Warm Sourdough Crouton Bowl with Crispy Sesame Tofu, Quick-Pickled Onion & Chive Vinaigrette

Ingredients

• 1,000 g extra-firm tofu (about 2 x 14 oz/400 g blocks), drained
• 30 g tamari or soy sauce (2 Tbsp)
• 20 g neutral oil, plus more as needed (1 1/2 Tbsp)
• 12 g toasted sesame oil (1 Tbsp)
• 20 g cornstarch (2 1/2 Tbsp)
• 6 g smoked paprika (2 tsp)
• 2 g black pepper (1 tsp)
• 25 g sesame seeds (3 Tbsp)
• 200 g yellow onion, very thinly sliced (about 1 medium)
• 180 g distilled white vinegar or apple cider vinegar (3/4 cup)
• 25 g sugar (2 Tbsp)
• 10 g kosher salt (1 1/2 tsp)
• 120 g water (1/2 cup)
• 30 g chives, finely sliced (about 1 cup loosely packed)
• 60 g olive oil (1/4 cup)
• 30 g vinegar (2 Tbsp)
• 15 g Dijon mustard (1 Tbsp)
• 10 g maple syrup or sugar (2 tsp)
• 3 g kosher salt (1/2 tsp), plus more to taste
• 1 g black pepper (1/2 tsp)
• 1 small garlic clove, finely grated (about 3 g), optional
• 300 g sourdough bread, torn into big 3–4 cm chunks (about 6–7 cups)
• 15 g olive oil (1 Tbsp)
• 200 g carrots, peeled and shaved into ribbons (optional but great)
• 150–200 g mesclun mix and/or starfighter lettuce (about 6–8 cups loose)

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 230°C / 450°F. Set 2 racks if you have them. Line 2 sheet pans (one for tofu, one for bread) for easy cleanup.
2. Add thin-sliced onion (200 g) to a heatproof bowl or jar.
3. In a small pot, combine vinegar (180 g), water (120 g), sugar (25 g), and kosher salt (10 g). Bring just to a simmer, stirring to dissolve.
4. Pour the hot pickling liquid over the onions. Toss, then let sit 15–20 minutes. The onions should soften slightly and turn pinkish/translucent with a sharp-sweet smell.
5. Dry the tofu: Press/squeeze the tofu (1,000 g) gently over the sink, then pat very dry with towels. Cut into 2–3 cm cubes.
6. In a large bowl, toss tofu with tamari (30 g), neutral oil (20 g), and toasted sesame oil (12 g).
7. Sprinkle over cornstarch (20 g), smoked paprika (6 g), and black pepper (2 g). Toss again until the cubes look lightly powdery.
8. Add sesame seeds (25 g) and toss to coat.
9. Spread tofu on a sheet pan in a single layer with space between pieces. Roast 20–28 minutes, flipping once halfway, until deeply golden with crisp, sandy edges and a nutty aroma. If it’s pale, keep going—color = crunch.
10. Toss torn sourdough (300 g) with olive oil (15 g) and a pinch of salt.
11. Spread on the second sheet pan. Bake 10–14 minutes, tossing once, until the edges are browned and crunchy but the centers still have a bit of chew.
12. In a bowl, whisk olive oil (60 g), vinegar (30 g), Dijon (15 g), maple syrup (10 g), salt (3 g), pepper (1 g), and grated garlic (3 g, optional).
13. Stir in chives (30 g). Taste: you want it punchy—bread will mellow it.
14. Optional but great: add carrot ribbons (200 g) to a big mixing bowl.
15. Add the warm croutons (all of them) and drizzle over about 2/3 of the vinaigrette. Toss well so the bread drinks it.
16. Add greens (150–200 g) and toss just 10–15 seconds—you’re aiming for lightly kissed/wilted, not a full salad bed.
17. Pile into bowls. Top with crispy tofu and a generous forkful of pickled onions (drained). Spoon the remaining vinaigrette over the tofu if you like.

Notes

Gluten-free preference: swap the sourdough for your favorite gluten-free crusty bread, or roast cubes of sweet potato instead of bread (same vinaigrette). Storage: keep tofu, croutons, greens, and onions separate; tofu recrisps best 5–8 minutes in a hot oven or air fryer. Make-ahead: pickled onions keep 1–2 weeks refrigerated; vinaigrette keeps 3–4 days (stir before using).