A tofu game changer. Freezer friendly and flavor packed Mexican Tofu Tacos may just change your mind about tofu if not already a fan! Easy to meal prep and have on the ready for tacos or bowls for those pressed for time weeknights. This recipe is vegetarian, vegan and easily gluten free. | This post was updated 5/20 with new photos and recipe notes.
Table of Contents
An Easy Way to Love Tofu
Homemade Mexican food is on regular rotation at our home, so you’ll almost always find Mexican tofu in my freezer. Growing up in Texas I was practically bottle fed chili-spiced cumin-scented milk. Mom made tacos at least every week, and Mexican stack, now known as a burrito bowl, was a weeknight staple.
Having warmed up to tofu over the past 15 years, I realize there are tofu-haters and those who just haven’t gone there. But you’d hardly know these tacos are made with tofu. When preparing tofu to make it delicious, it’s all about texture and flavor, so proper preparation is key. If you’ve had tofu once and thought you were going to hurl, I encourage you to give it another chance!
Mexican tofu tacos are loved by vegetarians, vegans and omnivores alike! Whip up a batch and freeze for later, this recipe can be doubled so you’ll have a stash on hand for those nights when an easy dinner is a must.
Packed with spices, onions, pepper, smoky adobo and tomatoes, these tofu tacos are full of flavor. Adjust the spicy up or down depending on taste, they’re easy to whip up and a perfect accompaniment to all your favorite Mexican food sides.
RELATED: Try my mouthwatering Tofu Enchiladas for a Mexican vegetarian feast!
How to Make Tofu Tacos
So simple to make and with the most delicious ingredients, here’s a summary ofhow to pull this recipe together (see recipe card below for full recipe):
- First, press your tofu (more on this in a minute), then bake it to dry it out further.
- Meanwhile, saute the onions and bell pepper.
- Next, add the seasonings and either masa flour or crushed tortilla chips to the pan, then the tomatoes, broth and baked tofu. Lid and simmer.
- Last, process the tofu mixture in a food processor and transfer the ingredients back to the pan.
Prep your toppings and sides and you’re ready for some tasty Mexican tofu tacos!
Masa Flour or Crushed Tortilla Chips
Masa flour gives Mexican and Southwestern recipes an authentic flavor. I use it in my chili recipes as a thickener, and Southwestern inspired recipes where I want that flavor boost. Several makers noted that they couldn’t find masa flour or didn’t have any on hand, so I tested this tofu taco recipe using crushed tortilla chips and although the flavor is different, the crushed tortilla chips work to help thicken the Mexican tofu mixture!
To substitute masa flour in this recipe with tortilla chips, simply run a small handful tortilla chips (be sure to get yellow) in a food processor for about two minutes until they’re as fine as possible. They won’t turn to flour, but they’ll be small enough to use in the recipe where they’ll soften and thicken the sauce.
Freezing and Pressing Tofu
Freezing tofu improves its texture by making it chewier and creates more space to later soak up sauce or marinade. So, if not using your tofu right away, toss it in the freezer when you bring it home from the store. There’s no need to remove the packaging before freezing. Before using the tofu in a recipe, thaw it in the refrigerator overnight.
After thawing the tofu and since tofu is packaged in water, we need press the water out of it to make room for the spices and the sauce!
To press thawed tofu:
- Use a tea towel and place it under and on top of the tofu.
- Place something heavy on top, like a cutting board, another plate or a not-so-full box of wine to press the water out. We don’t want it too heavy or it will squash the tofu.
- Move the tea towel a few times to a dryer area of the towel so it can absorb more water. Press for about 20-30 minutes, up to an hour if you have time.
While this sounds like extra work, it only requires a bit of planning and most of it is hands off time anyway. You’ll be rewarded with delightful texture and flavorful tofu.
A Few Recipe Notes
- Vegan or Vegetarian? This recipe is vegan as written, but you can add just about any toppings you like. Sour cream, or pepper jack cheese is quite nice with these.
- Pumpkin Seed Cream: one of my favorite condiments for this recipe is chili-lime pepita cream which tastes almost like a creamy cheese. Not kidding. But, you’ll need a high powered blender – I use VitaMix – to make it happen.
