Buffalo Tofu Salad

I have such a love affair with buffalo sauce, it’s not even funny. I know I have told this story before, but but I’ll tell it again, just for funsies. Before I was a vegetarian, the only meat I really ate was chicken, and pretty much the only way I ate chicken was smothered in spicy delicious buffalo sauce. If we went out to eat and a restaurant was offering buffalo chicken, I was ordering it…whether it be in a wrap, a bun, or a salad, I didn’t care. I love buffalo sauce. So, my only hesitation when deciding to become a vegetarian was if I could really live without buffalo chicken. The answer is yes. Why? Because when it comes down to it, you can put buffalo sauce on ANYTHING. Yes, anything. I always used to order this buffalo chicken salad from a local pub, and I was obsessed with it. So naturally, over the last 6 or so years, I have missed it. Once I started experimenting more with tofu, a light bulb went off and I realized that I could make the same salad at home with crispy tofu!!! I am proud to announce the buffalo tofu salad!

Crispy tofu over a delicious green salad; then adding celery, tomatoes, tortilla chip crumbles,bleu cheese, and creamy ranch is the perfect combination. I could eat this salad every day. Seriously. This is also one of those occasions where you can’t say, “Oh, I don’t like tofu,” because you would never even know there is tofu in this salad unless I told you. After frying it and drenching it in buffalo sauce, there is no way you can’t like tofu. No way.

Buffalo Tofu Salad

2015-01-05 18:41:22

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Ingredients

1 package extra firm tofu, drained and cubed
1/2 cup cornstarch
2/3 cups buffalo sauce, divided (I like franks buffalo sauce)
1 cup cooking oil, such as vegetable
3 romaine hearts (or 8 cups of chopped romaine), chopped and divided in half
3 celery stalks, diced and divided in half
2 plum tomatoes, diced and divided in half
2 handfuls white corn tortilla chips, crumbled (use your hands!) and divided in half
1/2 cup ranch dressing (I like to make my own using the hidden valley packets)
1/2 cup bleu cheese crumbles

Instructions

1. In a heavy bottom stock pot with high sides, heat 1/2 cup of oil over medium high heat. Taking cubes of tofu, dunk into corn starch, evenly coating, and then drop into oil. This may need to be done in 2 or 3 batches, do not over crowd the tofu. Fry for 2-3 minutes, or until crispy (if your oil doesn't cover the tofu, you will need to flip it to crisp the opposite side). Remove from oil with a slotted spoon and set on paper towels. Continue until all tofu is fried.
2. Place tofu into a small bowl and toss with 1/3 cup of buffalo sauce until evenly coated. Set aside.
3. Using 2 large salad bowls, add lettuce to each bowl. Top with celery, tomatoes, tortilla chips, 1/4 cup of bleu cheese crumbles (on each salad). Add 1/2 of the tofu to each salad. Pour 1/4 cup ranch dressing over each salad. Toss to combine.
Enjoy!

Notes