These Vegan Street Tacos are an easy and delicious way to swap your favorite Mexican takeout for a healthy, homemade meal. Topped with Chili-Lime Tofu, Pico de Gallo, and Vegan Chipotle Mayo, these are sure to become your new Taco Tuesday go-to.
I've talked before about how much I love Mexican food. Is it worth mentioning again. Yes! We love Mexican food so much we sometimes make it 2 or 3 times in a week. For one thing, and despite what you might see at restaurants, Mexican food is insanely easy to veganize. For another thing, there are endless variations. And these Chile-Lime Tofu Tacos are one of my favorites!
You'll love these Vegan Street Tacos because they're:
- Quick & Easy
- Flavorful & Delicious
- Oil-Free
- Gluten-free
- Non-Vegan Approved
- Perfect for Taco Tuesday or any Day!
Jump to:
What are Street Tacos?
As the name implies, these are tacos that you can eat quickly, while standing by a food truck on the street. Generally street tacos consist of a protein topped with diced onions or Pico de Gallo, and maybe a salsa or drizzle of creama, served on a corn tortilla (or two). But don't let that simplicity fool you! These tacos are super flavorful and delicious. They are, in my humble opinion, one of the best culinary inventions of all time.
How to Serve Vegan Street Tacos
When we make these vegetarian tacos at my house, we like to place all the individual toppings into bowls on the table and let everyone build their own tacos. To keep the corn tortillas warm, we place them in a shallow bowl with a lid on top. This will helps them stay warm and soft so that each taco is just as delicious as the first. (You could also use a Tortilla Warmer
, if you have one.) For more tips, check out this recipe for how to build a taco bar.
Make these Tacos Low Carb
If you're trying to cut back on carbs, you can easily swap the corn tortillas for butter lettuce leaves. Lettuce-wrap tacos? Yes, please! Or you can use the tofu as the main protein in this Vegan Southwestern Salad.
How to Make Vegan Tofu Tacos
Start off by preheating the oven (425°F or 220°C) and prepping the tofu to bake. If you're using super-firm tofu there is no need to press first (unless you're using the freeze/thaw method, which you can read more about here.)
Make a paste for the tofu by adding it to a bowl and stirring to combine. Next, break the tofu into small chunks over the bowl. These chunks should be a bit smaller that nuggets, but larger than crumbles. Once the tofu is broken up, fold the chunks into the paste until all of the tofu is evenly coated.
Transfer the tofu to a lined baking sheet. (Don't use aluminum foil, as this can cause burning. Be sure there isn't any excess liquid on the tray, as this can cause the tofu to stick). Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the tofu is crispy on the outside.
While the tofu is cooking, you can assemble the other taco ingredients. If you are making Pico de Gallo, simply dice the onion and tomato, chop the cilantro, and mix with lime juice and salt. Set aside.
Warm up your tortillas (see notes below) and assemble any other toppings (I recommend this Cashew Chipotle Mayo.) By the time the tofu is done, you can set all of the ingredients out, taco-bar style, and dive in.
There are several methods for warming corn tortillas. These include:
- Wrapping them in damp paper towels and warming them in the microwave for about 30 seconds (this method is quick, but the tortillas tend to fall apart more easily).
- Placing them all on a baking sheet and heating in the oven (downside--they dry out really quickly and become hard like tostados).
- Heating them on a grill or grill pan (if you have one).
- My method of choice: Warming them on a skillet until they start to soften and lightly brown (1 or 3 at a time, depending on the size of the skillet).
However you choose to warm up your tortillas, it's important to note that corn tortillas are generally stiffer and dryer than flour tortillas. Whether you're heating them one at a time, or individually, you should place them in a tortilla warmer or in a shallow bowl covered with a plate. This will help them stay warm and retain moisture so that when you're ready to eat them, the tortillas are more pliant.