- Go Old School: Share the tofu filling in crunchy corn tortillas and top with chopped romaine, shredded cheddar and diced tomatoes.
- How Spicy? I include adobo sauce in this recipe for a delicious smoky flavor and, it bumps up the spicy. If you prefer a little less spicy, you can omit it or reduce the amount added. If you love spicy, take it up!
- Freezer Friendly? One of the best things about this recipe is that the tofu freezes beautifully making it perfect for meal prep. Making a double batch stretches this recipe even further.
- SO Versatile! The vegan tofu taco filling is delicious in burritos, enchaladas, tostadas, nachos… oh the possibilities!
Share Tofu Tacos With
- Refried Black Beans
- Chili Lime Pepeita Cream (Pumpkin Seed Cream)
- Mexican Black Beans
- Easy Chipotle Mexican Salsa
- Spanish Brown Rice
- Mexican Corn Salsa
- Jalapeno Guacamole or Creamy Guacamole with Sour Cream
ThisTofu Tacos recipe utilizes some of the top GMO ingredients grown in the U.S. As always, I recommend organic ingredients whenever possible.
More Vegetarian Taco Recipes to Love
- Black Bean Tostadas with Fajita Veggies
- Roasted Cauliflower Tinga Tacos
- Creamy Corn, Zucchini and Poblano Tacos
- Rancheros Tofu Scramble
- Sweet Potato Pinto Bean Open Face Breakfast Tacos
the recipe
Mexican-Inspired Tofu Tacos with Chili-Lime Slaw
Ingredients
For the Tofu:
- 10 oz (283g) Firm Tofu , sprouted if you can find it, pressed and drained for at least 20 minutes (see note)*
- 1 Tbs Coconut Oil unrefined, virgin or olive oil
- 1 C (110g) Purple Onion large dice (about 1/2 a medium onion)
- 3/4 C (90g) Green Bell Pepper large dice (about 1/2 a medium pepper)
- 1 Tbs Cumin
- 1 Tbs Chili Powder
- 1/2 tsp Smokey Paprika
- 1 Tbs Masa Harina Flour or sub 2 Tbs ground tortilla chips **see note
- 3/4 tsp Fine Sea Salt
- 2 tsp Adobo Sauce from a can of chipotle chilis in adobo sauce (1 tsp for medium, 2-3 tsp for spicy!) - look for gluten free if needed
- 3/4 C (200g) Fire Roasted Tomatoes with its juice
- 1 C (220g) Vegetable Broth
For the Slaw:
- 3 C (150g) Shredded Mix of Red and Green Cabbage loosely packed
- 1 Tbs Seeded Jalapeño minced (or to taste. Take this up if you like spicy!)
- 1/2 C (20g) Cilantro rough chopped
- Juice of 1 -2 Limes to taste and depending on the size of the lime
- 1/2 tsp Fine Sea Salt
Serve With:
- Chili-Lime Pepita Crema
- Warm Tortillas, and Cilantro
Instructions
For the Tofu:
- Preheat the oven to 350F (180C). Slice the tofu into about 1/2" - 1" (1.3 - 2.5 cm) cubes and place on a parchment or silpat lined sheet pan. Bake for 20 minutes or until slightly golden and dryer to the touch. Baking dries the tofu out.
- In a large saute pan, add the coconut oil and heat until shimmering. Add the onion and bell pepper. Saute for about five minutes on medium heat or until soft, a little charring is good! Add the cumin, chili powder, paprika, masa flour, and sea salt all at once, then add the adobo sauce. Stir for about 2 minutes until fragrant and the seasonings are incorporated around the veggies. Stir in the tomatoes, vegetable broth and tofu, then turn the heat to low and place a lid on the pan. Simmer for 10 minutes. Place mixture in a food processor and pulse 8-9 times, making sure the tofu is still somewhat chunky, but ground down. Place back in the pan, give it a little squeeze of lime and taste for salt adjustment. Put a lid on it to keep it warm (off the heat).
