Tofu Ground Beef Recipe

A white bowl filled with cooked white rice topped with tofu ground beef and chopped green onion.

This Tofu Ground Beef Recipe is made with simple pantry ingredients and ready in less than 30 minutes! It's rich, smoky, crispy, and makes for the best ground beef substitute. Vegan and gluten-free!

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American, Gluten-Free, Vegan, vegetarian

Keyword nutritional yeast, plant based, smoky tofu, spring, summer, tamari, tofu, tofu crumbles

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 20

Total Time 25

Servings

Calories 199kcal

Author Sherri Hall

Equipment

Tofu Press

Ingredients

14 oz (400g) block extra firm tofu, pressed
4 tablespoon olive oil or another cooking oil of choice
1 tablespoon soy sauce (or tamari if GF)
2 tablespoon nutritional yeast
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon dried oregano
Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Instructions

Place a baking sheet in the oven and pre-heat the oven to 400ºF (200ºC).
Add the oil, smoked paprika, oregano, cumin, garlic powder, nutritional yeast, soy sauce, and black pepper to a bowl. Mix until it forms a paste.
Using your hands, crumble the tofu into medium-small pieces. Add the tofu crumbles to the bowl and mix until it's well coated with the paste. It's easier to use your hands.
When the oven has pre-heated, take the baking sheet out and carefully brush it with a thin layer of oil using a pastry brush. Add the tofu crumbles and spread them out evenly. Bake for 10 minutes.
After 10 minutes, stir the tofu and bake for 7-10 more minutes. This time, make sure to check on the tofu towards the end as baking time can vary. You know it's ready when it's crispy and golden brown.

Notes

Press the tofu. To achieve a meaty texture you need to get rid of as much moisture as possible. If you don't have a tofu press, wrap tofu in a paper towel or a clean kitchen towel. Place a heavy object on top (I like to use my Dutch oven). Press it for at least 1 hour and up to 3 hours.
Pre-heat the baking sheet in the oven. This creates a non-stick layer and after brushing it with oil, you can be sure that nothing will stick.
Don't use parchment paper. You need the tofu to be in contact with the hot baking sheet to caramelize and crisp up.
Keep an eye on the tofu towards the end. Baking time can vary depending on what kind of tofu you're using, how long you pressed it for, how powerful is your oven, etc.
Don't overcrowd the pan. Give the tofu crumbles enough space to crisp up, otherwise, they'll steam instead.

*The total time doesn't include the time it takes to press the tofu as this is considered inactive cooking time.

The nutrition information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. Accuracy is not guaranteed. Information shown should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

Nutrition