Sheet Pan Tofu Taco Meat

Make vegan tacos the easy way this week with our sheet-pan tofu taco meat! It’s a simple protein-packed recipe made with crumbled tofu and a few spices for the perfect flavor. All you need is 10 minutes to get these vegan tofu taco crumbles baking!

In our house, we LOVE vegan tacos. When we were living in Los Angeles, it would be a weekly ritual to go to one of our favorite local taco spots, Cena Vegan. Since living in the Pacific Northwest, the taco options are definitely not the same, so we’ve been opting to make our own. 

Tofu works really well to mimic the texture of chicken, spam, pork, and even scrambled eggs. So when we set out to make an easy ground taco meat, using tofu crumbles quickly came to mind! 

These easy tofu tacos is one of the easiest tofu recipes of all time and perfect for beginners – no pressing, no complicated recipe steps, or excess dishes. It’s also naturally vegan, gluten-free, and ready to feed the whole family in under 1 hour. 

Ingredients You’ll Need 

• Tofu: For this recipe, we recommend using firm tofu. It has the perfect consistency to crumble and is great for absorbing the flavors. If you don’t have firm tofu on hand, a block of extra-firm tofu will work well too. We typically use House Foods or Nasoya.
• Aromatics: The foundation of the flavor in this recipe, onions and garlic add both a burst of aroma and taste to the vegan taco meat. Fresh onion and garlic is preferred, but in a pinch, opt for garlic powder and onion powder (about 1/2 teaspoon each).
• Tomato sauce: Adds additional richness and moisture that keeps the taco meat from drying out. It also helps to thicken the taco meat into a nice and hearty consistency. 
• Tamari: In order to keep this recipe gluten-free, we opted for tamari instead of soy sauce. If you are not gluten-free, you can use regular soy sauce, but we love the full-bodied flavor of tamari. 
• Apple cider vinegar: Adds a nice brightness and acidity that balances the richness in the tomato sauce and savoriness in the spices. This is really the “secret” ingredient that balances everything! 
• Oil: To add a bit of fat, moisture, and flavor to the taco meat, we add a bit of oil (vegetable oil, avocado oil, or olive oil all work well). If you are oil-free, you can leave it out or replace it with 1 tablespoon of vegetable broth.
• Spices: We need just a few simple spices – chili powder, ground cumin, smoked paprika, black pepper, oregano, and nutritional yeast for added cheesy flavor and B vitamins. 

Equipment Needed

• Half Baking Sheet
• Silicone baking mat or oil, for pan
• Medium-Sized Bowl
• Spatula or Large Spoon, for mixing

How to Make Tofu Taco Meat 

1. Crumble the tofu. Open the package of tofu and drain out the excess water (no need to press the tofu). Using your hands, crumble the block of tofu into a medium-sized mixing bowl. 
2. Add seasonings. Into the bowl with the crumbled tofu, add the diced onion, minced garlic, tomato sauce, tamari, apple cider vinegar, oil, nutritional yeast, chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, black pepper and oregano. Toss well to combine.
3. Bake. Transfer the tofu mixture (and all of the liquid) to a large baking sheet lined with a silicone baking mat or a light layer of oil. Spread into an even layer using a spatula, then bake for 40-45 minutes, stirring halfway through, or until golden brown. 
4. Serve. Enjoy this tofu taco meat while warm, as desired!

Favorite Taco Toppings 

Keep it simple and top with diced onion and fresh cilantro, or load it up with additional toppings like:

• Pico de gallo or diced tomatoes
• Guacamole
• Salsa
• Chopped romaine lettuce
• Shredded vegan cheese
• Vegan sour cream 
• Hot sauce 
• Fajitas 
• Lime wedges

Storage Instructions

Leftover tofu taco filling will keep for up to 4 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator. We don’t recommend freezing this taco meat as tofu changes texture once frozen and thawed and it will become watery. 

More Vegan Taco Recipes You May Enjoy:

Gluten Free

Potato Tacos w/ Brussels Sprouts Slaw & Homemade Quinoa Tortillas {easy + gluten-free}

Gluten Free

Lentil & Walnut Taco Meat

Gluten Free

Vegan Carne Asada Tacos (Gluten-Free)

Dinner

One Pot Taco Pasta (7-Ingredients)

Make sure you tag us on Instagram @sweetsimplevegan and @consciouschris and hashtag #sweetsimplevegan if you make this recipe. We love to see your photos! 

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Disclaimer: The nutritional information shown is an estimate provided by an online calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional’s advice. This page may contain affiliate links, which simply means that we earn a commission if you purchase through those links, but your price remains the same. Thank you for supporting Sweet Simple Vegan!