This Crunchy Cabbage Sesame Ginger Salad with Tofu is about to be your new favorite healthy salad! It’s flavor-packed, has crispy tofu nuggets made with extra firm air-fried tofu, and is coated in my creamy sesame ginger dressing. Bonus? It’s perfect for meal prep since it stores well in the fridge and is totally crave-worthy!

Colorful salad with red cabbage, tofu cubes, cilantro, and a creamy sesame ginger dressing in a white bowl.

Friends, if you’re the type of person who thinks salads are boring, this Crunchy Cabbage Sesame Ginger Salad with Tofu is about to blow your mind.

Seriously, I was scarfing down this sesame ginger salad by the spoonful, it’s that delicious! And I know I’m no stranger to healthy and balanced salad recipes, but there’s something about this one that just totally HITS for me!

And much like my 5-Minute Soy and Sesame Shaved Carrot Salad, it seriously couldn’t be easier to make!

Dressing being poured over a bowl of tofu, shredded carrots, red pepper, cabbage, and cashews.

What Makes This Salad SO Good

  • As a Registered Dietitian, I’m obsessed with the fact that this purple cabbage salad is totally hearty enough as a complete meal on its own!
  • The crunch from the cabbage, shaved carrot and cashews gets perfectly coated in my 5-Minute Creamy Sesame Ginger Dressing and is tossed with Crispy Air Fried Tofu Nuggets for the most flavorful salad that you’ll actually crave.
  • It comes together in like, 30 minutes or less!
  • You can totally prep it ahead of time, since all of the veggies hold up super well in the fridge, even when the salad is dressed!
  • It’s seriously PACKED with veggies, from crunchy cabbage to shaved carrots and bell peppers!
Deconstructed salad ingredients in a bowl, including shredded carrots, red cabbage, sliced red pepper, cashews, tofu, and dressing.

Make It a Meal!

Now, even though you totally can enjoy this salad with tofu on its own, if you want to make it a little heartier, I’ve also tested it added to a wrap for some extra carbs and fiber and it’s absolutely delicious!

Chances are you’ll have some leftover cashews after making this cabbage salad, so I HIGHLY recommend using them to make the ultimate set-it-and-forget it High Protein Creamy Vegan Pasta Bake (No Boil!), which is such an easy dinner option for busy evenings!

Flatlay of ingredients for Creamy Sesame Ginger Cabbage Salad

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What You’ll Be Tossing Together

Purple cabbage, shaved carrots, and bell pepper: For the crunchy, nutrient-packed base of the salad!

Cashews: To add some extra texture and crunch! I’ve also tested this recipe swapping pumpkin seeds for the cashews and it still tastes delish!

Air Fryer Tofu Nuggets: For extra protein goodness! And if you don’t have an air fryer, no worries! I share all the deets for how to make them in the oven instead and they’re still just as delicious!

A Batch of 5-Minute Creamy Sesame Dressing: Seriously, I could drink this sesame salad dressing, it’s THAT good, and soooo perfect for this crunchy veggie salad!

Top-down shot of a fully assembled salad with purple cabbage, crispy tofu, chopped herbs, and sesame seeds.

How to Bring It All to Life

Deconstructed salad ingredients in a bowl, including shredded carrots, red cabbage, sliced red pepper, cashews, tofu, and dressing.
Step 1: Add all prepped ingredients to a bowl, including the tofu and dressing.
Overhead view of a vibrant cabbage salad tossed with tofu, sesame seeds, red pepper, and a creamy dressing.
Step 2: Toss well to combine.
Colorful salad with red cabbage, tofu cubes, cilantro, and a creamy sesame ginger dressing in a white bowl.
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30-Minute Crunchy Cabbage Sesame Ginger Salad with Tofu

Servings: 4
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Author: Lauren McNeill, RD
This Crunchy Cabbage Sesame Ginger Salad with Tofu is about to be your new favorite healthy salad! It's flavor-packed, has crispy tofu nuggets made with extra firm air-fried tofu, and is coated in my creamy sesame ginger dressing. Bonus? It’s perfect for meal prep since it stores well in the fridge and is totally crave-worthy!
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Ingredients
 

Instructions
 

Notes

Carrot Note: I used a vegetable peeler to make ribbons of carrots, but you could also just cut thin slices of carrot instead if you’d prefer.
Ginger Sesame Dressing Note: While I recommend making 1/2 batch of the Ginger Sesame Dressing, if you tend to like your salads a little heavier on the dressing, you can totally make a full batch and add more as you like!
Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to three days. 
Serving: 0.25of the recipe, Calories: 360kcal, Carbohydrates: 11g, Protein: 19g, Fat: 29g, Saturated Fat: 4g, Sodium: 310mg, Fiber: 4g
Did you make this recipe?Don’t forget to leave a rating and review, it helps so much! And if you snap a photo, tag me @tastingtothrive_rd so I can see your delicious creation!