I saw sugar snap peas at the farmers market for the first time a couple of weeks ago and I immediately bought them without thinking twice. ย I am crazy for these crunchy, sweet pods and I often snack on them plain or dip them into hummus or a basic vinaigrette. ย The season for local sugar snap peas is short, so I’ll be buying them weekly until I don’t see them anymore. ย
I remembered this quinoa recipe with snap peas and tofu that I had taught in a class many years ago and thought that my husband would finally enjoy it now that he is vegan and quinoa and tofu are his new BFF’s. ย I went to look it up on my site and, what??? ย I never posted it! ย I couldn’t believe it. ย Sometimes old recipes aren’t that exciting anymore, but this is one I still make and has stood the test of time. ย Although you know me – I love changing things up depending on what I have on hand.
When I taught this recipe so many years ago, Paleo and Whole30 weren’t a thing. ย People had barely heard of quinoa. ย I am still eating the exact same way – mostly plant-based with the occasional small piece of animal protein added, usually wild fish. ย I do a smidge of dairy here and there, possible an egg every now and then. ย Same diet because it works well for me. ย But I know not everyone wants to eat my way, so if you want to sub rotisserie chicken for the tofu, go for it. ย If you wan to use cauliflower rice instead of quinoa, great. Make it your own.
It’s really all about the dressing and the sugar snap peas, in my opinion. ย Or whatever delicious crunchy vegetable you have. ย The dressing has an Asian flavor profile that is simple and clean and very flavorful. ย This dish is a complete protein, thereby creating a perfect meatless entree. ย I also love this as an airplane meal since it’s filling, but light and can hold up really well at room temp for many hours. ย It’s also great for a potluck or a buffet for the same reasons.
I am starting to think of good meatless dishes for Lent, which is coming up soon, as well as Passover-friendly recipes. ย I can’t keep up with all the updates in the Passover rules, but I think this recipe is compliant if you use the tamari option (quinoa and legumes are ok, right?) ย Please correct me if I’m wrong. ย So if you’ve been struggling with winter and the cold weather, may these sugar snap peas be a reminder that spring is coming to you soon. ย Maybe not as soon as you’d like, but it’s coming! ย As always, please tag me on Instagram so I can see your beautiful creations @pamelasalzman #pamelasalzman.
Shop the tools I used for this recipe by clicking on the images below!
Sugar Snap Pea and Quinoa Salad with Tofu
Ingredients
- 1 cup quinoa, rinsed
- 1 ยพ cups water
- Fine grain sea salt
- 1 Tablespoon unrefined coconut oil or olive oil
- 8 ounces extra firm tofu, sliced ยฝ-inch thick
- shoyu or gluten-free tamari to taste, or coconut aminos
- 6 ounces sugar snap peas, trimmed and blanched for 2 min., left whole or cut on the diagonal in thirds OR leave raw*
- ยผ cup chopped cilantro
- ยผ cup thinly sliced scallions, 3-4
- Dressing:
- 2 Tablespoons fresh lime juice or unseasoned rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger, you can sub a pinch of ground ginger or to taste
- 1 small clove garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon shoyu or gluten-free tamari, or coconut aminos if you can't do soy
- 2 Tablespoons toasted sesame oil or walnut oil
- 2 Tablespoons unrefined, cold-pressed extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 Tablespoons tahini, raw cashew butter, unsweetened kefir, buttermilk or yogurt
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan add the rinsed quinoa, water and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, lower the heat and cover. Simmer for 15 minutes or until all the water has been absorbed, then turn off the heat and keep covered for 10 minutes. Transfer to a large serving bowl and allow to cool.
- Pat the tofu dry with paper towels, pressing on it to absorb any excess water. Cut into ยฝ-inch dice. Heat a medium skillet over medium heat and add coconut oil. When oil is warmed, add tofu and stir-fry until golden and slightly crisp, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle with salt to taste. (1/2 teaspoon is a good start.)
- Add cooked tofu to the quinoa with snap peas, cilantro and scallions.
- In a small bowl whisk together the dressing ingredients and pour over quinoa mixture. Sprinkle with two pinches of sea salt (or to taste) and toss gently to combine.
Notes
Great dish — even my 6 year old loved it!
Thank you, Lisa. So happy to hear that!
“Sprinkle with shoe to taste.” I’m presuming that this is a typo??
Ah, yes! Typo! Thanks for bringing it to my attention. Should say “salt”, not “shoe.”
Hi Pamela, I plan to make this soon. Where it says in the ingredients list “8 ounces extra firm tofu, sliced ยฝ-inch thick shoyu or gluten-free tamari to taste” , do we add our preferred sauce before stir frying the tofu?
Sorry for the confusion, Cheryl. Use your preferred sauce after the tofu is stir-fried. I just added that step to the directions.