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Three soft corn tortillas filled with browned tofu shreds and crumbles, diced avocado and cilantro, with a lime wedge.

Grated Tofu "Ground Beef" Tacos

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Shredded extra-firm tofu baked until chewy and crispy, seasoned with Mexican spices, and served in warm corn tortillas with avocado and lime.

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4 servings (8 tacos)4 servings (8 tacos)
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The story behind the recipe

Grating tofu gives it hundreds of little edges to brown. The shreds come out of the oven chewy in the middle and crisp in places, ready for warm corn tortillas, soft avocado and a squeeze of lime. It's a particularly good shape for tacos: seasoning reaches nearly every surface, and each bite fits comfortably inside the tortilla.

Buy for the grater

Extra-firm tofu is the ingredient to look for. The block needs enough structure to hold against the large holes of a box grater. Vacuum-packed super-firm tofu is another option, as the notes explain; a soft or silken product will break into a different texture before you get useful shreds.

Tofu's mild flavor gives the seasonings room. Soy sauce brings salt and savory depth, taco spices give warmth, and nutritional yeast adds a nutty, savory note. Nutritional yeast is sold as dry flakes or powder for seasoning; it isn't the yeast used to raise bread.

A spice blend with chili powder, cumin, garlic and Mexican oregano fits the recipe. Heat varies with the blend, so check what you've bought before adding the optional cayenne or chipotle from the notes. The tofu doesn't need to be fiercely hot to hold its own against avocado.

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Chewy is part of the texture

The baking sheet gives the shreds space that a crowded saucepan can't. Spread in a thin layer, some edges brown more deeply while thicker pieces retain a little softness. That unevenness makes a better mouthful than drying every shred to the same brittle finish.

A larger batch needs more tray space. Piling double the tofu onto one sheet traps more moisture among the shreds and changes how they cook. The seasoning can be multiplied easily; the oven still needs room to expose the tofu to heat.

The name borrows ground beef's role in a taco, but the vegetable toppings suit the tofu on its own terms. Avocado softens the bite of the browned filling, cilantro adds freshness, and lime brings acidity to a mixture seasoned with soy sauce and warm spices. None needs blending into another sauce.

Warm tortillas are worth the brief extra pan job. They're more pliable around a loose filling, and the soft corn flavor belongs beside the toasted edges of the tofu. Put lime wedges where everyone can reach them: that last squeeze changes the balance more than another layer of dry seasoning.

Make it your wayOriginal: 4 servings · Makes 4 servings (8 tacos)

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Ingredients

For 4 servings (8 tacos). Quantities are shown as written.

Source measurement convention: Metric. Explicit unit definitions take precedence; unconfirmed measures must be checked before conversion.

Original quantities for 4 servings (8 tacos).

  • Block extra-firm tofu, drained (weight before pressing)1Author measures: 350 g.
  • Low-sodium soy sauce (or tamari)30 mlAuthor measures: 2 metric tbsp (1 metric tbsp = 15 ml).
  • Olive oil15 mlAuthor measures: 1 metric tbsp (1 metric tbsp = 15 ml).
  • Taco seasoning blend (chili powder, cumin, garlic, Mexican oregano)15 gAuthor measures: 1 metric tbsp (1 metric tbsp = 15 ml).
  • Nutritional yeast10 gAuthor measures: 1 metric tbsp (1 metric tbsp = 15 ml).
  • Small corn tortillas8
  • Ripe Hass avocado, diced (for serving)1
  • Fresh cilantro leaves, chopped (for serving)30 g
  • Fresh lime, cut into wedges (for serving)1
Original ingredients
  • 1 block (350 g) extra-firm tofu, drained (weight before pressing)
  • 30 ml (2 tbsp) low-sodium soy sauce (or tamari)
  • 15 ml (1 tbsp) olive oil
  • 15 g (1 tbsp) taco seasoning blend (chili powder, cumin, garlic, Mexican oregano)
  • 10 g (1 tbsp) nutritional yeast
  • 8 small corn tortillas
  • 1 ripe Hass avocado, diced (for serving)
  • 30 g fresh cilantro leaves, chopped (for serving)
  • 1 fresh lime, cut into wedges (for serving)
Equipment
  • Box grater
  • Rimmed baking sheet
  • Parchment paper
  • Large mixing bowl

Instructions

  1. Heat the oven and line the baking sheet

    Preheat your oven to 200°C (400°F) and line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.

  2. Press and grate the tofu

    Wrap the extra-firm tofu in a clean kitchen towel and press gently with your hands (or under a heavy pan) for 5 minutes to expel excess moisture. Using the large holes of a box grater, grate the entire block of tofu into long shreds.

  3. Season the tofu shreds

    Transfer the shredded tofu into a large mixing bowl. Add the low-sodium soy sauce, olive oil, taco seasoning blend, and nutritional yeast. Gently toss with your fingers or a spatula until every shred is evenly coated in seasoning.

  4. Bake the tofu

    Spread the seasoned tofu shreds across the prepared baking sheet in a thin, single layer. Bake at 200°C (400°F) for 25 to 30 minutes, tossing once with a spatula at the 15-minute mark, until the shreds are deeply browned, chewy in the center, and crispy on the edges.

  5. Warm the tortillas

    Warm the corn tortillas in a dry skillet over medium-high heat for 30 seconds per side until pliable.

  6. Fill and garnish the tacos

    Divide the hot baked tofu crumbles among the warm tortillas. Top with the diced Hass avocado and chopped fresh cilantro, and serve with fresh lime wedges for squeezing.

Estimated calories 350 kcal

Nutrition portion: 1/4 of recipe · Original yield: 4 servings (8 tacos)

Source & assumptions

Ingredient-based estimate using CoFID 2021, USDA SR Legacy (2018), representative labels for Bob’s Red Mill Nutritional Yeast. About 350 kcal per nutrition portion (1/4 of the recipe). Includes eight representative 24 g corn tortillas, one 136 g edible avocado and the lime juice. Tofu is calculated from its 350 g pre-pressing weight. Actual ingredients and preparation affect the estimate.

Recipe notes

Original recipe notes

These notes describe the original recipe. Quantities mentioned here do not change when you adjust servings.

Tofu firmness: Choose extra-firm or vacuum-packed super-firm tofu that holds together when grated. Softer or wetter tofu needs different handling and will not give the same shreds.

Spiciness: Add a pinch of cayenne pepper or chipotle powder to the taco seasoning blend if you prefer noticeable heat.

Make-ahead and storage: Refrigerate leftover tofu crumbles promptly in a shallow, airtight container at 4°C (40°F) or below and use within 3 to 4 days, or freeze. Reheat in a skillet until hot throughout, reaching 74°C (165°F), then continue briefly if needed to crisp the edges. The time depends on the amount and its starting temperature.

Read the scaling guide. Times, temperatures and equipment need their own consideration. Open the recipe tool to review and correct individual amounts.

Recipe details

Course or meal
DinnerLunchMain course
Cuisine
Mexican
Browse category
Main Dishes
More details
grated tofu tacosbaked tofu