Crunchy Zaatar Tofu Crouton Salad with Creamy Tahini Dressing

Published by Bat-El at February 6, 2022

Ingredients

1 pack extra firm tofu
1/2 cup corn/ potato starch
2 tbsp garlic powder
1/2 tbsp salt
3 tbsp za'atar (I love this brand)
1 tsp black pepper

For the salad:
1 head Romaine lettuce
1/2 cup cherry tomatoes
1/2 red onion
5 radishes
1/3 cup fresh mint

For the dressing :

1/2 cup tahini (This one is so yum)
3/4 cup water
1 garlic clove
1 tsp cumin
2 tbsp zaatar
1/2 lemon, squeezed
1 tsp honey/ maple
2 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper

The known combination of croutons and salad together is something that is often really hard to resist. And in my case the more croutons, THE BETTER! Can you relate?

But how about leaving the guilt aside and replacing the croutons with some yummy, high-protein, zaatar-coated tofu croutons? Ho yes, please! These perfectly coated little cubes are so versatile! You can literally add them to nourishing bowls, lunch box meal-prep, wraps, salads and so much more.

I love turning my salad into a whole meal by itself! Loaded with greens, colors, and healthy fats and protein if possible.

In order to get the most beautiful layer of coating on each little tofu cube, we are going to shake them in a cornstarch-filled bag to save us work and dirt.

And the tahini dressing?! So so creamy, silky, flavourful, and delicious, you can not get enough of it.

So even if you think you don't like Tofu, you'll now start to like it because these Crotons are addictive!

Instructions

1). Pat dry the tofu very well and cut it into small cubes.

2). Into a big zip lock bag add the corn starch, zaatar, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Add the tofu and shake until well coated. Sear in a nonstick pan with 2 tbsp oil until golden brown. Better to do it in two batches so they don't stick to one another.

3). Transfer to a plate lined with a paper towel and set aside.

4). Prepare the dressing by combining all the ingredients, shake well, and taste for salt and pepper.

To assemble the salad:
5). Lay the lettuce on a platter or a bowl. Add, thinly slice the onions and radishes, cut the tomatoes, and arrange on the lettuce.

6). Add the seared zaatar Tofu Crotons and drizzle the dressing on top. Mix and enjoy immediately.

And if you really want to try more exciting tofu recipes, these are so easy and are a huge hit at my house: my honey mustard tofu, and this easy and so delicious sticky tofu with broccoli and rice,

and the very best to add to the list is this yummy tofu Katsu!

Watch it on YouTube

make sure to use paper towel to soak up the oil

A few important notes regarding these yummy croutons:

You can totally bake or Air-Fry them if you wish. Spray them with oil and pull them out when nicely golden.
The cornstarch is what makes them crunchy, so don’t skip that part. You can use other starches such as potato starch or arrowroot.
Make sure the pan is not overcrowded so you get an even crispy layer on each one.
Sprinkle a nice pinch of salt as soon as the croutons are ready.