Crispy Tofu Tacos

By Alexa Weibel

Published May 29, 2025

Crispy Tofu Tacos
Armando Rafael for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Brett Regot.
Total Time
1¼ hours
Prep Time
15 minutes
Cook Time
1 hour
Rating
5(702)
Comments
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There are plenty of crispy tofu recipes, but few truly deliver on the promise, since tofu has a tendency to steam because of its high moisture content. But time can do the trick in the oven, creating brittle edges and a chewy texture with little effort. Squeeze out as much excess liquid as you can from your block of tofu, grate it coarsely, season it fearlessly, then roast it until sizzling. The key step is to drizzle the tofu with a combination of olive oil and tomato paste toward the end of cooking, which crisps the edges and lends a deep umami flavor, so much so that this tofu could almost be mistaken for seasoned ground beef. A swipe of avocado mayo, loosened with lime juice and electrified with zest, adds richness and tang, and quite literally holds the tacos together. Choose your mayonnaise and tortillas wisely and the whole dish is vegan.

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Ingredients

Yield:8 to 10 tacos
  • 2(14- to 16-ounce) blocks firm tofu
  • ¼cup plus 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
  • 2tablespoons soy sauce, divided
  • 2teaspoons ground cumin
  • 1teaspoon smoked paprika
  • ½teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½teaspoon onion powder
  • ¼ to ½teaspoon ground cayenne (the lower end is mild; the higher end tingly but not spicy)
  • Salt and black pepper
  • ¼cup tomato paste
  • 2ripe avocados
  • 2tablespoons mayonnaise (vegan, if desired)
  • ½teaspoon finely grated lime zest and 3 tablespoons juice
  • 8flour or 10 corn tortillas, warmed
  • Minced red onion, thinly sliced radishes and chopped cilantro, for serving
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (9 servings)

384 calories; 29 grams fat; 4 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 15 grams monounsaturated fat; 8 grams polyunsaturated fat; 19 grams carbohydrates; 7 grams dietary fiber; 2 grams sugars; 19 grams protein; 443 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Heat the oven to 400 degrees.

  2. Step 2

    Prepare your tofu: Drain it, squeezing out any excess moisture over the sink (your tofu may break into chunks). Coarsely grate the drained tofu onto two large (11-by-17-inch), foil-lined sheet pans. (The tofu will crumble chaotically, and that is fine!) Drizzle the tofu in each pan with 2 tablespoons olive oil and 1 tablespoon soy sauce. In a small bowl, mix the cumin, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne, 1 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon pepper; sprinkle half the seasonings over each pan and toss to coat. Spread the mixture in an even layer.

  3. Step 3

    Roast the tofu, stirring halfway through and rotating the pans, until the tofu sizzles, darkens and crisps, 30 to 35 minutes.

  4. Step 4

    In a small bowl, mix together the tomato paste with the remaining 3 tablespoons oil. Drizzle the mixture over the tofu, adding half to each pan, then toss to combine, spread into an even layer and roast again until the tofu audibly crackles and develops a slight crunch, 10 to 15 minutes.

  5. Step 5

    While the tofu roasts, prepare the avocado cream: In a small food processor (or blender), blend the avocados, mayo, lime zest and juice until creamy; season generously with salt.

  6. Step 6

    Swipe the warmed tortillas with the avocado cream, then top with tofu mixture, red onion, radishes and cilantro. Serve immediately.

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Ratings

5 out of 5
702 user ratings
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Comments

Rebecca

This is a delicious recipe. I was able to halve it easily. I didn’t have tomato paste so I subbed ketchup. I love crispy corn tacos and my husband loves flour tortillas, so I was able to use both! I added shredded lettuce, just because. Enjoy.

Mike

Try Almost From Scratch Tortillas by Mark Bittman on this site. Always good when I’ve made them

Kyra

I quick pickled the onion and radishes and you should too!

tacolover

if you live a similar life to me and find yourself with gochujang but no tomato paste in your fridge, give it a try - really delicious!

FY

Used flour taco shell like pizza dough. Layered the tofu mix on top of grated cheese and baked to crispy delish for 4-5 minutes at 400. You could also make a lahmajun: after pulling the taco pizza out of the oven, sprinkle on top some antep/aleppo pepper, few slices of red onion, a sprinkle of sumac and a dollop of avocado mayo. Roll it up like a wrap. Devour. Yummm!

Josh

After 22 years of marriage, this recipe has renewed my wife’s love for me. It is now in regular rotation. I simplify the preparation, however, by mixing in a bowl instead of on the sheet pans. The partially cooked mixture is easy to remove from the pans when it is time to add the tomato paste.

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