Tofu Broccoli Salad, for the banchan spread

This tofu broccoli salad is a direct Korean broccoli side dish made with crumbled tofu and steamed broccoli. Seasoned with Korean soup soy sauce and sesame oil, it’s savory to accompany many Korean meals or eat alone as a light salad.

If you are looking for Tofu recipes that are gluten-free, low-carb, vegetarian & vegan dish all together, this tofu broccoli salad will fit all the requirements. Korean broccoli side dish is always popular in many Korean restaurants.

Last month we drove over 4 hours to Singapore with our family to watch “Wicked,” the famous Broadway show. It was undoubtedly a great show and our kids just loved it.

But for some WICKED reason, we kept thinking of “broccoli” while we were watching. How bizarre!

It could be Elphaba’s green face or the green emerald city in the land of Oz on the stage. Or it could simply be that we'd gone mad, which happens from time to time. Whatever the reason was, we were inspired with broccoli and happy to present it today.

We never had broccoli as we were growing up in Korea, nor we have seen it until we came to U.S over 20 years ago. Although broccoli wasn’t widely available for our childhood, which some of you might think that as “lucky”, you can find them easily anywhere in Korea these days.

Our first encounter to broccoli was “scary”! We thought we were eating a wicked moss ball. After a few attempts, we began to enjoy their green beauty! We love them.., we love them to death now.

Here is one dish that you can fuse this glorious vegetable with tofu. It is direct and savory and you just need to know an unfussy technique to bring out the true radiance of Ms. Broccoli.

Also try our sesame broccoli salad recipe for another great idea for broccoli recipes.

How the dish comes together

Cut up the broccoli florets into small pieces.

Place broccoli and tofu in a hot steamer and steam for 2-3 minutes until the broccoli is tender yet retains their green beauty.

Tender yet green…, hard to achieve, isn’t it?

Rinse them in the cold water to stop cooking further.

Wrap tofu with fine cotton cloth (or cheese cloth) and squeeze out to remove some water.
Then, crumble your tofu.

Place them in a shallow bowl but don’t combine yet.

Get these stuff. Sesame seeds, Korean soy sauce for soup, sesame oil and garlic (minced).

Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of this “Korean soy sauce for soup” to tofu and the other 1 teaspoon to broccoli

Oh, don’t forget to add chopped garlic and green onion, sesame oil and sesame seeds.

Start massaging around your tofu with seasoning… because you love him so much.
This step will season the bland tofu without bruising the broccoli.

Now, gently toss all together. Taste and season with salt if you need.

• Broccoli Rabe Salad With Soybean Paste
• Cabbage Ramen Salad
• Watercress Tofu Salad

• Yield: 4
• Prep: 10 minutes
• Cook: 5 minutes
• Total: 15 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 head broccoli
• 4 oz firm tofu
• 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
• 1 green onion, chopped
• 2 tsp Korean soup soy sauce (gukganjang)
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 2 tsp roasted sesame seeds
• salt to taste, optional

Method

1. Cut up the broccoli florets into small pieces.
2. Place a steamer over gentle boiling water on medium heat, place broccoli and tofu and steam for 2-3 minutes or until the broccoli is tender yet retains their green color. Take them out and rinse in the cold water. Place broccoli in a large shallow mixing bowl, set aside.
3. Wrap tofu with fine cotton cloth (or cheese cloth) and squeeze out to remove some water. Crumble the tofu and place next to the broccoli in a mixing bowl but don’t combine them yet.
4. Add garlic, green onion, 1 teaspoon of Korean soy sauce for soup over crumbled tofu and massage around the tofu so that tofu gets seasoned alone.
5. Drizzle the rest 1 teaspoon soy sauce and sesame oil sesame seeds over broccoli and tofu, and toss all together very gently. Season further with salt if you need.
6. Serve cold or at room temperature.