Easy Tofu Ground Beef Recipe (Vegan)

Smoky, salty, and super flavorful Easy Tofu Ground Beef has an amazing meaty texture and is perfect for meal prep, stir fry, pasta sauce, and more. This super simple method might just become your new favorite way to enjoy tofu!

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Hey Internet, if you're new here, we have something to tell you: We REALLY love tofu. Like, we go to Costco (almost an hour away) and buy five 4-packs of their extra firm tofu and go through it at kind of an alarming rate. And we're not even sorry, because it's very affordable and has high protein and tons of other nutrients. Plus, we know how to make it with the best texture.

Speaking of which, are you looking for new tofu ideas? We have TONS of Tofu Recipes on our site, and some really out-there ones like Tofu Smoothie, Tofu Gnocchi, and even Tofu Cheese Recipes! But if you're looking for main-dish tofu with the best texture, here are (more than) a few of our favorites: Crispy Tofu, Tofu Meatballs, Vegan Cordon Bleu, Salt and Pepper Tofu, Air Fryer Tofu Nuggets, Shredded Tofu, Vegan Schnitzel Tofu, and Tofu Steak. But wow, it was really hard to narrow that list down because we just have so many tofu recipes.

But today we're here to talk about this amazing tofu ground beef recipe. Very similar to our tofu-based Vegan Sausage Crumbles recipe, this recipe takes tofu crumbles and flavors them with ingredients like broth, spices, soy sauce, and olive oil and cooks them down to make an incredible vegan ground beef substitute. It's also similar to our Tofu Meatballs recipe, but those use a binder and a different method to achieve their meaty texture and meatball shape.

Instead of the oven, this recipe utilizes just a pan on the stove to make our crumbles. They cook down in the flavorful marinade to make an absolutely scrumptious, flavorful meat alternative that's still loaded with protein and will be a huge hit with the whole family. It really does mimic the texture of ground beef quite well.

This has become our new favorite recipe and we hope it will be yours too because it's so easy, flavorful, versatile and a great way to increase your intake of plant based protein. We can see this recipe being used in so many ways, from vegan taco meat to making a vegan sloppy joe, lettuce wraps, meaty spaghetti sauce, beefy vegan mac, shepherd's pie (you could add them to our recipe for vegan shepherd's pie instead of or in addition to the lentils!), vegan chili, and more.

Anyway, let's get on with the recipe!

Why You'll Love This Tofu Ground Beef

• Simple Ingredients: All you need is tofu, some kind of broth (we use vegan beef broth, but veggie broth will work fine), seasonings, and a little oil (and really not much at all) to make this simple and health ground beef alternative.
• Amazing Flavor and Texture: This vegan ground beef recipe has rich and meaty flavor with a lightly chewy texture perfect for any recipe you'd use ground beef in.
• Great for Meal Prep: Even if you're not throwing these tofu crumbles into another recipe, they're a great prepped protein. Toss them with some cooked veggies and a starch like Jasmine rice, sweet potatoes, or pasta for an easy and delicious meal prep.

Ingredients

Pick up the following basic ingredients for this delicious tofu recipe the next time you're at your local grocery store. See the recipe card at the bottom of this post for full ingredients, instructions, and accurate nutrition information (to the best of my ability; please consult your physician, registered dietitian, or healthcare professional if you have specific dietary needs or need to meet certain daily values of any nutrient). we give substitutions for the ingredients in the section below this one, so most people can still make this recipe!

• 16 Ounces Extra Firm Tofu (or Super Firm Tofu): This recipe is best with extra-firm tofu or super firm tofu, but it will work with firm tofu. If using firm tofu, we recommend a tofu press to get out extra water. You can also make your own tofu press with layers of paper towel or a clean kitchen towel, two  small cutting boards or plates, and a heavy object. Pressing tofu takes about 30-60 minutes because it just has a little too much water but if you press it out, it will be fine!
• 1 Cup Vegan Beef Broth: To add to the meaty flavor of this tofu ground beef recipe, we used Better Than Bouillon No Beef Broth Base for the marinade. It’s delicious and beef-flavored but vegan. We buy ours online, that’s the only place we can personally find this flavor.
• 1-2 Tablespoons Dark Soy Sauce: This is optional but HIGHLY recommended because it gives a lot of good flavor. You can find it at any Asian grocery stores or in the international section of many supermarkets. There are several alternatives for this in the substitution section below.
• 1 Tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil: We highly recommend not skipping this as it adds that necessary richness and mouthfeel, but it's only a bit of oil so it doesn't add too many calories to the overall dish.
• Optional spices: These two spices are a great addition because they contribute to the "beef" flavor: 1 teaspoon of oregano and ½ teaspoon ground rosemary. Whole dried rosemary has texture Liz doesn't like and also we feel it would not disperse the flavor. If you only have whole rosemary, give it a quick blitz in the spice grinder or coffee grinder or you can skip it.

