This healthy kale salad with air fried tofu is the perfect easy and delicious meat-free lunch or dinner. The secret is the super creamy and simple avocado yoghurt dressing combined with the crispy texture of my favourite tofu nuggets made in the air fryer. This dairy free salad is also perfect for meal prep plus it costs just $2.33 per serve!
This kale salad with tofu is currently my hyperfixation meal. It’s the meal I am eating whenever I get the chance but especially when I need a girl dinner. I just love it so much. I know kale is a hard sell but you’ve never had kale that tastes so good as when coated in a creamy yoghurt and avocado dressing.
Oh and the tofu nuggets. They are just the best. I have a whole post dedicated to making the best tofu nuggets and this is one of my favourite ways to eat them. The tofu is frozen and defrosted giving a meatier texture to the pieces, while the outside gets crispy and delicious thanks to the combination of spices and the magic that is the air fryer.
Coming into the warmer months, this is exactly the kind of easy lunch or dinner recipe you need in your rotation. It doesn’t require the stove or oven, just the air fryer, making it super easy. Plus it’s excellent for meal prep as even dressed, this salad will last DAYS in the fridge and still taste just as good.
This recipe is part of my budget-friendly meals series and what I love most about it is that it’s a little different and doesn’t necessarily look like a budget meal. Also most budget meals tend to use cheap meat and cheese, but this recipe is not only healthy but it’s also vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and of course dairy free.
Key Ingredients
This recipe has two components, the crispy air fryer tofu and the kale salad with the creamy avocado yoghurt dressing.
Note all ingredients and their quantities are laid out in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Tofu – make sure to use firm or hard tofu, don’t buy silken tofu, as it won’t work the same. You’ll need to prep the tofu first by popping it in the freezer and then defrosting when ready to make this recipe.
- Soy sauce – for flavouring the tofu. Use tamari or gluten free soy sauce to keep this recipe gluten free.
- Cornflour – also know as corn starch, helps the outside of the tofu get nice and crispy. You can use arrowroot powder or potato starch instead for the same result.
- Spices – I am using my holy trinity of the spice rack which is always my go to combination; garlic powder, onion powder and smoked paprika.
- Kale – the hero of this salad!
- Avocado – chunks of avocado go into the salad as well as being used to help create the creamy dressing.
- Greek yoghurt – make sure to use a dairy-free version for dairy free / vegan, otherwise you can use lactose free or regular. Just use a plain, unflavoured yoghurt that you like and suits your diet restrictions.
- Lemon – adds flavour and freshness and gives the salad extra tang.
- Garlic – adds flavour to the dressing. However if you’re not a fan of the raw garlic flavour you can substitute with approximately ½ teaspoon of garlic powder instead.
Step-By-Step Instructions
For all the details on how and why I recommend using the method of freezing and defrosting the tofu to make the nuggets, definitely read the full post I have on how to make air fryer tofu nuggets as it goes into more detail.
As I said this recipe has two key components being the air fried tofu and the kale salad. For order of operations, I recommend starting with the tofu and then you can move onto the salad while that is cooking.
Start by pressing the tofu. When cooking in the air fryer, I find you really don’t need to be too obsessive about this step, just get as much out as you can. If you’re baking the tofu in the oven, you may need to press the tofu to really extract that extra moisture.
From here, tear the tofu into pieces and place into a bowl with the soy sauce, olive oil, cornflour, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper and mix well to combine.
Add the tofu to the basket of your air fryer and cook for about 15 minutes, tossing once or twice to ensure the pieces cook evenly.
While the tofu is cooking, you can prep your kale and make the dressing. Wash the kale thoroughly, remove the hard, woody stems and finely chop the leaves and add to a large bowl.
Cut the avocado in half and dice or slice one half and add it to the bowl with the kale. Place the other half of the avocado in a small food processor or blender with the Greek yoghurt, lemon juice, garlic, and a pinch of salt and pepper and blend until smooth and creamy. Taste and adjust the seasoning or lemon juice if necessary.
Pour the dressing over the kale and toss well to combine. I like to use my (clean!) hands to massage the dressing into the kale leaves, ensuring they are well coated. This step helps to break down the hard fibres of the kale and makes it more enjoyable to eat.
Serve the kale salad with the crispy tofu nuggets and some extra lemon wedges on the side if you like.
To make this meal even more filling or to stretch it further, serve it with some cooked rice or grain of your preference or crispy oven baked potato wedges.
Budget Saving Tips!
There are a few things to look out for when grocery shopping that are going to help you keep costs down. Here are a few considerations when making this recipe.
- Look at fruit and vegetable prices at your local fruit and veg shop or farmers markets instead of the supermarket. For a while the supermarket seemed to always be cheaper but that’s no longer the case for some produce. Kale for example is $3.90 a bunch at my local supermarket but I can get it for just $2 at my local fruit and veg store.
- Keep your pantry stocked with versatile ingredients that can be used for many different recipes that you make a lot, meaning you only need to buy them once. Things like cornflour, soy sauce, garlic and onion powder, and smoked paprika are always in my pantry because I know I can use them for a range of different recipes that I make frequently.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, you can use regular tofu, but freezing and defrosting the tofu gives it a firmer, chewier texture, which works well for making crispy nuggets. If you’re short on time, pressing regular tofu to remove as much moisture as possible will still yield good results.
Yes, you can bake the tofu nuggets if you don’t have an air fryer. Preheat your oven to 200°C (400°F) and bake the tofu on a lined baking tray for about 20-25 minutes, flipping halfway through, until golden and crispy.
You can prepare the tofu nuggets and store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. To reheat, simply pop them back in the air fryer or oven for a few minutes to regain their crispiness.
The kale salad and dressing can also be prepared in advance and stored separately in containers in the fridge until ready to serve for the freshest flavour. However, I often store the salad once dressed in the fridge for up to 3 days and it still tastes great.
More healthy salad recipes:
Roasted Cauliflower and Chickpea Salad
Mango and Avocado Salad
Roasted Vegetable Salad
The BEST Dairy Free Potato Salad
Healthy Kale Salad with Air Fried Tofu
Equipment
Ingredients
For the tofu nuggets:
- 450 grams firm tofu frozen and defrosted
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon cornflour
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
For the kale salad:
- 1 bunch kale
- 1 avocado divided
- ½ cup Greek yoghurt dairy free, lactose free or regular
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 1 clove garlic
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Prepare the tofu nuggets: Press the tofu with paper towels to remove any excess moisture. Break the tofu into small pieces and place them in a large mixing bowl. Add the soy sauce, olive oil, cornflour, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Toss well to combine.
- Place the tofu nuggets in the basket of the air fryer. Cook at 200°C (400°F) for 15 minutes, tossing 1-2 times during cooking, until the outside is golden brown and crispy.
- Prepare the kale salad: While the tofu is cooking, wash the kale thoroughly. Remove the hard, woody stems and finely chop the leaves. Set the chopped kale aside in a bowl.
- Cut the avocado in half. Dice or slice one half and add it to the bowl with the kale. Place the other half of the avocado in a small food processor or blender. Add the Greek yoghurt, lemon juice, garlic, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Blend until smooth and creamy. Taste and adjust the seasoning or lemon juice if necessary.
- Pour the dressing over the kale and toss well to combine. Use your hands to massage the dressing into the kale leaves, ensuring they are well coated.
- Serve the kale salad with the crispy tofu nuggets with extra lemon wedges on the side.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is provided as a guide only and is calculated using automated online tools, therefore we cannot guarantee the accuracy. We encourage you to make your own calculations based on the actual ingredients used in your recipe.
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