Spring Cabbage Noodle Salad

 

This noodle salad is my dream spring/summer meal! It’s so fresh, crunchy, and light, with a fun texture from the noodles and substance from the tofu. I especially love making it with spring cabbage, which is in a league of its own. Because it’s so young and fresh, spring cabbage is incredibly tender, juicy, and sweet. You can make this salad with any cabbage, but it you happen across some of the young stuff (usually at a farm stand/farmers market), give it a try, it’s pretty life-changing :)

Spring Cabbage Noodle Salad

serves 4-6

  • 3 tablespoons avocado oil, plus more for oiling skillet

  • 15 oz/425 g firm tofu, cubed

  • 4 tablespoons tamari, divided

  • 1/2 medium cabbage, thinly sliced or shredded on a mandoline

  • sea salt

  • 2 medium carrots, ribboned with a vegetable peeler

  • 1 bunch radishes, thinly sliced on a mandoline or by hand

  • 1 1/2 cups sugar snap peas, trimmed and thinly sliced on a diagonal

  • 5 oz/142 g vermicelli rice noodles, cooked according to packaging instructions, rinsed under cold water

  • 1” piece ginger, finely grated

  • 1 garlic clove, finely grated

  • 2 tablespoons rice vinegar

  • 1 tablespoon maple syrup

  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil

  • 1/4 cup toasted pumpkin seeds, cashews, or peanuts

  • a few handfuls of herbs like basil, cilantro, mint, or green onion

Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add enough oil to lightly coat the bottom. Add the tofu and cook for 3-5 minutes on each side, until golden. Add 1 tablespoon of tamari, and stir to coat the tofu. Turn off the heat and let cool while preparing the rest of the dish.

Add the cabbage to a large bowl, along with a pinch of salt. Massage the cabbage with your hands until juicy and soft (you don’t necessarily have to do this if using tender spring cabbage, but it’s great for tougher cabbages). Add the carrots, radishes, sugar snap peas, noodles, and tofu.

Make the dressing. In a jar with a lid, combine 3 tablespoons avocado oil, 3 tablespoons tamari, ginger, garlic, vinegar, maple syrup, and sesame oil. Seal the lid and shake until you have a smooth dressing. Add the dressing to the salad and toss really well using tongs. Garnish with toasted nuts/seeds and herbs. Enjoy at room temperature or cold.

Intuitive Cooking Takeaways

Any crunchy, raw vegetables will work in this salad, so feel free to substitute with what you have on hand. You can use tempeh in place of tofu, switch up the herbs and nuts/seeds.

I love vermicelli noodles here, but other rice noodles or even soba noodles could work as well.

 
all, recipeMasha DavydovaComment