Substitutions

• Tofu: You need some type of firmer tofu (soft tofu will likely not work) for this recipe (although I think it would also work with tempeh but maybe a longer marinade and cook time). Avoiding soy? There are several soy-free tofu options out in many grocery stores (my little town only has one grocery store that carries one brand but it's there!). We really like the fava bean tofu that comes in a hot pink package, but there's also pumpkin seed tofu, hemp tofu, or chickpea tofu that should all work. If they feel mushy to the touch, give them a bit of a press or try and squeeze the excess liquid out with a clean kitchen towel (it needs to get crumbled anyway).
• Vegan Beef Broth: If you can’t get Better Than Bouillon No Beef Broth Base, you could try vegan beef flavored bouillon cubes or prepared vegan beef broth. Otherwise vegetable broth and a little extra soy sauce will work fine
• Dark Soy Sauce: If you can't find dark soy sauce, other options include vegan Worcestershire sauce, vegan oyster sauce, or even steak sauce (many of them are accidentally vegan, so read the ingredients label). If not, you can use regular soy sauce for some extra umami. You could also try a small splash of liquid smoke.  
• Olive Oil: Avocado oil or any neutral vegetable oils you have on hand should also work. If you're using this in stir-fry or something else Asian-inspired, you could use sesame oil. If you really don't want to add oil, try a tablespoon of tomato paste or runny cashew butter.
• Other Spices: Feel free to add any spices you like especially if you know what kind of recipe you're using this tofu ground beef for. Generally delicious additions include smoked paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, mushroom powder (for umami flavor), and black pepper. If you're making tofu taco meat, add some chili powder and cumin or taco seasoning!

How to Make Tofu Ground Beef

1. Make the Marinade: If you're using bouillon paste or cubes, mix hot water with the amount indicated by the packaging for 1 cup (we used a little over 1 teaspoon of Better Than Bouillon No Beef Broth Base). Add in the dark soy sauce and whisk (leave out the oil for now).
2. Crumble the Tofu: If using extra firm tofu or super firm tofu (or pre-pressed tofu), use clean hands or a potato masher to crumble the tofu into a large bowl or container, aiming for small pieces rather than large ones, which allows for better flavor. Cover with the marinade and stir well to combine.
3. Optional, Marinate: If you have a bit of time, marinate the tofu for 30-60 minutes (up to 12 hours) for better flavor in an airtight container in the fridge. If not, it will still turn out good.
4. Cook: Heat a large skillet (nonstick is best) over medium heat. Add the crumbled tofu and broth (all of it) and spread out with a spoon. Allow to cook for about 5 minutes, then add the rest of the ingredients (oil and spices), stirring well to combine. Check the vegan tofu crumble often during the cooking process and stir occasionally. You're looking for a golden brown color and for most of the liquid to be evaporated. If you have faith in your pan, you can even let it cook a bit with no liquid to get a firmer texture, but my pan is pretty old so we didn't do this but still love the texture.
5. Use or Store: Remove from heat and transfer to a container or the dish you're making with the tofu ground beef. Enjoy!
6. Storage: Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 5 days or place in a freezer-safe container or freezer-safe bag and store for up to 6 months.

Ideas for Using Tofu Crumbles

• Sloppy joes
• Shepherd's pie
• Tacos
• Meaty tomato sauce for pasta
• Chili
• Lettuce wraps
• Stir fry
• So much more!

More Meaty Tofu Recipes

• Air Fryer Tofu Nuggets
• Hoisin Tofu
• Tofu Adobo
• Bang Bang Tofu
• Tofu Steak
• Vegan Cordon Bleu
• Tofu Quesadillas
• Vegan Schnitzel Tofu
• Tofu Meatballs
• Vegan Sausage Crumbles (Tofu Based)

And if you really love tofu like we do, check out our big list of Tofu Recipes and even our Tofu Cheese Recipes!

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