Kale Caesar Pasta Salad with Crispy Tofu (vegan, gluten-free)
This kale caesar pasta salad with crispy tofu is savory, flavorful, and so delicious. It’s the perfect summer pasta salad to serve for dinner or as a side. It keeps well and is a great dish to bring to any party or BBQ.
The caesar dressing and the hemp parmesan is from my classic vegan caesar salad recipe and it is so easy to make. The dressing is cashew based and bursting with flavor and the hemp parmesan only takes a few ingredients.
To add some protein to this pasta salad, I thought crispy tofu would be a yummy addition. This might be my favorite crispy tofu ever. It’s very well seasoned and insanely crispy. I highly recommend you buy a tofu press because it really gets out a lot of liquid from the tofu. If you don’t have one though, you can wrap your tofu in a tea towel or paper towels and place a baking sheet on top with something heavy on it, like books or a cast iron pan. I cooked my tofu in the air fryer but you can definitely bake it or pan fry it.
This kale caesar pasta salad is filling, packed with plant protein and fiber, healthy, and such a crowd pleaser. It will be everyone’s favorite side at your next BBQ. It is also vegan, gluten-free friendly, and oil-free too.
If you make this pasta salad, tag me @nutsaboutgreens on Instagram so I can see your creations and leave a comment below!
Kale Caesar Pasta Salad with Crispy Tofu (vegan, gluten-free)
Ingredients
Crispy Tofu
- 1 16 oz extra firm tofu, pressed and cubed
- 1 1/2 Tbsp soy sauce (use tamari if GF)
- 1 Tbsp nutritional yeast
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 Tbsp cornstarch
Caesar Dressing
- 1 cup raw cashews, soaked in hot water for 3-4 hours
- 3-4 Tbsp lemon juice (about 1 lemon)
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2 Tbsp nutritional yeast
- 2 tsp miso
- 1 Tbsp capers
- 1 Tbsp caper brine (from the jar of the capers)
- 2 tsp dijon mustard
- 3/4 cup water
- 3/4 tsp sea salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
Hemp Seed Parmesan
- 1/2 cup hemp seeds
- 2 Tbsp nutritional yeast
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp onion powder
Pasta Salad
- 3-4 cups shredded kale
- 8 oz uncooked bowtie pasta (use GF pasta if needed)
- 1 1/2 cups halved grape tomatoes
- 1/2 cup hemp parmesan
- caesar dressing (about 3/4 of a batch)
- crispy tofu
Instructions
- Press tofu for 30 minutes. Cut the tofu into cubes. In a small bowl, add the nutritional yeast, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, salt, and cornstarch. Stir until well combined. Add tofu to a large bowl. Pour soy sauce on top and gently toss until evenly combined. Pour the dry mixture over the tofu and toss until evenly combined. Air fry tofu at 400 degrees F for 20-25 minutes, shaking the tray halfway through. It is done when it is a nice golden brown and crispy.
- Add all the dressing ingredients to your high-speed blender. Blend until smooth and creamy. Add a little more water if you want it thinner. Taste and adjust seasonings. You want the flavors to be strong/bold because it mellows out when you mix it with pasta salad.
- To make the hemp seed parmesan, add all ingredients to your food processor. Pulse until crumbles form. Place in a jar and keep in the fridge.
- Cook pasta according to package’s instructions. Drain and set aside.
- Assemble to pasta salad. Add the kale, cooked pasta, tomatoes, hemp parmesan, about 3/4 of a batch of caesar dressing, and the crispy tofu. Toss until everything is well combined. Taste and add more dressing and hemp parmesan if needed. Enjoy!
