Smashed Cucumber Pasta Salad
This smashed cucumber salad combines crispy cucumbers with tender fusilli pasta and meaty tofu crumbles. Seasoned with soy sauce, toasted sesame oil, and rice vinegar, this salad is refreshing, packed with texture, and superbly seasoned!
Ingredients
Tofu Crumbles
- 7 ounces firm tofu
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp oil
- 2 tsp maple syrup or sugar
Smashed Cucumbers
- 1 large cucumber about 13 ounces
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 clove of garlic minced
- 2 tsp minced ginger
- 3 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tbsp white rice vinegar
- 2 tbsp toasted sesame oil
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1 tbsp sesame seeds
- 1/4 tsp gochugaru (Korean chili powder)
- 2 cups uncooked Fusilli pasta
Instructions
Tofu Crumbles
- Preheat the oven to
400 °F (200°C). - Crumble the tofu. Using your hands, crumble the tofu into small chunks of about 1/2-inch. Transfer to a mixing bowl.
- Toss with the seasonings. Add the smoked paprika, soy sauce, oil, and maple syrup. Using a spoon or spatula, toss well to coat the tofu with the seasonings.
- Spread on a baking sheet. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spread the crumbled tofu into an even layer.
- Bake. Transfer the baking sheet to the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes, stirring once halfway through baking. The tofu should be golden brown and slightly crispy on the edges. Remove from the oven and set aside.
Smashed Cucumbers
- Smash the cucumbers. Cut the cucumber in half crosswise. Place the large side of a large knife or cleaver on the cucumber and smash it using the heel of your palm. The cucumber should crack open and separate into 4 parts.
- Slice them. Next, slice them into 1/2-inch thick slices. Transfer the sliced cucumbers to a large mixing bowl.
- Salt and let them rest. Sprinkle the cucumber with the salt and toss to coat. Let the cucumber sit for about 15 minutes. This step will help the cucumber release some water and prevent the salad from being watery.
- Drain. Next, drain the cucumber and press them with your hands to remove as much water as possible. Transfer them back to the mixing bowl.
Assemble
- Make the dressing. To a small bowl, add the minced garlic and ginger. Then, pour in the soy sauce, white rice vinegar, toasted sesame oil, sugar, sesame seeds, and Gochugaru. Stir to combine and dissolve the sugar.
- Toss the cucumbers with the dressing. Add the dressing to the bowl containing the cucumber and toss to coat.
- Cook the pasta. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Once boiling, add the uncooked pasta and cook according to the package instructions. Once tender, drain the pasta, rinse under cold water a couple of times, and drain well again.
- Combine everything. Finally, add the cooked pasta, tofu crumbles, cilantro, and sliced red onions if using, to the cucumbers. Stir well to combine everything.
- Serve. You can serve this salad at room temperature or chill it in the refrigerator for 3-4 hours before serving. This cucumber salad will stay fresh for up to 3 days in the refrigerator.
Notes
- Use a rolling pin. If you do not feel confident smashing the cucumbers using a cleaver, you can use a rolling pin.
- Do not omit salting the cucumbers. This step is essential to prevent the salad from becoming watery. Salting the cucumbers helps draw out excess moisture and makes them crunchier.
- Adjust the spiciness to taste. This salad is very mildly spicy, so you can add more Gochugaru for more heat or simply omit it if you can't handle spicy food.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 serving | Calories: 353 kcal | Carbohydrates: 44.5 g | Protein: 12.1 g | Fat: 14.6 g | Saturated Fat: 1.7 g | Sodium: 1004 mg | Potassium: 300 mg | Fiber: 2.5 g | Sugar: 7.6 g | Calcium: 112 mg | Iron: 3 mg