these crispy corn & tofu tacos are the best late summer dinner. filled with sweet summer corn, vegan colby-jack cheese, and an amazing tofu taco meat!
the inspiration
During August it is my favorite time to utilize that incredible late summer corn. I knew it would be perfect to make corn tacos with. However, I didn’t just want to do corn on the inside so I figured let’s make some tofu taco meat. And the last part is that I wanted to make these golden on the outside. So, that is how these crispy corn & tofu tacos were born.
The flavor is so incredibly delicious. It pairs perfectly with some vegan sour cream or vegan yogurt. But of course you can enjoy it all on its own. The sweet corn combined with the tanginess of the colby jack is so incredible.
the ingredients
- Corn: of course we will need some corn for this recipe! I am using fresh corn on the cob because it is in season. If you are finding this recipe out of season you can use frozen or canned corn.
- Tofu: I prefer to use fava bean tofu as much as I can as it has a higher protein content and less calories. However, you can use extra firm or super firm tofu for this recipe. Whatever tofu you like will work well here.
- Street Taco Tortillas: I wanted my tacos to be the size of street tacos. So, I am using street taco tortillas. I also like to use the zero carb tortillas for my own personal goals. Feel free to use whatever tortillas you like! If you are gluten-free you can use corn tortillas.
- Vegan Colby-Jack Cheese: the vegan Colby-Jack cheese from Violife works so well in this recipe. If you cannot find it you can either use my Homemade Vegan Pepper Jack recipe or you can use any vegan cheese you have accessible to you.
- Olive Oil: we will need oil to cook the tofu and tacos in the pan. If you would like to use a different oil you can. You can omit the oil if you like and just cook them straight in a non-stick pan.
- Seasonings: for the tofu taco meat we will need a lot of seasonings to add in flavor. We need garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, ground cinnamon, salt, and paprika. All of these work together to create a delicious flavor.
- Green Onion: these are optional as a garnish.
the corn
Let’s talk about our corn. For this recipe I am using sweet white corn on the cob. To be honest, I actually meant to grab yellow corn but it was a happy little accident because this corn was so sweet.
If you are in season, typically between July to September, it is a great time to use that fresh corn. It will be cheaper and it tastes delicious. Just shuck the corn and then boil it for 5 to 10 minutes till the color is bright.
From there all you need to do is let it cool a bit and then take a knife and cut the kernels off. You will be left with these nice big pieces of the corn that are delicious. This is also something you can prep ahead of time as well which is nice.
the tofu
If you are a tofu hater I think this could definitely change your mind. The flavor on this tofu was seriously incredible. I am used to eating a lot of tofu and have made many tofu recipes, and this still blew my mind!
It is also so easy to make. First, all you need to do is crumble the tofu with your hands. I am using a fava bean tofu but you can also use super firm or extra firm tofu. You do not need to press the tofu. Then, you will put it in a pan with oil and seasonings. I use garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, chili powder, ground cinnamon, and salt. Trust me, the ground cinnamon adds such an amazing flavor.
Once, the tofu is all cooked you are ready to make your tacos! These crispy corn & tofu tacos are also great because you can prep the ingredients ahead of time.
preparing the crispy corn & tofu tacos
Once all your ingredients are cooked (the corn and the tofu) it is time to make the tacos.
- Lay down the tortillas. Place a small scoop of vegan cheese on the bottom half.
- Add a few pieces of the corn on top.
- Add a small scoop of the tofu taco meat on top.
- Fold the tortillas over. Form them all and then you will be ready to cook.
pan-frying the crispy corn & tofu tacos
When it comes time to cooking the tacos you will need a little oil in your pan. Let the oil heat up for 1 to 2 minutes over a medium heat. Then, place your tacos down in the oil.
Cook over medium heat for 3 to 5 minutes until they get golden and slightly crispy. If you them to be super crispy you can of course let them cook for longer. Then, flip them and let them cook on the other side. The tacos will be golden and beautiful.
how to enjoy the crispy corn & tofu tacos
These are best fresh and hot out of the pan! They can be enjoyed with vegan sour cream, vegan yogurt, a squeeze of lime juice, or some salsa. If you like it you can also feel free to top with cilantro or pieces of avocado.
