Air Fryer Tofu Tacos

5 from 1 vote

Apr 14, 2022, Updated Mar 23, 2024

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Lightly spicy, flavorful, and completely vegan, these Air Fryer Tofu Tacos are absolutely delicious! You won’t be disappointed with the flavor or texture of these tacos.

picture of air fryer tofu tacos on a plate

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At Sweet C’s, I add lots of tips in all of my recipes – because I am a home cook without any formal training, and I find I am more confident making dishes when I understand why it works, and what each ingredient means to the flavor of a recipe. My goal is for even the most beginner home cook to feel empowered in the kitchen.

Easy Air Fryer Tofu Tacos

Delicious and filling, these tacos are made with crispy tofu and topped with thinly sliced cabbage, sweet peppers, avocado, and cilantro. They are packed with protein, fiber, and a ton of flavor.

Not sure about tofu? Tofu taco meat is actually the perfect substitute for ground beef when it comes to eating on a vegan diet. In fact, tofu is one of the most versatile ingredients and can take on the flavor of almost any dish. Marinated in Mexican-inspired flavors, you won’t be disappointed.

How To Make Air Fryer Tofu Tacos

Perfect for taco Tuesday, this recipe is quick and easy to make. Here’s what you will need to get started:

Tofu– Make sure to get extra firm tofu. It holds its shape and absorbs the flavors better for this recipe.
Cabbage– Make sure to slice the cabbage thin. You will be making this into a slaw topping.
Apple cider vinegar and Limes– The apple cider and lime juice will be used to turn your cabbage into a flavorful slaw.
Onion– I like to add onions to my toppings, but you can choose any toppings you prefer for your tofu tacos.
Sweet peppers– Sweet peppers complement the spicy Mexican seasonings and add a nice crunch to your taco.
Avocado– I love to top my tacos with chunks of avocado, but this is totally options.
Cilantro– Cilantro makes a great garnish, but you could use parsley as well if you choose.
Marinade Seasonings– For the marinade, you will need cumin, pepper, chili powder, paprika, and soy sauce.
Cornstarch– This is needed to thicken up the marinade creating a thicker sauce so that it isn’t dripping in the air fryer.
Tortilla bowls– You can use regular tortillas, but I like the bowls because they hold everything together nicely.

Once you have all of your ingredients, these air fryer tofu tacos are ready in about an hour.

First, place your tofu on a paper towel between two plates.
Then, gently place something weighted on top of the plate so the water squeezes from the tofu. Let it drain for about 30-minutes.
While the tofu is draining, combine the sliced cabbage, apple cider vinegar, salt, pepper, and juice from 1 lime into a bowl. Toss to coat the cabbage and set aside.
Next, dice your tofu into ½ inch cubes and add them to a mixing bowl. Pour the soy sauce and juice from the other lime over the tofu. Toss to coat.
Then, add the cumin, salt, pepper, paprika, and chili powder to the tofu. Stir until the seasonings are evenly distributed.
Let tofu marinate in this mixture for 15 minutes, then drain any excess liquid from the bowl.
Preheat your air fryer to 370? for 5-minutes.
Add the cornstarch to the tofu bowl. Toss the tofu to fully coat it with the cornstarch.
Spray the air fryer basket with nonstick cooking spray. Then, arrange the tofu in the air fryer basket in a single layer.
Cook the tofu for 13-minutes, stopping halfway through to shake the basket.
Finally, remove the tofu from the air fryer and set it aside in a bowl.
Set your air fryer to 380? and preheat for 5 minutes. Then, place your tortilla bowls into the air fryer and toast them for 2-minutes.
Dice the onion, chop the cilantro, and slice the avocados and sweet peppers into individual serving bowls for toppings.
Remove the toasted tortilla bowls from the air fryer and put them on a serving platter.
Add a layer of tofu to the bowl, top with slaw, avocados, onions, sweet peppers, and garnish with cilantro.
Enjoy!

picture of air fried tofu taco on a table topped with avocado peppers and cabbage

Tips and Tricks to Perfect Tofu Tacos

Make a taco station. Have the cooked tofu, toppings, and taco bowls set out for everyone to make their own taco just the way they like.
Don’t skip pressing the water out of the tofu. This is required in order to be used in most recipes because it improves the texture of the tofu especially when being “fried.”
If you can wait, press the tofu for up to an hour as this will make it even better.

FAQs

What temperature should I cook tofu in the air fryer?

For this recipe, we cooked the tofu at 370?. However, if you want the tofu slightly crispier on the outside, you could cook it at 400? for 9-12 minutes.

How long does this recipe take to make?

The longest part of this recipe is the prep work. You’ll spend about 45-minutes making the slaw, marinating the tofu, and cutting up your toppings. The cook time is much quicker and will only take about 15-minutes. Altogether, you should have a delicious Taco Tuesday meal on the table in about an hour.

How many tacos does this recipe make?

If you are using tortilla bowls, you will be able to make about 6-taco bowls using the ingredients. However, you can easily double the recipe. Just make sure you cook the tofu in a single layer.

How do I store leftover tofu tacos?

Only assemble the tacos you will eat. This is because you will want to store the tofu, veggies, and toppings in their own separate containers. Place each taco topping into an airtight container and put it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. When you want a taco, simply warm up the tofu and tortilla bowls in the microwave and assemble your tacos.

What is tofu?

Tofu is a meat substitute. It is also known as bean curd. Bean curd is prepared by coagulating soy milk and pressing the curds into solid white blocks that have different softness. They can come in silken, soft, firm, extra firm, or super firm. For this recipe, you want to use extra firm tofu to get the right texture for taco meat.

What To Serve With Tofu Tacos

Tofu tacos can be served with anything you would serve regular tacos with. I like to serve them with Keto Tortilla Chips and Avocado Tomatillo Salsa for a quick and easy side. These tacos are also delicious with Mexican Risotto, Sriracha Cheese Grilled Corn, or Spicy Garlicky Beans.

More delicious vegan recipes:

Air Fryer Tofu Tacos Recipe

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