Grilled Peanut Tofu + Ginger Miso Salad

We're celebrating Meatless Mondays with balanced, delicious meal plans. We hope you'll join us -- whether you're vegetarian all the time or just here and there. 

Today: We're taking our fashion know-how and applying it to dinner. 

  

Sometimes it's the accessories that make the outfit. With the right jewelry or bow tie, even the most basic ensemble can look special.

Tonight, we're taking our fashion know-how and applying it to dinner. By dolling up tofu and vegetables with the best accessory of the food world -- sauce -- these two vegetarain staples become a show-stopping, runway-ready weeknight dinner. Plus, the hardest part about making this meal is waiting for the tofu to drain and marinate. If you're getting antsy, boil some noodles to toss with the extra peanut marinade. You'll be eating in style in no time. 

The Menu

Take advantage of our handy grocery list and game plan, or click the recipe photos or titles to see (and save and print) the full recipes.

Grilled Peanut Tofu by enbe

Ginger Miso Salad by TheSkinnyGoose

The Grocery List

Serves 4

Two 12-ounce packages extra firm tofu
1 tablespoon dry sherry
1 tablespoon peanut oil
1/4 teaspoon chili garlic sauce (optional)
1 handful cilantro
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
2 tablespoons miso paste
1 teaspoon fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated
Sriracha
3 tablespoons sesame oil
1 medium red onion
1 splash red wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1 head of butter lettuce
1 Asian pear
1 handful mixed field greens
1 handful roasted and salted cashews

You probably have garlic, soy sauce, peanut butter, honey, sugar, salt, and pepper on hand. If not, add those to your list, also. 

The Plan

1. Drain the tofu and press it for about 15 minutes (here's how). In a blender or food processor, combine 2 cloves of garlic with the dry sherry, the peanut oil, 1/4 cup of soy sauce, 3 tablespoons of peanut butter, and 2 tablespoons of honey. Add the chili garlic sauce to taste and a handful of chopped cilantro. Process until well chopped.

2. Slice tofu into steaks or cubes, then place it in a plastic bag with the marinade.

3. While the tofu is marinating -- 30 minutes is ideal, but if you're in a rush, don't sweat it -- start on the salad. Make the dressing by combining all of the ingredients from the rice wine vinegar to the Sriracha along with 1 tablespoon of sugar and 1 chopped garlic clove. Slowly whisk in the sesame oil until well blended.

4. Heat olive oil in a sauté pan and caramelize the sliced red onion. Add a splash of red wine vinegar and a pinch of sugar, then season with thyme, salt, and pepper.

5. Prepare the other salad ingredients: chop the lettuce, slice the pear, and toss with the field greens, cashews, and caramelized red onion. 

6. Remove the tofu from the bag and grill it on medium-high heat on a grill or using a grill pan. If you're not excited about grilling, you can even bake or sauté the tofu. 

7. When the tofu has good grill marks on both sides or a nice and crispy outer layer, it's done. Toss the salad with the dressing and serve the tofu on top of it.