Taco Tofu

Inspiration for a new dish can strike in the most unexpected moments. Sometimes, it's the vibrant colors of seasonal vegetables at the produce stand. Other times, it's a long-forgotten flavor that resurfaces during a moment of culinary reflection. But every now and then, a new recipe is born from something as silly as a play on words.

This Taco Tofu began while tucking into a bowl of Spicy Mapo Tofu. As the tingling heat of the dish danced across my mouth, a lightbulb moment struck – "mapo" rhymes with "taco"! The idea was too delicious to ignore, so here we are. 

With silky cubes of tofu swimming in a rich, beefy sauce redolent of garlic and chili powder, I topped it off with cheese, tomatoes, avocado, and cilantro. Served with tortilla chips (for dipping) it's a fiesta of textures and flavors that are equal parts comforting and fun. I knew this experiment was a success when my daughter declared it worthy of her next birthday menu.

I used my Homemade Chili Powder for this, but a store-bought mix will work as well. You can adjust the heat level by adding a pinch (or more!) of cayenne pepper or set out a few bottles of hot sauce and let everyone customize their plate.

The beauty of this recipe is its versatility. For toppings you could add some pickled jalapeños for extra zing, or swap the avocado for a dollop of guacamole. You can also change up some of the ingredients to make variations like my Kimchi Mapo Tofu, a milder Japanese Mapo Tofu, or swap in mushrooms for a Vegetarian Mapo Tofu.