These simple, smoky plant-based tacos combine crumbled tofu and black beans with Mexican spices and salsa. The oil-free vegan recipe uses the broiler to add extra flavor. This is the perfect recipe for a weeknight family meal!
Enjoy these tacos with: Easy, Fresh, Oil-Free Black Bean Corn Fiesta Salad, Stewed Black Beans, 5 Minute Guacamole – Essential Vegan Recipe, 5 Minute Pico de Gallo, or Guaca-Jica: Quick Corn, Bean, Jicama, and Avocado Salad.
Get Double Protein: Smoky Tofu and Black Bean Plant-Based Tacos
One nutrition tip I’ve adopted regarding plant-based protein is to double it up. This means including two sources of vegan protein in my meal. For these tacos, firm tofu and black beans work together to make the ultimate protein combo. Plus, the crumbly texture of the tofu plays well with the small bites of the beans for a satisfying and hearty taco filling. These protein tacos pack a whopping 19 grams of protein per serving! That’s almost 40% of your daily value.
Cooking with Cast-Iron
One trick to creating delicious flavor is for these healthy Smoky Tofu Black Bean plant-based tacos is using a cast-iron pan. I love my cast-iron pan for two reasons. First, I can pre-heat over high heat. Unlike non-stick pans that can release toxic chemicals over high heat, cast-iron safely creates a great sear and char. This helps add deeper flavor to the tofu. Plus, it helps release moisture from the tofu, intensifying the warmth of the spices and improving the texture.
Secondly, cast-iron is a great pan for using under the boiler. A regular non-stick, glass, or steel pan can shatter or warp under the hot flame of the broiler. However, the cast iron can withstand the heat and helps impart extra smoky flavor.
Thirdly, cast-iron inherently has a small amount of iron. While iron is often a concern for those on a vegan diet, cooking with cast-iron helps release a small amount of iron in your food.
How to Add Healthy Mexican Flavor to Vegan Recipes…Without Oil, Fat, and Sugar
One of the reasons I love tofu is that it is a neutral base for adding other flavors. In this plant-based tacos recipe, Mexican flavors are added with chili powder, cumin, garlic, onion, and chipotle flake. By using dried spices, you can impart natural, healthy flavor without loading up on empty calories from oil, cream, or refined sugars.
Another way to add Mexican flavor is to use salsa. A cup of store-bought jarred salsa goes a long way to impart flavor in the tofu for this vegan recipe. If you’re feeling adventurous (or want to avoid sodium), you can even make your own roasted tomato salsa in a blender.
These two key tips will help you add Mexican flavor without adding empty calories. You can add spices to potatoes, quinoa, brown rice, simmered beans, grilled corn, and sauteed mushrooms, peppers, and onions. Use salsa to impart flavor over roasted sweet potatoes, cooked whole grains, grilled Portobellos, or baked tostadas.
Make it a Fiesta: Taco Night Party!
These Smoky Tofu Black Bean Plant-Based Protein Tacos are only the beginning! A Taco Night party is one of my favorite ways to showcase a wide variety of healthy vegan dishes. Create a variety of tacos with Vegan Green Chili Potato Tacos , Easy Vegan Lentil Tacos, and Charred Mushroom Poblano Tacos. Enjoy with Easy Gluten-Free, Vegan Black Bean Cakes, Spicy-Sweet Raw Pineapple Salsa, and Oaxacan Baked Tostadas with Tomatillo Serrano Guacamole. Or take it over the top with hearty Salsa Verdes Black Bean Enchilada Mexican Casserole and Torta Pastor – Mexican Shepherds Pie.
Finish with a spicy good dessert like Spicy Mexican Chocolate Sauce with Pineapple or Spiced Up! Mexican Date and Black Bean Vegan Brownies
For more Mexican Cooking Tips, check out:
Mexican Cooking 101: Chef’s Guide for Delicious, Plant-Based Authentic Flavor
You’ll Love these Smoky Tofu Black Bean Plant-Based Protein Tacos
How can a recipe that is so easy be so full of flavor? You’ll love this recipe for so many reasons:
- Easy to make
- Satisfying
- Budget-Friendly
- Kid-Friendly
- Great Weeknight Dinner
- Freezer-Friendly
Chef Katie’s Oil-Free Plant-Based Cooking Tips:
Ground Cumin: Ground cumin adds smoky flavor to your plant-based recipes. It is used often in Mexican, Indian, and Middle Eastern cuisine. In fact, it is the second-most-popular spice in the world…second only to black pepper.
