Tofu Watercress Salad, Hawaiian Lauʻai Tōfū Lēkō
Transport yourself to Hawaii with this easy, 10-minute tofu watercress salad recipe! The peppery notes of watercress pair beautifully with soft cubes of fried tofu, crunchy beansprouts, juicy tomatoes, and punchy onions. However, what brings the recipe to life is the tangy, nutty dressing that combines the best of sweet, sour, savoury, and salty. Seriously — just wait until you taste it.
Okay, I admit it, I’m guilty. I often overlook salad recipes in favour of more hearty main dishes like tofu satay curry or vegetarian pad krapow. But the hot weather is making me crave lighter foods, and if there’s one salad that always hits the spot, it’s this tofu watercress salad recipe.
I guarantee even someone who usually baulks at greens will love the bold, bright flavours and crisp texture. It’s got everything you could want: packed with protein, easy to whip up, and perfectly balanced complexity.
This salad is a staple in the Hawaiian archipelago, where it’s known as lauʻai tōfū lēkō. It’s even sold in supermarkets as a grab-and-go food!
🥗 Ingredients for Tofu Watercress Salad
Tofu watercress salad is full of Asian-inspired flavours. Watercress might be widely associated with Britain (watercress sauce, anyone?), but its peppery, wasabi-like flavour made it popular across Asia, too.
And Hawaii? Well, Asian immigrant workers brought these tastes to Hawaii decades ago, influencing the local cuisine.
The salad only needs a few ingredients — five, to be precise. You’ll be able to find most of them at your local grocery store. Watercress is readily available here in the U.K., but you can also grow it easily at home.
- Tofu is our plant-powered protein. Use pressed extra-firm tofu for the best texture; my homemade tofu recipe is ideal.
- Chopped tomato adds bursts of juiciness. I like heirloom tomatoes or cherry tomatoes for the most intensity.
- Watercress adds that characteristic peppery, slightly spicy flavour. I like to serve the salad on a bed of whole watercress, and then roughly chop the rest to mix with the dressing. Note — this is NOT the same as salad cress!
- Beansprouts are optional but add loads of crisp, crunchy texture. They boast the salad’s peppery notes.
- Red onion is slightly sweet but also pungent. Sliced fine, it adds just another layer to the Hawaiian tofu watercress salad.
🧄 All About the Watercress Salad Dressing
This dressing is where the tofu watercress salad comes alive. It’s straightforward — just six ingredients — but the balance of flavours adds bags of sophistication.
- Rice vinegar is the dominant flavour — acidic and bright.
- Shoyu is a Japanese-style soy sauce high in salt, umami, and rich depth.
- Sesame oil adds extremely aromatic, nutty, and slightly earthy notes. It also provides viscosity to the tofu watercress salad.
- Garlic used raw is sharp and spicy.
- Ginger brings a slightly citrusy flavour along with a warm heat.
- Brown sugar is much more complex compared to white sugar, with notes of rich nuttiness on top of its sweetness. It balances out the salty, savoury elements perfectly.
🔄 Ingredient Substitutions, Variations, and Allergy Info
This Hawaiian tofu watercress salad is 100% vegan, wholefoods-based, and nut free.
The traditional recipe can sometimes include shrimp paste — but not this one! Asian foods often have a bad rep when it comes to being suitable for vegans and vegetarians, but recipes like this prove there are LOADS of choices — if you cook at home.
To make the salad gluten free, substitute soy sauce for tamari (a similar ingredient). Easy as!
Other ingredients you may want to add include sesame seeds, cucumber, radish, and slivered red bird’s eye chilis (you can see I used these as a garnish).
🧑🍳 Making this Tofu Watercress Salad is EASY
When I say this tofu watercress salad is easy, I MEAN IT! It’s my go-to recipe when I can’t be bothered with real cooking that involves turning on the stove.
From whipping up the dressing to prepping the ingredients and (optionally) frying the tofu, these gorgeous flavours are on your plate in less than 10 minutes.
- Blitz the dressing in a food processor until emulsified, slightly creamy, and completely blended.
- Optionally, pan-fry half the tofu until just browned. Leaving half of the tofu raw and the other fried adds a nice extra textural difference, but Hawaiian tofu watercress salad usually uses cold (raw) tofu, so skip this to make the recipe even quicker!
- Prep all your ingredients and add them to a bowl along with the dressing. Toss everything to mix.
❗Important note: You should only eat raw beansprouts if they are labelled “ready to eat.” Otherwise, quickly blanch the beansprouts in boiling water, then submerge them in ice-cold water to make them suitable for eating.
But, as you can see, this simple tofu watercress salad is a real walk in the park to make. In the past, I’ve even invested help from my young nieces and nephews, who love mixing the salad!
Cookware You Need
🥢 How to Eat + Store the Salad
Tofu watercress salad is best served cold. Once you’ve finished dressing the salad, I recommend leaving it to chill for at least an hour to let the flavours infuse. If you can’t wait, go right for it — that’s why I always make double!
The tofu makes the salad surprisingly filling, so it makes a fantastic lunch. If you’re looking to pair it with other dishes, it tastes fantastic with chilli garlic fried rice and vegetable gyoza.
If stored properly (refrigerated in an airtight container), it will last around three days, but I’m confident you won’t have any leftovers by then.
✨ This Tofu Watercress Salad Is:
Tofu Watercress Salad
Ingredients
For the Dressing
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon shoyu or soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 inch ginger peeled
For the Salad
- 200 g extra firm tofu cubed
- 1 large tomato cubed
- 80 g watercress roughly cut*
- 60 g beansprouts roughly cut
- 20 g red onion sliced
Instructions
- Add 2 tablespoons rice vinegar, 1 tablespoon shoyu or soy sauce, 1 tablespoon sesame oil, 1 tablespoon brown sugar, 3 cloves garlic, and 1 inch ginger to a food processor or blender and pulse until everything is completely blended. Continue until the dressing is emulsified, giving it a slightly creamy consistency.
- Optionally, cook 200 g extra firm tofu (cubed)**. If you wish to cook the tofu, take a small pan or wok and cook half the tofu cubes on all sides until lightly browned. You can use oil or on a non-stick surface, skip the oil.
- Add 1 large tomato (chopped), 80 g watercress, 60 g beansprouts, and 20 g red onion (chopped) to a large bowl. Pour over the dressing and toss to mix.
- Transfer to the fridge and the tofu watercress salad sit for around an hour to let the flavours meld together.
