Curried tofu salad (Quick, no-cook vegan lunch)

It's a terrific no cook meal with kitchen staples. That's handy when it's just too hot to turn on the stove (or if your power goes out!)

This dish was inspired by the curried tofu salads you find at co-ops or Whole Foods, but made fresher and cheaper at home.

With carrots, celery, onions, and raisins, this creamy tofu salad has a wonderful mixture of sweet and savory flavors. Plus, this high-protein vegan lunch keeps you satisfied for hours.

In this post:

Here are the ingredients you will need to make this recipe.

Tofu: I recommend super firm tofu in vacuum packaging. Because it isn't packed in water, it doesn't have to be pressed first, which is really convenient. Plus, it has a pleasant, toothsome bite.

I buy high protein, organic tofu at Trader Joe’s.

Produce and pantry staples: Carrot, celery, onion, raisins, pistachios, maple syrup, cayenne, salt, and pepper.

Vegan mayonnaise: Vegenaise is my favorite, but any eggless mayo will work here.

Curry powder: Curry powder is a flavorful seasoning blend. Penzey’s sweet curry powder is my preferred choice for this deli-style tofu salad.

While this isn't a traditional Indian dish, curry powder adds warm, Indian-inspired flavor. If you have a favorite curry powder, use it and adjust the cayenne depending on its spiciness.

Non-dairy milk: Cashew milk is my go-to, but almond milk, soy milk, or any plain and unsweetened non-dairy milk you enjoy will work.

This section shows how to make this recipe at a glance with process photos of the steps. For complete ingredient amounts & instructions, keep scrolling to the recipe card below.

1. Cut a block of super firm, vaccuum-packed tofu into ½ inch cubes.

2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk:

• Vegan mayo
• Curry powder
• Non-dairy milk
• Maple syrup (or agave syrup)

3. Add the following to the mixing bowl:

• Cubed tofu
• Sliced celery
• Shredded carrot
• Chopped onion
• Raisins
• Pistachios

4. Combine the tofu and veggies gently with the sauce. Stir in salt and pepper. Finally, add a pinch of cayenne, if you’d like the curried tofu salad to be spicier.

While you can eat the curry tofu salad right away, I recommend allowing the flavors to meld and deepen for several hours or overnight first. Put the curry tofu into an airtight container and refrigerate before eating.

You can easily personalize this curry tofu salad to suit your preferences with simple tweaks.

• Instead of tofu, use chickpeas or seitan chicken
• Instead of yellow onion, use green onion
• Instead of pistachios, use roasted cashews, sliced almonds, sunflower seeds, pepitas, or toasted pine nuts
• Instead of raisins, use dried cranberries
• Instead of maple syrup, use agave syrup
• For a pop of fresh flavor, add chopped cilantro

Curried tofu salad can be eaten in a variety of ways:

• Use it in a vegan sandwich
• Roll it into a tortilla
• Add dollops to lettuce leaves
• Stuff it into a tomato
• Spread it onto crackers
• Pile it alongside a green salad
• Eat it right out of the bowl with a fork

Serve this protein-packed vegan salad with any of the following side dishes:

• Fall salad with apples & vegan feta
• Easy spinach salad
• Salad with persimmons
• Baked fries
• Pan-fried Brussels sprouts with gochujang glaze
• Samosas & apple chutney

Looking for more quick and easy mayo-based salads? Here are some other dishes I know you'll love:

• Vegan tuna salad
• Vegan egg salad
• Vegan chicken salad
• Potato salad
• Coleslaw
• Pasta salad

📖 Recipe

Curried tofu salad (Quick, no-cook vegan lunch)

Author: Cadry Nelson

4.88 from 8 votes

Now here's an easy lunch! With carrots, onions, and raisins, this Whole Foods style deli salad has a wonderful mixture of sweet and savory flavors. Eat it on its own, put it in a sandwich, or add it to a wrap. Great for meal planning!

Print Pin Rate

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 2 minutes minutes

Total Time: 12 minutes minutes

Servings: 6 people

Course: Salad

Cuisine: Indian, Vegan

Keyword: easy lunch, no oven

Ingredients

• ▢ 5 Tablespoons vegan mayo Vegenaise is my favorite.
• ▢ 1 Tablespoon curry powder (I recommend Penzey's sweet curry powder)
• ▢ ¾ teaspoon non-dairy milk plain and unsweetened (I use cashew milk.)
• ▢ 1 teaspoon maple syrup or agave syrup
• ▢ 16 ounces super-firm tofu vacuum-packed, cut into ½ inch cubes*
• ▢ ½ cup thinly sliced celery (about 2 small ribs)
• ▢ ½ cup grated carrot (about 1 large carrot or 2 small)
• ▢ 3 Tablespoons chopped yellow onion chopped small
• ▢ 3 Tablespoons raisins
• ▢ 3 Tablespoons pistachios or dry roasted sliced almonds
• ▢ Generous pinch of salt plus more to taste
• ▢ Dash of pepper
• ▢ Pinch of cayenne pepper optional

Instructions

• ▢
  In a large mixing bowl, use a whisk to combine vegan mayo, curry powder, non-dairy milk, and maple syrup.
• ▢
  Add the following to the mixing bowl: cubed tofu, sliced celery, grated carrot, chopped yellow onion, raisins, and pistachios. Use a spoon to gently stir, being careful not to break up the tofu too much.
• ▢
  Stir in a generous pinch of salt and dash of pepper. Taste and add more salt and pepper, if necessary. If you'd like for the curried tofu salad to be spicier, add a pinch of cayenne pepper.
• ▢
  The tofu salad can be eaten right away. However, for best results, cover and refrigerate it. Allow the flavors to meld for several hours or overnight. The flavors will continue to deepen.

Notes

I like to use vacuum-packed tofu, because it doesn’t need to be pressed before using. 

If you only have a water-packed tofu, you’ll need to press the tofu first. Water-packed tofu typically comes in 14-ounce packages, which includes water weight. So you may need about a package and a half of tofu for this recipe if using water-packed tofu.

Storage instructions

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It will keep for up to four days. If it seems dry, add another spoonful of mayo and pinch of salt.

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Nutrition

Calories: 241kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 96mg | Potassium: 299mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 1848IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 44mg | Iron: 2mg

Content updated December 28, 2025. Originally posted December 18, 2014.