What makes a great salad? Fresh produce? A must! Balanced flavors & textures? For sure! Hearty enough that you aren’t hungry an hour later, but not so filling that you feel like you just ate a huge meal? Most definitely! This Spicy Citrus Salad checks all those boxes & then some. It’s loaded with bright citrus, packs a tiny punch (or a lot depending on your taste buds) with some fresno chilis & is topped with crispy tofu bites that turn this from a simple salad into a meal. A perfect option for dinner, lunch & can even be meal prepped to provide ease during the week.
I love the combo of bright citrus & a kick of spice! I think that flavor profile is embedded in you growing up in Southern California. For this salad, first we marinate the tofu in a spicy citrus marinade. Then toss it in a bit of flour & crisp it up. Next, we slice up some Cuties oranges & add them to the mix. Last, we add one more layer of spicy citrus with a vinaigrette that has orange, lime & some fresno chili. Drizzle that all over & toss it up. The perfect blend of all the bright citrus flavors & a some spice to round it all out.
This recipe showcases Cuties oranges. They are quite literally…so cute. Tiny little bites of sweet orange. Plus, the best part, so easy to peel & no seeds. The only drawback is you may eat them up prior to adding to the salad. Feel free to use your favorite orange. They all work! An added treat… freeze the oranges then pop ’em as a snack. It tastes like an orange slushie. Thank you Kale Junkie for the tip.
Here are some other great salad recipes for you to check out…
Grilled Radicchio Citrus Salad
Spicy Citrus Salad
Ingredients
- 3 cups lettuce use your favorite (arugula, romaine, spinach, kale)
- 1/4 cup red onion or shallot, thinly sliced
- 1 medium avocado, sliced
- 1-2 small oranges, sliced or segmented
- 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped optional
- 1/2 block extra firm tofu
- 1/4 cup flour (tapioca preferred but all work)
- 1 tbsp oil olive, avocado or any neutral oil
Spicy Citrus Marinade
- 1/4 cup orange juice
- 1/2 lime, juiced
- 1 tsp chili powder sub cayenne powder or ancho chili powder
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
Spicy Citrus Vinaigrette
- 1/4 cup orange juice
- 1/2 lime, juiced
- 2 tbsp vinegar (apple cider or white wine)
- 1 small fresno chili, finely diced
- 1/2 tsp agave syrup or vegan honey
- 1/4 cup olive oil
Instructions
- Prepare the citrus marinade by whisking together all the ingredients in a bowl.
- Cut your tofu into bite size pieces. Add to the citrus marinade & refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- While the tofu marinates prepare the vinaigrette. Combine all the ingredients, whisk well & set aside.
- Prepare your salad ingredients by slicing & dicing all the fruits & veggies. Add to a bowl.
- Remove the tofu from the refrigerator & drain the marinade. In a bowl add the flour & toss in the tofu to gently coat each piece. Shake off any excess flour & add to a pan over medium heat with some heated oil. Cook the tofu for a 3-4 minutes per side until it crisps up & starts to brown. Try not to move it around unless flipping. This will help it crisp instead of just cooking through.
- Add the cooked tofu to the salad & toss with the vinaigrette or serve the vinaigrette on the side.