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Traditional Tacos with Tofu “Hamburger”

These traditional tacos with tofu “hamburger” are meatless, but the fillings crumbly texture and taco spice tastes, looks, and feels a whole lot like cooked ground beef. Except it’s made with tofu! Tuck into corn tortillas and garnish with your favorite taco fixings.

Traditional Tacos with Tofu “Hamburger” | Letty's Kitchen plated ready to eat with garnishes on back plate

Click here to PIN Meatless Traditional Tacos with Tofu “Hamburger”!

To get the “hamburger” texture, freeze the tofu, right in the package, water and all. When it is frozen solid, bring it out to thaw. After the tofu thaws, wring it out like a sponge. You just have to remember ahead of time to put the package in the freezer.

Do you ever buy tofu and never get around to cooking with it until the expiration date approaches? I do. So I pop it in the freezer. Bring it out to thaw on the counter in the morning if you’re planning on these tacos for dinner.

When the tofu has thawed, you squeeze it like a sponge to get rid of excess water. Break it up with your hands as you squeeze.

To flavor the tofu “meat”, sauté onions and garlic, then stir in the tofu crumbles and taco seasonings.

seasoned tofu "meat" in skillet ready for Traditional Tacos with Tofu “Hamburger”

Engraved in my memory are vignettes of my mother or Mrs. Hills, my bff’s mother, standing at the stove in their respective kitchens frying tortillas one at a time. Before handing a soft fried tortilla to us, they would spoon in cooked ground beef.

The kids would all line up, plates in hand, waiting for their tacos. We ate our fill. While taco production was on, the mothers never sat down. Once at the table, we added our cheese, tomatoes and shredded iceberg lettuce.

These “tofu hamburger” tacos skip the part of frying the tortillas in 1/4-inch of oil to soften them. Here we spray corn tortillas with cooking spray and soften them in the oven. Healthier for sure. The other bonus is you don’t have to stand at the stove, one hand cupping folded paper towels, the other holding tongs, pulling softened tortillas from the oil and shaping and blotting into the paper towels.

veggie taco garnishes on a plate. Cabbage, tomato, avocado, green onions, cilantro and cheese

In lieu of iceberg lettuce, garnish your traditional tacos with “tofu hamburger” with finely shredded cabbage and an array of condiments like avocado, chopped lettuce and green onions. If you wish, put out some grated white cheddar cheese. Don’t forget the salsa, either purchased, or one of my easy-to-make salsas, red or green.

For vegan traditional tacos with tofu hamburger, skip the cheese.

Do you have a childhood food memory that you’ve made healthier?

More vegetarian taco ideas:

Two tacos on plate ready to eat

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Nutrition information is meant to be an estimate only and does not include cheese or the cooking spray used to soften the tortillas. Of course numbers will vary based on the quantity consumed, brands used and substitutions that are made.

This is an update of the Tofu “Hamburger” Tacos recipe originally posted in 2014!

14 comments

  • They look delicious! What a brilliant idea. Reply · 22 April, 2014

    • Letty

      Thanks Kalyn! Reply · 22 April, 2014

  • laurie

    I’m grateful for YOU! Reply · 23 April, 2014

    • Letty

      ¡Egualmente! Grateful for longtime girlfriends. Thanks for the comment. Reply · 23 April, 2014

  • Charlotte

    Hi Letty, please post a recipe for the corn tortillas.We live in a small town in N.Z and don’t have tortillas available. Love your blogs and recipes. Thanks Reply · 23 April, 2014

    • Letty

      I am thinking you do not have access to masa harina either. That’s a finely ground corn flour, finer than corn meal. The ratio is 2 cups masa harina to about 1 1/2 cups water. Mix and knead. Roll out walnut size balls. Bake in cast iron pan stovetop–about 90 seconds–45 on each side. This recipe helps. You can order masa harina via Amazon. Let me know how it goes. Reply · 23 April, 2014

  • I am so inspired by your pictures communicating with my eyes and your flavors communicating with my taste receptors! Thanks, Letty! Reply · 23 April, 2014

    • Letty

      Thanks Karen. Reply · 23 April, 2014

  • Dennis Halloran

    I’m thankful for family and all four of my Sisters. Bea Morales became a good friend of Mom’s when we all( First 5) went to St Joes . She taught Mom all her mexican Dishes from their restaurant in Santa Ana. I think we have GMO corn farmers in our family so we should hear from them.
    I taught my kids how to make Tacos that way and to this day Wichita knows Tacos. I skip the fried in oil part and just heat the tortillas on the open flame and flip them with tongs
    Your Photo skills are great by the way
    Bro Reply · 24 April, 2014

    • Letty

      Thanks Denny! Try my oven method of heating the tortillas–closer but definitely not as calorific as Bea Morales and Mom’s. Reply · 24 April, 2014

  • Ricardo

    Looking like some yummy tacos, but I’m not sure they have tofu at Chapitos! Reply · 24 April, 2014

    • Letty

      Tofu in Chapitos over by the cheese. Reply · 24 April, 2014

  • Ian

    Just made a batch with some avocado and pickled red onions I had laying around – super easy and well worth it! Mine came out a little on the spicy side, but that’s just how I like em 🙂 Reply · 8 February, 2018

    • Thank you Ian. So happy to learn you enjoyed this recipe. It’s one of my favorites! Reply · 9 February, 2018

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