Sesame Tofu Pasta Salad

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This Sesame Tofu Pasta Salad with a delicious creamy asian inspired dressing is perfect for get togethers and barbecues!

This light, but satisfying pasta salad is perfect for summer when it's just too hot to cook. It's a delicious combination of tofu, spinach, fresh basil, mandarin oranges and bow tie pasta tossed in a creamy sesame flavored dressing.

The inspiration for this salad was my Nectarine Summer Squash Pasta Salad. Both salads pair well with a crusty bread for full meal or as a side dish with veggie burgers.

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Ingredients
Substitutions & Variations
How to make Sesame Tofu Pasta Salad
Top Tip
Equipment
Storage
Common Questions
Related
Pairing
Recipe

Ingredients

This salad consists of more ingredients than we typically use in one recipe. However, many of them are common pantry staples, easy to find and fairly cheap.

non dairy yogurt
soy sauce
brown sugar
maple syrup
rice vinegar
ginger
garlic
sesame oil
red pepper flakes
bow tie pasta
tofu
spinach
basil
mandarin oranges
peanuts
sesame seeds
green onion

See recipe card for quantities.

Substitutions & Variations

Pasta - use gluten free pasta instead of wheat pasta to make this gluten free.
Peanut free - omit peanuts if needed.
Spicy - adjust the spice level to your liking by adding additional pepper flakes or omit all together.
Gluten Free - use gluten free pasta and coconut aminos instead of soy sauce

How to make Sesame Tofu Pasta Salad

Making this pasta salad is pretty simple with minimal cooking involved. Many pasta salad recipes instruct to rinse the pasta after draining to keep it from getting sticky. Don't. Instead pour some of the dressing over the pasta immediately after draining to prevent sticking and add flavor to the pasta itself, a bit like marinading.

Overhead shot of dressing for Sesame Tofu Pasta Salad in a bowl.

In a small bowl combine yogurt, soy sauce, brown sugar, maple syrup, rice vinegar, ginger, garlic, red pepper flakes and sesame oil. Whisk well to thoroughly incorporate. Refrigerate until needed.

Overhead shot or farfalle pasta, small tofu cubes and dressing in a large bowl.

Cook pasta in salted water 1-2 minutes longer than package instructions state. Drain, but don't rinse. Transfer to a large bowl. Add tofu and dressing. Toss to coat. Refrigerate at least 2 hours.

A large bowl of pasta with spinach, mandarin oranges and basil sprinkled with toasted sesame seeds.

Add spinach, basil, mandarine oranges and sesame seeds to chilled pasta. Toss to incorporate.

Overhead shot of pasta salad in a large bowl topped with chopped peanuts and green onion.

Top with chopped peanuts and green onion if desired. Serve immediately or chill until ready to enjoy.

Top Tip

Typically, you want pasta that is cooked al dente so it doesn't get mushy when eaten warm and sauced. With pasta salad, it really needs to cook 1-2 minutes longer than normal since it will be refrigerated and the texture will change once cold. The flavors will also be more muted if eaten straight from the fridge. For best flavor, let the pasta salad warm at room temp for a bit before serving.

Equipment

There is no special equipment needed for this recipe. Basic kitchen tools such as bowls and measuring cups and spoons are helpful. Also access to a stove top is needed for cooking the pasta.

Overhead shot of Sesame Tofu Pasta Salad in a large bowl.

Storage

Store pasta salad in a covered container in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Good for 1-2 days.

These ingredients don't stand up well to freezing.

Common Questions

Can this salad be made ahead of time?

Yes. Make the salad up to combining the pasta, tofu, and dressing and refrigerating. Just before serving added the remaining ingredients and toss to combine.

Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:

Pairing

These are my favorite dishes to serve with pasta salad:

Did you make this recipe? Let me know what you think! Leave a review and rating in the comments below. This helps me continue to provide great recipes for you.

Recipe