A tomato-mozz salad with the simplest cheese swap

We’re not turning on the stove the rest of July

Hey crew, and welcome back to Cool Beans, where we’re declaring July a no-cook month. For the next three weeks, all our original recipes will serve up delicious eats without firing up the oven, stove, or even the grill. Because it’s hot y’all, and we want to conserve that energy bill for keepin’ cool! Our first subject: tomato salad. 

Most of the fresh mater-based meals I love feature cheese in some way, shape, or form—whether it’s a stack of juicy tomatoes and fresh mozzarella or creamy whipped ricotta piled up with heirlooms on toast. Joe Yonan’s recipe for a plant-based caprese, however, reminded me that you can season and marinate tofu to emulate the flavors and texture of cheese. 

The type of fromage you want to fake informs what type of tofu to use. To make fresh “mozz,” Yonan seasons silken tofu simply with salt and pepper. Silken is also the move for creamy cheese sauces, like this queso. Firm tofu, meanwhile, can stand up to the food processor without getting too liquidy. Perfect for things like this plant-based take on whipped ricotta. For today’s recipe, I’m going firm because it’ll hold its shape when I use it to make marinated “feta” for the ultimate no-cook summertime salad.  

Best-of-two-worlds tomato salad

Credit: Gabriella Vigoreaux

This dish is a mashup of two tomato salads, caprese and fattoush. The former needs no introduction, but my plant-based spin replaces mozzarella with faux tofu-based feta. Fattoush is a Middle Eastern chopped vegetable and herb salad tossed with crunchy toasted pita chips. It’s a great way to use up day-old bread, but to keep the oven off, I’m going with store-bought pita chips. This dish takes a little bit of prep because it has a few different components, but each is simple—and the tofu-feta alone is something you’ll return to again and again. It makes a great topping for toast and wraps, and really does evoke its dairy doppelganger. You can even blend it up for a creamy dip for any extra pita chips. 

The dressing also features two specialty ingredients worth stocking in your pantry: sumac and pomegranate molasses. (Don’t worry, if neither’s around, there are simple swaps.) Sumac is a tart, lemony, and bright red spice that’s commonly used in za’atar spice blends. You can use it for rubs, marinades, or anywhere you want a lemony kick. Pomegranate molasses is not a sweetener, but a condiment common in Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, and North African dishes. It adds a sweet, puckery punch to salad dressings, and I absolutely love it drizzled on peanut butter toast. You can find it in Middle Eastern grocery stores or online, or make it yourself from pomegranates or pomegranate juice. 

Fattoush-ish Tomato Salad with Tofu Feta

Yield: 6 servings