Tabouli Salad

Since becoming plant-based, salads have become a staple in my healthy eating plan. I try, for instance, to include a large salad a day in my meal plan. In order to stay consistent with my plan, I need to create a variety of salads, so I don't get bored. Chopped tabouli Salad, for example, is one of my favorites salads! 

Although I make a lot of Mediterranean salad recipes, each one is different in the combination of ingredients, as well as, the dressings. My Mediterranean Couscous Salad, for instance, has a couscous base and is filled with tomatoes, kalamata olives, cucumbers, and red onions. On the other hand, my Quinoa Greek Salad with OMG Oil-Free Dressing is a combination of greens, quinoa, beets, and other Mediterranean flavors. And, my Skinny Greek Veggie Pasta Salad, is a pasta-based salad loaded with vegetables. 

Even though many salads contain some of the same ingredients, each has its own unique flair. For that reason, I created a chopped tabouli salad with my own special flair, as yet another unique salad to add to my list of favorite salads. 

WHAT MAKES MY CHOPPED TABOULI SALAD DIFFERENT FROM OTHER SALADS?

As I said, it's all in the combination of ingredients and the dressing. My tabouli salad, for instance, is full of fresh greens, vegetables, grilled tofu, with an oil-free lemon vinegarette dressing. But, my tabouli salad is unique because I add mixed greens, pine nuts, raisins, and corn. Then I top it with tofu. So an ordinary tabouli salad is transformed into a version I absolutely love! 

• Mixed Greens
• Roma tomatoes
• Red onion
• Red bell pepper
• Cucumber
• Red onion,
• Fresh parsley
• Pine nuts
• Corn
• Raisins
• Grilled Tofu  (Extra firm tofu)

WHAT IS IN THE  GRILLED TOFU  MARINADE FOR THE TABBOULI SALAD?

• 1 cup unflavored, plain vegan yogurt (I used Kite Hill)
• 2 lemons, juiced; 1  of the lemons zested
• 8 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 1/2 Tablespoons Italian seasoning
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon coriander
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 2 teaspoons sea salt
• 2 teaspoons pepper
• 1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped

The grilled tofu marinade, for example, is a modified greek yogurt marinade my grandmas used to use with chicken. Of course, I changed some of the ingredients to make it vegan, and I deleted the oil. 

Before you marinate the tofu, however, you need to press the tofu correctly. 

HOW TO CORRECTLY PRESS TOFU FOR CHOPPED TABOULI SALAD RECIPE

Then, I figured it out with the help of my EZ Tofu Press. I bought it on Amazon, and in the beginning, I made the same mistakes. I didn’t follow the directions ( a problem I have haha); I was in a hurry as I usually am, and I got the same results….tasteless tofu I didn’t like.

Not only is the E-Z Tofu Press easy to use, but it is also the cheapest one on the market! And, I have owned it for years, and never had to replace it with a new one. So, if you are looking for a quality tofu press, that won’t break the bank, this one is a great deal. 

FOLLOWING THESE SIMPLE STEPS, HOWEVER, AND BEING PATIENT, IS WHAT GOOD TOFU IS ALL ABOUT. 

STEPS FOR PERFECTLY PRESSED TOFU EVERY TIME:

• First, carefully remove the tofu from the package, discarding the fluid from the package.  It’s delicate, though, so be gentle. 
• Then, place the tofu in the middle of the press and turn both knobs equally about four turns.
• I usually place the tofu press in the sink on its side to drain properly. 
• Turn the knobs every two minutes, equally until the tofu is about an inch or inch and a half thickness.
• Most people stop here….NOT YET. Keep turning until the knobs are screwed as far as they can to almost touch the opposite end.

Once the tofu is pressed, cut the tofu into four equal pieces. Then, blend the Meditteranean tofu marinade ingredients (without the parsley). Next, a small amount of marinade in a refrigerator safe container, add half the tofu, more marinade, and repeat. In my opinion, you should be marinated overnight. 

