Crispy Tofu Tacos

By Alexa Weibel

Updated January 26, 2026

  • Armando Rafael for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Brett Regot.
Media 1 of 1
Total Time
1¼ hours
Prep Time
15 minutes
Cook Time
1 hour
Rating
5(3,252)
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

  • ¼ cup plus 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided

  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce

  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin

  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika

  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder

  • ½ teaspoon onion powder

  • ¼ to ½ teaspoon ground cayenne (the lower end is mild; the higher end tingly but not spicy)

  • Salt and black pepper

  • ¼ cup tomato paste

  • 2 ripe avocados

  • 2 tablespoons mayonnaise (vegan, if desired)

  • ½ teaspoon finely grated lime zest and 3 tablespoons juice

  • 8 flour or 10 corn tortillas, warmed

  • Minced red onion, thinly sliced radishes and chopped cilantro, for serving

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving

19 grams carbs; 1 milligram cholesterol; 384 calories; 15 grams monosaturated fat; 8 grams polyunsaturated fat; 4 grams saturated fat; 29 grams fat; 7 grams fiber; 443 milligrams sodium; 19 grams protein; 2 grams sugar

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
3,252 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!

Julia

An incredible meal! When I said I was making tofu for dinner for the first time, my husband looked a little grossed out. Now he requests these almost weekly! the spice blend is perfect and the caramelization of the olive oil and tomato paste gives the tofu so much flavor.

Anit

What can I sub for avocado cream..I don’t eat mayo

Julia M

Regular guacamole would work fine. Or just layer on slices of avocado.

Josie

Delicious! I followed other reviewers’ recommendations and mixed the tofu with spices and olive oil in a bowl. After the first bake, I put it back in the bowl to toss with tomato paste and olive oil. I quick pickled the onion and radishes first, made the rest of the dinner, and they were perfect by the time everything was done! Served with grilled portobellos and peppers.

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