These Shredded Tofu Tinga Tostadas pack in a lot of flavor and protein using simple ingredients. Each nourishing bite is enjoyably crisp, fresh, and smoky.
A little love letter to my first book, Peaceful Kitchen. There I shared a recipe for Tofu Tinga Tacos, and I’ve loved that filling so much that I wanted to revisit it and give it another life on this blog.
I think one of my goals with this space was to create based on my own experiences with my cultures and growth. And it’s fun to be able to look back and see just how far I’ve come and what I’m truly capable of.
Why You’ll Love These Shredded Tofu Tinga Tostadas
- High in protein. Using super firm tofu helps make each serving of these tostadas at least 23g of protein, give or take a few grams depending on how you personally serve yours.
- A happy marriage of textures. You get the crunch of the tostada and slaw, the creaminess of the dressing coating the slaw, and a lovely combo of complex flavors and heat from the tinga tofu. Combined, it’s a bite of heaven.
- Easy to meal prep. There are a number of ways to approach making this meal to help make the work week easier. I have tips below if you prefer to ingredient prep or if you rather meal prep the meal for the week ahead.
What is Tinga?
Tinga refers to a classic Mexican dish originating from the state of Puebla. It is made most often using shredded chicken, which is then mixed in a vibrant red chili sauce. You can see variations of this dish made with both pork or beef, but one thing that stays similar in this preparation are the base ingredients used in the sauce to build it’s classic smoky flavor: onions, tomatoes, and chipotle peppers.
Regardless of how it’s made, this mixture can have many uses from being the filling in things like tacos and empanadas or a topping used for sopes or tostadas. So, we’re using the flavor base and just choosing a different protein to shred, which is tofu. Still comes out just as flavorful and satisfying!
Key Ingredients and Substitutions
- Tofu: For shredding, I recommend a super firm tofu or high protein tofu that often come vacuum sealed. You shouldn’t need to press the tofu as it is very firm out of the package, making it ideal for grating. If all you have is extra firm tofu, then I would recommend pressing it first then finely crumbling it with your hands.
- Tomato: Roma tomatoes are ideal. Campari tomatoes can be a great alternative.
- Onion: I used yellow onion, but white or red onion works here too.
- Lime: Fresh is recommended so you can use the zest and juice.
- Jalapeño: If you struggle with spice, I recommend discarding the seeds and membranes. If that still isn’t enough, then use half a small green bell pepper or poblano as a replacement.
- Chipotle Peppers: Use the variety that is canned in adobo.
- Cabbage: Green cabbage is ideal. Shredded Brussels sprouts work here too.
- Cilantro: You may leave this out or use a mix of parsley and chives.
- Tamari: Can be swapped for soy sauce or coconut aminos.
- Nutritional Yeast: Optional, but a good way to add some extra umami flavor to the tofu.
- Potato Starch: Cornstarch is a great alternative.
- Seasonings: I used a combination of Mexican oregano (you can use regular oregano if needed), coriander, and thyme.
How to Make These Shredded Tofu Tinga Tostadas
Bake the tofu
Preheat oven to 425°F and line a baking sheet with parchment. Shred the tofu using the largest holes of a box grater directly onto the sheet. Toss with tamari, oil, starch, nutritional yeast, and adobo sauce. Spread evenly and bake for 15 minutes. Toss, then bake another 5–10 minutes until golden and lightly crisp.
Prepare the slaw
Place shredded cabbage in a large bowl. Roughly chop half the cilantro and add to the bowl.
Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a sauté pan over medium-low heat. Add the chopped half of the onion, jalapeños, garlic cloves, and a pinch of salt. Cook until softened and lightly golden, about 4–5 minutes.
Transfer half of this mixture to a blender with lime zest and juice, maple syrup, half the bouillon cube (or ½ tsp miso), and the remaining cilantro. Blend until smooth, then pour over the cabbage and massage to soften. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Make the tinga sauce
Add the remaining cooked onion and garlic mixture to the blender. In the same pan, char the tomatoes for about 3 minutes per side. Transfer to the blender along with chipotle peppers, oregano, thyme, and the remaining bouillon (or miso). Blend until smooth.
Finish the filling
Sauté the sliced onion in the same pan with a pinch of salt until softened. Pour in the blended tinga sauce and simmer 4–5 minutes to thicken slightly. Stir in the baked shredded tofu and cook for another 2–3 minutes until well coated and heated through.
Assemble
Top each tostada with jalapeño slaw and tofu tinga. Drizzle with cashew crema if desired and serve with lime wedges.
Expert Tips
- Prep some items in advance. For example, you can make the sauces ahead of time and store in the fridge until read to use. You can also like to prep a batch or 2 of the shredded baked tofu and pre-shred the cabbage and store in separate containers in the fridge. Each item can last in the fridge for 3-4 days when stored properly. This will help make finishing up the main meal a lot faster when you are ready to eat.
- Retain the vibrant green color of the slaw. To do this, just blanch the cilantro for a few seconds with some boiling water from a kettle. Then transfer it over to a bowl with ice water to shock it. The leaves will remain brilliant green when blended in with the other sauce ingredients. Totally optional, but makes a nice visual difference.
- Save a few steps. Don’t like shredding your own cabbage? Use a bag of pre-shredded cabbage. Don’t want to make a second sauce? Swap making the green sauce for a pre-made plant-based green goddess dressing instead. I’m a fan of the Trader Joe’s version, but use whatever brand you personally like. Lastly, when I’m lazy I just buy pre-made tostadas, which you can often find sold in the same area you find tortillas in store. Make the recipes work for you!
- For less spice, use less peppers. Instead of 2-3 chipotle peppers, just use 1 pepper, which will help mellow out the spices. Also consider removing the seeds and membranes of the jalapeños before using.
