Quick Tofu Crumbles

Need a meatless dinner…fast? Here’s one of our favorite shortcuts: these quick and easy tofu crumbles! They’re savory, meaty and the perfect plant-based substitute you can use in endless ways.

If you’re not a tofu fan…you will be after you take one bite! (Promise.) Use these as a taco filling like in Tofu Tacos, or try them on salads, pasta, bowl meals…even as a savory breakfast! There’s nothing these crumbles can’t do.

What to expect as a vegan meat substitute

These tofu crumbles are quick and easy to make on the stovetop. While there are some methods for baking tofu crumbles, we prefer cooking them up in a frying pan to keep it quick and easy. That said: the texture of the crumbles is fairly soft. Don’t expect it to taste like ground beef!

The skillet gets the crumbles lightly crisp on the outside, but it’s not chewy like meat would be. However, these are very delicious once you’ve got the correct expectation! Got it? OK.

Ingredients for quick tofu crumbles

You only need a few ingredients for this recipe: but they’re all important for bringing big flavor! Here’s what to have on hand:

• Extra firm tofu: This is key! Extra firm tofu is the consistency you’ll need to make crumbles. Check the label carefully at the store
• Soy sauce or tamari: Substitute coconut aminos for soy free and gluten free
• Apple cider vinegar
• Spices: Garlic powder, chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, salt
• Olive oil

How to make tofu crumbles

It’s beyond easy to make tofu crumbles: and this concept along with our tofu scramble has been fueling our dinners lately! There’s really no trick to it: just crumble your tofu and cook it up! Here’s what to know (or scroll to the recipe below!):

• Crumble the tofu with your fingers. You want roughly bite-sized crumbles here — they can all be different sizes. This part can be a little cold on your fingers, but do it quickly! It should take about 1 minute.
• Mix the tofu with the seasonings. Get the crumbles completely coated with the seasoning.
• Cook 8 to 10 minutes until lightly crispy. There will be quite a bit of water at first, then it will completely cook out and you’ll be left with lightly crispy crumbles with a deliciously soft interior.

Oven baked method

You can also cook these tofu crumbles in the oven to get the texture even more chewy and crisped. As we mentioned above, we typically make them on the stovetop for a fast and easy meal. If you prefer a crispier texture that’s more of a vegan meat substitute, you can spread them on a baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes.

Is tofu healthy?

There’s a lot of misinformation related to the health benefits of this soy product, so we get this question a lot. Here’s the thing: Tofu in moderation is part of a healthy diet (several times per week). 

Per to the Harvard School of Nutrition, soy is a nutrient-dense source of protein that can safely be consumed several times a week. It’s likely to provide health benefits, especially when you eat it as an alternative to red meat and processed meat. For more, go to Straight Talk About Soy and Is Tofu Good for You?

More tofu recipes

Tofu is such a quick and easy vegan meat substitute, we love eating it in recipes of all kinds! Some favorites you might enjoy are:

• Whip up our Go-To Tofu Stir Fry
• Make Crispy Baked Tofu, or use it to top a Tofu Salad
• Opt for quick and delicious Coconut Tofu Curry
• Try larger cubes of Perfect Pan Fried Tofu
• Make an Easy Tofu Scramble, an ultra fast breakfast, lunch or dinner
• Go for cozy Tofu Ramen

Dietary notes

This tofu crumbles recipe is vegetarian, vegan, plant-based, dairy-free and gluten-free