Use Cast-Iron: An oven-safe, cast-iron pan makes the best cooking vessel for this tofu taco filling. Preheat the pan on the stove and you won’t need any oil. Then, the pan holds up well under the flame of the broiler.
Other Beans: One of the benefits of this recipe is you can use a variety of beans in place of the black beans. Check your pantry. You can use canned red kidney beans, pinto beans, navy beans, or even black-eyed peas.
Tortilla Warmer: You can warm the tortillas in the oven and on the stovetop. However, if you enjoy tacos often, you should consider a microwave tortilla warmer. It makes it quick and easy to warm a bunch of tortillas at once.
Oil-Free: I’m on a mission to get rid of empty calories. The filling for these potato tacos are cooked without oil. You simply don’t need. Be sure to also use oil-free tortillas.Â
Smoky Tofu Black Bean Plant-Based Protein Tacos
Print Recipe
Smoky Tofu Black Bean Plant-Based Protein Tacos
Ingredients
- 1 16-ounce package extra firm tofu
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon dried chipotle flake
- 1 14-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 cup prepared salsa mild or medium, to your taste
- 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 1/4 teaspoon salt optional
- 12 small corn or whole grain tortillas, extra salsa, guacamole, sliced radish, etc For Serving
Instructions
- Preheat a medium 8-inch cast-iron pan over medium heat. Turn your broiler on to “Hi”.
- Drain the tofu and place in a medium bowl. Use your hands to crumble the tofu.
- Once your pan is preheated, add the tofu mixture. Cook over medium heat, stirring every few minutes, until most of the moisture is gone. The bottom of the pan should be dry.
- Add the spices (the cumin, chili powder, garlic, onion, and chipotle flake). Cook for 30-60 seconds, until aromatic.
- Add the canned beans, salsa, and nutritional yeast. Stir well to combine. Cook until hot, 1-2 minutes.
- Place the whole pan under the broiler, on the top rack, about 2 inches from the flame. Broil for 2-3 minutes, remove from the oven, stir, and broil another 2-3 minutes. Repeat this a few times, until the mixture is slightly charred all over and smoky. It usually takes me 4 times under the broiler to achieve this.
- Meanwhile, if you’re enjoying with tortillas, you can wrap them in foil and place them on a lower rack of your oven, to heat while the tofu broils.
- When ready to serve, enjoy the tofu black bean taco mixture with warm tortillas, extra salsa, guacamole, radishes, or whatever other toppings you enjoy.
Nutrition Facts
4 servings per recipe
Amount per serving, not including tortillas or optional toppings
| Nutrition Facts | |
|---|---|
| Servings 4.0 | |
| Amount Per Serving | |
| calories 236 | |
| % Daily Value * | |
| Total Fat 6 g | 10 % |
| Saturated Fat 1 g | 4 % |
| Monounsaturated Fat 1 g | |
| Polyunsaturated Fat 4 g | |
| Trans Fat 0 g | |
| Cholesterol 0 mg | 0 % |
| Sodium 1002 mg | 42 % |
| Potassium 846 mg | 24 % |
| Total Carbohydrate 26 g | 9 % |
| Dietary Fiber 10 g | 41 % |
| Sugars 3 g | |
| Protein 19 g | 38 % |
| Vitamin A | 27 % |
| Vitamin C | 7 % |
| Calcium | 26 % |
| Iron | 25 % |
| * The Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet, so your values may change depending on your calorie needs. The values here may not be 100% accurate because the recipes have not been professionally evaluated nor have they been evaluated by the U.S. FDA. | |
Shopping and Gear List
- Lodge 9 Inch Cast Iron Pre-Seasoned Skillet
- The Spice Way Ground Cumin
- Dexas Microwavable Tortilla Warmer, Granite Pattern – 503-55
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