Can this be made in advance?

This recipe is best when made fresh, but you can still store leftovers with success. I would recommend storing the quick pickled cucumbers and baked tofu in seperate storage containers. Place in the fridge for up to 3 days. To warm up the tofu, either reheat in a toaster oven for a few minutes to warm through before enjoying.

How do I make this meal gluten-free?

The only ingredient to be mindful of is the tamari. Tamari should be wheat-free, but some tamari may contain wheat depending on the brand. It’s important to read labels to ensure that the brand you are using contains no gluten containing ingredients.

Can this be made lower in sodium?

You can swap the tamari for coconut aminos or low sodium soy sauce. You can also swap the Old Bay seasoning with a lower sodium seasoning mix of your choosing. Mrs. Dash has a great line of no salt added seasonings that can be used as a replacement.

How can I make this recipe easier?

If you are not in the mood to char you lemon, that is okay. You can opt to not char it and just use the juice and zest as recommended. It will change the flavor slightly, but should still be delicious. You can also save on chopping by either using a mandoline for the cucumbers or just leave out the shallots and Fresno pepper as a means to save time on this recipe. Don't like cooking fresh rice? Try purchasing frozen rice instead and heat it up according to package instructions when you are ready to eat.

Old Bay Tofu with Lemon Pickled Cucumber Salad

Description

This Old Bay Tofu is paired with a light and refreshing charred lemon cucumber salad. A meal that packs in both protein and flavor.

Ingredients

Scale

Charred Lemon

1 tsp avocado oil
1 large lemon, zested and cut in half

Old Bay Tofu

1 lb super firm high protein tofu or extra firm tofu (pressed and drained)
1 1/2 tbsp tamari
1 1/2 tbsp rice vinegar
1 tsp light brown sugar
1 tsp Old Bay Seasoning
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tbsp cornstarch
1 tbsp avocado oil
2 tsp maple syrup

Cucumber Salad

1 English cucumber or 6 Persian cucumbers, thinly sliced with a knife or mandoline
1 shallot, thinly sliced (optional)
1 Fresno pepper, thinly sliced (optional)
1 clove garlic, grated
1 tbsp rice vinegar
1 tbsp tamari
2 tsp maple syrup
Kosher salt

For serving: cooked rice

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Instructions

Preheat the oven to 425F.
Heat the oil in a small pan over medium low heat. When hot, add the lemon halves cut side down in the pan. Cook undisturbed until the bottoms have caramelized, about 5-6 minutes. Squeeze the juice from each half into a small mixing bowl and set aside.
Tear the tofu block into small bite size pieces (about 1-inch) and place in a large bowl or airtight container. Pour the tamari and vinegar over the tofu, cover the container then toss to evenly coat and allow the tofu to sit for 10 minutes.
Coat the tofu with the sugar, half the lemon zest, Old Bay seasoning, paprika, garlic, cornstarch and oil, then cover and toss again to evenly coat. Spread the tofu pieces out on a baking tray, making sure each piece has space between it. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes, flip then bake again for 10 minutes. Drizzle the maple syrup and 1 tablespoon of the charred lemon juice over the tofu and toss to coat.
Add the sliced cucumbers to a large bowl and sprinkle with a generous pinch of salt. Toss to evenly coat then set aside for 5 minutes. Rinse the cucumbers well, squeeze out any excess moisture, and pat dry with a clean towel then add the remaining lemon zest, shallots and peppers to the bowl.
To the bowl with the remaining lemon juice add the garlic, vinegar, tamari, and maple syrup then whisk together and pour over the cucumbers. Toss everything together until the cucumbers are well coated.
Now assemble, portion between bowls some cooked rice, the cucumber salad, then the tofu and enjoy.

Notes

Soak your onions to tone down their bite. I like to place my sliced shallots or onions in cold water to soak for a few minutes. This will remove a lot of their astringent flavors.

For higher protein count, use super firm tofu instead of extra firm tofu. Per serving, super firm tofu can pack in 14g of protein, a few grams higher than what you would get from most extra firm tofu options.

Squeeze as much liquid out of the cucumbers as you can. After letting the salted sliced cucumbers sit, grab a handful and gently squeeze extra water out. This will help to remove excess water that can dilute the flavor of this dish.

Save time and use a mandoline. To make the cucumber salad quickly, feel free to use a mandoline. Be safe when using your mandoline by using the guard it comes with or using a strong mesh glove to protect your hands.

If using extra firm tofu, make sure to drain and press before using!