Make the Slaw:
- In a medium bowl, mix the red and green cabbage, jalapeño, cilantro, lime juice and sea salt. Set in the refrigerator until ready to top tacos.
Taco Assembly:
- I like to warm my tortillas on a low open flame on the stove top turning with tongs a few times to lightly char the tortillas. To hold them warm, place the tortillas in foil and into a warmed oven on low heat.
- On the warm tortilla, spoon a good smear of pepita crema, guacamole or sour cream down the center of the tortilla. Spoon the tofu evenly over the top, then add the slaw and any other condiments you prefer.
- Store the leftover tofu taco filling in the fridge in a lidded container for up to three days or the freezer for up to a month. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight, then gently rewarm on the stovetop.
Notes
- Crock Pot Vegetarian Chili
- Vegetarian Tater Tot Hot Dish
- Slow Cooker Vegetarian Taco Soup
- Roasted Corn Zucchini Fritters
Hi Traci,
I don’t see how many servings this makes? I found the nutrition stats, which are calculated for 1 serving, but have no idea how many total servings this recipe makes. Can’t wait to try it.
Thanks!
Hi Valerie! Servings are located on the top of the recipe card: 10 servings. I hope this helps and you enjoy the tacos!
Very tasty. Substituted sour cream with Greek yogurt. New to tofu preparation and baking seems to be the key based on limited experience…
Hi Carolyn! Thank you for your note and giving the recipe a go! Greek yogurt – yum! I find baking really gets the tofu good and dry.
OK, so I’ve never liked tofu…it’s a texture thing. These tacos look so inviting that I’m positive this is the place for me to try it next! The slaw and crema toppings definitely would take these over the top!
Ohh these look so good – always looking for a great tofu recipe – thanks!
Hi Mary! Thank you so much. Please let us know if you give em’ a go!
Feliz Cinco de Mayo, Traci! I LOVE all of your recipes and can’t wait to make this tonight along with your Mexican Black Beans and Pepita Crema. Yum! You are my go to gal for vegan recipes. Muchas gracias! Stay safe and well, Stephanie :)
Hiii Stephanie! Thank you for your note. I hope you enjoy the tacos!
Just recently turn vegan in this recipe is amazing!! Definitely will have this again.
Hi Francisco! Thank you for your note… so happy you enjoyed the recipe! :D I love these tacos too!
OMG this pepita crema is insanely good! Just recently going back to being entirely vegan and this is going to stay on my new list of favorites. Switched up the sauce a little bit on the tofu since chipotle “smokey” flavors are not my favorite and I’m in love. Thank you so much!!
Hooray! So happy to hear Allison and thank you for your note! I love the crema too… so much that I am posting this week – an independent post about it- because it needs to stand on its own! It’s freezer friendly and can be used in so many ways. So happy you’re enjoying the tacos and crema! This is one of my favorite recipes on the blog.
WARNING: If you are also visiting this site from Australia, NZ or the UK, ‘Chilli Powder’ is our version of ‘Mexican Spice’ – a blend of Chilli, Paprika, Cumin (amongst other things). It is not ground up hot Chillies sold as ‘Chilli Powder’. I made this dish with our Chilli powder last night and we screamed in pain throughout dinner. However, managed to ‘dilute’ the tofu leftovers today with black beans and mushrooms and was delish…!
Oooh dear Bec…. so sorry to hear eating was a painful experience :( , but it sounds like you found a fix! Thank you for your note on Chili Powder. And this is another reason I add links everywhere I can to ingredients as I realize they can differ in countries other than my own.
I have been eating a plant based diet to lose weight and to feel bettef
Let me preface this with a disclosure that I am not at all fond of cilantro or smoky spices. At the urging of my son, I made the recipe EXACTLY as written.
OMGoodness !!! No flavor overwhelmed ~ and every component of this dish had me craving more. Please trust that in the end, the combination of each and every ingredient results in a unique taste.
I will be more inclined to make recipes with ingredients I normally avoid after the excitement my taste buds experienced with these “fish tacos”
Hooray! Thank you for your note, Andrea. So sweet of you to whip this up for your son and try something new! I meal prep this recipe frequently and keep it in my freezer pretty much all the time. The final recipe comes together so fast and besides that, I crave it! So happy you two enjoyed it!
