Walnut Mushroom Greek Salad

This vegan greek salad topped with mushroom walnut meatless patties (“souvlaki”), tofu feta, and a creamy cucumber dressing is a show stopper for dinner.

ingredients

TOFU FETA

1 x 350 g package extra firm tofu

1/2 C white wine vinegar

1 tbsp lemon juice

1/2 C unsweetened nondairy milk

1 tsp dried basil

1/2 tsp garlic powder

2 tsp sea salt

CREAMY CUCUMBER DRESSING

1/4 C olive oil

2 tbsp white wine vinegar

1/3 C shredded cucumber

2 tbsp vegan mayonnaise

1 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp dried basil

1 tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp ground mustard

1/4 tsp sea salt

1/4 tsp ground black pepper

1/2 tsp agave nectar

MUSHROOM WALNUT SOUVLAKI

1 tbsp ground flax

3 tbsp water

1/3 C finely chopped yellow onion

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 C mushrooms

2 tsp vegetable oil + 3 tbsp for cooking the patties

1 tsp fresh thyme

1 C @yumtee_nuts walnuts

1/2 C all-purpose or whole wheat flour

2 tsp low-sodium soy sauce or tamari

2 tbsp tomato paste

2 tbsp fresh parsley

1 tsp onion powder

1/2 tsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp ground mustard

1/4 tsp smoked paprika

1/4 tsp ground sage

1/4 tsp ground black pepper

1/4 tsp sea salt

GREEK SALAD

8-9 C arugula

1 C cherry tomatoes

1/2 C sliced kalamata olives

1/2 a red onion, thinly sliced

1 C tofu feta (as above)

Instructions

Remove the tofu from the packaging and drain the excess water. Cut it lengthwise in half, then into strips, and then cut the strips into cubes.

Whisk the remaining ingredients for the tofu feta together in a glass storage container that has a fitted lid. Submerge the tofu cubes in the mixture, place the lid on the container and refrigerate it. It’s preferred to marinate the tofu at least overnight as it gives it a stronger flavor, but you could do it as for as short as 3 hours.

Make the dressing ahead of the mushroom walnut patties and leave it the fridge until you’re ready to serve the salad. You can either whisk all these ingredients together until combined, or blend them in a blender for a creamier, smoother dressing.

For the souvlaki, combine ground flax and water in a small bowl and set it aside to thicken slightly.

Heat a large pan over medium and sauté onion, garlic, and mushrooms in 2 teaspoons of oil for approximately 5 minutes. In the last minute of cooking, add in fresh thyme.

Put this sautéed mushroom mixture in a food processor along with the thickened flax mixture, walnuts, flour, low sodium soy sauce/tamari, tomato paste, parsley, onion powder, cumin, ground mustard, smoked paprika, sage, ground black pepper, and sea salt. Process the mixture until a smooth pâté-like consistency is formed.

Form 2 1/2″ wide x 1/4″ thick patties with the mixture using your hands. You may need to dampen your hands with a little bit of water to keep the mixture from sticking. You can either bake the patties on a lightly oiled baking sheet for 10 to 12 minutes at 375°F and flip them half way through, or pan fry them.

To pan fry, heat a large pan over medium heat with 1 tablespoon of oil. When the oil is hot, place the patties in the pan and fry for 1 to 2 minutes a side until golden brown. Don’t overcrowd the patties in the pan. Depending on the size of your pan, you may want to only do 2 to 3 at a time. Add more oil to the pan for the next batch.

Assemble the salads starting with a bed of arugula and add in olives, halved cherry tomatoes, and top with thinly sliced onions. Place warm mushroom walnut patties on top of the salad. Crumble tofu feta on top and drizzle with the creamy cucumber dressing. Garnish with fresh ground black pepper and serve immediately.

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