Learn how to make homemade vegan salmon fillets using this simple tofu fish recipe! Served with potatoes, green asparagus and creamy hollandaise or mustard-dill sauce, the pan-fried tofu salmon with crispy skin tastes incredibly delicious!
Vegan salmon fillets – simple, protein-rich & delicious!
It’s hard to believe how versatile plant-based cooking actually is, but there’s almost no dish you can’t easily veganize. If you like fish and are looking for a plant-based salmon alternative to make at home, this recipe is perfect for you!
Maybe you’ve already tried my beloved carrot lox, king oyster mushroom scallops, or delicious vegan tuna steaks? If not, then you should definitely check out these recipes too!
Salmon with asparagus and hollandaise
I’ve always loved pan-fried salmon fillets and now I like to make the vegan fish alternative using tofu. Especially in combination with potatoes, green asparagus and my vegan hollandaise sauce, which I refined with dill, the crispy fried tofu salmon fillets taste really good to me!
Homemade vegan tofu salmon
Even though tofu naturally tastes like nothing, you can make very delicious dishes with it if it’s seasoned and cooked properly. Thanks to its spongy texture, it is able to absorb all the flavors from the marinade, which makes it very flavorful.
While beet juice provides the classic red salmon color, the other ingredients like nori seaweed, tamari, rice vinegar and garlic powder provide the perfect flavor. Since salmon is naturally relatively high in fat and especially rich in omega-3 fatty acids, flaxseed oil is added here. If you don’t want to miss out on a subtle smoky flavor, you can add some liquid smoke, however, the tofu salmon tastes also delicious without it!
Nori seaweed is not only used for the fish flavor, but also as a salmon skin. Before frying, the tofu fillets are tossed in cornstarch, so that they become nice crispy on the outside! Also please do not save with the oil, because real salmon fillets are rich in fat and we want that the vegan alternative becomes just as tasty!
Ingredients for tofu fish fillets
- Tofu
- Nori leaf
- Beetroot juice
- Rice vinegar (or other vinegar)
- Tamari or soy sauce
- Flaxseed oil
- Liquid Smoke (optional)
- Garlic powder
- Cornstarch
How to make vegan tofu fish fillets
As always, I recommend checking out these step-by-step instructions and the recipe video first. Then you’ll find the full recipe with exact measurements in the recipe card below!
Step 1: Cut the tofu into salmon fillets
Pat the tofu very dry and cut into salmon fillet shapes (or just rectangles) as shown in the step-by-step pictures. Then score the top and sides slightly diagonally so the tofu looks like real salmon and place in a sealable container or freezer bag.
Tip: It’s best to freeze and thaw the tofu beforehand. That way it loses more liquid and the marinade can be absorbed better. Leftover tofu can be used for other recipes.
Step 2: Marinate the tofu
Cut 4 strips from the nori sheet for the “salmon skin” and set aside. Finely chop the remaining nori leaf and mix with the rest of the ingredients for the marinade. Pour the marinade over the tofu fillets and let soak in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours (or overnight).
Step 3: Coating and frying
The next day, dip the nori strips (salmon skin) in the marinade and attach to the bottoms of the tofu fish fillets. Then roll the fillets in the cornstarch and fry in a pan until golden brown and crispy on all sides.
Tip: The salmon fillets taste best when eaten immediately. Therefore, prepare the side dishes in time so you can serve your meal once the fillets are crispy.
Step 4: Serve
Serve the vegan salmon fillets along with your favorite side dishes such as potatoes and asparagus. If desired, pour vegan hollandaise sauce over it and garnish with lemon slices, dill and parsley. Enjoy your meal!
Tip: Vegan salmon also tastes good in creamy pasta or with creamed spinach!
How to cook salmon fillets in the oven or air fryer
You can also cook the salmon fillets in the oven or in an air fryer. Just spray generously with oil beforehand, until evenly covered. Then bake at 392 °F (200 °C) for about 20 minutes until golden brown.
