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Home » Recipes

Tofu Taco Meat (Vegan + Oil-Free)

Published: 28 Jul 2023 · Updated: 6 Jan 2024 by Julianne Lynch · This post may contain affiliate links · As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases · 10 Comments

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Tofu taco meat pin.
Tofu taco meat pin.

This Tofu Taco Meat is perfectly seasoned and textured to take the place of meat in a variety of dishes. With just a little prep work and 30 minutes cooking time, you can add these tofu crumbles to your favorite tacos, salads, burritos, and more!

Tofu taco crumbles in a skillet.
Tofu taco crumbles comes together quickly and makes a perfect meat substitute!

Tofu Taco Crumbles are super versatile and can be added to almost any dish that calls for traditional taco meat. From tacos to burritos to salads and more, these tofu crumbles make the perfect meat substitute.

I love how easy this recipe is. Just mix up the paste, crumble the tofu, mix it all together and bake it for 25 minutes!

Adding a little salsa at the end really makes a difference because it adds a little moisture (not to mention extra flavor!) back to the crumbles, without sacrificing the texture. This helps make it much more "meaty." (But I can't really take the credit for this ingenious step because it's something my husband has been doing for years.)

This recipe is perfect for longtime vegans, picky kids, and anyone who's interested in trying plant-based foods. It's the perfect healthy and whole foods plant based (WFPB) vegan taco meat!

Jump to:
  • Ingredients
  • Instructions
  • Variations
  • Equipment
  • How to serve
  • Storage
  • Top tip
  • FAQ
  • Related recipes
  • 📖 Recipe

You'll love this recipe because it's:

  • Simple & Delicious
  • Quick & Easy
  • Vegan/Vegetarian
  • Kid-friendly
  • WFPB & Oil-Free
  • Perfect for adding to tacos, salads, bowls, burritos, and more!

Tofu taco meat ingredients.

Ingredients

Tofu Paste

  • cornstarch -- Or arrowroot powder. This will add a little extra crispiness.
  • soy sauce --This will bring richness and a little saltiness.
  • lime juice -- A little citrus to perk things up. Fresh or store-bought are both fine.
  • cumin
  • granulated garlic -- for this recipe, don't sub fresh garlic.
  • oregano
  • chili powder

Other Ingredients

  • super firm tofu -- I like to use super firm tofu because it doesn't need to be pressed first. If you can only find extra firm tofu, just press it for 15 to 30 minutes before starting the recipe.
  • restaurant-style salsa -- I love to use my homemade salsa for this dish, but any jarred salsa will also do.

See recipe card for quantities.

Instructions

Here are step-by-step instructions with photos.

Paste for tofu taco crumbles.

Preheat the oven to 425F or 220C.

Add all of the paste ingredients to a bowl and mix to combine. If it's too thick, add a teaspoon or two of water to thin it out.

Hand crumbling tofu for taco meat.

In another bowl, break the tofu into very small crumbles. After the initial crumble, use your hands to continue to break up the tofu into smaller pieces.

Tofu crumbles mixed with paste.

Add the crumbled tofu to the paste bowl and mix to coat the tofu.

Vegan tofu taco meat uncooked on a sheet tray.

Transfer the tofu to a baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes.

Tofu taco crumbles on a tray with a spatula.

Remove the tofu from the oven and use a spatula or spoon to break up the chunks and flip the tofu over (it will be crunchy on top and softer on the bottom, so this will give it a chance to get crunchy on both sides).

Tofu taco meat cooked on a tray.

Return the tofu to the oven and cook for another 10 minutes, or until the tofu is crispy and crunchy on all sides.

Tofu taco meat in a skillet with salsa.

Transfer the tofu crumbles to a skillet and add the salsa. Mix to combine.

Vegan taco meat in a skillet.

Cook over medium heat for just a minute or two (enough time to heat up the salsa). Then serve or store for later.

Hint: To really get the tofu crunchy, don't skip taking the tofu out of the oven halfway. Flipping the tofu and breaking up the chunks will give the softer part on the bottom a chance to get crispy!

Variations

Here are some variations in case you want to switch things up!

  • Spicy - add cayenne pepper!
  • Onions - add sauteed onions when you cook the crumbles with the salsa at the end.
  • Sofritas style - follow this recipe for tofu Sofritas.

Crumbled tofu tacos on a board.
These tofu crumbles are perfect for adding to tacos, salads, taquitos, and more!

Equipment

For this recipe, you'll need two mixing bowls, a sheet pan, and a skillet.

All of my favorite products and kitchen tools can be found in my Amazon shop.

How to serve

Serve this Vegan Taco Meat on a tortilla with your favorite toppings. Or add it to taco salad, burritos, taquitos, nachos, and more!

You could also use it as a substitute for Sofritas in these Chipotle Sofritas bowls or as a substitute for the tempeh bacon in these breakfast burritos.

For pairing, some of my favorite taco toppings include restaurant-style salsa, chipotle mayo, and avocado crema.

Storage

Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week or in the freezer for up to three months.

Top tip

Using super firm tofu will save you the trouble of pressing your tofu first. But if you can't find it, use extra firm tofu that has been pressed for at least 15 minutes.

Tofu tacos on a board.
Spoon the tofu taco meat onto a tortilla with your favorite toppings. yum!

FAQ

Is this gluten-free?

Most of the ingredients in this recipe are naturally gluten-free, but you will need to be sure to use gluten-free soy sauce, since regular soy sauce can have gluten.

