Bright and flavorful, spicy beetroot and orange salad with herbed tofu features simple flavors: herbed baked or air-fried tofu, peppery arugula, beets, and oranges, and a splash of hot sauce and orange juice as a dressing.
This simple vegan salad recipe is healthy and oil-free, and it contains satisfying and nutritious plant-based ingredients.

I've been exploring beet salads, like beet and cucumber salad, since I first made a vegetarian version of this beet and orange salad back in the day. I made several updates to make it vegan, including savory herbed tofu and eliminating oil. The result is sharp, clean flavors that make you feel good after eating.
If you aren’t familiar with cooking beets, I’ll show you 4 different methods to cook your own. You can also opt for convenience, making a delicious beet salad with cooked beets from the grocery store.
Table of Contents
Ingredients and Swaps
Tofu. Use firm or extra-firm tofu. I advise always pressing tofu for 10-15 minutes. This allows room for more marinade.
Beetroot (Beets). I roasted beets for this recipe and will give you the instructions. Use pre-cooked beets in a vacuum pack or jar for convenience, but not the pickled kind. Although I usually use sweet and earthy red beets, you can also use golden beets if you happen to have them.
Oranges. Navel oranges are my preferred because they are readily available and easy to segment. You could also use blood oranges or another variety. Ensure they are big enough to be easily segmented with a sharp knife.
Arugula. The peppery, slightly bitter flavor of arugula (rocket) is a great balance for the sweet oranges and beets. Baby spinach or mixed greens are great options if you need a swap.
Tabasco. This is the spicy part, and Tabasco delivers it. Any hot sauce, like Chalupa or Sambal Oelek, is a good option.
Please see the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the complete list of ingredients, measurements, and instructions.
Recipe Variations
Herbs like fresh mint, parsley, basil, or cilantro would complement this salad.
After making Asian 'chicken' salad, I can recommend substituting vegan chicken for this recipe. For a quicker salad, try crispy air-fried tofu.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Press and slice the tofu, then rub the segments with the seasonings. Marinate for 30 minutes or longer.
While the tofu marinates, scrub the beets, wrap them in foil, and roast them in the oven for 30-40 minutes until tender. (see next section for more cooking options)
Segment the oranges by cutting off the ends and removing the skins and pith (the white part) with a sharp knife. Hold each orange over a bowl and use a knife to separate each segment from its membrane. Add the segments to the bowl, reserving the juice for the dressing.
Bake tofu for 25 minutes or air fry for 10-12.
When the beets are done, rub off the peeling using your hands or a paper towel. Then, slice them.
Line a large salad plate or 4 individual plates with arugula, then add the tofu, beets, orange segments, tomatoes, and radishes. Mix ½ a cup of the reserved juice with a ¼-1/2 teaspoon Tabasco and pour over the salad.
Options for Cooking Beets
Before cooking beets, trim the tops and base. Thoroughly scrub the beets.
I prefer roasted beets for salads because they have an earthy flavor, but any of the following methods yield tasty, sweet beets.
Whole Roasted: Wrap beets individually in foil and roast them at 400 F (200 C) for 35-40 minutes until tender.
Sliced and Roasted: Cut the beets in half, then lay them cut-side down and slice them ¼-1/2 inches thick. Roast them on a parchment-lined baking sheet at 375 F (190 C) for 35-40 minutes.
Boiled: Bring a large pot of water to boiling, then add the beets. Boil for 20-40 minutes, depending on the size of the beets.
Instant Pot/Pressure Cooker: Add the Instant Pot steamer basket to the liner. Add 1 - 1 ½ cups of water to the bottom. Add the beet and cook on High Pressure for 12-15 minutes (longer for larger beets). Allow at least 10 minutes of natural release before removing the lid.
Cooking Tip
If you leave 1 inch of the beet greens when whole roasting, boiling, or pressure-cooking beets, less of the juice will leak out, keeping things cleaner.
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Denise's Clean Veggies Tip
Keep a dedicated brush and scouring pad exclusively for scrubbing beets, potatoes, and other veggies. I store mine in a small container away from the sink so they are not accidentally used for dishes.
