Vegan Tofu Salmon with Sautéed Asparagus, Potatoes, and Creamy Herb Sauce
Do you remember our recipe for creamy vegan "salmon" pasta To this day, it's one of our and your favorite pasta dishes. Not just because it's soo delicious, but also because the vegan salmon comes together super quickly — and it's made from tofu. That recipe is what inspired this vegan take on a German spring classic. Today we're making vegan tofu salmon with roasted asparagus, potatoes, and a dill cream sauce.
Why it's a spring classic:
Potatoes with a creamy dill sauce are a classic dish, often rooted in Scandinavian or northern German cooking, and particularly popular as a side to fish. We're going with simple boiled potatoes paired with a quick vegan dill cream sauce. What makes it a true spring classic is the green asparagus on the side. If you happen to discover this recipe later in the year and can't find asparagus: roasted carrots, broccoli, or kohlrabi all work wonderfully with everything else on the plate.
How does tofu become vegan salmon?
As with so many recipes, the secret is in the marinade. We blend pickle brine, a nori sheet, miso paste, soy sauce, and a few more spices in a blender. Not to be forgotten: the beet juice, which gives our tofu that signature salmon color. We start by trimming the tofu into a fillet shape, then score it thinly with a knife. The prepared tofu then simmers in the marinade for a few minutes to soak up all the flavors.
After cooking, you can either press the underside of the tofu into cornstarch or place a trimmed nori sheet underneath. Either way, it'll get nice and crispy when you fry it in the pan. And voilà — a truly impressive tofu salmon fillet!
Can't get enough of vegan fish?
Then try our tofu salmon in puff pastry, or a tartare with carrot lox. If you fancy something other than salmon, we recommend our vegan homemade fish sticks or the eggplant herring, served with dill potatoes. We hope you have so much fun trying these out — and we're just as thrilled as you are that all these dishes work so brilliantly as vegan versions!
Vegan Tofu Salmon with Sautéed Asparagus, Potatoes, and Creamy Herb Sauce
Ingredients
For the „salmon":
- 400 g (14 oz) plain tofu
- 300 ml (1.25 cups) pickle brine (from a jar of pickles)
- 2 nori sheets (divided)
- 1 tbsp light miso paste
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 2 tbsp beet juice
- cornstarch
- plant-based butter
For the asparagus:
- 400 g (14 oz) green asparagus
- 1 garlic clove
- salt
- pepper
- lemon zest
- oil for frying
For the dill cream sauce:
- 1 shallot
- 20 g (0.75 oz) fresh dill
- 250 ml (1 cup) plant-based heavy cream
- 1 tsp mustard
- salt
- pepper
- nutmeg
- lemon juice
- neutral plant-based oil for frying
For serving:
- 500 g (1 lb) boiled potatoes
- 1 lemon
Instructions
First, halve each block of tofu. Then optionally trim with a knife to shape them into fillets. Score the top of each fillet diagonally at 1–2 mm intervals, cutting deep but not all the way through.
For the marinade, add pickle brine, one nori sheet, miso paste, soy sauce, and onion and garlic powder to a blender and blend for a few minutes until the nori sheet is finely chopped. Add beet juice until the marinade is a light red color.
Place the salmon fillets in a small saucepan and pour the marinade over them. Simmer on medium heat for approximately 10 minutes, making sure the marinade gets into the cuts of the fillets. Then remove from the marinade and let drain briefly.
Meanwhile, prepare the sauce: peel and finely dice the shallot. Finely chop the dill. Sauté the shallot in a little oil until translucent. Add the plant-based heavy cream and mustard, stir in the chopped dill, and season with lemon juice, salt, pepper, and nutmeg to taste. Warm through again before serving.
Peel the potatoes if desired, place in a pot, cover with water, salt, and bring to a boil. Cook over medium heat for approximately 20 minutes until tender.
After draining briefly, either press the underside of each tofu fillet into cornstarch, or place a trimmed nori sheet on the underside. Then fry the tofu fillets in plant-based oil.
At the same time, snap or cut off the woody ends of the green asparagus. Heat a little plant-based oil in a second pan and fry the asparagus on all sides until nicely browned but still with a little bite. Finely dice the garlic, add to the pan, and fry for another 1–2 minutes. Season with salt, pepper, and lemon juice to taste.
Serve the tofu fillets with the asparagus, boiled potatoes, dill cream sauce, and lemon slices or wedges.
