Baked Tofu and Broccoli Salad with Mango and Chutney Dressing

This sturdy cool-weather baked tofu and broccoli salad has a double dose of mango (both the fruit and in the chutney dressing), for a feast of flavor, color, and texture.

A fantastic use for baked tofu, this salad highlights how easy it is to use this product right out of the package. It adds texture and protein to this platter of greens and broccoli. Fresh or canned mango, plus mango chutney add a blast of flavor.

What is chutney? It’s an Indian condiment resembling jam or marmalade in a way, but it blends several ingredients, notably fresh and/or dried fruits, ginger, and spices. Sometimes it contains sweetener, vinegar, and/or chili. Made authentically, a small amount adds a blast of flavor served plain on the plate, or, in this case, to a dressing.

Look for chutney in the Asian foods section of supermarkets, Indian groceries, or online. Or, if you’re feeling more ambitious, try making your own mango chutney.

To serve: This can easily be a main-dish salad paired with a creamy soup as a contrast. I like it with Carrot Ginger Soup. Photos by Hannah Kaminsky, BittersweetBlog.com.

A bit about baked tofu

Of all the varieties kinds of tofu, baked tofu is the newer kid on the block (though by no means a new product) when it comes to being stocked in conventional supermarkets. It’s one of the more tasty and versatile of tofu varieties, and the one that might most appeal to those who think they don’t like tofu.

If you can’t find baked tofu in your supermarket’s produce section, you’ll surely find it in natural foods stores. It comes ready-to-use in flavors including Thai, Italian, Teriyaki, and Caribbean, and Smoked. Soy Boy® White Wave®, and Nasoya® are brands that offer baked tofu varieties, among others.

Yield: 4 to 6

Baked Tofu and Broccoli Salad with Mango and Chutney Dressing

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This sturdy cool-weather salad featuring tofu, broccoli, and mango is a feast of flavor, color, and texture. 

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 5 minutes

Total Time 25 minutes

Ingredients

Chutney dressing:

• 1/3 cup vegan mayonnaise or unsweetened vegan yogurt
• 1/3 cup mango chutney
• 2 tablespoons lime juice (1/2 fresh lime, or bottled)

Salad

• 1 medium broccoli crown, cut into small florets
• 8-ounce package baked tofu, diced or cut into strips
• 1 medium ripe mango, pitted, peeled, and diced (or a 15-ounce can diced mango, drained)
• 2 large celery stalks, sliced diagonally
• 1/4 cup dark or golden raisins
• Mixed baby greens, as needed
• 1/4 cup chopped walnuts or sliced almonds, optional

Instructions

1. Combine the mayonnaise (or vegan yogurt), chutney, and lime juice in a small bowl and whisk until blended. Set aside.
2. Steam the broccoli florets in a large saucepan until bright green and just tender-crisp. Transfer to a colander and rinse with cool water until the broccoli stops steaming. Drain well.
3. Combine the broccoli, tofu, mango, celery, and raisins in a mixing bowl and stir together. You can pour in the dressing and stir together, or keep it in its own bowl and pass around.
4. In either case, line a serving platter with the mixed greens. Mound the tofu-broccoli mixture over them, then sprinkle with the optional nuts. Serve at once.

Notes

Variation: Replace the mango with 1 1/2 cups fresh or drained canned pineapple chunks.

If you like broccoli in your salad, you might also enjoy …

Simple Pasta Salad with Broccoli & Cherry Tomatoes

See lots more veggie-packed vegan salads & sides.