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These tofu street tacos start with crispy spiced tofu, top it with quick pickled radishes and onions, and wrap it all up in a warm corn tortilla. It’s like your favorite food truck tacos made right in your kitchen!
If you’re still on the fence about tofu, these tofu street tacos might just make you a believer. They’re proof that tofu takes on any flavor you add to it—and in this case, that means earthy cumin and spicy chili powder. This Tex-Mex-inspired tofu is pan-fried until it’s crispy on the outside, but still tender on the inside, which makes it pretty much impossible to resist. (If you can’t get enough crispy tofu, you need to try my Pan-Fried Sesame Garlic Tofu too!)
Because tacos are alllll about the toppings, I whipped up a quick pickled onion-and-radish topping for pairing with the tofu. Letting the onions and radishes marinate in fresh lime juice mellows out some of that pungent flavor, while adding a bright note of citrus to complement the spices in these tacos. It gives your tofu street tacos some zing, and we can all use a little more zing in our lives, right?
To make this a restaurant-style meal, go all in and serve these tacos with Mexican Street Corn off the Cob, a Frozen Pineapple Mango Margarita, and Homemade Mexican Churros for dessert.
What You’ll Need
The shopping list for this recipe is a short one, especially if you have the seasonings on hand already!
For the tofu tacos:
- Extra-firm tofu – Make sure you buy the refrigerated kind, not the shelf-stable silken variety.
- Avocado oil – Another neutral-flavored cooking oil will work, too.
- Chili powder – Or use another hotter chili-type powder, such as ancho or chipotle, for a spicier, smokier tofu taco filling.
- Ground cumin
- Sea salt
- Small corn tortillas – Corn tortillas give you that authentic food truck experience, but if you prefer flour, go for it!
For the onion topping:
- Small white onion – A red onion can be used instead.
- Radishes
- Fresh cilantro – Not a fan of cilantro? Feel free to omit it.
- Sea salt
- Lime juice
More topping ideas:
Sliced jalapeños, diced tomatoes, queso fresco, salsa, crema, toasted pepitas, guacamole, lime wedges for squeezing—whatever you like on your tacos!
How to Make Tofu Street Tacos
Have I mentioned how easy it is to make this recipe?! Seriously easy. Here’s what you’ll need to do:
Make the topping. Combine the onion, radish, cilantro, sea salt, and lime juice in a small bowl and toss to coat. Refrigerate until you’re ready to eat.
Pan-fry the tofu. Heat the oil in a large skillet set over medium heat, then add the tofu in a single layer. Cook without stirring for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the bottoms are lightly browned and crisp. Turn each piece and cook for another 3 to 4 minutes, or until the opposite side is browned and crispy.
Season. Add the spices to the pan with the tofu and stir to combine. Cook for another minute, or until fragrant, and remove from heat.
Assemble. Divide the tofu onto the warmed tortillas, then spoon the onion topping over the tofu and serve.
Tips for Success
Here are some hints and tips for getting the best street tacos at home:
- Press the tofu. If you have the time, I recommend pressing the tofu for 30 minutes before you cook it. This releases all of the liquid so it can soak up more of the flavors you add to it. Follow the instructions in my Spicy Chili Tofu Stir Fry recipe.
- Make sure your skillet is hot. This will help keep the tofu from sticking to the pan.
- Warming the tortillas. To keep the tortillas from drying out, I cover them with a damp paper towel before warming them in the microwave. Start with 30 seconds, check to see if they’re ready, and continue to microwave in 15-second increments until the tortillas are warmed through.
How to Store and Reheat Leftovers
Store the tofu, tortillas, and onion topping separately in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat the tofu and tortillas in the microwave, then assemble the tacos and top them with the onion mixture.
Can This Recipe Be Frozen?
This is not a recipe that’s well-suited to freezing. Freezing the tofu will change its texture and the outside won’t be crispy when it’s reheated. It’s best to enjoy your tofu street tacos fresh!
Tofu Street Tacos
Ingredients
- 1 pound (454 g) pressed super-firm tofu, cubed into ½” cubes
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil
- ½ teaspoon chili powder, or another hotter chili-type powder, such as ancho or chipotle
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 6–8 small corn tortillas, warmed
Onion topping:
- ½ small white onion, chopped
- 2–3 radishes, diced into small cubes
- 1 small handful fresh cilantro, minced
- Pinch of sea salt
- Juice of ½ large lime
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine the onion, radish, cilantro, sea salt, and lime juice. Refrigerate until ready to use.
- Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add in the cubed tofu in a single layer.
- Cook without stirring for 3-4 minutes or until a golden brown crust forms on the bottom of the tofu. Flip each piece and continue cooking for another 3-4 minutes until the other side is golden brown.
- Add in the spices and stir to combine. Cook for an additional minute, remove from the heat.
- Divide the tofu between the warmed tortillas, top with the onion mixture and serve immediately.
