{"id":31965,"date":"2019-10-29T05:00:19","date_gmt":"2019-10-29T11:00:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.blissfulbasil.com\/?p=31965"},"modified":"2020-08-10T12:04:40","modified_gmt":"2020-08-10T18:04:40","slug":"vegan-crispy-tofu-tacos-with-cilantro-jalapeno-ranch","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.blissfulbasil.com\/vegan-crispy-tofu-tacos-with-cilantro-jalapeno-ranch\/","title":{"rendered":"Vegan Crispy Tofu Tacos with Cilantro-Jalape\u00f1o Ranch"},"content":{"rendered":"

These vegan crispy tofu tacos with cilantro-jalape\u00f1o ranch are bound to become a staple in your home. Even the most tofu-averse will open their hearts and\u00a0tummies to this satisfying meal. Tofu cubes are battered and breaded in a seasoned panko breadcrumb mixture, baked\u00a0to crispy perfection, and nestled into warm tortillas with cabbage, cilantro, and generous drizzles of zesty cilantro-jalape\u00f1o ranch.<\/i><\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Crispy<\/p>\n

I never thought I'd reach \"love\" status in my relationship with tofu. And yet I have.<\/p>\n

Don't worry, it's not because I've been vegan so long I've forgotten what good food tastes like. \ud83d\ude02<\/p>\n

It's because after many years of trial-and-error, I've zeroed in on the methods and seasonings that transform tofu from bland and boring to crave-worthy delicious.<\/p>\n

One of my favorite methods is dry pan-frying thinly sliced pieces of pressed tofu like this<\/a> and this<\/a>.<\/p>\n

It's a simple technique, and it's game-changing when it comes to giving tofu a desirable texture.<\/p>\n

I even used it to create a vegan version of halloumi cheese<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Of course, scrambling is a reliable tofu cooking technique, too. So long as it's properly seasoned like in this recipe here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

But beyond pan frying and scrambling, are there other trusty tofu cooking techniques?<\/p>\n

As this recipe proves, yes, there are.<\/p>\n

I've been consistently disappointed by baked tofu recipes in the past, but the batter-bread-and-bake approach used here is life-changing.<\/p>\n

Cubes of tofu are baked to such crispy perfection you'd think they were deep-fried. Seriously.<\/p>\n

Crispy, crunchy, flavor-packed tofu heaven. (\u2190 Now that's a sentence I never thought I'd utter... or type.)<\/p>\n

\"Crispy<\/p>\n

You're probably wondering how in the world little cubes of blandness are transformed into crispy bites of wonder.<\/p>\n

First off, Bianca Zapatka deserves a major shout-out here. It was her recipe<\/a> for crispy baked tofu nuggets that inspired me to use a panko-based breading instead of my usual oat-based breading<\/a>.<\/p>\n

And so I swapped out ground rolled oats in favor of panko breadcrumbs in hopes of creating crispy, oven-baked tofu that would be reminiscent of something deep-fried.<\/p>\n

To prepare this crispy vegan tofu, you'll start by dicing a block of super firm tofu into \u00bd- to \u00be-inch cubes.<\/p>\n

\"Cubed<\/p>\n

Then, prepare the batter by whisking together plant-based milk, spelt flour (or brown rice flour for gluten-free), and lime juice.<\/p>\n

Next, make the seasoned breading mixture by stirring together panko breadcrumbs (see recipe notes for gluten-free options) with chili powder, salt, smoked paprika, cumin, garlic powder, cayenne, and a bit of neutral oil.<\/p>\n

It might seem odd to incorporate oil at this point, but it helps crisp the breading during baking and<\/em>\u00a0evenly disperses the seasoning. Win-win.<\/p>\n

Once the tofu, batter, and breading are prepared, setup an assembly line.<\/p>\n

Drop a handful of tofu cubes into the batter, toss to coat, shake off excess batter, and transfer to the seasoned breadcrumbs.<\/p>\n

Toss to tofu cubes in the breadcrumbs, ensuring they're evenly coated on all sides, and transfer to a greased baking pan.<\/p>\n

\"Panko<\/p>\n

Repeat until all of the tofu cubes are coated.<\/p>\n

FYI, it's likely that you'll have quite a bit of leftover seasoned panko after coating the tofu, but trust me, it's better to have extra than not enough.<\/p>\n

For extra crispy panko tofu, lightly spray the coated cubes with oil before baking. I use a non-aerosol cooking spray to do this. I really recommend following this step, but you can skip it in a pinch.<\/p>\n

Bake the panko tofu for 35 to 40 minutes, tossing a few times throughout baking, or until crisp and golden brown.<\/p>\n

\"Panko<\/p>\n

Prepare the other taco elements while the tofu bakes.<\/p>\n

To make the cilantro-jalape\u00f1o ranch, you'll add the following to a food processor and blend until smooth:<\/p>\n

Plain dairy-free yogurt.
\nOlive oil.
\nSeeded and cored jalape\u00f1o pepper.
\nCilantro.
\nScallion.
\nGarlic.
\nLime juice.
\nApple cider vinegar.
\nOnion powder.
\nSea salt.<\/p>\n

\"Vegan
\n\"Vegan<\/p>\n

Next, prepare the toppings and garnishes\u2014cilantro, shredded cabbage, and lime wedges for spritzing.<\/p>\n

Warm a stack of corn tortillas just before assembling.<\/p>\n

Once everything is ready, assemble the tacos. Fill each warm tortilla with about five cubes of crispy tofu. Top with cabbage and cilantro, and generously drizzle with cilantro-jalape\u00f1o ranch.<\/p>\n

\"Crispy<\/p>\n

Spritz the finished tacos with lime juice to add a pop of citrusy brightness.<\/p>\n

Then, serve and enjoy.<\/p>\n

\"Crispy<\/p>\n

If you make these vegan crispy tofu tacos with cilantro-jalape\u00f1o ranch, let me know! Leave a comment, rate the recipe, and don\u2019t forget to tag a photo #blissfulbasil<\/a> on Instagram.<\/p>\n

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\ud83d\udcd6 Recipe<\/h2>
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5<\/span> from 3<\/span> votes<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Vegan Crispy Tofu Tacos with Cilantro-Jalape\u00f1o Ranch<\/h2>\n
<\/div>\n
These vegan crispy tofu tacos with cilantro-jalape\u00f1o ranch are bound to become a staple in your home. Even the most tofu-averse will open their hearts and\u00a0tummies to this satisfying meal. Tofu cubes are battered and breaded in a seasoned panko breadcrumb mixture, baked\u00a0to crispy perfection, and nestled into warm tortillas with cabbage, cilantro, and generous drizzles of zesty cilantro-jalape\u00f1o ranch.<\/span><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n\n
<\/div>\n
<\/g><\/svg><\/span> Prep Time <\/span>20 minutes<\/span><\/span> minutes<\/span><\/span><\/div>
<\/g><\/svg><\/span> Cook Time <\/span>40 minutes<\/span><\/span> minutes<\/span><\/span><\/div>
<\/g><\/svg><\/span> Total Time <\/span>1 hour<\/span><\/span> hour<\/span><\/span><\/div><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
<\/g><\/svg><\/span> Servings <\/span>12<\/span> \u201316 tacos<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n\n
<\/g><\/svg><\/span> Author <\/span>Ashley<\/span><\/div>\n\n\n

Ingredients<\/h3>

Crispy Seasoned Baked Tofu<\/h4>