These crispy tofu tacos are made with a cornmeal mixture that gives the tofu a crunch it would be missing otherwise. They might just convince former vegetarian haters like myself that you can actually have a meatless taco. And yes they are actually crispy.
Tofu tacos? Tacos without meat? Is there such a thing? Until I met Lauren I didn’t believe so. Yes I know tofu has this reputation from the meat-loving crowd that it’s disgusting! And I used to be on that side the fence. That was until I ran into this tofu taco recipe.
So how did I even come across making these crispy tofu tacos? Well it actually starts with Lauren’s Dad, who is a vegetarian. Being as I basically never had a meal without some type of meat, I had to go on the lookout for some vegetarian recipes that I thought would be tasty but also be approved by him. Pinterest led me to this blog, called The Woks of Life with the recipe I’ve adapted below.
I actually confess this was my first time ever even having tofu. I went 28 years without trying it, and never felt like I was missing anything. These tofu tacos quickly changed my opinion. Now don’t get me wrong I’m not a vegetarian, but this is a great recipe for those who are vegetarian or for someone like me who just wants something different. So two years later and these crispy tofu tacos are on the regular rotation of our tacos, which as I’ve mentioned before we have about twice a month.
What Ingredients are in these Tofu Tacos?
- Extra firm tofu
- Honey
- Soy sauce
- Sriracha
- Cornmeal
- Spices (cumin, chili powder, paprika, salt, garlic powder, black pepper)
- Canola oil
- Corn tortillas
- Cilantro
- Scallions
- Greek yogurt
- Toppings (onion, black beans, corn, tomato, avocado, cheese, lime juice)
How to Make Tofu Tacos
- Fold paper towels around tofu and place weight on top to press down for at least 15 minutes. (This gets some of the extra water out of the tofu which allows for a crispier tofu)
- In medium bowl, combine cornmeal, cumin, chili powder, paprika, salt, garlic powder and black pepper.
- While waiting for the tofu to drain, place the cilantro, scallions, yogurt, water and salt in a food processor or blender and blend until smooth. Set aside.
- When tofu is drained, cut into 3/4 inch cubes. In medium bowl, gently toss the tofu in the Sriracha, soy sauce and honey. Be careful not to break the tofu up.
- Toss the tofu in the cornmeal mixture.
- Heat the oil over medium high heat in a cast iron or non-stick skillet. Add the tofu to the skillet and allow to get crisp on one side. It should take about 5-7 minutes.
- When you heat up skillet for tofu, heat olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat as well. Add onion and cook for 3 minutes. Add frozen corn and cook for 5 minutes. Stir in black beans, salt and black pepper and cook until beans are warmed through. Set aside until tacos are done. (You can skip this step if you don’t want to make corn/black bean mixture)
- Flip the tofu and cook for another 5 minutes to get other side crisp. You do not want to flip too much, as it will break up the tofu. When tofu is cooking, warm the tortillas either in the microwave or in a 8 inch pan over medium heat. Build the tacos with your desired toppings.
Is the Tofu Actually Crispy?
Yes! But like anything that is pan-fried or fried, it only stays crispy immediately after cooking. If you plan on having leftovers and eat the tofu the next day, I wouldn’t expect it to be crispy although it still tastes great.
What Cast Iron Skillet Do You Use?
For these tofu tacos as well as many other recipes such as my sweet potato tacos or sweet potato enchilada skillet, I use a Lodge cast iron skillet. It’s surprisingly affordable and will last years if you take care of it.
Tips for Crispy Tofu Tacos
- Tofu (even extra firm) is loaded with water so it is important to place something heavy on top to get rid of some of the extra water. While I say to do it for at least 15 minutes, 30 minutes is best to release some of the excess water.
- Be consistent when cutting the tofu so it will cook evenly.
- If you don’t have Sriracha, you can just use hot sauce for the tofu tacos.
- When tossing the tofu in the cornmeal mixture, be very careful as the tofu can easily break up.
- Add cold oil to a cold skillet and let heat up to proper temperature before adding the tofu. You’ll know it is ready when the oil starts to shimmer.
- To make the corn tortillas pliable, heat a small skillet over medium heat and cook for 30 seconds on each side. You can also cover the tortillas with a wet paper towel and place in the microwave for 30 seconds.
Other Taco Recipes
- Sweet Potato and Black Bean Tacos
- Crispy Pork Carnitas
- Brussels Sprouts Tacos
- Instant Pot Chicken Tacos
- Sweet Potato Fajitas
If you’ve tried these Crispy Tofu Tacos or any other recipe on Chisel & Fork, please let me know how it turned out in the comments below! You can also follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and YouTube to see more tasty meals and anything else I’m up to.
Crispy Tofu Tacos
Ingredients
Tofu Tacos
- 1 package extra firm tofu
- 1 tbsp honey
- 1 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
- 1 tbsp Sriracha
- 1/2 cup cornmeal
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp chili powder
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/8 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 cup canola oil
- 8-10 corn tortillas
- toppings of your choice (cheese, tomato, onion, corn, black beans, avocado, lime wedges)
Corn/Black Bean Mixture
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1/4 cup diced sweet onion
- 2 cups frozen corn
- 1 (14.5 oz can) black beans, rinsed and drained
- salt + black pepper
Cilantro Crema
- 1 bunch fresh cilantro
- 4 scallions, chopped
- 1/4 cup greek yogurt
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/2 tsp salt
Instructions
- Fold paper towels around tofu and place weight on top to press down for at least 15 minutes. (This gets some of the extra water out of the tofu which allows for a crispier tofu)
- In medium bowl, combine cornmeal, cumin, chili powder, paprika, salt, garlic powder and black pepper.
- While waiting for the tofu to drain, place the cilantro, scallions, yogurt, water and salt in a food processor or blender and blend until smooth. Set aside.
- When tofu is drained, cut into 3/4 inch cubes. In medium bowl, gently toss the tofu in the Sriracha, soy sauce and honey. Be careful not to break the tofu up. Toss the tofu in the cornmeal mixture.
- When you heat up skillet for tofu, heat olive oil in small skillet over medium heat as well. Add onion and cook for 3 minutes. Add frozen corn and cook for 5 minutes. Stir in black beans, salt and black pepper and cook until beans are warmed through. Set aside until tacos are done. (You can skip this step if you don't want to make corn/black bean mixture)
- Heat the oil over medium high heat in a cast iron or non-stick skillet. Add the tofu to the skillet and allow to get crisp on one side. It should take about 5-7 minutes. Flip and cook for another 5 minutes to get other side crisp. You do not want to flip too much, as it will break up the tofu. When tofu is cooking, warm the tortillas either in the microwave or in a 8 inch pan over medium heat. Build the tacos with your desired toppings.
Notes
- Tofu (even extra firm) is loaded with water so it is important to place something heavy on top to get rid of some of the extra water. While I say to do it for at least 15 minutes, 30 minutes is best to release some of the excess water.
- Be consistent when cutting the tofu so it will cook evenly.
- If you don't have Sriracha, you can just use hot sauce for the tofu tacos.
- When tossing the tofu in the cornmeal mixture, be very careful as the tofu can easily break up.
- Add cold oil to a cold skillet and let heat up to proper temperature before adding the tofu. You’ll know it is ready when the oil starts to shimmer.
- To make the corn tortillas pliable, heat a small skillet over medium heat and cook for 30 seconds on each side. You can also cover the tortillas with a wet paper towel and place in the microwave for 30 seconds.
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