More Vegan Mexican Recipes
- Vegan Mexican Recipes
- Vegan Chipotle Mayo
- Vegan Taquitos
- Vegan Cashew Queso
- Restaurant-Style Salsa
- Black Bean Burrito Bowls
- Vegan Fish Tacos
📖 Recipe
Vegan Street Tacos
Equipment
Ingredients
- 12 corn tortillas
- 14 oz super firm tofu (or extra-firm tofu that has been pressed for 20 to 30 minutes)
Tofu Paste
- ⅓ cup nutritional yeast
- 1 tablespoon chile powder
- 1 tablespoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon granulated garlic
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 2 tablespoon water
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons lime juice
Pico De Gallo
- 2 to 3 medium tomatoes
- 1 red onion
- 1 small bunch of cilantro
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- 1 jalapeno (optional)
Optional Garnishes
- vegan chipotle mayo
- restaurant-sytle salsa
- guacamole
- lime wedges
Instructions
Prepare the Tofu
- (If you are using firm or extra firm tofu you need to press it for 20 to 30 minutes). For super-firm tofu you can usually skip this step.
- Preheat the oven to 425°F or 220°C.
- Add all the of tofu paste ingredients to a mixing bowl. Sitr to combine.
- Break the tofu into small chunks over the bowl with the paste (they should be smaller than a nugget but bigger than a crumble). The chunks should be similar sizes, but the shape doesn't need to be uniform. The ridges of the tofu will help hold the paste and make the chunks crispy on the outside.
- Carefully fold the tofu into the paste until all of the chunks are evenly coated.
- Transfer the chunks to a baking tray lined with parchment paper (don't use aluminum foil!). Try to avoid getting excess liquid on the paper (this will cause the tofu to stick).
- Bake for 25 minutes or until the tofu is crispy and browned. Remove the tofu from the oven and place in a bowl for serving.
Prepare the Other Ingredients
- While the tofu is in the oven, prepare the other components of the dish. If you are making the Vegan Chipotle Mayo follow the instructions linked above. (This will take 12 to 15 minutes.)
Prepare the Pico De Gallo
- Chop the tomato, onion, cilantro, and (optional) jalapeno in a fine dice. Add to a bowl with the salt and lime juice. Stir to combine. Set aside.
Prepare the Tortillas
- Warm up the corn tortillas using your method of choice (see additional notes in blog post). I place a skillet over medium high heat and place each tortilla in the skillet, flipping when it starts to brown. The first one might take a little longer, but once your skillet is hot enough, it should only take 15 to 30 seconds per side.
- When the tortillas are cooked, stack them in a shallow bowl or on a plate and use another bowl or plate as a lid. This will help them stay warm and add a little moisture back into them so that they bend easily.
Serve the Tacos
- Place all of the toppings and torillas in the center of the table and dig in. Let everyone build thier own street tacos.
Notes
- If you have leftovers, store them in separate airtight containers. The tofu will last up to 7 days in the refrigerator. The Pico de Gallo will last 4 to 5 days.
Nutrition
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Dawn says
Thank you so much for doing this. Your recipes are amazing and have helped me transition to Veganism .
Julianne Lynch says
Thanks, Dawn! I'm so glad I could help and that you love the recipes!!
crystal says
what kind of chile powder did you use?
Julianne Lynch says
I just use a typical red chili powder blend like this one.https://amzn.to/3sbN0KO
Pam says
These were so delicious!! You would never know they were oil free. Will definitely be making these again. Thank you!!!
Julianne Lynch says
That's great to hear! So glad you liked them!
Christa says
Delicious!! I added sliced avocados. Heaven!
Julianne Lynch says
Great! I'm so glad you liked the recipe!
Meera says
I am going to try this recipe. But don’t have nutritional yeast. Does that make a difference. Can I make without it ? Or what is the substitute. Thank you.
Julianne Lynch says
You will need to add something to the paste in place of the nutritional yeast. You can use cornstarch. Start with a small amount and add until the paste is thick enough to coat the tofu.
Deborah Thomas says
My son and I have been vegan for a few years now. This recipe was so flavorful and easy to make because a vegan kitchen had most of the ingredients in hand!!
We both love it!!
I usually double the recipe for leftovers!!
Julianne Lynch says
Awesome! I'm so glad you liked them!
Cari says
I just want to say that this is one of our favorite recipes of all time. We probably make it biweekly at this point, usually with fried potatoes and guac. Super easy to make and throw into whatever, its perfect in a burrito bowl too!
Julianne Lynch says
Thanks! I'm so glad you like it!