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Traditional Tacos with Tofu “Hamburger” on plate with condiments in background
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4.23 from 9 votes

Traditional Tacos with Tofu “Hamburger”

These meatless tacos are a fun dinner for family and friends. The "hamburger meat" is made from frozen then thawed tofu cooked with onion, garlic, and taco seasoning.
Prep Time25 minutes
Cook Time25 minutes
Total Time50 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Mexican, Vegetarian
Keyword: tacos, tofu
Servings: 8 tacos
Calories: 137kcal

Ingredients

  • 8 corn tortillas
  • Cooking spray or olive oil, as needed

For the filling:

  • 1 (14-ounce) package extra firm organic tofu, frozen solid
  • ¼ cup chili powder
  • ½ teaspoon paprika
  • ½ teaspoon garlic salt
  • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 2 pinches cayenne pepper
  • 2 tablespoons avocado or grapeseed oil
  • 1 medium onion, chopped (about 2 cups)
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • ½ cup water or beer

The garnishes:

  • Chopped green cabbage or shredded lettuce
  • Avocado slices
  • Grated Monterey Jack or pepper Jack cheese, optional
  • Chopped tomatoes
  • Chopped green onion
  • Chopped cilantro
  • Green or red salsa

Instructions

Make the filling:

  • Remove the package of frozen tofu from the freezer. Without breaking the seal, let the package thaw. The fastest way is under running warm water. If you plan ahead, thaw for a day on the kitchen counter or about 3 days in the fridge.
  • When the tofu has thawed, break the seal and remove the tofu from the water. It will be very sponge-like. Squeeze the tofu well to wring out as much water as possible. Squeeze again—more liquid will release. Place in a bowl. With your fingers or a fork, break into small pieces.
  • Mix together the chili powder, paprika, garlic salt, black pepper and cayenne. Set aside.
  • Heat the oil in a skillet over medium flame. Add the onion; cook and stir until the onion is translucent, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the garlic and cook another few minutes.
  • Add the tofu pieces to the onions and garlic. Stir in the spice mixture. Cook, stirring frequently, about 10 minutes, until the spiced tofu is cooked through. Reduce the heat to low flame. Using a potato masher or a fork, mash the tofu and onions until the mixture looks like hamburger meat. Mix in the water or beer and mash another minute. Keep warm.

To serve:

  • Place the cabbage, avocado, cheese, tomatoes and green onion in separate bowls. Or all next to each other on one big plate. Estimate a small amount for each taco. (E.g. 2 tablespoons cabbage, 1 slice avocado, 1 to 2 tablespoons cheese, 1 tablespoon tomatoes, and a bit of green onion and cilantro per taco.)
  • Heat the oven to 350° F. Arrange the tortillas on baking sheets, next to each other but not overlapping. Spray each tortilla with cooking spray. Turn them over and spray the second side. Alternatively, brush both sides lightly with olive oil.
  • Heat the tortillas in the oven, 3 to 4 minutes, until they are pliable and warm. (Be careful to not let them get crisp—you want to be able to fold them.) Fold the tortillas in half to make taco shells. Let them heat in the oven another minute.
  • Spoon about 1/3 cup of the tofu “meat” in each taco shell and arrange on plate.
  • Allow each person to garnish their taco with their choice of condiments and salsa.

Notes

Tofu that has been frozen and then thawed before cooking has an incredibly meaty texture. Freeze the tofu in its package. Pull from the freezer, allow to thaw, then wrap the thawed tofu in a tea towel. Place a weight on top and set aside to squeeze out some of the water. The pressed tofu will look like a sponge.
The filling can be cooked the day before. The garnishes prepped earlier in the day. Soften tortillas in the oven a few minutes before serving.

Nutrition

Calories: 137kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 160mg | Potassium: 73mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 166IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 86mg | Iron: 1mg