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Vegan Tofu Lobster Rolls are seasoned tandoori tofu is a gluten-free sandwich recipe that makes a satisfying meatless seafood meal in minutes!

By the way, around our house, we affectionately call this dish our Tandoori Masala Lob-sta Rolls.  This dish is an enjoyable one to eat, especially when you give it that name! And man, oh man, do lob-sta roll sandwiches ever taste good!

Lobster rolls originated from states such as Maine and Connecticut located on the northeast coast of the USA. And from what we understand about this traditional sandwich, they may be made using either warmed or chilled lobster. 

Those options work out fine for our vegan tofu “lob-sta” gluten-free sandwich recipe because it’s delicious either way! 

Make this vegan lobster seasoned tandoori tofu ahead and chill to enjoy it cold or eat it immediately to experience this gluten-free sandwich warm!

Where Did We Find Our Gluten-Free Sandwich Rolls?

On the subject of gluten-free sandwiches, if you do not have issues with the digestion of gluten, use the bread of your choosing.  

When we enjoy our Vegan Tofu Lobster Rolls, we opt to use organic, and gluten-free millet rolls from DeLand Bakery that we purchased from Debbie’s Health Food Store. We’re grateful to have that bakery in a neighboring town, and Debbie’s within walking distance from our front door. 

super firm tofu chopped into cubes on cutting board with knife
Vegan Tofu Lobster Rolls recipe prep tandoori masala seasoning spice tossed with tofu in bowl with cutting board
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How to: Season the Tandoori Tofu for Your Vegan Lobster Rolls

The funniest thing happened when we were experimenting with our fantastic new air-fryer, we got beyond creative!

We started by slicing a block of plain super firm tofu into small cubes and then wanted to season them to generate some seriously savory flavor. That’s when we began to gather our spices, searching for the ones with some serious oomph.

At first, we felt a bit like Goldilocks and the Three Bears. One brand of tandoori masala seasoning was way too spicey, and another was way too bland.   Note: Creating healthy recipes means that we try a lot of spices and seasonings, and we have a few varieties of tandoori. So, do allow us to emphasize; tandoori spice blends may vary significantly in strength and heat. We have a brand we prefer that we link it in this recipe.

For example, this one is sweltering when it comes to bringing the spicey heat, but it’s delicious when used sparingly. That as it is, it is not the one we chose for this recipe, though we would recommend adding a pinch of this brand if you ever crave a little kick.

But alas, we found this tandoori seasoning to bring something so much more than heat. When we sampled a few granules, it instantly made us think of lobster.  

Now, we know what you’re thinking. How could a tandoori spice blend taste anything like lobster? 

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Choosing Tandoori Over Old Bay Seasoning for This Gluten-Free Sandwiches

Well, have you ever heard of Old Bay Seasoning that is often found in seafood dishes? The tandoori we use in this recipe tastes a bit like Old Bay, but significantly less salty, which we consider a very good thing.

BONUS: The tandoori seasoning we use here provides a hit of salmon pink color so common to the edges of lobster meat – so even visually, you immediately start thinking lobster!

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What Other Ingredients Work Their Magic in this Spectacular Vegan Tofu Recipe?

We’ve mentioned the fabulous bread and the excellent tandoori spice blend we love using in this recipe, but there’s another ingredient that plays a massive role in the success of this recipe.  

We’ll skip the opportunity to discuss store-bought plant-based mayonnaise because we want you to try this one, asap.

Make no mistake; another mayo will work, but we want you to have the best. We recommend in this and all of our recipes that call for mayo, that you try our Oil-Free Cashew Mayonnaise or, next favorite, our Vegan Sunflower Seed Mayo. Both options are oil-free, gluten-free, dairy-free, and one-hundred percent plant-based. 

For this recipe, we especially appreciate the mild and creamy flavor of cashews in our Oil-Free Cashew Mayonnaise.  However, if you are watching calories and fat with extreme caution, you may opt to substitute the cashew mayo with our sunflower mayonnaise.  Either one will make this sandwich taste a bazillion times better than any store-bought plant-based mayo.

Next up is the dairy-free plant-based yogurt. We cannot say enough about Kite Hill brand plant-based yogurts – we fall a little deeper in love with the plain variety each time we taste it. Dairy-free yogurt is especially tasty in this recipe for Vegan Tofu Lobster Rolls when you opt to use our Cashew Mayo – we think it tastes buttery!

