Try this delicious beefy tofu taco meat in a variety of dishes. It is great in tacos or wraps, of course, but also in salads, pasta sauces, chili or any other dish requiring ground meat.

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Tofu is a versatile ingredient that is often misunderstood. Before I started learning how to effectively cook tofu, I thought tofu was gross. Many people believe that tofu doesn’t taste good, and I have learned that this is because they just haven’t tried tofu that is prepared in a way they like.

Because tofu takes on the flavour of the seasonings in a particular dish, it can taste very different depending on how it is seasoned and prepared. The cooking method also makes a difference. Baked or fried tofu can be crispy, while tofu cooked with moisture is usually soft. Tofu can be prepared in many ways: mashed, blended, roasted, fried, eaten raw…and there are many more options. In addition, there are a variety of kinds of tofu with varying consistencies and textures.

I frequently use tofu in my cooking, but even now, if there is no risk of allergies among my guests, I often do not mention that a dish contains tofu. Sometimes when people who do not customarily eat tofu hear that a dish contains tofu, they think they won’t like it. No one needs to know that the sauce in my vegan stroganoff meatballs is made with tofu! They just taste a creamy stroganoff sauce.

Preparing Tofu Taco Meat

You can prepare tofu taco meat in a frying pan (method described in the recipe below). Or bake it in the oven for a more hands-off preparation process. Tofu taco meat cooks quickly and requires few ingredients. The ingredients are extra firm tofu with taco seasoning and a bit of soy sauce. You could even use a pre-made taco seasoning mix if you prefer.

Taco seasoning mix:

1 tbsp nutritional yeast
2 tsp onion flakes
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1/4 tsp chipotle pepper
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1/4 tsp parsley
1/4 tsp oregano
1/8 tsp basil
1/2 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp salt

To prepare in a frying pan, press the tofu to remove moisture and then crumble it with your hands. The tofu pieces should be fairly small (the size of ground mince). Fry or bake in the oven until the edges are crispy and the inside of each piece is soft. Avoid over cooking, which would make the taco meat too crunchy.

Just before cooking or baking finishes (after about 10 minutes if cooking in a frying pan, or after about 20 minutes of baking), add 2 tbsp of soy sauce, stir thoroughly, then sprinkle with taco seasoning, stir thoroughly, and cook for 1 – 2 minutes more. The beefy tofu taco meat is ready to serve when all liquid is absorbed and the pieces are slightly crunchy on the outside with a soft centre.

This vegan taco meat is great in a variety of dishes: try adding it to pasta sauce or chili! It is also good in a taco salad. To make an easy taco salad, use lettuce, tomato, avocado, and onions topped with vegan taco meat, lime juice, and cilantro.

Vegan tacos with beefy tofu taco meat

Fill a wrap or taco shell with the following ingredients to make a quick and delicious taco.

• Vegan taco meat
• Lettuce
• Diced tomato
• Minced onion
• Diced avocado
• Minced cilantro
• Lime juice
• Hot sauce or salsa

I like to mix the tomato, onion, avocado, and cilantro with a few drops of lime juice and then add this guacamole mixture to each taco. I assemble the tacos as follows: taco meat, lettuce, guacamole, hot sauce.