This recipe looks amazing! Any for suggestions on a good substitute for the adobo sauce for those folks who do not like smoky flavoring but who love spicy food? I plan on making everything else as is, but I’m not sure if the tofu will have enough flavoring if I just omit the adobo sauce (I’m guessing it will, but would appreciate your expert opinion!) Thanks!
Hey Rebecca… you could try Sriracha as it has a similar consistency as adobo sauce, or you could leave it out all together and add a few dashes of Tabasco at the end to taste. Also for the smoky paprika – just use plain. I hope this helps and you enjoy the recipe! :D
Hi, Traci, I made these last night — absolutely delicious! Thanks so much for the great recipe!
Hey Nicki! Thank you so much for your note! So happy you enjoyed them! :D
HI Traci, will try out these beauties at the Weekend. Will let you know who it worked. Saw them on Pinterest. I love everything with tofu and a mexican flavor. Great idea. xoxo Janine
Thank you for sharing on Insta, Janine! They looked fabulous and I’m so happy you two enjoyed them! ox
Hi there – when do you add the tofu in step 2? Thanks!
Hi Julie! On my, yes! Thank you for pointing that out. I just added the tofu to step two! :D
Lovely recipe Traci! I have never tried tofu in tacos! Something different to try! I just love the chipotle in adobe sauce, and use it to make a crema. I was not a fan of tofu but you are totally right, its in the preparation, and once you had flavor to it, its delicious! I have to try this recipe! Esp the crema! that beautiful light green hue is so pretty! :)
Thank you Amisha! You’ll love that crema… and the tacos! xo
YUM! would never have considered blitzing tofu for a taco filling, but it sounds amazing, and packed with so much flavour! AND I’ve been looking for a pepita spread/hummus type recipe for aaggees after having it at a cafe, and yours is the closest I’ve seen so will definitely try it out! Great post again Traci!
Oh yea, the flavor is over the top! You’re going to love that pepita spread.. it’s so rich and full of goodness! I hope you love it Claudia! xo
You make tofu look damn good, Traci! ;) I used to eat a lot of tofu when I was a hardcore vegetarian a few years ago but found that it wasn’t doing my digestion or health any favors. If I do eat it, I make sure it’s organic and ideally prefer tempeh since it’s been fermented. I love the way you’ve prepared it here and might be willing to give it a try again…Especially since it’s freezer friendly (always a huge plus).
I’m so glad you had such a wonderful response to your survey, although I’m not surprised! I think that I personally enjoy your stories just as much as your recipes. Thanks for continuing to share your culinary inspiration and bits and pieces of your life with us on this blog! Much love! XX
Thaaaank you so much for your sweet support and kind words. Katie! I have to limit tofu, unfortunately, due to a sensitivity. I really love it! I think I would eat it at least once a week if I chose to. I’ve not tried tempeh, but it’s on the list (thank you for your reminder!) xo
Hi Traci! These tacos sound amazing; I’m no vegan or vegetarian but I could definitely see myself making these tacos. They also look so beautiful, awesome food photography!
Thank you so much, Quin! Hands down, they’re for anyone who loves good food. :D
I am embarrassed to say, I have never tried tofu Traci. But that doesn’t mean I’m not game. These look and sound absolutely deilcious! I will definitely need broaden my horizons and give these a go for sure! That slaw and that pepita crema sound wonderful!
It is definitely hard to please everyone, but you are doing great with your recipes Traci! I’ve never heard of these two particular diets. Love the way you used tofu here! Pinning!
I had never heard of some of those diets either! That’s so interesting! And I know exactly what you mean about the word “diet”. I follow a vegetarian diet but it’s not because I am trying to restrict myself from certain foods. It’s more of a moral issue than anything else for me.
These tacos look insanely delicious! Can you imagine how much fun a Cinco de Mayo potluck would be with a bunch of food bloggers? That definitely needs to happen one day and you have to bring these!! :)
Right, right… I *hear your Sarah! But for clairity’s sake, right? I’d loooove a Cinco party with bloggers! What fun! And you bring your habanaro chipotle pepita dip.. OMG!!!
