This vegan Greek salad has everything you’d expect! Cucumbers, bell peppers, tomatoes, olives, onion, and crumbled chunks of punchy, flavourful tofu feta marinated in a simple Greek salad vinaigrette.
For best flavour, allow plenty of time for the tofu feta to marinate. Overnight will do, but you can marinate the tofu for up to 72 hours. The tofu feta gets firmer and more flavourful the longer it marinates.
Preparing the vegan Greek salad: Marinating the tofu feta and preparing the vegetables.
Greek Salad Dressing
The Greek dressing is simple: oil (and optionally, vegan mayo), vinegar, water, sea salt, oregano, garlic and onion powder. Canola oil (or another neutral vegetable oil) and white vinegar make for a clean flavour and sharp tang. A touch of vegan mayo adds a hint of creaminess which helps to change plain tofu into flavourful tofu feta.
Vegan Greek salad vinaigrette.
Making Vegan Tofu “Feta”
Transform mild tofu into a punchy vegan alternative to feta cheese by removing the water and replacing it with the briney Greek dressing.
Choosing tofu:
I use medium firm (or “traditional”) tofu. Before pressing it, medium tofu is silky and full of moisture. Afterwards it’s firmer, spongy, and ready to soak up plenty of the flavourful marinade.
Tofu feta made with firm tofu has great texture but doesn’t soak up flavour quite as well as medium tofu does. Tofu feta made with medium tofu is super flavourful but a little softer.
Pressing the tofu:
Press the tofu to remove as much moisture as possible but don’t let it crumble into bits.
Cut the tofu into rectangles to increase the surface area for quicker pressing. Lay the tofu between layers of paper towel and clean kitchen towels. Top with a few heavy books or use a cutting board to make a flat surface for awkwardly shaped heavy objects. When the tofu feels dry and just barely begins to crumble, it’s ready.
(To minimize waste, let the kitchen towels absorb the moisture from the tofu. A sheet of paper towel provides a barrier between the tofu and kitchen towel.)
Top: Medium-firm tofu pressed until it’s dry to the touch and just barely beginning to crumble. Bottom: Before pressing, medium-firm tofu is silky and full of moisture.
Marinating the tofu feta:
Tear the pressed tofu into small uneven chunks. If you’ve used medium tofu, the texture will be almost chewy now. Mix in some nutritional yeast and top with enough Greek dressing to submerge the tofu.
For optimal texture (and flavour), marinate the tofu feta for as long as possible. The tofu feta gets firmer over time. Overnight is the minimum but I aim for 48-72 hours.
As it marinates, taste test the tofu feta from time to time to decide when it’s flavourful enough for you.
Pressed medium tofu, torn into small uneven chunks and topped with Greek salad dressing. The tofu will firm up more and more the longer it marinates.
Preparation Notes
The tofu feta and Greek dressing are the key parts of the recipe but feel free to adjust the ratios and cuts of the vegetables to suit your preference. I prefer my Greek salad to be heavy on the cucumber with halved tomatoes and sliced olives.
Add Greek dressing and tofu feta to the salad just before serving. Once mixed, the dressing begins to break the vegetables down (especially the cucumbers) and they lose their crisp texture.
To prepare individual servings, dish up desired portion of undressed salad and add tofu feta and Greek dressing to taste.
If you’re preparing the salad in advance for a potluck or gathering, you can leave the tomatoes and olives whole and cut the other vegetables into large pieces for more longevity.
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This vegan Greek salad has everything you’d expect! Cucumbers, bell peppers, tomatoes, olives, onion, and crumbled chunks of punchy, flavourful tofu feta marinated in a simple Greek salad vinaigrette.
Ingredients
Greek Salad Dressing:
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) sea salt
- ½ tbsp (7.5 ml) garlic salt
- ½ tbsp (7.5 ml) onion powder
- ½ tbsp (7.5 ml) sugar
- ½ tbsp (7.5 ml) dried oregano
- ½ tsp (2.5 ml) cracked black pepper
- ¾ cup (175 ml) canola oil
- ⅓ cup (80 ml) white vinegar
- 3 tbsp (45 ml) vegan mayo (or substitute with more canola oil)
- 3 tbsp (45 ml) water
Tofu Feta:
- 1 (1lb/454g) block medium or firm tofu
- 3 tbsp (12 grams) nutritional yeast flakes
- Half of the prepared Greek salad dressing (above)
Greek Salad:
- 2 cucumbers, quartered and chopped
- 2 cups grape or cherry tomatoes, halved or whole
- 1 green pepper, chopped
- ½ of a small red onion, sliced
- ½ cup Kalamata olives, whole, halved, or sliced
- Prepared tofu feta and marinade (above)
- Remaining Greek salad dressing (above)
Instructions
Greek Salad Dressing:
- In a jar with a lid (or a medium-sized bowl) combine sea salt, garlic salt, onion powder, sugar, oregano, and black pepper. Add canola oil, vinegar, mayo, and water. Shake or whisk well.
Tofu Feta:
- Cut tofu into rectangles.
- Press the tofu between layered kitchen towels and top with a heavy, flat-bottomed object. Leave tofu to press until it appears dry and some pieces just begin to crumble (about 30 minutes to 1 hour).
(You may need to swap in fresh, dry kitchen towels if they become saturated before the tofu is finished pressing.) - Use your hands to tear the pressed tofu into small, irregular sized chunks – do not crumble.
In a food storage container with a lid (or a medium-sized bowl) gently mix tofu with nutritional yeast. Shake or mix Greek salad dressing before pouring ½ of it over the tofu (or enough to fully submerge the tofu). - Marinate overnight, or preferably longer (up to 72 hours). Taste test as needed to check for desired flavour and firmness.
Greek Salad:
- Prepare vegetables. Optional: halve tomatoes and halve or slice olives. Transfer vegetables into a large bowl.
- Just before serving, add the tofu and marinade to the salad. Crumble some of the tofu if desired. Add extra Greek dressing to taste. Serve immediately.
Notes
Storage: Store tofu feta and dressing separate from vegetables. Once the dressing is mixed with the vegetables they begin to break down and lose their crisp texture.
Preparing individual servings: Dish up desired portion of undressed salad and add tofu feta and Greek dressing to taste.
If you’re preparing the salad in advance for a potluck or gathering, you can cut the vegetables larger and leave the tomatoes and olives whole for more longevity. Add the dressing and feta to the vegetables shortly before serving.
Keywords: vegan Greek salad, tofu feta, vegan feta
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