You can freeze leftover marinade for 3 months and use again for the next time.
This Vegan Tofu Salmon recipe is:
- Easy to make
- Fish-free
- Gluten-free
- Healthy
- High in protein
- Flavorful
- Rich in iodine and omega-3
- Very delicious
- Ideal for making ahead
- Perfect for lunch or dinner
- Better than store-bought vegan fish alternatives!
More Vegan Fish Recipes
You do not want to give up the taste of fish? Then also try the following vegan recipes:
If you try this vegan salmon fillets recipe, feel free to leave me a comment and a star rating! And if you take a photo of your tofu fish fillet and share it on Instagram, please tag me @biancazapatka and use the hashtag #biancazapatka because I love seeing your remakes! Enjoy! 🙂
Vegan Tofu Salmon Fish Fillet
Author:Ingredients
Tofu Salmon
- 14 oz (400 g) firm tofu
- 1 nori leaf
- ¾ cup (100 ml) beet juice
- 2 tbsp rice vinegar or other vinegar
- 2 tbsp tamari or soy sauce
- 2 tbsp flaxseed oil
- ¼ tsp liquid smoke optional
- 1.5 tsp garlic powder
- approx. 4 tbsp cornstarch
- 3-4 tbsp vegetable oil for frying
- salt and pepper to taste
To serve (optional)
- 25 oz (700 g) mini potatoes
- 28 oz (800 g) green asparagus
- 1 recipe Vegan Hollandaise + 4 tbsp chopped dill and 2 tsp agave syrup (*see notes)
- lemon slices
- fresh parsley
- sesame seeds
Instructions
*Note: Check out the recipe video and step-by-step photos above!
Tofu Salmon
- Pat the tofu very dry and cut into 4 salmon fillets as shown in the step pictures above (it's best to freeze and thaw the tofu beforehand so it loses more liquid and can better absorb the marinade).
- Slightly score the top and sides of the tofu fillets diagonally so they look like real salmon fillets. Then place flat side down in a sealable container or freezer bag.
- Cut 4 strips from the nori sheet so that they fit on the bottom of the tofu fillets as a "salmon skin" and set aside for the next day.
- Chop the remaining nori leaf and mix with beet juice, rice vinegar, tamari, flaxseed oil, liquid smoke (optional) and garlic powder in a small container. Pour the marinade over the tofu fillets, seal well and let sit in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours or overnight (drizzle again with the marinade in between if necessary).
- The next day, dip the nori strips in the marinade to help them stick. Attach to the tofu fillets, then roll the fillets in the cornstarch.
- Heat the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat and fry the fillets until golden brown and crispy on all sides. (Meanwhile prepare the side dishes (or cook them even before) so everything is ready at the same time).
Potatoes, asparagus & sauce
- Cook the potatoes in a large pot of salted water until tender, about 10 minutes, depending on the size of your potatoes.
- Cut off the hard stem ends from the asparagus. Add to the potatoes after 3 minutes and cook for about 6-8 minutes until tender.
- Prepare the vegan hollandaise according to this recipe and finally stir in chopped dill and some agave syrup to taste.
Serve
- Arrange the salmon fillets with the potatoes and asparagus on plates. Drizzle with the sauce and garnish with lemon slices, sesame seeds, dill and parsley as desired.
- Enjoy your meal!
Notes
- The vegan salmon fillets taste best when served immediately.
- You can also cook the tofu fillets in the oven or in an air fryer. Just spray generously with oil beforehand, until evenly covered. Then bake at 392 °F (200 °C) for about 20 minutes until golden brown.
- Leftover marinade can be frozen for 3 months and used again for the next time.
- When making my vegan hollandaise sauce, I used only 2 tbsp (20 g) butter so the dish wouldn't be too greasy. I also added 4 tbsp chopped dill and 2 tsp agave syrup.
- The cooking time doesn't include the side dishes.
- More information about the recipe is mentioned in the blog post above!
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