Simple ingredients make up this delicious, warm Spiced Tofu with Kale and Cabbage Salad, but don’t let its simplicity fool you. It’s chock full of complex nutrients and insane flavor!
There used to be a time when I struggled to like kale. It was the new green on the scene and just about every healthy food blogger and foodie was jumping on the kale bandwagon. But, even when I jumped, I missed that bandwagon. I tried kale raw, I tried it massaged with dressing, I tried it baked into chips – but, it just wasn’t spinach to me!
Then one day, quite by accident, I landed on that kale bandwagon. I started off with the intention of making a tofu and spinach stir fry. I had gently caramelized onions and lightly sautéed garlic. I added some turmeric, cumin, coriander, chili, and tofu. I was going to add in a few handfuls of spinach, but stepped away from the stove to answer a phone call and asked my then 11-year-old daughter to do so. However, she ended up grabbing a bag of on-the-verge-of-rotting kale and added it instead.
Of course, when I got back, she was standing there, stirring up the spiced tofu and kale and, not liking the idea of wasting food, I figured we might as well try it. I was pleasantly surprised. Maybe it was the spices, maybe it was the caramelized onions, or maybe it was the garlic, but kale never tasted so good to me.
Spiced Tofu with Kale and Cabbage Salad Recipe
Ever since, kale has become a staple in our home. And, most often, we enjoy it in a warm salad like this Spiced Tofu with Kale and Cabbage. Between your fridge and your pantry, you probably have these simple ingredients on hand. I started off by caramelizing an onion, which is key to imparting a ton of flavor to this warm salad, along with lightly sautéing the garlic to the point that you begin to smell it in the oil. I then coated chopped, firm, tofu cubes with turmeric, coriander, and cumin and browned them, then added in the cabbage and kale. Seasoned with a tad bit of salt and pepper, this warm salad makes eating healthy a true joy! I hope you get to experience it too.
Ingredients
- 1 package firm tofu, drained well (I used a towel) and cubed
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 cups kale, torn up/chopped roughly (I took out the main, hard vein)
- 3 cups red cabbage, chopped
- 1 red onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, diced
- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon coriander
- salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Add the chopped red onion and olive oil to a pan over medium heat and stir as onion cooks.
- When onion begins to brown/caramelize (usually around the 20-minute mark for me), add in the garlic and sauté about 3-5 minutes.
- Add in the cubes of tofu and let them brown (about 4-5 minutes on 2 sides).
- Sprinkle in the cumin, coriander, and turmeric and stir so they coat the tofu and onion mix well.
- Add in the cabbage and kale and let cook about 3 more minutes.
- Then stir slowly so they too are coated with spice mix and cabbage is tender and kale wilted some (about 2-3 more minutes).
- Season with salt and pepper and serve warm.
Notes
Home Chef Tip: If you have "wilted" greens in the refrigerator that you don't want to waste, this recipe is the perfect way to use them up. Any leafy greens like kale, spinach, mustard, or collard greens work well.
We hope you love this Warm Spiced Tofu with Kale and Cabbage Salad recipe from SoFabFood Contributor, Shashi from Runnin Sri Lankan, as much as we do. If you enjoyed this delicious recipe, be sure to visit our Salad Section for more like it. Don’t forget to subscribe to our newsletter so that you never miss a single recipe, and for daily recipe inspiration, like us on Facebook and follow us on Pinterest. Enjoy!
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