This recipe is sponsored by EZ Tofu Press. All opinions are 100% my own.
Y'all, these crispy tofu tacos are packed with flavor! Bake the tofu while you prepare smoky, vegan chipotle sauce and veggies to top them.
My family is on a huge taco kick right now, and I am delighted! Tacos are so versatile and fun to make. And to eat! And these crispy tofu tacos are my latest obsession.
More taco deliciousness: Crispy Avocado Tacos, Plantain Tacos with Quick Pickled Onions
Baking the tofu
The crispy tofu for these tacos is a slightly tweaked version of my chicken fried tofu recipe. It's very easy to make!
Before you slice into your block, it's so important that you press your tofu. Getting the extra water out gives you a firmer texture.
It also helps the tofu soak up some of the vegan buttermilk, which adds a lovely acidity to the flavor.
I always press my tofu with the EZ Tofu Press. The EZ Tofu Press gets an average of ½ cup of water out of your block, leaving is super firm and ready to drink in flavor.
While the tofu presses, make your vegan buttermilk by mixing vegan milk with apple cider vinegar. This acidic mixture helps your breading adhere and promotes browning.
In a separate bowl, toss together flour, panko, and plenty of herbs and spices.
Dredge the tofu in the "buttermilk", then in the dry mixture, and arrange on a lined baking sheet. Spray it with oil, bake for 20 minutes, then spray the tofu again.
Bake for another 20 minutes, and you are ready to pile that crispy tofu into the tacos of your dreams!
Creamy chipotle sauce
The key to this easy sauce is one of my favorite pantry staples: chipotles in adobo sauce.
You can find this in cans at pretty much any grocery store. If they're not with the canned beans and vegetables, try checking the aisle that stocks tortillas and salsa.
I love using these smoky, mildly-spicy chilis to add a punch of heat and flavor to dishes. They're the key to my smoky black bean dip!
When you open the can, you'll see whole chilis in a thick, reddish-brown sauce. For this recipe, we just need the sauce. You can freeze the leftover chilis to use later. They're great in dips, soups, and sauces.
To make the chipotle sauce, you truly just toss a few ingredients into your blender, and puree until you have a smooth mix.
Putting it all together
Once the crispy tofu finishes baking, it's taco time!
On time-saving trick I use is buying bagged coleslaw instead of shredding cabbage by hand.
See how there are carrots in my cabbage? That's because the bagged slaw had them. And that's fine!
Pile the tofu onto your tortillas and top with shredded cabbage, sliced avocado, and a dollop of that chipotle sauce. Easy peasy!
How to store leftovers
This recipe makes a bit more tofu and chipotle sauce than you'll likely use.
Store any leftover tofu in an airtight container in the fridge. It will keep for three days. Reheat on a baking sheet at 350° F for 10 minutes.
Leftover chipotle sauce will keep for around five days. Store it in an airtight container in the fridge, as well. It's great on sandwiches!
If you don't end up making tacos for four, store the components in separate containers in the fridge. Before you close up the avocado container, toss it with a squeeze of lemon or lime juice to prevent browning. Then, you can just reheat the tofu for a quick, taco lunch!
Crispy tofu tacos recipe
Ingredients
For the crispy tofu
- ¼ cup soy milk or oat milk - mixed with 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 block extra firm tofu - pressed and cut into ° "fingers"
- spray oil
For the chipotle sauce
- 1 cup cashews - soaked in hot water for 15 minutes, then drained
- ½ cup water - NOT the soaking water
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 1-2 chipotles in adobo sauce
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
For the tacos
- 8 small flour tortillas
- 1 cup shredded cabbage - or bagged coleslaw
- 1 Haas avocado - sliced
Instructions
Bake the tofu
- Preheat the oven to 425° F, and grease your baking sheet.
- In a medium bowl, mix together the milk and vinegar. In a large bowl, combine the flour, panko, cornstarch and seasonings. Toss the tofu pieces in the milk mixture and then the panko mixture, and transfer it to the greased baking sheet in a single layer. Spray the tofu with spray oil, making sure to coat it evenly.
- Bake for 20 minutes. Flip the tofu over, and bake for 15-20 minutes more. Your tofu is finished cooking when it's golden brown.
Make the chipotle sauce
- Combine all of the sauce ingredients in your blender, and puree until completely smooth. If you need to, you can add more water by the tablespoon as needed to get a smooth mix,.
Put it all together
- To make one taco, grab a tortilla and add three pieces of crispy tofu, 2 tablespoons of cabbage, and an avocado slice. Drizzle with the chipotle sauce. Repeat to make as many tacos as you like!
Have a question? Tried this recipe? Share your thoughts!