Pro Tips
- After segmenting each orange, squeeze the empty 'skin' of the membranes to gather more juice. You're aiming for ½ a cup.
- Slicing beets is messy work. They easily stain wooden cutting boards and counters. Use a glass cutting board or colored chopping mat to peel and slice them.
- To keep the greens crispy, add the dressing right before serving.
- Baked tofu takes about 25 minutes, and air-fried takes about 12 minutes. You can bake the tofu with the beets on a separate baking tray.
Meal Prep
This salad is best served fresh, but all the elements like the orange segments, dressing, and cooked beets. You can roast or boil beets 4 days ahead and store them in the refrigerator until you are ready to use them
Serving Suggestions
This delicious salad, with the added protein from tofu, makes a complete meal.
If you plan on serving it as a side dish, cube the tofu and beets and cut the orange segments in half to make a big bowl. It's great with a healthy meal like beans and rice or red lentil misir wot.
Frequently Asked Questions
Peeling beets before cooking or roasting them isn't necessary, but you should scrub them with a brush or rough cloth.
Raw beets are edible and are best if diced small or grated before being added to salads.
Tofu can be marinated for up to 2 days in the refrigerator. After that, it may start to lose its integrity, getting soft and falling apart after cooking. You can, however, freeze marinated tofu for up to 3 months and cook it later.
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👩🏻🍳 Recipe
Spicy Beetroot and Orange Salad with Herbed Tofu
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Ingredients
- 1 block tofu - firm or extra firm, 8-10 ounces/226-280 grams
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 1 tablespoon oregano
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 3 medium beets - 2 cups sliced
- 3 large oranges
- 4 cups arugula - rocket
- ½ cup radishes - sliced
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes - sliced
- ½ cup orange juice - reserve from orange segments
- ¼ teaspoon Tabasco - or another hot sauce, use more for extra-spicy
Instructions
- Press the tofu using a tofu press or place the block on a plate with a weighted flat surface on top. Press for 10-15 minutes.
- Make the marinade by mixing the lemon juice, nutritional yeast, oregano, salt, and pepper in a shallow bowl or deep plate. Slice the tofu into strips about ¼-inch thick and add them to the marinade. Rub the marinade into all sides of the tofu so it is well-covered. Marinate for at least 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 400 F (200 C).
- Trim the tops to about 1 inch and the root end from each beet. Scrub them thoroughly, then wrap them in foil. Place them on a baking sheet and bake for 35-40 minutes until they are tender when pierced with a fork.
- Slice the cooled beets into bite-sized pieces.
- Cut the ends off the oranges, and cut away the remaining peelings. Over a large bowl, cut the orange flesh away from the membranes. Squeeze the empty membranes over the bowl to collect more juice.
- Allow 25 minutes to bake the tofu. Line a baking tray with parchment paper and add the tofu to the oven while the beets roast. Flip the tofu halfway through. Alternatively, air fry it at 375 F (195 C) for 10-12 minutes, flipping halfway through.
- Open the foil packets and let the beets cool for a few minutes. Then, peel off the remaining skin using your hands or a paper towel. Slice or cube the beets.
- To make the salads, divide the arugula, sliced beets, radishes, cherry tomatoes, orange segments, and tofu among 2-4 plates.
- Measure ½ cup of the orange juice from the orange segments. Add ¼ teaspoons of Tabasco (or more) and mix well.
- Add the dressing right before serving or on the side.
Notes
- In addition to whole roasting beets, you can roast sliced beets (¼-1/2 inches thick) at 375 F (190 C) for 35-40 minutes, or boil them for 20-30 minutes. In the Instant Pot, use a steamer insert with 1 - 1 ½ cups of water on High Pressure for 12-15 minutes with 10 minutes of natural pressure release. (time for whole roasting, boiling, and pressure cooking depends on the size of the beets.
- This salad is best served fresh, but all the elements like the orange segments, dressing, and cooked beets. You can roast or boil beets 4 days ahead and store them in the refrigerator until you are ready to use them. Tofu can be marinated overnight.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimation only.
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