It’s the fifth recipe in the July Salad a Day Challenge, and it’s a good one: Vegan Greek Pasta Salad with Homemade Tofu Feta!
I apologize for my absence here yesterday- I ran out of time to post a recipe before work. In lieu of a blog post, I did I decided to show you what’s in my fridge (you can check it out below!).
Things in my fridge that I can’t get enough of? Kombucha, beet sauerkraut, homemade hemp milk, and organic beer (give me alllll the cold drinks in this heat).
Another thing I wouldn’t be able to get enough of if it was in my fridge right now? This Greek pasta salad. If you are vegan, it can be challenging to replicate an authentic Greek salad, since those tend to rely heavily on the salty, briny flavour of cheese.
But vegans, rejoice! You can replicate the flavour of feta cheese quite well by marinating extra firm tofu in a mixture of nutritional yeast, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, sea salt, and apple cider vinegar. I’m not going so far as to say that you won’t be able to tell that it isn’t real cheese because it is quite different from a textural standpoint, but it does provide salty, tangy flavour and plenty of protein to boot.
HOW TO MAKE VEGAN GREEK PASTA SALAD
It’s easy! Start by cubing a block of tofu and mixing together nutritional yeast, lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, and sea salt. Marinate for at least 1 hour or up to 8 hours in the fridge.
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Then, chop up some tomatoes, cucumber, olives, mint, parsley, and orange pepper.
Cook 4 cups of pasta, and while it’s cooking, mix up your dressing using extra virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, maple syrup, garlic, and sea salt.
Combine everything together in a large bowl and serve with some fine wine and crusty baguette. Opa!
This would make the perfect meal for hot weather, as the only cooking involved is using the stove to cook some pasta. With the exception of the tofu marinating, the salad comes together in less than 15 minutes. It’s satisfying, refreshing, and packed with nutrition.
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Vegan Greek Pasta Salad with Homemade Tofu Feta
- Total Time: 90 minutes
- Yield: 5 1x
Description
Healthy vegan Greek pasta salad made with homemade tofu feta. Packed with summer vegetables, herbs, and protein-rich tofu for the perfect summer lunch or dinner.
Ingredients
Tofu Feta
- 1 block (454 g) extra firm organic tofu
- ¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
- ¾ tsp fine sea salt
- 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1½ tsp Dijon mustard
Vegetables and Pasta
- 2 medium tomatoes, diced, or 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
- ½ medium English cucumber, diced
- 1 orange bell pepper, diced
- ½ cup pitted olives of choice (green or Kalamata)
- ½ cup fresh mint leaves, chopped
- 1 cup fresh parsley, stems removed, and finely chopped
- 4 cups dry pasta of choice (rotini, fusilli, penne, or macaroni work best)
Dressing
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 2 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp pure maple syrup
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- ¼ tsp fine sea salt
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 tsp oregano
Instructions
- Make the tofu feta: Chop the tofu into 1-inch cubes and arrange in an even layer in a 9×13-inch baking dish. Whisk together the lemon juice, sea salt, nutritional yeast, apple cider vinegar, and Dijon mustard in a small bowl and pour all over the tofu. Gently toss to coat and set aside to marinate for at least 1 hour or up to 8 hours in the refrigerator.
- Chop the vegetables, olives, and herbs and cook the pasta according to the package directions. Set the pasta aside to cool completely.
- Combine the dressing ingredients (olive oil, balsamic, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, maple syrup, garlic, salt, pepper, and oregano) in a glass jar, secure lid, and shake to combine.
- To assemble the salad, combine the cooled pasta, vegetables, olives, herbs, tofu feta, and salad dressing in a large bowl and toss to combine. (There will be some leftover tofu feta marinade- you can add some to the salad, or reserve it for another use.)
Notes
MAKE IT SOY-FREE: Omit the Tofu Feta and add alternative protein of choice, such as chickpeas or black-eyed peas.
MAKE IT GLUTEN-FREE: Use gluten-free pasta, such as brown rice, quinoa, or chickpea noodles.
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- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Lunch
- Cuisine: Greek, Vegan
I hope you’re loving the Salad a Day Challenge so far! If you make this, or any of the other recipes from this month’s challenge, leave a comment below to let us know how you liked it, and don’t forget to tag me @upbeet.kitchen and #upbeetkitchen on Instagram so that we can all see your creations!
Question for today: What is one item in your fridge that you can’t live without? Answer below!
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