Loaded vegan tofu tacos recipe! Crispy, chile spiced tofu is topped with all the taco toppings and a creamy, spicy cilantro crema.
Oh, hey Rhubarbarians! Today, you get to witness the very first tofu recipe on Rhubarbarians. Say WHAT?!
Yep, we’re doing this.
So……. tofu. It’s been a confusing journey with tofu for me. The texture, ya know? It’s a hard one to get used to. But, I think I’ve come up with a recipe that is not only very delicious, but also super healthy.
Tofu Tacos. WINNING!
You may have seen on my Instagram Stories, but I’m doing this craaaaaazy diet and exercise program called 80 Day Obsession. It’s going great, but I’m having a hard time creating recipes with tons of protein that don’t include nuts or legumes. Tofu and tempeh are totally obvs, and by golly I will be a master tofu cooker by the end of these 80 days! LOL!
This recipe is *almost* fully 21 day fix or 80 day obsession compliant. The only tweak is that there’s a bit more oil. So, if you’re crazy like me and going through these 80 days, just cut the oil in half and you’ll be good to go. You’ve got your carb, your protein, your veggies, and your teaspoon. The pepitas on top give you part of an orange container. Yay!
Tips for making crispy tofu:
- Always buy extra firm tofu. Extra firm tofu will hold it’s shape and soak up a lot of flavor after it is pressed.
- Press your tofu to get the excess moisture out. This takes a bit of planning, as you will need to press it for at least 30 minutes before getting started on cooking.
- Cut it into small cubes. The smaller the cube, the more crispy outer coating you will get.
- Marinate the tofu after it is pressed. The tofu will soak up flavors very well after it is pressed. Let the tofu absorb flavor before you begin cooking.
- Cook the tofu over high to medium-high heat. This will blacken the tofu a bit, making it as crispy as it can get.
Tips for making this recipe:
- The tofu itself is not spicy, but the crema is everything a spicy food lover dreams of. To tone down the spice, remove the seeds from the jalapeno, or don’t include it in the recipe.
- I tested the crema in a food processor and it didn’t puree the tofu enough to be the creamy, crema of your dreams. Use a high speed blender.
- The pepitas are my favorite topping. Don’t skip them! To put these tacos over the edge, toast the pepitas before topping your taco. YUM!
- Heat up your tortillas before serving. I like to char mine just a bit on our stove top.
Loaded vegan tofu tacos recipe! Crispy, chile spiced tofu is topped with all the taco toppings and a creamy, spicy cilantro crema.
- 32 oz extra firm tofu
- 1 Tbsp chile powder
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/2 Tbsp ancho chile powder
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- 4 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil, divided
- 3 Tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice
- 1 half fresh jalapeno. sliced lengthwise.*
- 1 small handful fresh cilantro, leaves and stems
- 1/3 cup water
- salt and pepper
- 8 small tortillas
- For serving: lime wedges, fresh cabbage, pepitas, sliced radish, cilantro, avocado, green onion
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Set aside 8oz of the tofu. This will probably be half of one of your 16oz blocks. Wrap the remaining 24oz in a paper towel and set on a plate. Put something heavy like a cast iron skillet on top to press the tofu. Let sit for 30 minutes. When pressed, pat dry and cut the tofu into 1/2" cubes.
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In a medium mixing bowl, combine the chile powder, paprika, ancho, oregano, and 2 Tbsp of the olive oil. Add the tofu and toss to evenly coat. Let sit 10 minutes.
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Meanwhile, make your crema. In a high speed blender, combine the remaining tofu, lime juice, jalapeno, cilantro, and water.** Blend until fully pureed and season with salt and pepper to taste.
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Heat the remaining 2 Tbsp olive oil in a skillet over medium high heat. Add the tofu and saute for about 15 minutes, stirring every couple of minutes. You want to get some nice crispness on the tofu, but want to keep stirring to cook it evenly. When the tofu is nice and crispy, remove from heat and stir in 3/4 tsp sea salt, or salt to taste.
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Divide the tofu among 8 small tortillas and top with as much crema as you'd like. Top with your favorite toppings like cabbage, pepitas, sliced radish, cilantro, avocado, and green onion. Squeeze some lime juice onto your taco and enjoy!
*Remove the seeds from the jalapeno for less heat, but the heat is so good in this recipe!
**I tested this in a food processor and it did not completely puree. A high speed blender is best.
OK, friends. I’ll be testing out more protein-heavy, healthy recipes in the next couple of months. Send me any requests you have!
Trish
P.S. Want to see what I’m cooking up this week? Check out my Instagram stories!
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