In my non-vegan days I loved a good quesadilla. It’s one of those meals that doesn’t require a ton of energy, but the simplicity of it is sooooo satisfying. Lucky for us, we live in a time where making vegan versions is just as easy as making a dairy version… BUT BETTER! These tofu quesadillas will definitely hit the spot and you can customize them however you’d like to add your own personal touch.
What You’ll Need to Make Vegan Tofu Quesadillas:
To make these tofu quesadillas, you’ll need a few simple ingredients:
- Red Bell Pepper
- Green Bell Pepper
- Red Onion
- Extra Firm Tofu
- Liquid Smoke
- Taco Seasoning
- 5 8-inch Tortillas
- Vegan Mexican Blend Cheese (or sub vegan cheddar shreds)
How to Make Vegan Tofu Quesadillas:
Making these vegan tofu quesadillas is super easy. Be sure to gather all of your ingredients beforehand so you can be sure you have everything you need before starting.
How to press your tofu:
To start, you’ll want to press the water out of your block of extra firm tofu. You can do this with a tofu press or you can wrap the block in a clean dish towel then set something heavy over top of it like a cast iron skillet. Press it out for a few minutes until most of the water has been drained, then set aside.
Once your tofu is drained, dice up your vegetables and set those aside. Preheat a large pan over medium heat, and add some oil to your pan along with your peppers and onion. Sauté them until they are cooked through. Be sure to sprinkle them with a little bit of salt and pepper.
Now that the peppers and onions have been cooked, add in your tofu, crumbling it with your hands or using the back of a fork or spatula. Break up the larger pieces until it resembles ground meat.
Add your taco seasoning and liquid smoke, stirring everything together to combine. You can use a homemade taco seasoning blend or a store bought version. Either one is fine. Be sure to taste test the mixture to ensure you don’t want to add anything more (like cayenne pepper to spice things up or a sprinkle or two more of salt).
Turn the heat up to a medium-high temperature to continue cooking the tofu. Use a spatula to press the tofu into the pan and allow it to sit for a minute or so or until the bottom of the tofu is slightly burnt. This part is optional, but it helps to add a little flavor and texture to the dish.
Forming the Quesadillas:
Preheat a separate large pan to a low medium heat and add a tortilla. Sprinkle a generous amount of vegan cheese over half of it, then add in a heap of the tofu mixture, followed by a little more vegan cheese. Fold over the other side of the tortilla to make a semi circle.
Pro tip: to make a spicy tofu quesadilla, try adding cayenne pepper or fresh jalapeños before folding over the other side!
Let them cook for a few minutes on each side until golden brown. Depending on how big your pan is, you could do two quesadillas at once to save time. Repeat this process until all of your quesadillas have been made.
Top your vegan quesadillas with anything you’d like! Vegan sour cream, salsa, guacamole, pickled jalapeños, hot sauce, you name it!
There are so many different variations of this vegan tofu quesadilla that you could make! In the mood for breakfast? Try making this into a breakfast tofu scramble quesadilla by adding your favorite vegan sausage.
You could also add additional veggies or make a bbq tofu quesadilla by adding your favorite bbq sauce to the tofu mixture. For a heartier version you could add beans to make a black bean and tofu quesadilla. The options are endless!
What’s the Best Vegan Cheese to Use?
I’ve come to realize that vegan cheese preference is purely subjective, but if I had to choose I’d pick one of these to use for this tofu quesadillas recipe:
- So Delicious Mexican Blend Vegan Shreds
- Daiya Mexican Blend Vegan Shreds
- Chao Mexican Blend Vegan Shreds
- Or Violife Mexican Blend Vegan Shreds (what I used in this recipe)
I know you’ll love these Easy Vegan Tofu Quesadillas! It’s easy to make comforting and a classic! You’ll be making it time and time again. Give it a try and let me know how it goes in the comments below!
Pair this Recipe With:
Other Mexican-Inspired Recipes You’ll Love:
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Easy Vegan Tofu Quesadillas [+VIDEO]
Ingredients
- neutral oil to taste
- ½ red bell pepper diced
- ½ green bell pepper diced
- ¼ cup red onion diced
- salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
- 1 block extra firm tofu pressed
- 2 tsp liquid smoke
- 2 tbsp taco seasoning
- 5 8-inch flour tortillas
- 1 package Vegan Mexican Blend Shreds (or vegan cheddar shreds)
- fresh cilantro for garnish to taste (optional)
Instructions
- In a large sauté pan over medium heat, add a dollop of oil to coat the bottom.neutral oil
- Add your diced bell peppers and red onion. Season with salt and pepper. Sauté until cooked through.½ red bell pepper, ½ green bell pepper, ¼ cup red onion, salt, black pepper
- Add the block of extra firm tofu and use your hands (or back of a fork) to crumble into pieces that resemble ground meat.1 block extra firm tofu
- Add the taco seasoning and liquid smoke. Stir to combine. Taste and adjust seasonings as necessary.2 tsp liquid smoke, 2 tbsp taco seasoning
- Optional: Adjust the heat to a medium-high temperature to continue cooking the tofu. Use the back of a spatula to press the tofu into the pan and allow it to sit for a minute or so or until the bottom layer of tofu is slightly burnt. Remove from heat when done. This will help add flavor and texture to the dish.
- Preheat a separate pan to low-medium heat and add your tortilla. Sprinkle a generous amount of vegan cheese over half of the tortilla, then add a few scoops of the tofu mixture, followed by more vegan cheese. Fold over the other side of the tortilla to make a semi-circle.5 8-inch flour tortillas, 1 package Vegan Mexican Blend Shreds
- Allow the tortilla to cook on both sides until it's golden brown and the vegan cheese has melted (may be helpful to cover with a lid). Repeat until all of your quesadillas have been made.
- Garnish with fresh cilantro (optional) and pair with your favorite additions like vegan sour cream, salsa or guacamole. Enjoy!fresh cilantro
Really delicious recipe. I love it yummy!!! It’s really awesome
This recipe was delicious. I tried this, and my mom just loved it. Thanks for sharing.