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WHAT Adds the Tandoori Tofu LOBSTER Taste and Other SPECTACULAR Flavors to this VEGAN Recipe?

We usually use this brand of Tandoori Masala seasoning and sometimes a tiny bit of this brand, which has way more heat.

Whichever brand of Tandoori Masala seasoning blend you use, be sure its heat profile suits you before dashing it all over your tofu. That as it is, don’t taste this spice before heating and expect to get its real flavor potential-it likes to be heated and can withstand high temps easily, no sweat – lol!

If you’re using an extremely mild tasting Tandoori Masala or going with Old Bay, add extra heat with a pinch of cayenne.

And if you opt to use capers, and please do, remember they’re salty too, so go easy on the salt side when seasoning your tofu.

For a tart acidic note, we add a squeeze of lemon at the end. And the few capers mixed in with our mayo for the sauce brings this tofu-based dish a welcomed hint of the sea.

Serve with capers, lettuce, sprouts, and our fabulous oil-free cashew mayo or for reduced mayo calories, try our Oil-Free Sunflower Seed Mayo!

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HOW DOES THIS Vegan Tofu Lobster Roll TASTE?

As we mentioned above, using this brand of tandoori seasoning will make all the difference in the world in the taste of your Vegan Tofu Lobster Rolls.  

When using the recommended tandoori spice blend, your vegan lobster sandwich will taste:

  • a bit salty like the ocean, thanks to the capers
  • nearly fishy, if you know what we mean
  • the nuggets of tofu will have a tender, juicy, chew
  • the mayo, when you use our recipe, will bring the oil-free moisture that makes the entire sandwich, shine
  • and the unique seasonings from this spice blend will remind you of favorite savory sandwiches from your pre-vegan past
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A Few “Specially Selected Sides” to ENJOY With Your Tandoori Tofu Vegan Lobster Rolls:

To share a little extra plant-based veggie love with you, we gathered these terrific and tasty side dishes. Some of the recipes are ours and some are from other health-minded recipe bloggers. Each delightful recipe complements the robust flavor of our vegan lobster sandwich!

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Thank You For BEING HERE!

Is it a crazy-busy, technologically savvy world we live in, or what? That’s why we close each recipe post by thanking you for taking the time to be here with us.

Creating the recipes and sharing the photographs that we hope to inspire you is only part of the equation. Without you, there is no reason to do what we do, and we’re SO happy you’re here!

We would love for you to leave a comment and tell us how your lob-sta rolls turned out!

It’s a pleasure to hear about your experiences in the kitchen! Your comments are helpful to those who want to gather the courage to try a new recipe or two.

Sharing is caring, so know that we appreciate every Pin you save. Always feel free to Pin our recipes on Pinterest to keep it handy. Additionally, browse our recipes for more inspiring dishes to Pin, too!

We also encourage you to post our recipes on Facebook and other social media venues whenever you like! That’s the nice thing about social media – it’s always ready to go, no matter what the hour, day or night.

The benefit of living a delicious plant-based lifestyle is a gift that keeps on giving, so share away!

If you like our recipes, we invite you to join our Facebook Group called: VEEG Plant-Based, Vegan, Gluten-Free Recipes & Lifestyle. 

Also, follow our VEEG Facebook Page, too. On our Facebook Page, we often share helpful bits of encouraging plant-based news.

Happy eating!

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Vegan Tofu Lobster Rolls (Gluten-Free)

  • 10
    Prep:
  • 13
    Cook Time:
  • Yield: 4 Servings
Print Recipe
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Get ready to be amazed at how delighted your taste buds will be after your first bite of this vegan lobster roll!  100% plant-based, oil, gluten, and dairy-free, the creamy sauce and seasonings taste practically buttery! This hearty dish will remind you of every splendid seafood sandwich you’ve ever had – only this one is deliciously lean and healthy!

