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 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!
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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!
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.
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.
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.
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 (it will be crunchy on top and softer on the bottom, so this will give it a chance to get crunchy 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.
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.
Equipment
For this recipe, you'll need two mixing bowls, a sheet pan, and a skillet.
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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.
FAQ
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.
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.
Related recipes
📖 Recipe
Tofu Taco Meat
Equipment
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
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.
Notes
Nutrition
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Did you try this recipe? Have a question? Just leave a comment below and I'll get back to you ASAP!
Renee says
Hi Is this 2 tsp of minced garlic or garlic powder?
Julianne Lynch says
Garlic powder.
Marggy says
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.
Julianne Lynch says
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.
Julie says
We make this every week! Delicious!! Thank you
Julianne Lynch says
Thanks! I'm so glad you liked them!
Lindsay says
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.
Julianne Lynch says
Oh wow! Thank you so much!
Brandy says
This was amazing. At first I was like “soy sauce…in Mexican food?” But what!!!! It works. This will be a staple!
Julianne Lynch says
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.