Easy Tofu Ground Beef Crumbles
This Tofu Ground Beef is amazingly affordable, easy to make and delicious. It's versatile and can be used just like ground beef: in tacos, pasta, casseroles, burritos and much more. The tofu is seasoned to perfection, then baked until it gets the perfect, meaty texture.
Servings: 4
Calories: 97kcal
Ingredients
- 16 ounces extra-firm tofu
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon steak sauce
- 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 2 tablespoons water
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, add together all of the marinade ingredients and stir well until mixed.3 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 tablespoon tomato paste, 1 tablespoon steak sauce, 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast, ½ teaspoon ground cumin, ½ teaspoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, 2 tablespoons water
- Take your block of tofu over the sink and squeeze out excess moisture. Crumble it up into the bowl with the marinade. Stir it well with a spoon or your hands, until every piece is coated well.16 ounces extra-firm tofu
- Add a little oil to a baking sheet, or cover with parchment paper. Spread the tofu crumbles in a single layer onto the baking sheet. Drizzle with a little more oil on top.
- Bake at 400 degrees for 25-30 minutes, or until the tofu looks a little crispy on the outer edges, chewy and golden brown.
- Heat up a skillet on medium heat with a tiny bit of oil. Add the baked tofu crumbles and one cup of water. Stir and cook until the liquid has cooked off and absorbed.
Notes
Use this any way you would ground beef or a meat alternative. I love to use it in tofu tacos, wraps, pasta sauce and sloppy Joe's.
The texture of the tofu depends on the cooking time. The longer you bake it, the chewier and crunchier it will be. The less you bake it, the softer it will be. Bake it according to the texture that you like.
The reason we bake and dehydrate the tofu and then rehydrate it on the stove is because baking it really seals in and compounds the flavors into the tofu.
It also creates a nice chewy texture. But when you bake tofu, it makes it dry and loses much moisture. Sautéing it and rehydrating it on the stove, gives it a better, chewy texture, while adding back in some moisture.
Storing
Fridge - Store in an airtight container for five days. This recipe is great to meal prep ahead of time.
Freezer - This vegan ground beef recipe freezes well. Just thaw it out in the fridge and then heat up in a skillet on the stove.
Nutrition
Calories: 97kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 0.4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Sodium: 921mg | Potassium: 358mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 322IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 45mg | Iron: 2mg