Tofu Ground Beef (Vegan Tofu Crumbles)
This tofu ground beef is easy to make, perfectly seasoned, and cooks up with a texture similar to ground beef. Add it to pasta sauces or use it as a ground beef substitute in your favorite recipe.
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients
- 1 14-ounce block of extra-firm tofu
- 2 Tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 1 Tablespoon + 1 teaspoon soy sauce or tamari
- 1 Tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon chili powder blend
- 1 teaspoon ground paprika
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ⅓ teaspoon agave nectar or maple syrup
- ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
Instructions
Prep the tofu and spice mix
- Press the tofu: Start by pressing the block of tofu to remove the excess water. You can use a tofu press or wrap it in a clean kitchen towel, or a few paper towels, and place a slightly heavy object, such as a heavy chopping board or plate, on top. Set aside to drain for 10-15 minutes.
- Mix the seasonings: In the meantime make the seasoning mix. In a small bowl, mix all of the ingredients together (except the tofu) until well combined. It should create a paste. Set aside.
- Crumble the tofu: In a large bowl, use your hands (or a potato masher) to break up and crumble the tofu into small pieces.
- Mix the tofu and seasoning paste: Then, add the seasoning paste to the bowl of crumbled tofu. Use a spatula or a large spoon to mix them together until the tofu is evenly covered in the seasonings. It may seem like not enough seasonings, but keep mixing. Eventually, the tofu will have an even coating.Now it’s time to cook the tofu. It can be baked in the oven or pan-fried on the stovetop. Baking will produce the best crispy texture.
Baking Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350ºF and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Transfer the seasoned crumbled tofu to the baking sheet.
- Bake at 350ºF for 20-30 minutes or until the texture is to your liking. At the 10-minute mark, stir the crumble around the pan to evenly cook. Then, check back every 5 minutes or so to see if the top is browning. If so, give it another stir.
Stovetop Instructions
- Place the seasoned tofu in a large skillet or nonstick pan. Add a few extra teaspoons of olive oil (or neutral cooking oil of choice) to the pan.
- Cook over medium-high heat stirring frequently for about 15-25 minutes, or until the tofu is brown and the texture is to your liking.
- Use it in vegan: tacos, burritos, nachos, skillet meals, spaghetti, lasagna, bolognese, shepherd's pie, stir fry, chili, wraps, or as a pizza topping.Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 4-5 days.
Notes
For the best texture bake the tofu: The baked tofu cooks up crispier than the pan-fried version. The oven dries the tofu out which the pan can not do as well. So, if you want the best meaty texture I suggest using the baking instructions.
For a sausage flavor: Add ½ teaspoon smoked paprika and ⅛-1/4 teaspoon ground fennel seed to the seasoning mix.
To use it in Mexican dishes: Add ½ teaspoon cumin, ¼ teaspoon cinnamon powder, and a squeeze of fresh lime juice. For extra heat add red pepper flakes, cayenne pepper, or chipotle powder to taste.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 29kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 326mg | Sugar: 1g