Tropical Tofu Salad with Mango Macadamia Dressing
Tropical tofu salad is a vegan salad that is packed full of flavors and nutrients! You get healthy fats from the mango macadamia dressing, protein from the tofu, and a variety of vitamins and minerals from the jicama, avocado, and bell pepper. This nutrient dense salad will not only satisfy your body but also your taste buds!
When I was spring cleaning my pantry, one ingredient I discovered was an unopened bottle of macadamia nut oil. I received it from my mom, who whenever I see her, always brings a bag of "goodies" for me - a random assortment of things she picks up on sale. On this particular trip, I got an extra-exciting stash - a waffle iron, cast iron skillet, a lifetime supply of gluten free flours, and an assortment of gourmet oils, including the macadamia nut oil I used in this tropical tofu salad.
I made a pretty nice dent into the hazelnut and the avocado oil is long gone. But the macadamia nut remained unopened, sad and alone in the back of my oil and vinegar cabinet, because I had no clue what to do with it, and also because it probably didn’t lend itself to the winter weather cooking I was doing until recently.
Now that the temps are rising, it's the perfect time to whip up a bright and fresh tropical salad, infused with the flavors of macadamia nuts. Also, planning a special trip to Hawaii this winter has us craving tropical flavor! My sister-in-law is getting married in Maui, so we're flying out for a week and a half, exploring Honolulu and Kauai while we're there. Would love any recommendations you have. I went once in 9th grade with family, but there are a lot of beautiful places I remember, but can't quite figure out what island it was on.
The one thing we do have planned? A Jurassic Park helicopter tour on Kauai. I have an abnormal obsession with Jurassic Park and when I say obsessed, I'm not exaggerating. If any of the movies come on TV, I will drop everything to watch it. Whenever a new Jurassic World trailer comes out, I watch it three times in a row then probably once a week after that. Confession: I just watched it again while inserting that link. I'm even trying to choose an ironic T-Rex shirt to wear on opening night. Someone please help me decide...I want them all!
So yeah, besides the wedding, that will be the highlight of my trip. I was really disappointed when my mom wouldn't let us take one the last time we were there...but she buys me macadamia nut oil, so I suppose that compensates?
This tropical tofu salad with mango macadamia dressing is full of all kinds of fresh flavors. The base of the salad is a crunchy mix of lettuce with jicama, chopped bell peppers, toasted macadamia nuts and avocado. For protein, I added simply seasoned tofu cubes, flavored with a lemon-pepper dressing and pan-fried until golden. The salad gets tossed with a sweet tart mango dressing, made by blending mango with lime juice, macadamia nut oil, and a bit of cayenne for spice.
Macadamia Nut Oil Health Benefits
Everyone is always raving about how olive oil or avocado oil being the best oil for you, but macadamia nut oil is great for you too! In fact, cold pressed extra-virgin macadamia oil contains the highest amount of monounsaturated fats than any other food oils. That means it helps lower your LDL levels (bad cholesterol) and is good for your heart!
Another neat fact about macadamia nut oil is that it contains omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. These fatty acids are important because they’re antioxidants which mean they help reduce the amount of free radicals in your body. A build-up of free radicals can increase inflammation and your risk for diseases like cancer.
If you can’t find macadamia nut oil to make this recipe, just swap olive oil and it’s still tasty! Olive oil, especially good olive oil, has a fruity flavor that works well in this dish.
What is Jicama?
If jicama is new to you, you’ll love it in this tropical tofu salad! Jicama is a root vegetable that is native to Mexico. It’s also known as Mexican turnip, Mexican potato, or yam bean. Jicama is an interesting plant because the root is the only edible part, the leaves and seeds are toxic to humans.
It is a great vegetable to use because not only is it packed with fiber, but the taste is quite pleasant. It’s not too strong so it pairs well with many other vegetables, it tastes similar to a water chestnut, sweet and starchy. Jicama is great for gut health since it contains inulin, a prebiotic. It is also rich in vitamin C (an antioxidant) and vitamin A (important for eye function).
When cooking with jicama, you need to prepare it properly. All you have to do is remove the outer skin with a vegetable peeler and then dice it, slice it, or chop it, whichever your recipe calls for. Since jicama is really crisp and crunchy it makes a great vehicle for dips too!
Ideas for Mango-Macadamia Dressing
This mango macadamia dressing is AMAZING on the tropical tofu salad but that’s not the only dish it’s great for. This recipe might give you a little extra. A flavorful dressing like this can be used in a variety of ways:
As a marinade for meat, especially chicken - the enzymes in the marinade will help tenderize it
A dip for raw vegetables
A sauce for a burger
Drizzled over fish
Tropical Tofu Salad with Mango Macadamia Dressing
If you don't have macadamia nut oil, swap extra-virgin olive oil for the dressing and coconut oil for the tofu.
Ingredients
1 package of extra-firm tofu, drained, pressed and cut into 1-inch cubes
1 teaspoon lemon pepper seasoning
1 tablespoon macadamia nut oil
1 head leaf lettuce, chopped and washed
1 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded and diced
1 small jicama, peeled and diced
1 avocado, diced
1/4 cup toasted macadamia nuts, roughly chopped
Fresh mint, cilantro and/or basil, for garnish
Dressing:
1 mango, peeled and cubed
2 tablespoons macadamia nut oil
2 tablespoons lime juice
2 pinches cayenne
Instructions
First, make the dressing. Blend all dressing ingredients together in a food processor until creamy and smooth. Season with salt to taste.
Next, prepare the tofu. Heat macadamia nut oil in a medium skillet on medium-high heat. Toss the tofu with lemon pepper seasoning. Add to skillet and fry, tossing every so often, until golden on all sides. Remove from skillet and set aside to cool.
Toss lettuce, jicama, red pepper and avocado together in a large bowl. Add tofu and macadamia nuts. Toss together with mango dressing and serve garnished with fresh herbs.
If you like this tropical tofu salad, you might also like
Coconut Curry Crusted Chicken Salad
Chili Mango Popsicles
Grilled Halloumi and Peach Salad
