Tofu Ground Beef

Cooked ground beef tofu on a baking sheet set on a blue background.

4.87 from 15 votes

Vegetarian tofu ground beef with an authentic texture. Use in your favorite pasta sauce recipe, vegetarian chili or to create delicious taco dishes and so much more.

Course Dinner, Lunch, Main Course

Cuisine Vegan, Vegetarian

Keyword ground beef substitute, tofu

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Total Time 1 hour

Servings people

Calories 144kcal

Author Lyn Croyle

Ingredients

14 ounce package extra-firm tofu
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon mild chili powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
2 tablespoon nutritional yeast

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400° F or 200° C .
Open tofu package and drain off water. Allow it to sit in a strainer while you make the marinade
Mix all other ingredients together in bowl to create a paste.
Once tofu has drained, crumble it up into small pieces.
Mix together paste and tofu until all of the tofu is coated.
Coat a baking sheet with non-stick spray or with a light brush of oil.
Evenly spread out tofu on pan and place tofu into a 400° F oven.
Cook tofu for 25-20 minutes. Stirring every 10 minutes or so to move the tofu around on the pan. Watch it closely after 20 minutes as it may cook faster than the allotted time and you don’t want it to burn. Cook it longer for a crispier texture.

Notes

Tips for BEST results:

Choose extra firm tofu for the best texture. Firm tofu does work based on feedback from another user but I haven’t tried it myself. If for some reason you're stuck with firm tofu when making this recipe, just be sure to squeeze it a bit to get some of the excess moisture out. It may also require cooking longer to get to a firmer consistency.

Don’t skimp on the seasoning. Tofu is bland and has no flavor on its own. All the seasonings used in the recipe have a purpose and contribute to the overall flavor.

Bake in the oven for the best texture. It is possible to make this on the stovetop but the results are definitely not the same. See the Reader Question section below for more information about cooking it on the stove.

Nutrition