Golden tofu and roast veg on a bed of sweet butternut squash, finished with a fresh, herby green goddess tahini dressing. Bright flavours, great texture, minimal fuss.
Ingredients
- For the traybake:
- 400g extra-firm tofu
- 2 tbsp tamari
- 1 tbsp honey or maple syrup
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 500g butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1.5cm cubes
- 4 garlic cloves
- 1 small red onion, cut into 6 pieces
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 200g broccoli, cut into small florets
- 200g thick asparagus, trimmed and cut into 3 pieces
- 80g frozen peas, defrosted
- Sea salt and black pepper
- For the green goddess dressing:
- 4 tbsp runny tahini paste
- 4 tbsp light olive oil
- Juice of 1 small lemon
- 1 tsp honey or maple syrup
- ½ garlic clove, grated
- 6 tbsp warm water
- Sea salt, to taste
- Large handful fresh mixed herbs (basil, coriander, parsley)
Method
- Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/Gas 6. Wrap the tofu in kitchen paper and squeeze gently to remove excess water. Slice, pat dry again, and cut into cubes.
- Mix the tamari, honey or maple syrup, and sesame oil in a small bowl. Pour over the tofu, toss to coat, and marinate for 20 minutes.
- Spread the butternut squash, garlic and onion on a baking tray. Drizzle with 2 tbsp olive oil and roast for 30–35 minutes, stirring once, until the squash is tender.
- Meanwhile, toss the broccoli and asparagus with the remaining 1 tbsp olive oil. Add them to the tray along with the marinated tofu. Roast for a further 10 minutes.
- Tip the peas into the tray and roast for a final 3 minutes.
- For the dressing, blend the tahini, olive oil, lemon juice, honey or maple syrup, garlic, warm water and herbs until smooth. Season with a little salt.
- Remove the tray from the oven, season with sea salt and black pepper, and drizzle over the green goddess dressing to serve.
Serving & storage
Tip: Best eaten fresh. Leftovers keep up to 2 days in the fridge; add a squeeze of lemon and extra dressing to brighten when serving cold.
Nutrition tip: Tofu offers protein and calcium, and the herby dressing adds a spread of micronutrients. One mineral to highlight is selenium — important for thyroid function and immunity — which can run low in some plant-based diets. Soil selenium levels vary, so if you’re not regularly eating Brazil nuts or seafood, you might fall short. A selenium supplement (or a multivitamin providing ~50–200 µg) can help. Research notes vegans often have particularly low selenium intake, so ensuring enough supports antioxidant defences and thyroid health.
Selenium
For hair, nails, skin and immunity | 200 µg highly absorbable selenium tablets | Supports thyroid function | Added vitamins A, C & E | Popular with both men and women
- 200 µg selenium per daily dose
- Contributes to normal thyroid function and immune system
- With antioxidant vitamins A, C & E