Kale, Couscous and Tofu Salad With Carrot-Ginger Dressing 

By Hetty Lui McKinnon

Published May 9, 2025

Kale, Couscous and Tofu Salad With Carrot-Ginger Dressing 
Bryan Gardner for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Barrett Washburne.
Total Time
30 minutes
Prep Time
15 minutes
Cook Time
15 minutes
Rating
5(573)
Comments
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This satisfying no-cook salad demonstrates that taking cooking shortcuts need not come with any compromise when it comes to taste. Shortcut number one: You can skip massaging the kale; tearing it vigorously softens the leaves sufficiently. Shortcut number two: Save time with store-bought baked tofu, as it has been pre-cooked, which results in a firmer texture that stands up well in salads. And, lastly, shortcut three: Rather than actively monitoring couscous on the stovetop, you can simply season it and rehydrate in boiling water (or even hot vegetable stock, for even more flavor). The punchy, golden-hued carrot and ginger dressing takes cues from the simple salads served at Japanese American restaurants. This version adds miso, which softens the heat of the ginger.

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings

    For the Couscous and Salad

    • 1cup couscous 
    • Extra-virgin olive oil 
    • Salt and black pepper
    • 1cup boiling water
    • ½small bunch kale leaves, tough stems discarded
    • 1(7- to 8-ounce) package baked tofu, sliced or cut into 1-inch cubes
    • Big handful cilantro leaves

    For the Carrot-ginger Dressing

    • ¼cup extra-virgin olive oil
    • 1medium carrot, coarsely grated
    • 2tablespoons rice vinegar
    • 1heaped tablespoon white (shiro) miso paste
    • 1(1-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and coarsely grated
    • 1garlic clove, coarsely grated
    • 1teaspoon sugar
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

383 calories; 20 grams fat; 3 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 13 grams monounsaturated fat; 3 grams polyunsaturated fat; 41 grams carbohydrates; 4 grams dietary fiber; 3 grams sugars; 12 grams protein; 522 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Prepare the couscous: Place the couscous into a large heatproof serving bowl, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and ½ teaspoon of salt. Stir to coat the grains. Pour over the boiling water, immediately cover the bowl and let stand for 10 minutes while you prepare the other ingredients.

  2. Step 2

    Make the dressing: Place the olive oil, carrot, rice vinegar, miso, ginger, garlic, sugar and 2 tablespoons of water into a small blender or food processor. Purée until the mixture is completely smooth. If it looks too chunky, add a little bit more water and blend again. Taste and season with salt and pepper.

  3. Step 3

    Finish the salad: Fluff the couscous with a fork to separate the grains. Tear the kale vigorously into small pieces and scatter on top. Drizzle the kale with a little olive oil, season the leaves with salt and pepper and then toss the kale and couscous together. Add the tofu and half of the dressing and toss until well combined. Taste and season with salt and pepper.

  4. Step 4

    To serve, dollop the remaining dressing on top, and scatter over the cilantro leaves. Finish with a final drizzle of oil.

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Ratings

5 out of 5
573 user ratings
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Comments

Kris

I was bold and daring and took a big chance with this recipe by making it as instructed. Didn't double the tofu, add anything to the salad, or adjust the dressing. Didn't even swap out the kale for bacon, if you can believe it. 10/10 delicious and I feel like a hero.

A

@Kris this is my favorite NYT cooking comment ever. So brave!

Grace

Yum! I would double the tofu next time. I also added sesame oil to the dressing.

Stromdog

This was good (I loved the dressing) but the couscous didn’t work well for me. It soaked up too much of the dressing, getting stodgy and sticky while the surrounding salad became too dry. Next time I’ll try quinoa.

Avery

The dressing for this recipe is so good. I am asked for the recipe every time I make it for a group!

Steen

Maybe the carrots and ginger I got weren't the most flavorful, but I think overall this salad is far too bland. The cilantro definitely helps, but I gave it 2 stars because it is salvageable. Here's what I added to make it better: Chopped almonds roasted in a pan with butter (If not vegetarian, I would have added bacon) Juice of half a lime Green onion Upped the salt and vinegar recommendations.

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