Epic Chickenless Caesar Salad with Homemade Croutons

This meal-in-a-bowl salad was inspired by a loaf of stale pumpernickel and my sister-in-law's (Hey Ali!!) simple and utterly delicious Caesar dressing.

Baking tofu is the secret to tender-crisp morsels that practically make themselves. In this recipe, firing up the oven performs double-duty, yielding crunchy homemade croutons and set-it-and-forget-it chickenless tofu perfection.

Short on time? You can shortcut this recipe by using store-bought croutons and pan-frying the Chicklenss tofu according to package instructions.

Ingredients

  • 1 package Epic Chickenless Tofu Chunks
  • 2 hearts romaine lettuce
  • 1/2 loaf day-old pumpernickel or sourdough bread
  • 3 + 3 TBSP extra virgin olive oil, divided
  • 2 TBSP lemon juice
  • 2 tsp capers, finely chopped
  • 1 clove garlic, crushed
  • 1/2 tsp grainy mustard
  • Salt & pepper

Preparation

  1. Heat oven to 400*F. Cube the bread and toss with 3 TBSP olive oil and salt and pepper. Place onto a baking sheet.
  2. On a separate parchment-lined baking sheet, arrange the Chickenless tofu into a single layer. Place both pans in the oven and bake 15-20 minutes, stirring halfway through.
  3. Make the dressing by whisking together the remaining 3 TBSP olive oil with lemon juice, garlic, and capers. Season with S&P.
  4. Chop or tear lettuce into bite-size pieces and toss with dressing and croutons. Top with Epic Chickenless Tofu chunks and more croutons as desired.