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    Home » Main Dishes

    Tofu Crumble for Vegan Tacos

    Published: Sep 9, 2019 | Modified: Oct 28, 2019 by Bree Sheree

    13095 shares

    This post contains affiliate links for which I may earn a commission (at no extra cost to you) should you make a purchase. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Please see my disclaimer for more information.

    Jump to Recipe

    This tofu crumble makes the perfect vegan taco meat. It is oil-free, gluten-free, and absolutely delicious!

    Tofu crumble in vegan tacos

    Who doesn’t love tacos??

    Tacos are something that I always get super excited to have. I feel like tacos are a special meal that I don’t have very often, which is why it’s such a big deal when I have them.

    Since going vegan I haven’t had many tacos because I couldn’t imagine how a taco could exist without ground beef.

    Then I discovered Chipotle.

    Chipotle is a fast food restaurant that serves Mexican food, and I admit to sometimes indulging in it when I’m not in the mood to cook. They have an awesome tofu crumble called sofritas that looks similar to ground beef. When I had it for the first time, I was amazed.

    So of course, I decided to come up with my own recipe.

    I’ve made this taco tofu crumble 4 times in the past couple of weeks because I wanted to get it just right. And I am somehow still not sick of it. I hope you love it as much as I do!

    Tofu crumble in a small bowl.

    This tofu crumble is:

    • Vegan
    • Healthy
    • Oil-Free
    • Gluten-Free
    • Flavourful
    • Perfect for tacos!

    Tips for making this vegan taco tofu crumble

    Make sure you press the tofu before crumbling

    Before making your tofu crumble, I recommend you press your tofu for at least 30 minutes. I know that a lot of people don’t press their tofu if they’re going to be crumbling it, but I have tested out not pressing the tofu for this recipe and it didn’t turn out that great. It works much better if you press some of the moisture out of it before crumbling, so don’t skip this step!

    • Slice your tofu.
    • Wrap your tofu before stacking books on it for pressing.

    Don’t forget to mix the tofu halfway through cooking

    Once your tofu is ready to go in the oven, set your timer for 12.5 minutes instead of the total bake time of 25 minutes. This is so that you can mix the tofu around halfway through cooking. This will ensure that the tofu is evenly cooked and gets slightly crispy all around instead of on just one side.

    Tofu crumble on a pan after coming out of the oven.

    Evenly coat the tofu crumble after cooking

    Once you are done cooking the tofu for the total bake time of 25 minutes, you will add 1 tablespoon of tamari and 1 tablespoon of tomato paste. Mix these two ingredients together, then add the tofu and distribute evenly. There will not be much of the paste mixture, so it may seem like you need more, but you only need a thin coating on the tofu. Make sure you spread it out evenly over the tofu so that it’s not concentrated in only certain pieces.

    How to assemble your vegan taco

    This tofu crumble recipe will create a delicious base for a taco, but you need some toppings to add some more flavour!

    If you like to have your tofu crumble in a tortilla, try to find some that are oil-free. I have found plenty of oil-free corn tortillas at various grocery stores. If they feel a bit too firm and breakable, heat them up a bit in the oven or microwave.

    Here are some topping suggestions:

    • Romaine lettuce
    • Refried beans*
    • Salsa (Try this mild salsa recipe)
    • Avocado or Guacamole (Try this healthy guacamole recipe)
    • Nutritional yeast for a bit of a cheesy flavour
    • Onion

    *I like to use refried beans in my tacos because sometimes it’s difficult to keep your taco together and whole beans may end up falling out! If using canned refried beans, I recommend checking the ingredients to ensure there are no oils of other unhealthy additives. You can also just mash up some beans on your own and add some spices. I also recommend spreading it down on your tortilla or lettuce wrap before adding other toppings.

    Vegan tacos filled with tofu crumble, lettuce, salsa, and avocado.

    Recipe

    Tofu crumble in vegan tacos
    Print Recipe

    Tofu Crumble for Vegan Tacos

    This tofu crumble makes the perfect vegan taco meat. It is oil-free, gluten-free, and absolutely delicious!
    Prep Time40 minutes mins
    Cook Time25 minutes mins
    Total Time1 hour hr 5 minutes mins
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: plant-based, Vegan
    Servings: 6 small tacos
    Calories: 105kcal
    Author: Bree Sheree

    Ingredients

    • 350 grams extra firm tofu
    • 1 tablespoon tamari (low sodium)
    • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
    • ¼ cup water
    • 2 tablespoons chili powder
    • 1 teaspoon paprika
    • ½ teaspoon cumin
    • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
    • ½ teaspoon onion powder
    • ¼ teaspoon ground oregano
    • ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
    • 1 tablespoon cornstarch

    Instructions

    • Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
    • Slice the tofu into slabs that are about 1 centimeter thick, then press the tofu for 30 minutes.
    • To a medium-sized bowl, add everything except for the tofu. Mix it all together evenly.
    • Once the tofu has been pressed, squeeze it into a crumble with your hands.
    • Add the crumbled tofu to the bowl and mix until it is evenly coated.
    • Spread the tofu in an even layer on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
    • Bake in the oven for 12 ½ minutes.
    • Remove the tofu from the oven and mix it around.
    • Spread the tofu in an even layer again and bake for another 12 ½ minutes.

    Notes

    This recipe makes enough tofu crumble for approximately 6 small tacos. You will get about 2.5 cups of tofu crumble from this recipe.
    Nutrition information is an approximation for ⅙ of the tofu crumble.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 105kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 5g

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    Hey, I'm Bree! I'm a Certified Nutritionist and a vegan. I love creating recipes and sharing information related to a vegan lifestyle!

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