Grilled Tofu Tacos

Updated Oct. 12, 2023

Grilled Tofu Tacos
Kerri Brewer for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.
Total Time
45 minutes
Prep Time
15 minutes
Cook Time
30 minutes
Rating
4(306)
Notes
Read community notes

Inspired by zesty Baja tacos, which typically feature fried fish, these quick vegetarian tacos are filled with tofu that has been marinated in a spicy adobo sauce, then grilled for smoky flavor. All of the typical toppings work perfectly here: Shredded cabbage adds crunchy texture and a creamy, cilantro-spiked crema tames the heat. If you don’t have access to an outdoor grill, the tofu can be cooked indoors on a lightly greased cast-iron skillet for charred flavor that’s enhanced by the adobo sauce.

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Ingredients

Yield:8 tacos
  • 2tablespoons neutral oil, plus more for oiling grates
  • 1tablespoon minced garlic
  • 1teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
  • 1canned chipotle pepper in adobo, minced, plus 1 tablespoon adobo sauce
  • 1pound firm tofu, drained, halved lengthwise and each half cut into 4 equal rectangles
  • Kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal) and pepper
  • cup sour cream (or vegan substitute)
  • ¼cup whole milk (or vegan substitute)
  • ¼cup finely chopped cilantro, plus small sprigs for serving
  • 8warm corn tortillas, for serving
  • Shredded cabbage, pico de gallo, avocado slices and lime wedges, for serving
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (8 servings)

194 calories; 11 grams fat; 2 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 4 grams monounsaturated fat; 4 grams polyunsaturated fat; 14 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams dietary fiber; 1 gram sugars; 12 grams protein; 265 milligrams sodium

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

    In a medium nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium. Add garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, 30 seconds. Add Old Bay, chipotle pepper and the adobo sauce; cook, stirring, 1 minute. Turn off heat and add tofu; season with salt and pepper and toss to evenly coat. Let marinate, turning occasionally, for 15 minutes.

  2. Step 2

    Meanwhile, heat a grill to medium and lightly oil the grates.

  3. Step 3

    In a small bowl, stir to combine sour cream, milk and chopped cilantro.

  4. Step 4

    Arrange tofu on grill and cook, basting with any remaining marinade and turning occasionally, until golden and nicely charred all over, 5 minutes. (Alternatively, heat a lightly greased 12-inch cast-iron skillet over medium; add tofu and cook, basting with any remaining marinade and turning occasionally, until golden all over, 5 minutes.)

  5. Step 5

    Divide tofu among tortillas and drizzle with some of the sour cream mixture. Top each taco with cabbage, pico de gallo, avocado and cilantro sprigs. Serve with lime wedges on the side.

Ratings

4 out of 5
306 user ratings
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Cooking Notes

This was tooooo hot and the sour cream cilantro sauce too soupy. Too messy. Oh wel,, will try another recipe

Not flavorful as written - so much work for so little flavor. It has potential but the "marinade" was more of a paste and none of the flavor got into the tofu itself. The crema needed salt and lime juice instead of milk. We added a green salsa and that saved it, but the bland tofu came through. Next time will freeze, thaw, and crumble the tofu and toss it with the sauce instead of grilling.

Super delicious! I backed off a little bit on the chipotle adobo sauce for hubby’s sake but still very tasty.

Added some extra sour cream, garlic and lime to drizzle- delicious!

The tofu treatment was quite good tho I doubled the old bay and cut the chili out while keeping the adobo tablespoon. My pico de gallo was made with fresh ripe mango instead of tomato. I made it pretty hot so the chipotle in the marinade would have blown the doors off. I used super firm tofu and got it reasonably charred. Browned the tortillas on the same grill. Passed on the cream sauces -- they never add much for me.

Very good recipe overall. Créma does need a higher sour cream ratio, approx 2 parts sour cream:1 part milk is better. If you dry the tofu out well, it will absorb more oil and cook better on the grill without sticking.

For the crema, skip the milk and just add cilantro, lime juice, and salt. It’ll make a nice base for the tortilla to put the cabbage and tofu on. I’ve been making this with fried plantains or tostones on the side. Super good complement for a very tropical vibe.

These were great! We didn't have milk so made the crema using just sour cream and lime juice and it was delicious. We just ended up just cooking the tofu in the pan where it marinated -- still very tasty and avoided the hassle of the grill

Froze and crumbled the Tofu and stirred it into the Adobe pepper garlic sauce. Only use 2/3 of the can and ot was plenty flavorful and spicy/hot. Fried the Tofu blend till lightly brown. Used lime juice to thin the sour cream instead of milk. Cabbage, cheese, salsa, Avocados and a squeeze of lime on top. Flavorful throughout.

Make as a big salad, instead!

very tasty. Cooked on stovetop because no time for grill

Better to crumble the tofu, roast with a little sauce add remainder sauce as topping.

I was a little worried about the chipotle being too hot for a toddler, so I used half of one and less than the called for amount of adobo sauce. The results were pretty tasty and came together quickly, but not very spicy at all, so next time I won't be so conservative.

Delicious! Did not have access to a grill, but just cooked them that much longer in the pan and didn't add the milk to the yogurt, yum. Love a spicy adobo taco, always.

I was skeptical, but what a fantastic recipe. I didn’t have the chiles in adobo on hand, so improvised with a drizzle of evoo and a rub of garlic powder, cayenne, and chili powder on the tofu slices, letting them sit for 30 mins. Made them on the stovetop since it was 110 degrees in Palm Springs, and the end result was excellent. Added halved grape tomatoes to Greek yogurt/pico/spring mix. Might plan for roasted pasillas or poblano peppers in the future. Loved these tacos.

Zingy and refreshing. The Pico de Gallo could use a bit more flavor..the fresh lime juice makes this!

Not flavorful as written - so much work for so little flavor. It has potential but the "marinade" was more of a paste and none of the flavor got into the tofu itself. The crema needed salt and lime juice instead of milk. We added a green salsa and that saved it, but the bland tofu came through. Next time will freeze, thaw, and crumble the tofu and toss it with the sauce instead of grilling.

Totally agree. Sadly. I had high hopes for this recipe. I love chipotles smoky flavor but they just didn't come through. I had to really zhuzh up the crema but was just sad in the end. Even mangos and fresh tomatillos couldn't save this so I unsaved the recipe. :(

Well. I forgot to add the Old Bay to the tofu marinade. That being said, I actually found the tofu to be a bit bland. But the overall product was very good. I made a homemade vegan cashew cilantro cream, which turned out a bit thin. No problem! Just added it to the cabbage I already had marinating with lime & salt to make a creamy slaw. Tortilla, tofu, creamy slaw, pico, sprinkle of Old Bay on top. Very tasty taco!

This was delicious! My husband made a mango salsa to go with it. We did not add milk to the sour cream mixture and skipped the Old Bay. Will definitely make again.

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