Some of those diets (styles of eating) were new to me! I’m not a vegetarian, but I definitely want more ways to add veggies to my life and I’m definitely interested in how what we eat impacts the environment…that’s why I love reading your blog so much. I am a HUGE lover of tofu (surprising?)…I would say we eat it once a week. This is a great recipe Traci and as always, beautiful photography. xoxo
Hooray for tofu, Rebecca! Once a week!? I’d like to learn your recipes! :D ! I love reading about your garden veggies on your blog and on insta. Thank you for your kind words!
I love the pepita crema, so creative! Masa harina is also a pantry staple of mine. Such a good idea to mix it into the tofu for a full rounded and authentic flavor! Pinned!
Oh my Masa is fabulous, isn’t it Alison!? I find it pairs so well with Mexican flavors and add it to dishes that need that little extra something. Thank you for your pin! :D
I’ve been cooking more and more with tofu lately but I never froze my leftovers because I just assumed it would freeze terribly. It’s so nice to know it freezes beautifully. Delicious!
Well these look AMAZING! I’m all for more dinners and desserts, so keep a little of everything coming Traci! xoxo
Yayay! Abby! Thank you my dear and thank you for your feedback! xo
Traci! What if I can’t find sprouted tofu? Would you use extra firm organic tofu? Also, for the Pepita Crema, should I use raw pepitas or are roasted ok? Thanks!
Hey Jenna… look for extra firm tofu first, then firm. The firmer, the better! Use raw pepitas. Good questions. I’ll add those to the recipe! Thank you! :D
I love tacos, Traci but I never think of adding tofu to them. I love how you’ve flavored the tofu and shredded it. I also love a good, simple slaw – and chili lime slaw sounds awesome – love the crunch factor it adds to tacos. Your pictures are gorgeous as always!
Yayaya for Tacos, Geraldine! The key is that seasoning… and that punchy slaw? I took the heat way up with those jalapenos. My mouth was watering… but that crema mellowed it out nicely. I know you love the crunch! I did that just for you! xo
When I was a kid my mom used to make tofu milkshakes and we’d drink them happily. As an adult I don’t really cook with tofu much. It’s nothing against tofu, but I just really, really like beans. I should give tofu a spin again.
Ooooh tofu milkshakes? I’ve not tried one! I’m curious now! I hear you, Allyson! I’m a big bean fan (Vanilla And Bean – hehe) too, but these tacos are just well suited for some shredded tofu.. the texture is nice!
Chocoholics unite :O) heeheeh. I love what you’ve done with the tofu Traci – grinding it up for a different consistency. I have found with the soy proteins, a lot of what turns people off is that unfamiliar pasty texture ;o plus, you’ve mixed it in with some gorgeous flavorings (I have a small addiction to adobo sauce). Your photos are on fire girl. This meal is appealing to me on all levels.
Agreed! Let’s get together.. all the chocoholics! Right.. right. The texture IS different than what many of us are used to, esp. if a previous carnivore. :0 But yes… those flavors are so fabulous. Esp the adobo sauce! Thank you for your sweetness, Kelly! xo
Gorgeous photos! I love tofu in tacos :) Pinning!
Hooray! Thank you, Medha! :D
I love tofu, but I can’t get John to eat it! I tried getting him to eat it as a wager in a bet, but I ended up losing the bet haha – darn! But maybe with the tofu all crumbled up in these tacos, I could get him to eat it…
Haaahaaaa! That made me laugh, Chelsea! Keep up your efforts. Perhaps a new bet is in order? ;)
Im working on a new tofu recipe right now! We love it as omnivore runners who have high protein needs but always want to eat less meat. Gorgeous post, Traci!
Thank you and yahoo Deb! Looking forward to it!
I can’t wait to make this! Your recipes are always so tasty and easy to adapt to different eating plans. I love recipes such as this one’
Thank you so much, Sue Ellen, for your kind comments! I hope you love this!