Crispy Tofu Tacos

By Alexa Weibel

Updated Jan. 26, 2026

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(3,131)
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
  • 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
3,131 user ratings
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Comments

Idoknowbeans

Tried this for the 2nd time this week (yes, it IS that good!) only I drained it even more and used convection heat instead of regular oven. DON'T do either! It was actually*too*crispy! A little more moisture in some pieces, d/t the uneveness of bake for different-sized tofu bits, is one of the things our family liked. I also simplified further by mixing the tom paste & oil in a large bowl, then added added the roasted tofu to bowl, for even coverage, before returning to the oven. Much easier, since the tomato goop doesn't really "drizzle."

Jimmy G

Oh la la! So easy and so delicious. Thank you for giving me a go-to midweek meal to make. Followed directions except: I tossed the tofu in a bowl with initial ingredients. The tofu came out so crispy. Even my meat eating husband said it was superb. Plan to make this ahead and re-crisp in the oven as needed.

Kyra

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

Mary from S. Chester County PA

This was sooooo good! I added minced garlic to the avocado spread! Yum Also, I had corn already cooked and cut off the cob. Nice addition.

Claire B.

I am avocado intolerant...any substitute suggestions? Thanks!

Kyle M.

@Claire B. I am also avocado intolerant. I make the avocado cream for my wife and daughter and a lime crema (1/3 cup sour cream + 3 tbsp mayo + zest and juice of lime + tsp of salt) to add instead of the avocado.

h

@Claire B. I do not share your problem, but always love a challenge, so I went down a rabbit hole, there are numerous online suggestions, but the one that stood out for me was an edamame spread. (Purée edamame with a bit of oil or I suppose one could use mayo, etc.), it will give you the lovely green color and extra protein! Hope that is helpful.

Francesca

What do you do with the other half of the spices? I read through all the comments and I dont think anyone has asked that. Does it go in the tomato paste of the avocado sauce?

Sajani

@Francesca it’s half on each pan.

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