Tofu taco stuffed tomatoes are filled to the brim with a flavorful mixture of taco-seasoned vegetables and crumbled tofu! This zesty vegan meal is easy to make, it's high-protein, and it's naturally gluten-free and oil-free. Skip the tortillas and enjoy this healthy twist on tacos for dinner instead!
Are you in the mood for tacos, but you want to switch it up? You should give these taco stuffed tomatoes a try! The tomatoes are the perfect vessel to hold a savory combination of red peppers, black beans, sweet corn, onions, crumbled tofu, and all the fresh flavors you love in tacos!
Besides tasting delicious, stuffed tomatoes are easy to make, they're filled with a high-protein and satisfying, fiber-rich filling, and they're naturally gluten-free and oil-free. This vibrant dish can be enjoyed as a healthy weeknight dinner or they can also make a beautiful presentation to serve as the main course for a special meal.
Step by Step Instructions
(Please see the recipe card for exact ingredient amounts + full instructions)
First, press the tofu with a tofu press for 30 minutes. While the tofu is pressing, cut the tops off the tomatoes and scoop out the seeds and membranes. Don't throw the innards out, I shared multiple ways to use the seeds and membranes below.
Next, saute the onions and peppers in a large pan until they're soft. Add the minced garlic, tomato paste, and all of the dried seasonings. Stir and let it cook for a few minutes. Push all the veggies to one side of the pan and add the pressed tofu to the other side. Use a spoon to crumble the tofu and mix it with the vegetables. Stir in the black beans, corn, fresh cilantro, and lime juice.
Fill each tomato with the vegetable and tofu mixture and arrange the stuffed tomatoes in a casserole dish. Put the tops back on the tomatoes and then bake the casserole until the tomato skin starts to blister.
What Can I Do With The Leftover Tomato Seeds & Membranes?
After you scoop out the tomato seeds and membranes, don't throw them away! You can repurpose them to use in any of the following recipes:
- Cilantro Lime Salsa
- Tomato Bruschetta
- Stuffed Pepper Soup
- Homemade Tomato Sauce
- Salsa Stuffed Peppers
- Roasted Red Pepper Tomato Soup
What Goes With It?
I usually serve these loaded tomatoes with a side of cilantro lime quinoa because the flavors go so well together and I love the vibrant red and green color combination, it's a beautiful presentation. You could also serve the baked tomatoes with:
- Creamy Vegan Broccoli Salad
- Lemon Tahini Courgette Salad
- Broccoli Stuffed Purple Sweet Potatoes
- Roasted Maple Dijon Brussels Sprouts
Can I Make It In Advance?
You can make the stuffed tomatoes 1-2 days in advance. Assemble the stuffed tomatoes in an airtight container but don't bake them. Store the tomatoes in the fridge until you're ready to eat them.
Can I Freeze It?
Assemble the vegan stuffed tomatoes in a large freezer and oven-safe dish and then bake it according to the recipe instructions. Let the tomatoes cool completely and then cover it so it's airtight and then you can freeze it for 3-4 months.
How To Reheat It
From the Freezer: To reheat the baked taco stuffed tomatoes after they’ve been frozen, take the container out of the freezer and put it in the refrigerator to defrost for 24 hours. Then cover and bake the tomatoes in the oven at 350 degrees for about 15-20 minutes or until they're hot all the way through.
From the Fridge: You can reheat leftovers on a covered plate in the microwave or in a covered casserole dish in the oven at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes.
Recipe Variations
If you're not in the mood for loaded tomatoes, you can use this delicious tofu and vegetable filling in so many other ways!
- Taco Stuffed Peppers: Instead of stuffing the tomatoes, use the filling to stuff bell peppers instead.
- Tofu Burritos: Use the vegetable and tofu mixture as a filling for burritos along with brown rice, romaine lettuce, diced tomatoes, green onions, thinly sliced red cabbage, and slices of avocado.
- Tofu Taco Enchiladas: Use the filling to stuff corn tortillas and cover with vegan enchilada sauce. Cover and bake the enchiladas for 30 minutes at 350 degrees.
- Zucchini Boats: Slice a large zucchini in half and scoop out the seeds. Fill the cavern with the tofu vegetable filling, top with vegan shredded cheese, and bake it for 30 minutes at 350 degrees.
Substitutions & FAQ
- Gluten-Free: This taco stuffed tomato recipe is naturally gluten-free, you don't need to make any substitutions.
