Vegan Caprese Salad is an easy, flavorful version of traditional caprese salad. Made with tofu for a high-protein and satisfying summer salad.
Caprese salad is a summer staple in my house! With fresh garden basil and tomatoes, caprese salad tastes especially delicious. And it's a fabulous use of summer produce!
Even if you don't have garden-fresh basil or tomatoes, this vegan caprese salad is still a super simple and flavorful summer salad!
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What is Caprese Salad?
Caprese salad is a classic Italian dish. It's usually made with fresh mozzarella, tomatoes, basil, salt, and olive oil. Just like margarita pizza, it displays the colors of the Italian flag: green, white, and red.
This vegan caprese salad, is a twist on the classic recipe. I replaced the mozzarella with a combination of tofu, vinegar, and miso. This mixture creates that salty, umami flavor of cheese without any of the dairy.
Even though caprese salad is traditionally served with a drizzle of oil, I opted to go oil-free. The miso & vinegar add plenty of flavor. No oil necessary!
Why I love this Vegan Caprese Salad
- Dietary needs - this caprese salad is naturally plant-based, dairy-free, oil-free, gluten-free, and sugar-free. No weird vegan ingredients or processed foods
- Quick and easy - the salad is ready in about 20 minutes; cook the tofu briefly and chop the remaining ingredients, then just stir everything together
- Great use of summer produce - if you grow tomatoes, you get to a point in the year when you've got SO many you don't know what to do with. Caprese salad is perfect for all those tomatoes
- High protein - since this salad uses tofu instead of mozzarella, so you get even more protein from this salad than a non-vegan one
Ingredient Notes & Substitutions
- Extra Firm Tofu: tofu actually has a similar texture to mozzarella, so it's a great substitute. I used extra firm, because I always have it on hand. Firm or medium firm tofu would also work well.
- Cherry Tomatoes: you can also use grape tomatoes or slice up a larger tomato
- Fresh Basil: the fresh basil is what makes this recipe - in the warmer months you can easily find fresh basil in the grocery store. You could even buy a basil plant!
- Vinegar: to mimic the briney taste of cheese we'll add some vinegar. White wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar both work well.
- White Miso: miso adds some salt and helps create the umami flavor of cheese. You can find miso in the Asian section or in the vegan section of the grocery store - choose the lightest color miso you can find. I love the Miso Master brand.
How to make this Tofu Caprese Salad
Step 1. Slice the tofu into bite-sized cubes.
Step 2. Steam the tofu for 6-8 minutes to cook. Let cool.
Step 3. Meanwhile, slice the tomatoes in half and chiffonade the basil.
Step 4. In a small bowl mix the miso and vinegar.
Step 5. In a medium bowl toss the tofu, tomatoes, basil, and miso vinegar mixture. Serve and enjoy!
FAQ & Expert Tips
To cut the basil into thin strips (aka chiffonade), stack a few leaves of basil on top of each other. Then roll the leaves into a bundle. When you slice the roll you'll get strips of basil.
If you have an allergy to soy, you can try making chickpea tofu, which will have a similar texture. You could also find a vegan mozzarella.
If you can't find miso, don't like it, or can't have soy, use an equivalent amount of tahini. Since miso also add some salt, you'll likely want to add some salt.
Recipe Prayer
Thank you God for this salad. Thank you for fresh summer produce and nourishing recipes. Amen.
More summer salads
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📖 Recipe
Oil-Free Vegan Caprese Salad
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 14 Ounce Block Extra Firm Tofu
- 10 Ounces Cherry Tomatoes
- ½ Ounce Fresh Basil
- 2 Tablespoons White Wine Vinegar or Apple Cider Vinegar
- 1 Tablespoon White Miso
Instructions
- Slice the tofu into bite-sized cubes.
- Steam the tofu for 6-8 minutes to cook. Let cool.
- Meanwhile, slice the tomatoes in half and chiffonade the basil.
- In a small bowl mix the miso and vinegar.
- In a medium bowl toss the tofu, tomatoes, basil, and miso vinegar mixture. Serve and enjoy!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is an estimate.
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