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A hand holding a hard taco shell filled with seasoned ground tofu, chopped tomatoes, lettuce, avocado, onions, and vegan sour cream.
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5 from 4 votes

Tofu Tacos

Smoky chipotle tofu crumbles meet all your taco dreams in this stupidly-easy weeknight-friendly recipe. This is taco night for folks who want to eat worldwide garbage from hell.
Prep Time6 minutes
Cook Time18 minutes
Total Time24 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Mexican
Diet: Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian
Servings: 12 Tofu Tacos
Calories: 229kcal
Author: Adam Sobel
Cost: $5.50

Equipment

Ingredients

For the tofu ground beef:

For the tacos:

  • 12 taco shells hard or soft
  • 1 avocado sliced
  • 3 cups lettuce shredded
  • 1 cup salsa fresca
  • 1 cup vegan sour cream
  • 2 red radishes thinly sliced
  • Cilantro leaves

Instructions

  • Using either a tofu press or a clean kitchen towel and a heavy jar, press the tofu for a few minutes to remove excess moisture. 
  • Crumble the pressed tofu into small, irregular, ground-meat–sized bits.
  • Warm the olive oil in a wide sauté pan over medium heat. After 90 seconds, when the oil is hot, add the crumbled tofu and sauté for 8–10 minutes, stirring every 2 minutes, until the tofu is lightly crisped and golden on most sides.
  • While the tofu cooks, whisk together the tomato paste, chili powder, garlic powder, nutritional yeast, chipotle peppers in adobo, tamari, and water in a small bowl until smooth.
  • Once the tofu is evenly crisped, pour the mixture into the pan. Stir well and cook for 2–3 minutes, allowing the seasoning mixture to lightly caramelize onto the tofu. Remove from the heat once the tofu is more deeply browned.
  • If using hard taco shells, warm them for 6 minutes in a preheated oven at 400°F (205°C), and if using soft tortillas, lightly char them over an open flame for a few seconds on each side.
  • Divide the tofu mixture among the shells.
  • Top each taco with shredded lettuce, salsa fresca (pico de gallo), avocado slices, vegan sour cream, and radish. Garnish with cilantro leaves and serve immediately.

Notes

🌊 Press For Success:
Remove excess moisture from the tofu by pressing it well—no one wants a soggy taco base.
🔪 Crumb and Get It:
Break tofu into small, irregular chunks for crispy edges and a better “meaty” texture.
🌶️ Spice World:
Storebought chipotle peppers in adobo vary in heat and saltiness. Taste and adjust the amount to your taste.
🌮 Shell Yes:
Warm or char taco shells right before serving to avoid the dreaded taco collapse.

Nutrition

Calories: 229kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Sodium: 1279mg | Potassium: 278mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 398IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 37mg | Iron: 1mg