Baked Tofu Kale Quinoa Salad with Glory Bowl Dressing

This healthy Baked Tofu Kale Quinoa Salad with Glory Bowl Dressing recipe is the perfect all-seasons meal, and it is so simple to make. The savoury and delicious Glory Bowl Dressing is adapted from the notorious Whitewater Cooks cookbook and is a definite crowd-pleaser.

Every week, spring through to late fall, our Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) vegetable box comes, and no matter what the month is, fresh kale, beets and carrots fill the  box. We have this salad weekly, and always with the notorious Glory Bowl dressing from White Water Chefs.

For baked tofu, slice the extra firm tofu into 1/4 inch thick slices before adding the sesame oil and soy sauce.

How To Bake Tofu

How To Press Tofu

This step is not essential but helps to remove some excess water from the tofu creating a more firmly textured tofu that some prefer. Simply place the block of extra-firm tofu on a cutting board in-between two pieces of paper towel, or a clean dishtowel. Set a heavy object on top, such as another cutting board with a cast iron pan on top, and let press for 30 minutes.

Freezing Tofu

To save on prep time, instead of pressing your tofu, another option is to freeze your tofu prior to use which also helps to create a firmer textured tofu when cooked. Simply freeze your block of extra-firm tofu, and defrost before use – no pressing required.

Add tofu slices to a lined baking tray, and dress with soy sauce and sesame oil.

Preparing the Baked Tofu

Slice tofu into 1/4 inch thick slices prior to baking. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and arrange the sliced tofu evenly on the tray. Dress with sesame oil, soy sauce and pepper and bake at 350° Fahrenheit for 30 minutes, flipping halfway.

Tofu Baked at 400° Fahrenheit for 30 Minutes

Tips

Using Shredded Kale

For a salad, the kale stems need to be removed (freeze stems to save for later use in smoothies). Kale can be chopped, or shredded – for shredded kale roll up the kale leaves into ‘logs’ and slice the ‘logs’ of kale into thin slices. Option to massage the kale for 30 seconds with a little salt, oil or lemon juice (or all three) to soften the kale slightly – I find this step isn’t necessarily needed with this creamy dressing which also helps to soften the kale.

Chopped kale with stems removed, grated beets, shredded carrots and dry quinoa and raw pumpkin seeds

Preparing The Beets and Carrot

No need to peel or cook the carrots or beets as many of the nutrients are water-soluble (disperse into water) and are held just under the skin. Simply scrub well and grate or shred. I love using my julienne peeler for long, thin shreds of carrot.

Making Perfect Quinoa

If not prepared properly, quinoa can have a bitter taste thanks to the naturally occurring saponins. To remove saponins, simply run quinoa under running water for 30 seconds in a fine-mesh sieve. Cook quinoa at a 1:2 ratio quinoa to water at a light simmer, then when the water has absorbed let the quinoa ‘steam’ for 5 minutes with the heat off and the lid on.

Meal Prep

This salad is filled with hearty vegetables that won’t go soggy. To meal prep for the week, spread the quinoa over the desired amount of containers, top with kale, shredded beet and carrot mix, and then baked tofu. Keep dressing and seeds separate, as well as any vegetables that have a high water content including cucumber and tomato if using.

Ingredients for Glory Bowl Dressing – adapted from Whitewater Cooks cookbook

Variations

Cooked Kale Quinoa Salad

For anyone not sold on kale, or if the thought of massaging your kale doesn’t appeal to you, there is the option to cook the kale beforehand. Simply remove the stems (or leave them on for more fibre!) and saute shredded kale in 1 tbsp of olive oil over medium heat for 1 to 2 minutes, or until kale has slightly wilted. Roasted sweet potato, yams, mushrooms, Brussel sprouts or onion can also be added.

Spinach Quinoa Salad

Spinach can be used in place of kale and does not need to be massaged or shredded. Spinach can be a great choice and is one of the highest sources of carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin, two antioxidants important for eye health. For those following a plant-based diet, I generally give preference to kale over spinach due to the oxalic acid found in spinach which can reduce the absorption of calcium in our bodies (see What Foods Are High In Calcium In A Vegan Dairy-Free Diet).

Kale Quinoa Salad with Black Beans

Black beans offer protein, a slow-digesting carbohydrate source, and a great source of soluble fibre. They can be a quick and easy addition to this kale quinoa salad bowl. Simply rinse a can of (BPA-free) black beans, and add this to the finished salad. This will increase the protein by 6 grams, and the fibre by 4 grams.