- Save time. While the tofu is baking, make the sauces. Might as well make the most of your time while you are waiting. I also will make everything using the same pan. I cook the veggies first and divide between blender cups so that the pan doesn’t need much clearing and can be used immediately after to saute the onions and sauce for the tinga.
Frequently Asked Questions
Add a few grams of fiber by topping your tostada with some slices of avocado. You can also consider tossing some edamame, lentils, or mashed chickpeas/white beans in with the cabbage slaw. The slaw can also be swapped for some refried beans as the base of the tostada.
Yes! I would recommend storing the prepped tinga tofu and cabbage slaw in separate airtight containers in the fridge for up to 4 days. If you make homemade tostadas, they can also be stored! Allow them to cool completely then store in an airtight storage bag in the fridge up to 3 days. Reheat the tostadas in the oven at 350F for 3-4 minutes to warm through. The tinga can be reheated in the microwave or on the stove top until warmed through to your liking.
Yes. For a 1:1 swap, I’d recommend using the fava bean “tofu” from Big Mountain Foods. I find this variety at Whole Foods and sometimes at my local ShopRite. As is, you can shred it very similar to how you can shred super firm tofu. You would also need to swap your tamari/soy sauce for some coconut aminos. Everything else should be naturally soy-free.
Make It Balanced
This is a complete meal as written.
- Tortillas provide the complex carbohydrates
- Tinga tofu provides the protein
- Cabbage slaw is where your veggies and antioxidants are
You can up the nutrition further by adding some fiber-rich components:
- Top each tostada with a few slices of avocado
- Mix in your bean of choice into the cabbage slaw
- Use refried beans for the base of your tostada
- Swap the tofu for some shredded tempeh (reduce the baking time in half to avoid burning the tempeh)
More High-Protein Plant-Based Meals
If you tried this recipe or any other recipe on the blog, then let me know what you thought in the comments below! And if you loved it, don’t forget to rate it too. Feel free to follow on Instagram, Pinterest, and TikTok for the latest nutrition tips and recipe videos.
Description
These Shredded Tofu Tinga Tostadas pack in a lot of flavor and protein using simple ingredients. Each nourishing bite is enjoyably crisp, fresh, and smoky.
Shredded Tofu
Tostada Assembly
- Preheat the oven to 425F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Use the largest holes of a box grater to shred the tofu directly onto the baking sheet. Drizzle with tamari and oil, then sprinkle with starch, nutritional yeast, and adobo sauce. Toss to fully coat and spread into an even layer on the tray. Bake for 15 minutes. Toss to break up any clumps, then bake another 5-10 minutes until lightly golden and crisp around the edges.
- Place the shredded cabbage in a large mixing bowl. Roughly chop half the cilantro and add on top of the cabbage. Cut the onion in half. Roughly chop one half and thinly slice the other half. Remove the jalapeño stems, then roughly chop the pepper.
- Heat 2 tbsp oil in a large sauté pan over medium-low heat. Add the chopped onion half, jalapeños, garlic cloves, and a pinch of salt to the pan. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and lightly golden, about 4-5 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.
- Transfer the jalapeños and cooking oil to a blender cup along with half the cooked onions and garlic, 1/2 a bouillon cube, lime zest and juice, maple syrup, and remaining cilantro. Blend until smooth, then pour over the cabbage and massage into the greens until slightly softened. Cover and refrigerate.
- Clear out the blender cup, then add the remaining cooked onions and garlic. In the same pan over medium-low heat, add the tomatoes. Cook undisturbed for 3 minutes to lightly char, flip, and cook again for 3 minutes. Transfer the tomatoes to the blender cup along with the remaining bouillon cube, chipotle peppers, oregano, and thyme then blend until smooth.
- Return the same pan to the burner at medium low heat. Add a small drizzle of oil if needed. Add the sliced onions and a pinch of salt. Sauté until softened, about 3-4 minutes. Pour in the blended sauce, and simmer for 4-5 minutes to slightly thicken. Stir in the baked tofu and cook for another 2-3 minutes to fully coat and heat through.
- Top each tostada with a portion of the slaw and tofu tinga. Drizzle with some crema if desired and enjoy!
Notes
Prep some items in advance. For example, you can make the sauces ahead of time and store in the fridge until ready to use. You can also like to prep a batch or 2 of the shredded baked tofu and pre-shred the cabbage and store in separate containers in the fridge. Each item can last in the fridge for 3-4 days when stored properly. This will help make finishing up the main meal a lot faster when you are ready to eat.
Retain the vibrant green color of the slaw. To do this, just blanch the cilantro for a few seconds with some boiling water from a kettle. Then transfer it over to a bowl with ice water to shock it. The leaves will remain brilliant green when blended in with the other sauce ingredients. Totally optional, but makes a nice visual difference.
Save a few steps. Don’t like shredding your own cabbage? Use a bag of pre-shredded cabbage. Don’t want to make a second sauce? Swap making the green sauce for a pre-made plant-based green goddess dressing instead. I’m a fan of the Trader Joe’s version, but use whatever brand you personally like. Lastly, when I’m lazy I just buy pre-made tostadas, which you can often find sold in the same area you find tortillas in store. Make the recipes work for you!
For less spice, use less peppers. Instead of 2-3 chipotle peppers, just use 1 pepper, which will help mellow out the spices. Also consider removing the seeds and membranes of the jalapeños before using.
Save time. While the tofu is baking, make the sauces. Might as well make the most of your time while you are waiting. I also will make everything using the same pan. I cook the veggies first and divide between blender cups so that the pan doesn’t need much clearing and can be used immediately after to saute the onions and sauce for the tinga.
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