Easy Tofu Tacos

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Tofu makes the best vegan taco meat! These tofu tacos are loaded with spices and flavor, made with tender crumbled tofu and your favorite taco toppings. The best part: they’re a cinch to make!

I have a super secret special step for giving tofu just the right crumbly texture that’s perfect for tacos: freeze it!

The texture of tofu changes when you freeze it. If you fall into the group of people that avoid tofu for not being fond of the texture, these tofu tacos might just be a game-changer for you.

What You’ll Need

• Olive oil. Feel free to substitute any high-heat oil, such as corn, canola, or peanut oil.
• Onion.
• Garlic.
• Tofu. Extra-firm tofu works best with this recipe, but you could get away with using firm tofu.
• Spices. We’re using cumin, ancho chile powder, paprika, and black pepper.
• Bell pepper. Use any color! Red is my personal preference for this dish.
• Tomato sauce.
• Soy sauce. Substitute gluten-free tamari if needed.
• Hot sauce. Use your favorite brand. I like Cholula for this recipe. Or leave it out for a milder version of the dish!
• Salt.
• Fresh cilantro. Leave this out if it tastes like soap to you!
• Corn tortillas. You could also use flour tortillas or premade taco shells.
• Toppings. Use whatever you like! Vegan nacho cheese, cashew cream, guacamole, shredded lettuce or cabbage, and pico de gallo would all be nice.

How to Make Tofu Tacos

The following is a detailed photo tutorial on how to make this dish. Scroll all the way down if you’d like to skip right to the recipe!

• Freeze your tofu. This is really easy and there’s no need to overcomplicate it!
  • You can freeze tofu in or out of the package. Of course, if it’s out of the package you’ll want to put it in some other type of sealable container.
  • You don’t need to drain or press it first, but it’s totally fine if you do.
  • Freeze it until it’s solid, then thaw it out completely. As long as it gets completely frozen it really doesn’t matter how long it stays in the freezer.

• Heat up some oil in a skillet, then add diced onion. Cook the onion for 5 minutes or so, until it begins to soften up.
• Add minced garlic and spices to the skillet. Sauté them with the onion for just about a minute, making sure to stir constantly to prevent burning.
• Crumble your tofu into the skillet. You can do this as soon as it’s thawed, and there’s no need to press it for this recipe. Stir everything up well and cook the tofu with the spices for about 2 minutes, until any excess liquid cooks off and the tofu begins to brown in spots.
• Add diced bell pepper and cook it with your tofu and spices for a couple minutes. You just want it to begin softening up.

• Add your sauces: tomato sauce, soy sauce, and hot sauce.
• Stir everything up and bring it to a simmer and let it cook for a couple of minutes, until the sauce is hot and thick!

• Take the skillet off of the burner and season your tofu taco filling with some salt. You can also add more hot sauce if you’d like. Give it a sprinkle of fresh cilantro.

• Stuff the filling into warm tortillas and dig in!

Leftovers & Storage

Leftover tofu taco filling will keep in a sealed container in the fridge for about 3 days, or in the freezer for about 3 months.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are these tacos gluten-free?

They are if you use gluten-free tamari in place of soy sauce.

Must I freeze my tofu?

Nope! It adds texture but isn’t strictly necessary.

Are these tacos spicy?

They have a little kick to them. You can leave the hot sauce out if you’d prefer a milder version, but consider adding a splash of lime or vinegar to make up for the acidity supplied by the hot sauce.

What are some good toppings for tofu tacos?

Try cashew cream, pico de gallo, shredded lettuce or cabbage, guacamole, and/or vegan cashew queso!