Lemon Glazed Cucumber Tofu Salad: A Protein-Packed Summer Vegan Dinner

What Is Lemon Glazed Cucumber Tofu Salad?

This salad is my kind of warm weather dinner: glossy, lemon bright tofu pieces tossed with crunchy smashed cucumber, thin red onion, and fresh herbs. The tofu is not fried in batches or pressed for hours.

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Instead, it gets boiled in well salted water, coated in a light starch and spice mixture, and baked until the edges turn deeply golden. That gives you a crisp outside with a tender, seasoned center.

Each serving delivers about 24 grams of protein and 7 grams of fiber, so it is a plant based main that actually keeps you full. I like to serve it over a cool yogurt sauce with warm whole wheat pita.

The cucumbers stay crunchy, the herbs keep it fresh, and the lemon glaze pulls everything together. The recipe makes 3 hearty servings, and you need about 25 minutes of prep and 30 minutes in the oven.

This recipe comes from the approach I first saw in Catherine Perez’s Lemon Glazed Cucumber Tofu Salad. I have made it enough times now to trust the method completely.

Notes from My Kitchen

I used to press tofu under a cutting board and a stack of cans, and honestly, it worked. But boiling is the trick I keep coming back to. When you simmer tofu in generously salted water, the salt travels into the pieces.

That means the tofu is seasoned all the way through, not just on the surface. Then as it drains and cools, the pieces firm up naturally.

This is a nice place to slow down. Tear the tofu into craggy 1 inch chunks instead of cutting perfect cubes. Those uneven edges catch the potato starch and spices better. The result is a tofu bite that is crisp around the outside and almost creamy inside.

Boil your tofu in salted water the way you would salt pasta water. It seasons the tofu from the inside out, so there is no pressing step needed.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• High protein and high fiber: about 24 grams protein and 7 grams fiber per serving.
• No pressing required: boiling does the seasoning and firming.
• Make ahead friendly: you can prep the cucumber and glaze while the tofu bakes.
• Customizable: swap herbs and onions based on what you have.
• Complete meal: serve with pita and yogurt sauce for extra satisfaction.

Tools

• Medium saucepan for boiling tofu
• Large fine mesh sieve
• Baking sheet lined with parchment paper
• Large resealable bag or a pot with a tight fitting lid
• Small bowl and whisk for the glaze
• Large mixing bowl for tossing the salad
• Chef knife and flat blade for smashing cucumber

Ingredient Notes

Keep the tofu block at 16 ounces. Extra firm is the best starting point. If you use super firm tofu from brands like Nasoya, WildWood, or Trader Joe’s, you can skip the boiling step because it is already dense enough.

• Tofu salad: 1 block extra firm tofu, kosher salt, 1 tbsp tamari, 1 tbsp mirin, 2 tbsp potato starch, 1/2 tsp paprika, 1/2 tsp garlic powder, 1/2 tsp coriander, 1 tsp light brown sugar, 2 tbsp avocado oil, 1 English cucumber, 1/4 medium red onion thinly sliced, 1/3 cup torn cilantro leaves, 6 torn mint leaves.
• Lemon glaze: 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes, 1 lemon zested and half the juice, 1 tbsp maple syrup, 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard, 2 tsp extra virgin olive oil.
• For serving: warm whole wheat pita and caramelized shallot yogurt dip.

Tamari and soy sauce are interchangeable. Mirin can be replaced with rice vinegar. Potato starch can be swapped with cornstarch.

Red onion can become white onion or scallions, and English cucumber can be replaced with Persian cucumbers. If mint or cilantro is not your thing, use parsley or chives.

The brown sugar helps caramelization and can be left out if you prefer a less sweet coating.

How to Make Lemon Glazed Cucumber Tofu Salad

1. Drain the tofu and tear it into 1 inch chunks. Place the pieces in a medium saucepan with 4 cups of water, or enough to fully submerge the tofu. Add a generous amount of kosher salt, about 1 tablespoon.
2. Bring the water to a boil and cook the tofu for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
3. Drain the tofu through a large sieve. Rest the sieve over the pot and let the tofu drain and cool for 5 to 10 minutes. Pat the pieces dry with a clean kitchen towel, then transfer them to a resealable bag with the tamari and mirin. Toss gently so the tofu absorbs the seasoning.
4. In a small bowl, combine the potato starch, paprika, garlic powder, coriander, and brown sugar. Mix well. Add the mixture to the tofu along with the avocado oil. Seal the bag and shake gently until every piece is coated. You can also use the same pot with a fitted lid for this step.
5. Transfer the tofu to the prepared baking sheet, leaving space between the pieces. Bake on the bottom rack for 20 minutes. Flip the tofu, move the pan to the middle rack, and bake for 8 to 10 minutes more until golden and crisp. If the tofu looks dry before flipping, drizzle with 1 to 2 teaspoons of extra avocado oil.
6. While the tofu bakes, prep the cucumber. Place the flat side of your knife on top of the cucumber and smack it with your other hand until it cracks open. Cut it on a bias into 1 inch pieces. Transfer to a bowl, sprinkle with a generous pinch of salt, toss, and set aside for at least 10 minutes. Discard the water that drains away and pat the cucumber dry.
7. Make the lemon glaze. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the red pepper flakes, zest from the whole lemon, juice of half the lemon, maple syrup, Dijon mustard, and extra virgin olive oil until emulsified.
8. Add the drained cucumber, red onion, cilantro, mint, and baked tofu to the glaze. Toss to combine. Serve with warm whole wheat pita and yogurt sauce.