- Tofu Substitutions: You could use crumbled tempeh, soy curls, (1) can of green jackfruit, brown or green lentils, or vegan beef crumbles instead of tofu.
- Black Bean Substitutions: Kidney beans, pinto beans, chickpeas, or black-eyed peas can be used instead of black beans.
- Corn Substitutions: You can substitute green peas, diced carrots, or a diced yellow bell pepper for the corn.
- Tomato Substitutions: Instead of tomatoes, you can use bell peppers, large pasta shells, or zucchini boats.
- What Taco Toppings Can I Add? You can garnish the stuffed tomatoes with fresh cilantro, salsa, pico de gallo, vegan chipotle mayo, vegan sour cream (I like to use Kite Hill plain greek yogurt), vegan shredded cheese, or mashed avocado.
Success Tips
- Use large beefsteak tomatoes, vine-ripened tomatoes, or heirloom tomatoes because you need tomatoes that have a large cavity to fill with the tofu and vegetable mixture. Smaller tomatoes would be difficult to stuff.
- Don't discard the tomato seeds and membranes. You can use them to make tomato soup, salsa, tomato sauce, or bruschetta.
- If you have any leftover tofu and vegetable filling, you can use it as filling for tacos.
- Store the leftovers in the fridge for 4-5 days or freeze it for a future meal.
Want More Vegan Taco Recipes?
Tofu Taco Stuffed Tomatoes
Equipment
- Tofu Press
- Large Pan
- Large 9x13 Casserole Dish
Ingredients
- 1 block extra firm tofu pressed and crumbled
- 8 large beefsteak tomatoes
- 3-4 tbsp low-sodium vegetable broth
- 1 medium red onion diced
- 1 medium red bell pepper diced
- 4 medium garlic cloves minced
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 tbsp chili powder
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 2 tsp smoked paprika
- ¼ tsp himalayan pink sea salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- (1) 14 oz can black beans rinsed and drained
- (1) 14 oz can corn rinsed and drained
- 2 tbsp lime juice
- ½ cup fresh cilantro roughly chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- Press the block of tofu for 30 minutes. Discard the excess liquid. While the tofu is pressing, prep the tomatoes and make the vegetable filling.
- Cut the tops off the tomatoes and use a grapefruit spoon to carefully scoop out the seeds and membranes. Set the tomatoes aside until the filling is ready.
- In a large pan over medium heat, saute the diced onion and bell pepper in 3-4 tbsp of low-sodium vegetable broth until soft. Add the minced garlic, 2 tbsp tomato paste, 2 tbsp chili powder, 2 tsp cumin, 2 tsp smoked paprika, ¼ tsp salt, and ¼ tsp black pepper to the pan. Stir to combine and let it cook for 2-3 minutes or until fragrant.Â
- Push everything to one side of the pan and add the block of tofu to the other side of the pan. Use a spatula to break up the block of tofu into small crumbles. Stir to coat the tofu in the seasonings.
- Add the black beans, corn, cilantro, and lime juice to the pan. Stir to combine the filling.
- Drizzle a little bit of water (or vegetable broth) in the casserole dish to stop the tomatoes from sticking while they bake. Use a large spoon to fill each tomato with the tofu and vegetable mixture up to the top of the tomato. Arrange the tomatoes in the casserole dish and put the tomato tops back on. Bake for 30 minutes or until the tomato skin starts to blister.
- Carefully remove the tomatoes from the oven and let it cool for a few minutes before serving. You can garnish the tomatoes with fresh cilantro, salsa, vegan sour cream, vegan shredded cheese, or mashed avocado.Â
Notes
- Use large beefsteak tomatoes, vine-ripened tomatoes, or heirloom tomatoes because you need tomatoes that have a large cavity to fill with the tofu and vegetable mixture. Smaller tomatoes would be difficult to stuff.Â
- Don't discard the tomato seeds and membranes. You can use them to make tomato soup, salsa, tomato sauce, or bruschetta.
- If you have any leftover tofu and vegetable filling, you can use it as filling for tacos.
- Store the leftovers in the fridge for 4-5 days or freeze it for a future meal.Â
Nutrition
*This recipe was originally shared on 8/17/17, but I updated it with better recipe instructions on 7/13/20.
What a GREAT idea! These look absolutely delicious and SO colorful! I never thought to stuff a tomato! Very creative and satisfying meal.
WOAH! This is a game changer, I've always have done a bell pepper version, never thought of tomato! This is something I'm definitely trying! Thanks for the recipe!
Thank you, Courtney!