Why not just crumble the tofu directly over the paste?

I tried this once in testing the recipe. The problem is that when you're crumbling the tofu, some of the tofu initially stays in larger chunks. You really need to go back in after the initial crumble and use your hands to continue to break up the crumbles. This was a lot messier with the paste already in the bowl. After that I decided to use two bowls and combine them after the tofu is fully crumbled.

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📖 Recipe

Closeup of tofu taco meat.

Tofu Taco Meat

This Tofu Taco Meat is perfectly seasoned and textured to take the place of meat in a variety of dishes. With just a little prep work and 30 minutes of cook time, you can add these tofu crumbles to your favorite tacos, salads, burritos, and more!
5 from 7 votes
Print Recipe Share on Facebook Pin Recipe SaveSaved!
Prep Time 5 minutes mins
Cook Time 30 minutes mins
Total Time 35 minutes mins
Course Main Course
Cuisine American, Mexican
Servings 4
Calories 97 kcal

Equipment

Pyrex Prepware 1-½-Quart ...Shop on Amazon
2 mixing bowls
Wilton Easy Layers Sheet Ca...Shop on Amazon
sheet pan
12" Stone Frying Pan by Oze...Shop on Amazon
skillet

Ingredients
  

Tofu Paste

  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoons lime juice
  • 2 teaspoons cumin
  • 2 teaspoons garlic
  • 2 teaspoons oregano
  • 2 teaspoons chili powder

Other Ingredients

  • 14 oz super firm tofu
  • ½ cup restaurant-style salsa
Get Recipe Ingredients

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 425F or 220C.
  • Add all of the paste ingredients to a large bowl and mix to combine. If it's too thick, add a teaspoon or two of water to thin it out.
  • In another bowl, crumble the tofu into very small crumbles. After the initial crumble, use your hands to continue to break up the tofu into smaller pieces.
  • Add the crumbled tofu to the paste bowl and mix to coat the tofu.
  • Transfer the tofu to a baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes.
  • Remove the tofu from the oven and use a spatula or spoon to break up the chunks and flip the tofu over (so it can get crispy on both sides).
  • Return the tofu to the oven and cook for another 10 minutes, or until the tofu is crispy and crunchy on all sides.
  • Transfer the tofu crumbles to a skillet and add the salsa. Mix to combine.
  • Cook over medium heat for just a minute or two (enough time to heat up the salsa). Then serve or store for later.
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Notes

This recipe calls for super firm tofu, which doesn't need to be pressed first. If you can only find extra firm tofu, just press it for 15 to 30 minutes before starting the recipe.

Nutrition

Calories: 97kcalCarbohydrates: 11gProtein: 9gFat: 2gSaturated Fat: 0.4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 797mgPotassium: 316mgFiber: 2gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 484IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 74mgIron: 3mg
Keyword tofu taco meat
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Comments

    5 from 7 votes (4 ratings without comment)

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    Recipe Rating




  1. Renee says

    September 22, 2023 at 8:27 pm

    Hi Is this 2 tsp of minced garlic or garlic powder?

    Reply
    • Julianne Lynch says

      October 05, 2023 at 1:45 pm

      Garlic powder.

      Reply
  2. Marggy says

    August 21, 2024 at 12:04 am

    So… not sure what happened. Followed recipe. 1st time I put parchment paper on baking sheet and baked for 25 minutes. Tofu totally stuck to parchment paper. Bought more tofu and tried again this time using no parchment paper. Only cooked it 10 minutes and was able to save most of tofu but lots still stuck.

    Reply
    • Julianne Lynch says

      August 27, 2024 at 9:12 am

      Hi Marggy. I'm really sorry this didn't work for you. Is it possible you were using wax paper instead of baking paper? That would definitely cause it to stick! If it's still sticking with baking paper, you could try adding a little extra liquid or nonstick cooking spray.

      Reply
  3. Julie says

    December 04, 2024 at 11:55 pm

    5 stars
    We make this every week! Delicious!! Thank you

    Reply
    • Julianne Lynch says

      December 14, 2024 at 11:21 am

      Thanks! I'm so glad you liked them!

      Reply
  4. Lindsay says

    February 28, 2025 at 2:21 am

    5 stars
    Aspiring vegetarian here: You deserve a Nobel prize and a lil kiss on the forehead. I’m just starting to explore meat alternatives and I used these in street tacos with pico de gallo and guac and I said out loud to myself “holy sh*t”. This is going in my permanent meal rotation. Did not miss meat at all.

    Reply
    • Julianne Lynch says

      March 27, 2025 at 9:25 am

      Oh wow! Thank you so much!

      Reply
  5. Brandy says

    June 18, 2025 at 1:25 am

    5 stars
    This was amazing. At first I was like “soy sauce…in Mexican food?” But what!!!! It works. This will be a staple!

    Reply
    • Julianne Lynch says

      July 01, 2025 at 7:52 am

      Thanks! I'm so glad you liked it! Yes, it might seem odd at first, but the soy sauce just adds a kind of earthy richness to the flavor.

      Reply
Julianne, founder of No Sweat Vegan.

Hi, I'm Julianne! A dedicated home chef for over 20 years and a vegan recipe developer since 2020. I love creating simple and comforting vegan food for the whole family. Most of my recipes are quick, Whole-Foods Plant-Based, and easy on the budget. Thanks for stopping by!

You can also find me at AirFryerVeg.com.

More about me →

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