Ingredients

  • one package of super firm tofu, cubed into bite-sized chunks
  • 1 tsp or so of Natco Tandoori Masala spice blend to taste or, Old Bay Seasoning, or a combo of both  
  • 1/4 cup of plant-based mayonnaise of choice - We use our Oil-Free Cashew Mayonnaise or our Vegan Sunflower Seed Mayo in our recipes, both are 100% plant-based, oil-free, and gluten-free!
  • 2 to 4 tbsp of plain plant-based yogurt, to preference  - We have had great success with the Kite Hill brand.  A little silken tofu can stand in for the yogurt or, you could also use a bit more mayo in the place of the yogurt.
  • 1 to 2 tbsp of capers, drained, more or less, to taste
  • one or two stalks of celery, chopped
  • two or so green onions, white and dark green portions, chopped, or another onion of preference
  • 1 tsp of garlic powder
  • a dash of pink Himalayan sea salt, or another salt, as needed, to taste   
  • an optional pinch of this brand of tandoori to add a touch of heat,  plus lettuce, sprouts, and a squeeze of lemon for serving

Instructions

  1. First, slice the tofu into bite-size cube shapes and place in a large mixing bowl, sprinkle with the Tandoori seasoning and toss gently with a spoon to coat.
  2. Next, cook the cubed tofu in an air fryer like this one in a black or white finish, set at 375º F for about 13 minutes, stopping to toss and taste one or two times during the cooking process.  Cook until the tofu reaches a texture you prefer.   You may also opt to bake your tofu on a parchment-lined or reusable silicone lined sheet pan in a 400ºF oven for about 20 minutes or so, turning once during baking to ensure even cooking.
  3. While the tofu bakes, in that same large mixing bowl, combine the mayo, plain plant-based yogurt, celery, onions, garlic powder, and capers for a quick seafood-ish salad dressing that will blow your mind as soon as the tandoori spiced tofu joins the party! So once the tofu is ready, add it to the bowl, stir, taste to check if it needs salt or a bit more tandoori, and serve!   We enjoy this delightful dish served as a filling for a sandwich or roll as we show you here.  Or if you like,  pile a scoop or two high on a bed of rice or another grain along with your favorite salad greens and let the meal-in-a-bowl pleasure begin! By the way, this tastes lovely with a simple and refreshing side of juicy organic grapes. 
    It would be fun to make a party out of this easy dish; serve it extra capers and lemon slices for guests to dress it as they like.  Pair it with refreshingly fruity drinks such as with apple cider, kombucha, or hard cider for an incredibly flavor-filled experience!

Notes

  • If using Old Bay Seasoning, you may wish to skip the salt because there is already plenty of sodium in Old Bay. And while we suggest the option of using Old Bay for seasoning the tofu in this recipe, do note that our first choice is to season with this Tandoori Masala blend.  (The intended flavors of this dish will vary from the original vision of this recipe when using anything other than the recommended tandoori.)
  • For the dish photographed for this recipe, we used this brand of Tandoori Masala. When we are in the mood for a tiny bit of heat, we add just a pinch of this brand, which is a wonderfully flavored Tandoori but has way more heat than the other brand. Whichever brand of Tandoori Masala you use for this dish, be sure its heat profile suits you before dashing it all over your block of tofu.  But don't taste this spice before heating and expect to get its real flavor potential - it likes to be heated and can withstand high temps easily, no sweat - lol!
  • Since we use garlic or garlic powder in practically everything, we love this bulk deal on a very finely ground organic and gluten-free garlic powder that dissolves easily and tastes pretty close to fresh garlic! And here is our bulk-buy go-to for mineral-rich,  pink Himalayan sea salt. And if you often prepare roasted veggies and plant-based baked goods in the oven oil-free, you might appreciate this generous package of perfectly sized, precut parchment paper sheets that makes cleanup a breeze!
  • The nutritional information below represents the inclusion of four tablespoons of our Oil-Free Cashew Mayonnaise and four tablespoons of plain Kite Hill brand plant-based yogurt.

Nutrition

% DV

Calories Per Serving: 216
  • Total Fat 12.6 g 19 %
  • Saturated Fat 2.5 g 13 %
  • Cholesterol 0 mg 0 %
  • Sodium 393.1 mg 16 %
  • Carbohydrates 6.4 g 2 %
  • Fiber 3.4 g 14 %
  • Sugar 1.1 g ---
  • Protein 19.5 g 39 %
  • Vitamin A 9 %
  • Vitamin C 4 %
  • Iron 15 %
  • Calcium 11 %

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Comments

  • Mara

    I made this for lunch. Being that I didn’t have any yogurt, I used Tofutti sour cream in the same amount. I also added Trader Joe’s Japanese multi-purpose seasoning to give a lil
    More fishy flavor. This recipe was very delicious and super simple. My favorite combo!!!

    1. Renee DeLeon

      Thanks for taking the time to share what you did to make this recipe your own, Mara – we’re going to have to try to find that sauce you mentioned, sounds yum!

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