Looking for more meatless options for Taco Tuesday? Try these spicy tofu crumbles! They are crispy, crunchy and healthy. Learn how make this easy vegan and gluten free recipe that is baked in the oven for a ground beef alternative that will impress meat eaters, vegans, and vegetarians.
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Ingredients
Our spicy tofu crumbles use basic pantry staples, so you can whip up a batch for supper in no time.
- Tofu: extra firm is best
- Oil: olive oil or any neutral oil
- Soy sauce alternative: liquid aminos, coconut aminos, or low sodium soy sauce (if you don't need it gluten free)
- Dry spices: cumin, chili powder, chipotle chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, Mexican oregano, cayenne
- Nutritional yeast: this is optional, but provides more umami flavors
Questions
Can I crumble firm tofu?
Yes, you can crumble extra firm and firm tofu. The process is the same. Start by draining off the liquid from the packaging, then wrap or sandwich the tofu with paper towels and press it with a heavy weight for 30 minutes. Use your hands to crumble the tofu into small pieces over top of paper towels. Finish by laying paper towel on top and gently blotting any extra moisture off.
What does pressing tofu mean?
Extra firm tofu holds a lot of moisture, so to get most of out it's best to press it. Tofu tastes better when more of the water is released because it will be able to absorb any marinade or sauce more easily. It will also brown more evenly, making a crispier crust.
What does tofu taste like?
Right out of the package, tofu is bland. This is actually a good thing, because it works like a blank slate. When tofu is pressed and the extra moisture is gone, it will absorb flavors easily and will allow the flavor from the spices or sauces to soak right in and become a very tasty meat alternative.
How many calories are in this recipe?
For a ¼ cup of spicy tofu crumbles, there are 156 calories, 7.5g of carbs, 7.9g of fat, 13.9g of protein and 3.9g of fiber. For more nutritional information, scroll to the end of the recipe card.
Can you freeze tofu crumbles?
Yes, you can freeze any leftover tofu crumbles for up to one month. Defrost in the fridge and reheat in the microwave or on the stove top in a small skillet over medium low heat with a bit of oil until heated through.
What can you serve spicy tofu crumbles with?
Because our tofu crumbles are flavored with Mexican spices, any Tex-Mex food would be perfect - tacos, burritos, nachos, quesadillas, or tostados.
How to Make
Before we cook the tofu crumbles, let's start by pressing the extra firm tofu. On a large cutting board, fold three sheets of paper towel in half and stack them on top of each other. Center the block of tofu, then put more folded paper towels on top.
To press the tofu, place a heavy 10 inch cast iron skillet on top, and place a weight like a 5 or 10 pound bag of sugar in the skillet. Let it sit for 30 minutes to help press out the extra moisture.
Lay down one layer of paper towels on top of a large cutting board and crumble the tofu into small pieces using your hands. Spread a layer of paper towel on top and gently press down on the tofu crumbles to remove more moisture.
To make the tofu crumbles, gather the ingredients: pressed extra firm tofu crumbles, olive oil, liquid aminos, 8 dried spices, and nutritional yeast.
In a large bowl, pour in the oil and liquid aminos. Next, mix the dried spices together in a small bowl and dump on top.
Add the nutritional yeast.
Whisk together to get a paste.
Place the crumbled tofu on top and mix together with your hands.
Preheat the oven to 350 F, then line a large baking tray with parchment paper and spread the tofu crumbles evenly over the surface.
Bake for 30 to 35 minutes. Stir after the first 15 minutes and watch closely during the last 5 minutes. You'll notice that the tofu has shrunk. The tofu crumbles weighed 300g before cooking, and 137g after the cooking.
This recipe makes 1 cup of spicy tofu crumbles, which is enough for 4 tacos.
To make the spicy tofu crumbles into tacos, we started by pan frying flour tortillas in a bit of oil. Then we added a ¼ cup of tofu crumbles to each taco and a few spoonfuls of homemade guacamole, fresh pico de gallo, and finished with a squeeze of lime juice.
Variations
- Don't have soy alternatives in the pantry? Use low sodium soy sauce.
- Don't have nutritional yeast on hand? Omit it, as it's optional, but provides more umami.
- Don't have chipotle chili powder? Swap it out with ancho chili powder or smoked paprika.
- Don't have Mexican oregano? Use regular oregano.
Pro Tips
- Press the extra firm tofu for at least 30 minutes.
- Blot off extra moisture after it is crumbled.
- Bake in the oven for 30 minutes instead of using the stovetop.
Other Vegan Meat Alternatives
Other Vegan Mexican Recipes You'll Love
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PrintRecipe
Spicy Tofu Crumbles
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 1 cup 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
Spicy tofu crumbles is an easy vegan recipe to use for taco Tuesdays. Learn how to make this healthy and gluten free dinner idea that is baked in your oven. You'll soon be enjoying spicy, crispy Mexican ground beef that is kid approved.
Ingredients
- 14 ounces extra firm organic tofu (300g)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil (15 ml)
- 1 tablespoon Bragg liquid aminos (15 ml)
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon chipotle chili powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon Mexican oregano
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast (10g)
Instructions
- Pressing. Lay folded paper towel on a large cutting board, then place the block of tofu on top. Place more folded paper towel on top of the tofu, then place a large cast iron skillet with a 5 or 10 pound bag of sugar on top of the tofu. Let it press for 30 minutes.
- Crumbling. Use your hands to crumble the tofu into small pieces on top of a paper towel lined cutting board. Lay a layer on paper towel on top of the crumbled tofu and gently press out extra moisture.
- Seasoning. Mix the dry spices together in a small bowl. Pour the olive oil, soy sauce alternative, the dry spices, and the nutritional yeast into a large bowl and mix together with a spoon. Add the tofu crumbles and mix together with your hands.
- Cooking. Preheat the oven to 350 F, then line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Evenly spread out the tofu crumbles and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, stirring after the first 15 minutes. Watch more closely during the last 5 minutes. The meat is done when it's browned and slightly crispy, but still chewy.
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: Mexican
Keywords: spicy tofu crumbles, crispy tofu
Beth
This is a spicy, flavorful meat that looks very much like real ground beef. By itself, it is dry, but eating it with other things brigs out the crunchiness. It is quite nice with guacamole.
Emma
This really does look like ground beef! I'm glad you enjoyed the taste.
Alex
This tofu meat is spicy and chewy. The meat tastes very nice with guac and pico.
Emma
So glad you enjoyed it, Alex!