Tips for Making the Best Lemon Glazed Cucumber Tofu Salad

• Smash the cucumber before cutting. The cracked edges grab more glaze and make the salad more interesting to eat.
• Do not skip salting the cucumber. Draining the water keeps the final salad crunchy instead of watery.
• Leave space on the baking sheet. Crowded tofu steams instead of crisping.
• Bake on the bottom rack first, then the middle rack. This helps the undersides brown before you flip.
• For extra umami, add a few dried shiitake mushrooms to the tofu boiling water, then remove them before draining.
• Shortcut: use super firm tofu and thinly sliced Persian cucumbers to skip boiling, smashing, and draining.

Storage

This salad is best right after tossing. The tofu is crispiest and the cucumbers are bright. If you have leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.

The tofu coating will soften and absorb some of the glaze, so it will not have the same crisp texture. I usually eat leftover portions cold with a fresh squeeze of lemon.

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Lemon Glazed Cucumber Tofu Salad

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What Is Lemon Glazed Cucumber Tofu Salad? This salad is my kind of warm weather dinner: glossy, lemon bright tofu pieces tossed with crunchy smashed cucumber, thin red onion, and fresh herbs.

• Total Time: 55 min
• Yield: 3 servings 1x

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Tofu Salad
1 block extra firm tofu, 16 oz
Kosher salt
1 tbsp tamari
1 tbsp mirin
2 tbsp potato starch
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp coriander
1 tsp light brown sugar
2 tbsp avocado oil
1 English cucumber
1/4 medium red onion, thinly sliced
1/3 cup cilantro leaves, torn
6 mint leaves, torn

Lemon Glaze
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1 lemon, zested and juiced (juice of 1/2)
1 tbsp maple syrup
1/2 tsp dijon mustard
2 tsp extra virgin olive oil

Serving Suggestions (not part of main recipe ingredients)
warm whole wheat pita
caramelized shallot yogurt dip

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Instructions

1-Drain the tofu then tear it into: Drain the tofu then tear it into 1 inch chunks. Add to a medium sauce pan with 4 cups of water or enough water to cover the tofu to fully submerge then add a generous amount of salt (I used about 1 tbsp).
2-Bring to a boil and cook for: Bring to a boil and cook for 10 minutes. As you wait, pre-heat the oven to 425F and prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper.
3-Drain the tofu through a large sieve: Drain the tofu through a large sieve and rest it over the pot so the tofu can continue draining and cooling for about 5-10 minutes. Pat dry with a clean kitchen towel then transfer the tofu to resealable bag with tamari and mirin, then give it a toss evenly coat and absorb.
4-To a small bowl combine the potato: To a small bowl combine the potato starch, paprika, garlic, coriander, and brown sugar and mix well. Add the mixture to the tofu along with the oil, then give a gentle shake to evenly coat the tofu (NOTE: you can also marinate and coat the tofu using the same pot with a fitted lid, just make sure to clear it out before using).
5-Transfer the tofu to the baking tray,: Transfer the tofu to the baking tray, leaving space between each piece. Bake on the bottom rack for 20 minutes. Flip the tofu, then bake on the middle rack for 8-10 minutes until golden and crisp around the edges. If the tofu is looking dry before flipping, drizzle the tofu with 1-2 teaspoons of extra oil before baking again.
6-Prep your veggies: Prep your veggies. For the cucumber, place the flat of your blade on top and use your other hand to smack the cucumber down its length to crack open. Roughly cut on a bias into 1 inch pieces. Transfer the cucumber to a bowl and sprinkle with a generous pinch of salt. Toss, then set to the side for at least 10 minutes. Discard any water the drains away then pat the cucumber dry.
7-In a large mixing bowl add the: In a large mixing bowl add the red pepper, lemon zest from the whole lemon, the juice of 1/2 the lemon, maple syrup, mustard, and oil. Whisk together until emulsified.
8-Add in the drained cucumbers, onions, cilantro,: Add in the drained cucumbers, onions, cilantro, mint, and tofu then toss to combine. Serve a portion of the tofu with this yogurt sauce and your favorite pita for a complete meal.

Last Step:

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• Prep Time: 25 min
• Cook Time: 30 min
• Method: roast

Nutrition

• Fiber: 7g
• Protein: 24g