as we transition from summer to fall this crispy tofu with corn salad is the perfect meal! it is flavorful, easy to make, and perfect for lunch or dinner.
Can you believe it is already September? Because I truly can’t. This will be the last official summer recipe. Yes, I know summer doesn’t end until Sept 22nd but I know a lot of people are eager for fall recipes. So, I figured this crispy tofu with corn salad was the perfect way to wrap up a delicious summer season. This corn salad was probably one of the best things I have ever made, not even kidding. It pairs so perfectly with the tofu and it is a great meal.
Why The Corn Salad Works
There’s a lot of reasons why this corn salad is perfection. It has sweetness from the corn, onion, and pepper. A kick from the jalapeño. Fat from the oil and an extremely simple dressing. But I think the real reason this corn salad is so incredible is because of the roasted veggies. I didn’t want to just throw in raw onion, jalapeño and bell pepper. They are roasted in the oven so the natural sugars in them come out, they soften, and they aren’t overbearing in the salad. Instead of taking over the flavor of the corn it compliments it.
Crispy Baked Tofu
Crispy tofu is one of my all time favorite things. If you are a tofu skeptic you need to try it that way, I promise it is a game changer. This tofu is coated in cornstarch, dipped in nondairy milk and then coated in breadcrumbs. They get coated with a generous amount of spray oil. Popped in the oven for 20 minutes, flip, bake another 5 minutes and you are done. The KEY to liking tofu is to use the proper tofu. For this recipe I use super firm tofu, sometimes referred to as high protein tofu too. If you use extra firm tofu for this, you will want to press it first.
More Summer Recipes
Even though summer is wrapping up at the end of this month, if you are looking for more summer recipes check some of these out!
Breadcrumbs
When buying breadcrumbs be sure to carefully check the ingredients. Unfortunately, some may contain milk or cheese. For this recipe I used a combination of seasoned breadcrumbs and fine panko breadcrumbs. So, you will see in the recipe I do not season the breadcrumbs because I felt they didn’t need any further additional seasoning. You can always add in any seasonings you like, my go-tos are usually salt, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and parsley.
Crispy Tofu with Corn Salad FAQ
- Can I use frozen corn, instead of corn on the cob? Totally. I always switch between what I feel like using. I wanted this salad to have those little corn nuggets so that is why I went with corn on the cob.
- Can this be made gluten free? Yes, just use gluten free breadcrumbs.
- What else could I add to the corn salad? Any veggies you like – tomatoes, cucumbers, beans. You can also add some vegan feta or mozzarella.
- How long does this last in the fridge? I would say up to 3-4 days. The best way to reheat the tofu would be either in oven or air fryer but you can microwave.
- Is the corn salad enjoyed warm or cold? Honestly, either way works. I had it warm from when everything was cooking and cold the next day- delicious both ways!
- Can the tofu be air fried? Of course, may just take a few rounds of air frying.
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Crispy Tofu with Corn Salad
Ingredients
Corn Salad
- 3 ears of boiled corn (about 30 ounces/900g), or around (10 ounces/290g) corn niblets
- 1 green bell pepper (about 8 ounces/227g)
- 1 jalapeño (about 1.5 ounces/45g)
- 3 green onions top and bottom
- ¼ red onion (about 2 ounces/50g)
- 5 to 10 leaves basil chiffonade
- 2 ½ teaspoons olive oil divided
- 1 teaspoon balsamic glaze
- Salt to taste
Crispy Baked Tofu
- 1 block super firm tofu (16 ounces/454g)
- 4 ¼ tablespoons (33g) cornstarch
- ⅓ cup (80ml) nondairy milk, unsweetened and unflavored
- ⅓ cup (56g) breadcrumbs
- Spray oil
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F (218°C).
- Place the bell pepper, jalapeño, and red onion in a baking dish. Coat with 2 teaspoons of olive oil. Roast in oven for 12 minutes. Flip, and then continue to roast for another 7 minutes. Once they are done let them cool for 5 mins.
- Meanwhile, use a sharp knife to cut the corn off of the cob. After boiling your corn allow it to cool so it is not too hot when you do this. I like to do this into a large bowl to catch all the corn.
- Prep the tofu: cut the tofu into two halves crosswise. Then use your knife to make about ¼ inch thick slices. Then cut on the diagonal to make tofu triangles. If you need a visual watch the YouTube video.
- Then, coat the tofu pieces first in cornstarch, then in the nondairy milk, and finally in the breadcrumbs. Place on a baking sheet. Allow the nondairy milk to drip off so it doesn’t get excess in the breadcrumbs.
- Once they are all coated spray with spray oil and bake for 20 minutes. Flip, spray again and bake for an additional 5 minutes.
- At this point the veggies should be done roasting and cooling.
- Use a sharp knife to chop the veggies, removing the tops and seeds from the pepper. As well as chop the green onion and basil. Add it all into the big bowl with the corn. Add the remaining olive oil, balsamic glaze and salt to taste. Mix and taste, feel free to add additional seasonings if you like.
- Once the tofu is done add it to plate along with a generous serving of corn salad. Garish with fresh basil and extra salt if desired.
Video
Notes
- You can air fry the tofu if you prefer.
- My breadcrumbs were already seasoned, if using unseasoned breadcrumbs add in your favorite seasonings. I talk about this above the recipe.
Did you try this recipe? Tag me on Instagram @plantifullybased to let me know how it went. If you enjoyed this recipe please be sure to leave a comment or review, it is so helpful for the blog. Thank you!
If you enjoyed this recipe please be sure to leave a comment or review, it is so helpful for the blog. Thank you!
Very nice recipe chef 👍👌👏. Made it for lunch 😋,the corn salad works very nicely. Thank you for your effort 🌹🌞😎
yay! I am so happy to hear you enjoyed it!