I feel that these crispy corn & tofu tacos are a whole meal. I personally would serve this with a simple salad and maybe just some white rice. Let the tacos speak for themselves!
For garnish I kept it fairly simple with green onions and some chopped watermelon radishes. I think the color they have is so gorgeous.
how to add to the crispy corn & tofu tacos
While I do personally feel these tacos are perfect as is, I know some people are always trying to think of ways to make a recipe their own. So here are a few ideas:
- Grill the corn. Instead of boiling the corn, grill it! It will have add nice flavor and color to the corn.
- Make it spicy. Add in some chopped jalapeno.
- Make it beany. You can spread some vegan refried beans over the tortilla before adding the vegan cheese
Recipe Storage
If you have any leftovers you can very easily reheat these. You can either put them in a pan to warm them or in the microwave. I also think these should be fine to freeze. If you are freezing them I would reheat in an oven or air fryer.
crispy corn & tofu tacos faq
It contains no nuts. If you want to make it soy free use a soy free tofu. If you want to make it gluten free use corn tortillas.
Up to 4 days in the fridge.
I think it would be okay to freeze them either after or before cooking.
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Crispy Corn & Tofu Tacos
Ingredients
Tofu Taco “Meat”
- 12 ounces of tofu *see note
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
Other
- 2 ears of corn
- 8 street taco tortillas or corn tortillas
- ½ cup vegan Colby-Jack cheese or any vegan cheese you like
- Green onion for garnish
- 1 ½ tablespoons olive oil
Instructions
- Shuck the corn to remove the outer leaves. Boil the corn for 5 to 7 minutes over medium heat, until cooked. Let it cool for a few minutes. Then, turn it vertically standing up and use a sharp knife to cut down the sides. This will create nice big pieces of the corn.
- In the meantime, crumble the tofu with your hands. Then, in a large pan add all the ingredients for the tofu taco meat along with the tofu. Cook for 7 to 10 minutes over medium high heat. Mixing occasionally. The tofu will be golden and have some crispy pieces.
- To assemble the tacos take one of your tortillas, add a small scoop of the vegan cheese, a few pieces of corn, and a scoop of the tofu taco meat. Repeat the process until all the tacos are made. You may have leftover corn and tofu taco meat, that is okay. You can either make more tacos if you like or just store in the fridge and enjoy in another meal.
- Then, fold the tacos over in half. Warm up about ¾ of a tablespoon (12ml) of the oil in a large pan over medium heat. Then, place a few tacos in there. I did 4 tacos at a time. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes until the tortilla turns golden. Then, flip and cook on the other side for a few minutes.
- Remove the cooked tacos. Then, repeat with the remaining oil and tacos.
- Plate them up and garnish with green onion and anything else you desire.
Video
Notes
- Nutrition facts are based on my gram measurements put into Cronometer. Yours may vary, they are to help you get an idea. For this recipe, I had leftover corn and tofu from the original quantities used. So, when calculating the nutrition information I ended up using 237g of tofu and 170g of corn.
- Please do not repost recipes without my permission. Sharing a direct link is always highly encouraged and appreciated.
- For any questions you may have please refer to the FAQ above the recipe card.
- This recipe will make 8 tacos. The nutritional information given is for 1 taco.
- For this recipe I used fava bean tofu. That comes in a 12 ounce pack. You can use extra firm or super firm tofu as well. Extra firm tofu usually comes in a 14 ounce pack, so you can just use the whole thing. Super firm tofu usually comes in a 16 ounce pack so you can use ¾ of the block.
- You will most likely have leftover corn and tofu. You can store and enjoy on your own or make more tacos.
Nutrition
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Hey, I’m Francesca!
Thank you for checking out my recipe! I am happy to have you here and hope you explore more delicious vegan recipes.
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