Recipe: Tofu and Broccoli Salad with Peanut Butter Dressing

Sometimes I shy away from ordering salads at restaurants because I fear they won’t be flavorful enough — I just can’t handle the possibility of that kind of disappointment — but when something sounds colorful and crunchy, and includes peanut butter, I’m far more inclined to leap.

If that sounds like you, or if you’re a lover of a good peanut butter dressing draped over a bowl of broccoli slaw and crispy baked tofu, then this salad is for you.

This is the salad you put together when you’re meal prepping for the week. Each recipe in this series makes four entree-sized portions, which you can pack up for a week’s worth of work salads or just dinner throughout the week.

Because we wanted these salads to last, all the major elements — the salad base, the topper, and the mix-ins — can be stored in the fridge anywhere from three to five days or longer without showing signs of fatigue. This is how you do Sunday salad prep right!

Broccoli slaw, let me count the ways I love thee. This marvel of modern convenience has been utilized as the base of many salads you’ll find on The Kitchn, and we’re not shy about our love. This colorful, crunchy mix of shredded cabbage, carrots, and broccoli is a meal prep pro move because it stays incredibly crisp and fresh over the course of a week and requires absolutely no work to prepare — just buy a bag. Done.

Baked tofu, with its crispy exterior and pillowy insides, is a salad topping made to please vegetarians and omnivores alike. While it’s at its crispiest fresh out the oven, a three-day stint in the fridge didn’t make this baked tofu any less appealing than the practicality of having it to add to this salad throughout the week. It’s a sponge for the peanut butter dressing and is a pleasant option for protein when you want to leave meat off the table.

Crunchy and colorful — that’s what we were after with this salad, but we wanted to make sure it was satisfying too. The protein from the tofu is substantial and accented with edamame and peanuts, and sweet bell pepper strips are a welcome, juicy bite. Tying this whole salad together is a peanut dressing (that’s seriously good enough to eat on its own) and a fresh hit of cilantro leaves.

Pro tip: To pack this salad, simply ensure each component gets its own compartment in a travel container. Keep it in the fridge for up to a week.