This smoky vegan BBQ soy curls salad with zesty paprika dressing, veggies, avocado, and soy (soya) chunks simmered in a quick homemade barbecue sauce makes a restaurant-worthy salad meal. Plus, it's made with healthy plant-based ingredients, is oil-free, and can be made in 30 minutes.
If you're new to soy curls (dehydrated soya chunks), this is the perfect recipe for you. And if you're already a convert, I don't need to explain the meaty texture and high-protein satisfaction. But this salad - well it's a force unto itself. I've made similar versions of this full-meal salad with chickpeas or air-fried tofu chicken, and it's always a winner. So, when I happened on soy curls, well, it was a match made in heavenly flavors.
I've made this delicious salad for vegans and non-vegans to rave reviews. Nothing left on the plates, just requests to 'make that again, please.'
Table of Contents
Why You'll Love This Recipe
This easy recipe can be pulled together in a few minutes. The dressing, sauce, and some of the salad prep can be made a day ahead.
This healthy salad is prepared with no added oil, and if you swap tamari for soy sauce, it's gluten-free.
With quick-to-prep soy curls, cooking time is minimal, making them great for warm summer days or when cooking isn't your priority.
It's great with a variety of salad greens and veggies - let your garden or farmer's market be your guide. Or grab a bag of prepared salad mix.
Ingredients and Substitutions
Soy Curls. Officially, soy curls is a trademarked product of Portland-based Butler Foods. They can be ordered online and are stocked in bigger US supermarkets. But you can go off-script and use soy chunks, which are available in health food shops. In the UK, I found mine at Holland and Barrett.
Liquid Smoke. I added a shot of liquid smoke when rehydrating the soy curls. If you don't have it, substitute it with ½ teaspoon of smoked paprika or another of my recommended liquid smoke substitutions.
Soy Sauce. For a gluten-free salad, substitute with tamari or Bragg's liquid aminos.
Shallot. The dressing uses the mellow onion flavor of finely diced shallots. You can swap them for red, green, or yellow onions.
Nutritional yeast (nooch) adds a cheesy flavor to the BBQ soy curls. If you don't have it, omit it or try one of my recommended nutritional yeast substitutes.
Salad Greens and Veggies. This salad revels in the veggies. You can use a spring salad mix, baby spinach, chopped Romain, or whatever greens you like. I use a combination of carrots, tomatoes, red onion, and red pepper. Cucumbers or radishes are great options.
Please see the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the complete list of ingredients, measurements, and instructions.
Recipe Variations
Make a quick version of this recipe using 3 cups of chickpeas or simmered tempeh slices. The chickpea process is similar to my BBQ chickpea wraps. There's no soaking or rehydrating required. If you use tofu, I recommend making a batch of crispy baked tofu or air-fried tofu and then simmering it with the BBQ sauce.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Rehydrate the soy curls in a large bowl with vegetable broth, liquid smoke, and soy sauce. Then, make the dressing and BBQ sauce and prep the salad.
Drain and press the excess water from the soy curls. Then, add them to a heated skillet or large frying pan and dry fry them for a few minutes until they begin to firm and brown.
Mix in the BBQ sauce and nutritional yeast and stir for a few minutes.
Divide the soy curls among the salad plates and top with the dressing.
Pro Tips
- Once rehydrated, you want the soy curls as dry as possible before cooking them. After draining them, gently press them with the back of a wooden spoon against the side of your colander. For extra dryness, use a paper towel to sop up any remaining moisture.
- Slice the avocado and chop the veggies and salad greens before frying the soy curls.
Serving Suggestions
Make this salad as two or more individual plates or as a big mixed bowl or platter. The soy curls can be served warm or at room temperature with the dressing on the side. This makes it a great option for lunches or potlucks.
Frequently Asked Questions
You can order Butler soy curls from their website or Amazon. They are now stocked more widely at stores like Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s, Target, and Walmart. You can find similar products called soy or soya chunks, soy sticks, or soy pieces in large grocery stores or health food stores.
All soy curls or similar products start with whole soybeans; however, there are differences, so it's important to read the labels. Look for products that are only made from whole, non-GMO soy beans and contain no added ingredients.
Store leftover salad and dressing in an airtight container in the refrigerator, and plan to eat it the next day. If you think you'll have leftovers, add half the avocado and toss the rest with lemon juice or lime juice. To keep the green fresh, add the dressing as you serve it.
I don't recommend freezing rehydrated soy curls because they tend to collect a lot of moisture, making the texture soggy.
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👩🏻🍳 Recipe
Smoky Vegan BBQ Soy Curls Salad
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Ingredients
Soy Curls
- 1 ½ cups soy curls - see note 1
- 2 cups vegetable broth
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce - use tamari for gluten-free
- ½ teaspoon liquid smoke
Paprika Dressing
- ½ cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon mustard - mild or Dijon
- 1 medium shallot - ¼ cup finely minced
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 ½ teaspoons smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon salt - optional
Salad
- 6 cups lettuce - see note 2
- 1 small red onion - cut in half and thinly sliced
- 1 medium red bell pepper - cut into thin, bite-sized strips
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes - sliced in half
- 1 medium avocado - peeled and diced
- 1 medium carrot - peels and sliced into thin matchsticks
BBQ Sauce
- ½ cup tomato paste
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce - use tamari for gluten-free
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 2 teaspoons liquid smoke
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
Instructions
- Combine the vegetable broth, soy sauce, and liquid smoke in a medium bowl. Add the soy curls and stir to cover them with liquid. Set them aside for 10-15 minutes to rehydrate them.
- Combine the dressing ingredients - apple cider vinegar, mustard, shallot, maple syrup, smoked paprika, and salt - in a small bowl or jar. Set aside.
- Take a minute to arrange the salad ingredients in a large bowl or on salad plates. If desired, toss the avocado slices in lime or lemon juice (this keeps them from browning).
- To make the BBQ sauce, mix the tomato paste, soy sauce, maple syrup, liquid smoke, and cayenne pepper in a small bowl. The nutritional yeast will be added directly to the pan.
- Drain the soy curls in a colander. Use the back of a wooden spoon to gently press them against the side to press out the excess water.
- To cook the soy curls, heat a large skillet or frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the soy curls and dry fry them for 2-3 minutes, stirring them often.
- Add the BBQ sauce and mix well. Then add the nutritional yeast and stir so the ingredients are combined.
- Add the soy curls to the salad. Toss with the dressing or serve it on the side.
Notes
- Soy curls are a trademarked Butler Foods product found online or in large supermarkets in the US. Similar products, such as soy chunks, soya strips, or soy pieces, work perfectly for this recipe and can be found worldwide in numerous stores or online.
- Use a combination of mixed leaf lettuce, baby spinach, Romaine lettuce, or another variety of salad greens.
- If storing leftover salad with dressing, add it to an airtight container and store it in the refrigerator. Plan to eat it the next day, especially if it has added dressing.
- You can make the dressing and barbecue sauce up to 2 days ahead.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimation only.
Chocoviv
Sounds interesting!