GRILLING INSTRUCTIONS FOR MAKING GRILLED TOFU FOR TABOULI SALAD 

• Preheat the grill to low (400 degrees)
• Place a grill mat on the grill or place the tofu directly on the grill for grill marks.
• Cook for about 4 minutes on each side, rotating every four minutes for the grill marks (16 total minutes)
• Remove the tofu from the grill and cool until you are able to cut it into cubes.  
• Then, cut the grilled tofu in cubes and return it to the marinade. 

OTHER WAYS TO COOK TOFU IF YOU DON'T HAVE A GRILL OR WEATHER DOESN'T PERMIT

Yield: 6 servings

Tabouli Salad

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 16 minutes

Total Time: 31 minutes

Chopped Tabouli Salad is a combination of Tabbouli, a parsley salad, and a chopped salad with tangy grilled tofu. Every bite is like an explosion of flavor in your mouth.

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Ingredients

Tofu/Marinade

• 14 ounces extra-firm tofu, pressed and drained
• 1 cup unflavored, plain vegan yogurt (I used Kite Hill)
• 2 lemons, juiced; 1  of the lemons zested
• 8 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 1/2 Tablespoons Italian Seasoning
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon coriander
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 2 teaspoons sea salt
• 2 teaspoons pepper
• 1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped

Salad

• 1 head Romaine lettuce, chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 1 cucumber, diced
• 1 red onion, diced
• 1 1/2 cups fresh parsley, chopped
• 6 Roma tomatoes, diced
• 1 cup corn kernels (fresh or frozen), cooked
• 1/3 cup raisins
• 1/2 cup toasted pine nuts (toasted)

Lemon Vinaigrette

• 1 large lemon, juiced and zested (yield 1/3 cup)
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 Tablespoon dijon mustard
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 2 teaspoons maple syrup

Instructions

GRILLED MEDITERRANEAN TOFU

1. Drain and press tofu using a tofu press.
2. Cut tofu into 4 different slabs.
3. Prepare marinade by blending all the ingredients, in a high-speed blender, except for the parsley.
4. Once blended, add the chopped parsley and stir.
5. In a refrigerator safe container, add a small amount of marinade, then tofu, more marinade, repeat.
6. Cover and refrigerate overnight or at least 3 hours.
7. I rotate the container, in the refrigerator whenever I go into the refrigerator.

GRILLING MEDITERRANEAN TOFU

1. Preheat the grill to 400 degrees
2. Wait until the grill is hot
3. Then, place pieces of the tofu directly on the grill
4. Cook for 4 minutes and rotate 4 times (16 total minutes)
5. Return tofu to the container with the extra marinade
6. Allow cooling before cutting into cubes.
7. Tofu can be eaten warm or returned to the refrigerator until ready to use.
8. Tofu can be grilled ahead of time and will last for 7 days refrigerated.

TOASTED PINENUTS

1. In a non-stick skillet over low heat, add pinenuts to a dry pan (no oil needed)
2. Toss nuts around every 30 minutes or so until toasted.
3. Watch carefully, as they cook quickly.
4. Remove from heat.

PREPARE OIL-FREE LEMON VINEGARETTE

1. Combine in a high-speed blender
2. Blend until smooth
3. Do not dress the salad until serving

PREPARE SALAD INGREDIENTS

1. Cut and prepare vegetables and add to a large bowl
2. Toss greens and vegetables
3. Place salad in individual bowls
4. Add grilled tofu
5. Serve the dressing on the side or toss salads individually.
6. Add toasted pinenuts on top of each salad.
7. If meal prepping, keep dressing on the side until ready to eat.

Nutrition Information

Yield

6 servings

Serving Size

1
Amount Per Serving Calories 291Total Fat 8gSaturated Fat 2gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 6gCholesterol 2mgSodium 1184mgCarbohydrates 37gFiber 8gSugar 12gProtein 15g

Nutrition facts may not be 100% accurate.

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Kathy Carmichael

Hi! My name is Kathy, I am a retired high school English teacher & vegan enthusiast and blogger. My entire blog is fully plant-based vegan. I truly believe what we eat & how we live determines our health & the preservation of our planet! 🙂

www.kathysvegankitchen.com/about-me