Silken tofu salad recipe

5 from 1 vote

Discover the deliciousness of silken tofu salad: a refreshing, no-cook dish packed with Asian flavors and creamy tofu texture.

Prep Time15

Total Time15

Course: Salad, Side Dish

Cuisine: Taiwanese

Keyword: Silken tofu salad, tofu salad

Servings: servings

Dry roast the sesame seeds over a cast iron pan over medium-low heat until the seeds are lightly roasted and in light golden brown, about 2 minutes. Transfer the seeds to a small food processor or grinder and pulse a few times. Transfer to a large measuring cup.
Combine with the ingredients from garlic to brown sugar. Add one tablespoon of water to thin the sauce and add more water if needed. Keep the sauce on a slightly thicker side because the silken tofu will shed excess moisture to the salad and dilute the sauce when you serve.

To open the package, make a shallow slit in one corner, using a small paring knife to help you peel away the cover.
Carefully tilt the box slightly to drain away excess liquid. Place a small cutting board over the tofu and carefully invert it so the back of the tofu box is facing you.
Take a sharp knife or kitchen shear and make small cuts to trim away all 4 corners. Gently pressing the box from the center to create gaps to allow the air to enter therefore helps the tofu to loosen from the packaging.
If that doesn’t work, insert a small paring knife in one of the corners as close to the bottom of the box as possible to help create a bigger air gap to help push out the tofu.
Slice it into ½ inch thick and 1.5 inch wide pieces so you will have about 16 pieces of silken tofu. Carefully transfer them to a large serving pasta bowl and chill it in the fridge.

Shaved Cucumber: Rinse and pat dry the cucumber. Trim away tip ends. Use a vegetable Y peeler to peel the cucumber lengthwise into wide and long strips. Set on a small plate and chill in the fridge.
Chicken (if using): dice the cooked chicken into bite sizes. Gather into a bowl and chill in the fridge.

With one hand holding the tofu, carefully and slightly tilt the bowl over the kitchen sink to drain away excess water in the bowl then, add the cucumber and chicken, if using, to the bowl next to the tofu. Pour a few tablespoons of dressing over the tofu and sprinkle with more sesame seeds on top. Serve cold and immediately.

You will have extra dressing left. You can thin it with more water and it’s a great sauce for salad dressing and cold noodles, too.
This dish is best served cold and immediately. If making ahead, store each component separately and only combine them when you are ready to serve.
The dressing can be made 5 days ahead. Thin with a bit more water if it becomes too thick. The tofu and cucumber should be made on the day of serving.
About silken tofu:
- To make it easier, I recommend either using a tetra pak silken tofu or using “soft tofu” that’s usually packaged in water for easy removal.
- Neither silken nor soft tofu should be pressed. They naturally contain a higher volume of water, making it the perfect food to enjoy on hot summer days to stay cool and rehydrated.