Beefless Vegan Tacos

If you're craving the flavors of a classic ground beef taco but you'd rather nix the meat, you need to try our beefless vegan tacos, which call for crumbled tofu instead of ground beef, without skimping on any of those savory Mexican seasonings you expect in a taco filling. The tofu crumble is super-versatile-try it in burritos, bowls, taco salads and stuffed peppers and on nachos.

1. Choose the Right Kind of Tofu

Many people say they don't like tofu, but maybe that's because they haven't had it prepared in a delicious way. Tofu is made from soybeans much like cheese is made from milk. Soybeans are soaked, then pureed and drained into soymilk. From there, the soymilk is separated into curds and whey. Then, just like with cheese, the curds are put into molds and pressed. Depending on how long the tofu curds are pressed, the firmer the resulting tofu. Our recipe calls for extra-firm tofu, which works the best for making crumbles.

2. Season the Tofu Well

Because of its mild flavor, tofu is very versatile and takes well to all sorts of spices and flavor profiles. To get those classic taco flavors, we combine extra-firm tofu with tamari (or soy sauce), chili powder and garlic powder and then cook the tofu in a little olive oil to infuse the seasonings.

3. Add a Creamy Topping and Great Garnishes

The perfect taco is about more than just the filling, of course. Something creamy is a must, so instead of a dollop of sour cream, our tacos are topped with a simple combo of mashed avocado, vegan mayo, lime juice and a little salt. This vegan crema is sort of like thinner guacamole. You can easily mash the avocados for the crema (and for guac) using a potato masher. Pico de gallo or salsa, pickled radishes and shredded lettuce are other nice additions, but feel free to mix it up with your favorite taco toppings.

For a price comparison on vegan vs. beef tacos, we turned to vegan celebrity chef Chloe Coscarelli (aka Chef Chloe on Instagram and YouTube). She explains that vegan beefless tacos cost about $1 less to make and are 23 cents less expensive per serving than beef tacos. "If you compare only the protein [for the whole recipe]—ground beef to tofu, the vegan option costs $2.25 while the beef version costs more than double at $4.79," says Coscarelli. "And if you decide to go with grass-fed or organic beef, that'll cost you even more—up to $10 per pound! So, any way you look at it, vegan tacos are the cheaper way to go."

Beef tops the list from the Natural Resources Defense Council as the worst food to eat for climate change because of the emissions associated with beef production. So switching to plant-based protein—like our beefless tacos—can help reduce the environmental impact of your diet. A typical nonvegetarian diet uses 2.9 times more water, 2.5 times more energy and 13 times more fertilizer than a vegetarian diet.

Related: Why Switching to a Vegan Diet Is Good for the Planet (and You!)

When it comes to nutritional differences, a serving of two vegan beefless tacos has 87 fewer calories than two traditional beef tacos. Vegan tacos have 4 grams more fiber per serving and 3 grams less saturated fat per serving. Our vegan taco recipe will also save you sodium, clocking in with 320 milligrams less per serving than traditional beef tacos.

Tofu is a good source of iron, so these vegan tacos have 20 percent of your daily iron needs, just like the beef ones.

Related: How Vegans Can Get the Nutrients They Need

Even if you enjoy meat, these vegan tacos are a great alternative to add to your repertoire—for Meatless Monday, Taco Tuesday or anytime you want those savory taco flavors without the beef.