Many people underestimate the versatility of cabbage. This delicious cabbage salad recipe from Joy Manning has that Thai restaurant flavor but comes together faster than you can call for take-out. Save even more time by using coleslaw mix as the base for this cabbage salad instead of chopping your own.
I had been enjoying Joy Manning’s work for years. She is, after all, an award-winning food writer, recipe editor and developer and podcaster (and more) but we had not met until I moved to Philadelphia. We bonded over vegan tahini cookies that were served during our induction into the Philadelphia chapter of Les Dames d’Escoffier. I’m afraid I was rude in keeping her from mingling that night as I was thoroughly enthralled. Joy is at once scholarly in her knowledge of food and trends and enthusiastic and friendly. Today, I am thrilled to introduce you to Joy who is today’s guest blogger. You will find a recipe from her new mini cookbook, Plant-Based & Flavor First. Don’t forget to enter the contest for a chance to win a copy. As this is an e-book, the giveaway is open to everyone, anywhere. I have been cooking my way through this beautiful and very affordable book of interesting and do-able, delicious recipes.
Joy Manning
Joy Manning is a writer, editor, and recipe developer focused on great food and good health. She’s the co-host of the home cooking podcast, Local Mouthful, and the editor of Edible Philly magazine.
A former restaurant critic, James Beard restaurant judge, and senior editor at Tasting Table, Joy has eaten and assessed countless gourmet meals cooked by the most acclaimed chefs in America.
Her obsession with food has always been intertwined (and sometimes in conflict) with her interest in health. After one too many 17-course-chef-tasting-menus-with-wine-pairings during her time at Tasting Table, she accepted the role of nutrition editor at Prevention magazine, where she reported on the latest evidence-based nutrition science and health food trends.
Plant-Based & Flavor First
After being diagnosed with high cholesterol in 2017, Joy shifted to a plant-based diet. She brought her numbers into the healthy range without medication by cooking homemade, restaurant-level food. Today, she strives to create plant-based dishes with five-star flavor and spread the word that you can take charge of your health and love of food at the same time flavor and spread the word that you can take charge of your health and love of food at the same time. She’s collected her 12 favorite recipes in a new mini cookbook Plant-Based & Flavor First.
Joy’s writing has been nominated for the James Beard Journalism Award and the IACP award. Her work has been anthologized in the Best Food Writing book series.
She’s also the author of Stuff Every Cook Should Know and Almost Meatless, as well as the recipe editor for Zahav: A World of Israeli Cooking.
Joy lives and cooks in South Philadelphia with her husband, Dan. Follow along with her plant-based cooking adventures on Instagram @JoyManning and listen to the Local Mouthful Podcast, where she and her podcast partner, Marisa McClennan, talk about living the food life in Philadelphia and beyond.
Thai Restaurant-inspired Cabbage Salad with Crispy Tofu
Excerpted from Plant-Based & Flavor First with permission by Joy Manning
At a Thai restaurant, cabbage salads are often full of fish sauce. Here, I use kombu powder to give the dressing the slightest funky, oceanic flavor. You can skip it! If you see conehead (also known as sweetheart pointed) cabbage at the farmers market, grab it and make this. It’s a sweet tender variety that makes the best salads and slaws.

Thai Restaurant-inspired Cabbage Salad with Crispy Tofu
Excerpted from Plant-Based & Flavor First by Joy Manning
At a Thai restaurant, cabbage salads are often full of fish sauce. Here, I use kombu powder to give the dressing the slightest funky, oceanic flavor. You can skip it! If you see conehead (also known as sweetheart pointed) cabbage at the farmers market, grab it and make this. It’s a sweet tender variety that makes the best salads and slaws.
Ingredients
- 1 ½ tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 ½ tablespoons lime juice
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- ½ jalapeno pepper minced (about 2 tablespoons)
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon kombu powder optional
- 10 ounces shredded cabbage you can use a bag of coleslaw mix
- 8 cherry tomatoes quartered
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- ½ block firm tofu 7 or 8 ounces, cut into 4 slabs and dried well
- ½ cup loosely packed cilantro
- ½ cup loosely packed mint
- ¼ cup roasted salted peanuts chopped
Instructions
- In the bottom of a large salad bowl, combine the soy sauce, lime juice, brown sugar, jalapeno, salt, and kombu powder. Whisk, and then add the cabbage and tomatoes and toss. Let the cabbage sit while you cook your tofu.
- Season the tofu slabs with salt and pepper. Add the oil to a well-seasoned cast iron or carbon steel skillet over medium-high and heat until shimmering. Add the tofu slabs and cook without moving until light golden brown, 4 to 5 minutes. Flip, and continue cooking on the second side until light golden brown, another 4 to 5 minutes. Remove to a cutting board and cut into bite-sized pieces.
- Just before serving, add the herbs to the cabbage salad and toss. Divide between two serving plates, and top with the tofu and chopped peanuts. Pour any dressing left at the bottom of the bowl over the top.
Enter to win a copy of Joy’s E-Book Plant-Based and Flavor First.
Everyone in my family (even my picky kids) will eat pasta. Pesto or peanut noodles are their favorites.
Everyone eats pastry, that’s for sure.
I sure do.
Best of luck.
Take care,
Fran
Blackened Tofu Burgers.
Renee,
Yum! I love Blackened Tofu Burgers.
Thanks for writing. Happy eating.
Take care,
Fran
Lentil stew with lots of veggies and stuffed tofu loaf with mushroom gravy are at the top of our list. But there’s many favorites in our home. Looking forward to trying Joy’s recipe too!
Hello Patrica,
Lentils are in heavy rotation in my home as tofu. Your meals sound good.
Take care,
Good luck with the book.
Fran
Just the summer recipe I need
I agree. It’s a winner. All of Joy Mannings recipes are excellent.
Thank you for subscribing to my blog and for writing.
I hope you entered the contest.
Take care.
Fran
Tofu scramble is always a hit! I start with cubed potatoes and add whatever veggies I have on hand.
Hi Susan,
I don’t have any potatoes, but funny enough, I am making tofu scramble for dinner. It’s easy and delicious.
Thank you for your comment.
Take care,
Fran
Vegan tamale pie, topped with guacamole and pickled red onions…mmm…mmm…good!
Hello Paula,
Tamale Pie wtih the pickled onions and guacamole! I’d say, goals! What a delicious meal!
Thank you for sharing your plate with us.
Good luck.
Take care
Fran
Quinoa stew with butternut squash.
Cassandra,
Quinoa in my home is in heavy rotation. I love the idea of it wtih butternut squash.
Do you have a favorite kind of quinoa?
Thanks for the comment.
Take care
Fran
fantastic issues altogether, you simply received a new reader.
What could you recommend about your submit that you made some days in the past?
Any certain?
Just go through the recipes and see what appeals to you.
Best
Fran