Other Seasonal Options

Beets and carrots are available through the summer to late fall and are great cold-storage vegetables for the winter. Other seasonal options:

Seasonal Spring / Summer Vegetables

• sliced cucumber
• sliced tomato
• sliced peppers
• shredded red cabbage
• sliced radishes
• chopped green beans

Seasonal Fall / Winter Vegetables

• roasted parsnips
• roasted sweet potato or yam
• roasted butternut squash
• roasted Brussel sprouts
• roasted mushrooms
• sliced apple

Alternative Dressings to Tahini Based Glory Bowl Dressing

• Another one of my favourite tahini-based salad dressings is this Japanese Salad Bowl with Miso Tahini Dressing which is equally as delicious and creamy.

Notes

Make It Gluten-Free

Use gluten-free tamari or coconut aminos in place of soy sauce in the Glory Bowl Dressing and on the baked tofu.

Make It Grain-Free

If you want a grain-free salad bowl, use brown lentils as the base in place of the quinoa. Roasted sweet potato and yam can also be used as the base. Option to just have the salad, topped with tofu and dressing.

Make It Soy-Free

Instead of baked tofu, serve the kale quinoa salad with 3 tablespoons of hemp hearts per serving, along with quinoa for sufficient protein. If eggs are OK, serve with 2 boiled eggs per serving. Use coconut aminos in place of soy sauce.

Print Recipe

5 from 2 votes

Kale Quinoa Salad with Baked Tofu and Glory Bowl Dressing

This baked tofu kale quinoa salad recipe with glory bowl dressing is inspired by the Whitewater Cooks glory bowl dressing. Make a big batch of this dressing and have it throughout the week. Once you try it you will never go back.

Prep Time10 minutes mins

Cook Time30 minutes mins

Total Time40 minutes mins

Course: Main Course, Salad

Cuisine: Canadian

Keyword: Buddha Bowl, Glory Bowl Dressing, Kale Quinoa Salad, Kale Salad Bowl, Quinoa Buddha Bowl, Tofu Buddha Bowl

Servings: 4

Calories: 501kcal

Author: Rachel Dickens, RD

Ingredients

• 1 cup quinoa dry
• 1 350g block extra-firm tofu organic
• 1/2 tbsp sesame oil
• 1 tbsp soy sauce or tamari organic
• 1 large bunch kale de-stemmed
• 2 medium beets peeled and grated
• 2 medium carrots grated
• 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds / pepitas raw

For the salad dressing

• 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
• 1/2 cup water
• 3 tbsp soy sauce or tamari organic
• 3 tbsp apple cider vinegar unpasteurised
• 2 tbsp olive oil extra virgin
• 1 1/2 tbsp tahini
• 1 clove garlic

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
• To prepare the quinoa, rinse 1 cup of quinoa in a sieve under running water for at least 30 seconds to remove the bitter saponins. Add to a saucepan with 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil, then turn down the heat to medium and let simmer, with the lid half on. The quinoa will be ready when all the water has evaporated, about 30 minutes. When it is finished, turn off the heat and cover to let it 'steam' for a further 5 minutes. This step is important in letting the quinoa kernels pop open, creating fluffy quinoa.
• To prepare the tofu, option to press tofu for 30 minutes beforehand for firmer consistency (see instructions in notes*). Cut tofu into rectangles about 1/4 inch thick. Toss with 1/2 tbsp of sesame oil and 1 tbsp soy sauce. Spread onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 minutes. Option to flip the tofu halfway through the cooking process for even crispiness. 
• While the quinoa and tofu are cooking prepare the salad. First, wash the kale and remove the stems. Roll the kale leaves into logs and chop into bite-sized pieces, or shred into thin strips, add to a large salad bowl. Wash the carrots and beets well, leaving the skins on, and grate or shred, adding these to the bowl with the kale.
• If you have a small blender, preparing the dressing is as simple as whizzing all the dressing ingredients together. Otherwise, mince the garlic and add all ingredients to a mason jar. Secure the lid and shake vigorously until well combined.
• When the quinoa and tofu are done, assemble by serving the quinoa in a bowl topped with the salad and pumpkin seeds. Add the tofu and dressing on top.
• Leftovers store well in the fridge for up 5 days.

Notes

*To Press the Tofu: Optional step but creates firmer textured tofu. Place the block of extra-firm tofu on a cutting board in-between two pieces of paper towel, or a clean dishtowel. Set a heavy object on top, such as another cutting board with a cast iron pan on top, and let press for 30 minutes.

Make it Grain-Free: Replace the quinoa with lentils or roasted yams or sweet potato.

Bump up the Protein: Serve it with a sprinkle of hemp hearts. Prepare 1 cup of shelled edamame and serve this with the salad.

Make it Soy Free: Boil 8 eggs to have in place of tofu. Use coconut aminos in place of soy sauce.

Make it Gluten-Free: Use tamari or coconut aminos in place of the soy sauce.

Make it Seasonal: Use cucumber, radish and tomato in the summer months. Add roasted squash, roasted mushrooms and Brussel sprouts in the winter months.