Chia Seed Yuja Dressing Tofu Salad

Quick answer

Total time: 20 min
Level: Easy
Servings: 2 servings
Ingredients: 9

About this dish

Chia Seed Yuja Dressing Tofu Salad is a light salad featuring soft silken tofu and baby greens.

The dressing is made by soaking chia seeds in lemon juice and water for ten minutes until they swell into gel beads, which are then combined with yuja marmalade, vinegar, olive oil, and soy sauce. The soft tofu is cut into pieces and drained on paper towels to ensure it absorbs the citrus flavors of the dressing. Halved cherry tomatoes and baby greens provide a crisp texture that balances the softness of the tofu. To prevent the greens from softening, the dressing is poured over the salad just before serving. Refrigerating the mixed dressing for thirty minutes enhances the chewiness of the seeds. You can also substitute soft tofu with grilled tofu or chicken breast to modify the protein source.

Ingredients

servings

IngredientAmountUnit

Chia seeds2 tbsptbsp

Soft tofu300 gg

Baby greens100 gg

Cherry tomatoes8 eaea

Yuja marmalade2 tbsptbsp

Vinegar1 tbsptbsp

Olive oil2 tbsptbsp

Soy sauce½ tbsptbsp

Lemon juice1 tbsptbsp

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Instructions

Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.

7 steps

1

Prep

Combine 2 tablespoons chia seeds with 1 tablespoon lemon juice and 2 tablespoons water.

Let stand for at least 10 minutes, until the mixture forms a gel throughout.
2

Prep

Cut 300 g soft tofu into 3 cm pieces and set on a paper towel for 1 to 2 minutes to absorb surface moisture gently.
3

Step

Halve 8 cherry tomatoes.

Soak 100 g baby greens in cold water for 5 minutes, then drain and dry completely on a rack.
4

Season

Mix 2 tablespoons yuja marmalade, 1 tablespoon vinegar, 2 tablespoons olive oil, and 0.5 tablespoon soy sauce in a small bowl to make the dressing base.
5

Step

Add the soaked chia seeds to the dressing base and stir well until the seeds are evenly distributed throughout.
6

Finish

Spread baby greens and cherry tomatoes on a wide plate.

Gently place the soft tofu in the center. Handle the tofu carefully to keep it from breaking.
7

Step

Spoon the chia seed yuja dressing evenly over everything right before eating.

Dressing ahead of time will soften the greens.

Practical Cooking Checks

The cues that matter most while cooking.

Key technique: Chia seeds soaked in citrus juice form a textured gel that carries the yuja aroma into every bite.
Finish cue: Gently place the soft tofu in the center.
Substitution: Pairing with grilled tofu or chicken breast instead of soft tofu also provides great nutritional balance.
Storage and reheating: Mixing chia seeds into the dressing and refrigerating for 30 minutes makes the texture chewier.