Then, in a large salad bowl or on a serving platter, arrange a bed of spring mix greens and sprinkle with quinoa and lemon baked tofu bits. Decorate with the radish, creamy avocado, edamame, and fresh mint. Drizzle with the fresh Lemon Vinaigrette and toss.
Serve immediately while fresh and crispy.
Variations and Add-ins
- Try another flavor of tofu – Although the lemon baked tofu flavor pairs perfectly with the fresh vegetables in this salad, you could enjoy it with simple oven-baked tofu cubes instead! They’re almost like croutons!
- Quinoa substitute – Cooked couscous, barley, brown rice, or farro would make a wonderful alternative.
- Mixed greens substitute – Any mix of your favourite salad greens will work well. Try spinach, baby kale, baby arugula, butter lettuce or green chard and red chard.
- Radish – For a similar crunch, try thinly sliced parsnips, turnips, jicama, or carrots.
- Additions – The best part of making salads is making them your own to suit your family’s taste buds. You may enjoy thinly sliced cucumber, diced red onion, green onion, vegan feta cheese, almond slivers, pumpkin seeds, or your favourite store-bought dressing.
Serving Suggestions
This Spring Mix Salad with Lemon Baked Tofu is hearty enough and protein-rich enough to enjoy as a full, nourishing meal. Enjoy as a lunch, dinner, or a perfect side salad alongside your favourite mains.
This simple green salad would be especially delicious served with Curried Butternut Squash and Sweet Potato Soup, Easy Gazpacho, or Spiced Coconut Carrot Soup to make a complete meal.
Additional Cooking Tips
- 1/4 cup of dried quinoa will make 1/2 cup of cooked quinoa. To cook from scratch, in a medium saucepan, stir together 1/4 cup of dry quinoa and 1/2 cup of water. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover with the lid slightly ajar, and simmer the quinoa until cooked, about 12 to 15 minutes. Transfer the cooked quinoa to a shallow bowl to cool and loosely cover with a kitchen towel.
- A mandolin can thinly slice vegetables best. This is my favourite way to uniformly slice vegetables. If you own a mandolin, it’s worth it to use for slicing veggies for salad!
- Make the vinaigrette ahead! Similar to my balsamic vinaigrette dressing, you can prep this lemon vinaigrette up to 5 days in advance. To do so, whisk the ingredients together and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Bring to room temperature and stir before using and dressing your easy spring mix salad.
More Fresh Salad Recipes You Might Love:
- 20-Minute Strawberry Spinach Salad & Balsamic Dressing
- Vegan Caesar Salad
- Kale and Quinoa Salad
- 30-Minute Moroccan-Inspired Carrot & Chickpea Salad
- Kale Sweet Potato Salad
I hope you love this salad as much as I do! If you do make this recipe, please let me know in the comments below what you think! I truly love hearing from you, and I’m always here to answer any questions you might have.
And of course, tag me on Instagram with your pictures using the hashtag #twospoons. Nothing makes me happier than to see your recreations.
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Spring Mix Salad with Lemon Baked Tofu
Ingredients
BAKED LEMON TOFU BITS
- 1 block extra-firm tofu (12 ounces/350 g)
- 2 inch piece fresh ginger peeled and finely chopped
- 3 tablespoon olive oil
- zest of 1 lemon
- 2 1/2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp white miso
- 1 tsp agave
- 1/4 tsp dried dill
- 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
- 1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper
Lemon Vinaigrette
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
- 1 green onion white and light green parts, finely chopped
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1/4 tsp dried dill
- 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
- 1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper
Spring Salad
- 4 cups spring greens (5 ounces/140 g)
- 1/2 cup cooked quinoa (see notes for cooking if needed)
- 2 radishes , very thinly sliced
- 1 avocado peeled, pitted, and sliced
- 1 cup cooked edamame or peas (see notes for cooking if frozen)
- 1/4 cup fresh mint tightly packed and chopped
Instructions
- Make the Baked Lemon Tofu Bits: Preheat oven to 375F° (190°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Press the Tofu: Drain and rinse the tofu block and wrap in a clean kitchen towel. Set the tofu block on the countertop and place a large cutting board securely on top, followed by a heavy cast-iron skillet or heavy pot. Let the weight of the pot “press” the excess water out of the tofu for 15 minutes.
- In a medium bowl, add the ginger, olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, mustard, miso, agave, dill, salt, and pepper. Whisk together.
- Bake the Tofu: Using your hands, break apart the tofu into small, rough chunks directly over the bowl and toss in the sauce to combine.Spread the tofu mixture evenly onto the prepared baking sheet and cook for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the tofu is golden and crispy. Stir after the 20-minute mark for a more even bake. Remove from the oven and set aside.
- Meanwhile, make the Lemon Vinaigrette Dressing: In a small bowl, combine the apple cider vinegar, green onion, olive oil, mustard, dill, salt, and pepper. Whisk to combine.
- Assemble the Spring Salad: In a large salad bowl or serving platter, arrange the spring greens, sprinkle with the quinoa and tofu bits, and decorate with the radish, avocado, edamame, and mint. Drizzle with the Lemon Vinaigrette and toss. (Alternatively, you can serve the vinaigrette on the side.)
Watch The Video
Notes
1. For cooking quinoa: 1⁄4 cup uncooked quinoa makes about 1⁄2 cup cooked quinoa. In a medium saucepan, stir together the quinoa and 1⁄2 cup of water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover with the lid slightly ajar, and simmer the quinoa until cooked and pleasantly chewy, 12 to 15 minutes. Transfer the cooked quinoa to a shallow bowl for quicker cooling and cover with a kitchen towel. 2. Radish can be thinly sliced using a mandoline. If you don’t have a mandoline, use a sharp knife and thinly slice 1⁄8 inch thick. 3. If cooking edamame or peas from frozen. Place in a small bowl and pour boiling water overtop to fill. Wait 5 minutes, then drain and rinse under cold running water. DO AHEAD
The Lemon Vinaigrette can be prepared up to 5 days in advance. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Bring to room temperature and stir before using.
Approvals
Nutrition
See more step-by-step instructions by visiting the recipe story here!
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