Fattoush-ish tomato salad with tofu feta

This dish is a mashup of two tomato salads, caprese and fattoush. The former needs no introduction, but our 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 here we’re 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 doppelgänger. 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 we 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

Ingredients:

• Sumac Dressing:
  • ¾ cup olive oil
  • ¼ cup lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses*
  • 1 tablespoon sumac*
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 cloves garlic, grated
• Tofu Feta:
  • 16 ounces firm tofu, drained and pressed of excess water
  • ⅓ cup apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• Salad:
  • 3 medium heirloom tomatoes, cored and sliced into wedges
  • 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved 
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 3 Persian cucumbers, sliced into thin rounds 
  • 2 cups pita chips, roughly crushed 
  • ½ cup loosely packed basil leaves, torn if large 
  • ½ cup loosely packed mint leaves 
  • 2 tablespoons za’atar* 

Procedure: 

1. Make the dressing. Whisk all the dressing ingredients in a medium bowl until combined. Season to taste with more salt, if desired. 
2. Marinate the tofu. Tear tofu into 1-inch chunks and place in a container with a lid. In a small bowl, whisk together vinegar, 1 tablespoon of salt, oregano, and ½ cup hot water to dissolve the salt. Pour the brine over the tofu and cover. About 30 minutes before serving, add half of the sumac dressing to the container with the tofu and shake gently to coat. Reserve the remaining dressing for the salad. 
3. Prep the tomatoes. In a large bowl, toss tomatoes with salt and let sit for 15 minutes to draw out excess moisture. This will heighten their tomato-y flavor, and will also help coat the crushed pita in deliciousness!
4. Assemble. To the bowl of tomatoes, add the cucumber, pita chips, and ¼ cup of sumac dressing and gently toss to combine. Arrange tomato mixture on a platter and scatter the herbs and tofu feta on top. Drizzle with extra sumac dressing and sprinkle with za’atar. 

Notes and Substitutions:

• If you don’t have sumac you can substitute with an equal amount of lemon zest. If you don’t have pomegranate molasses, swap in balsamic vinegar. 
• Za’atar is pretty widely available in the spice section of most supermarkets, but you can also make it yourself with sumac, sesame seeds, and thyme.
• Tofu feta will last for a month in the fridge.