Grilled Tofu Tacos with Walla Walla Sweet Onion Slaw (and Optional Chicken)

Our dinner routine transforms completely in the summer. We’re all about easy, simple, fresh, and whatever we can throw on the grill. Especially because here in the Pacific Northwest, most houses (including ours) don’t have air conditioning – so once it gets hot, we’d rather live on the deck than hang out in the kitchen. Dinner often (probably too often) consists of  grilled corn on the cob, bratwursts/Field Roast, or hamburgers/veggie burgers.

This summer, we’ve been branching out with tacos. Oh yeah, gettin’ all fancy up here on the Kitchen Treaty grill.

Grilled Tofu Tacos with Walla Walla Sweet Onion Slaw (and Optional Chicken)

Okay, I totally know tacos aren’t fancy. What I do know, though, is that they can be delicious. And easy! Gotta love delicious and easy.

This grilled tofu tacos recipe does require a little planning-ahead time – about two hours for marinating in a fresh lime juice, cumin, and smoked paprika blend. But then they come together lickety split. Slice up the cabbage and onions, toss lightly with lemon juice, a little olive oil, and salt and pepper. Slice up some avocado, and grill the tortillas.

Grilled Tofu Tacos with Walla Walla Sweet Onion Slaw (and Optional Chicken)

Yep, grill the tortillas! It’s such an easy way to warm them so they’re nice and soft and pliable – plus, the grill is already on, so why not? I remove the flour tortillas from the package, place them on a dinner plate, and cover with a damp towel. Then just lay them on a grill heated medium-high, and cook for 1-2 minutes on either side until slightly browned and warmed through.

Grilled Tofu Tacos with Walla Walla Sweet Onion Slaw (and Optional Chicken)

Then back on the plate they go, covered by the towel, until it’s time to assemble your tacos.

Chicken for the carnivore, tofu for the vegetarian. We’ve got this one dish two ways thing down.

Grilled Tofu Tacos with Walla Walla Sweet Onion Slaw (and Optional Chicken)

Grab a tortilla, add some avo, sliced tofu, and sweet onion slaw. You can use any sweet onions you want, by the way – being from the Pacific Northwest, I’m partial to Walla Walla. But Vidalia or Texas sweets would work just fine, too. And purple cabbage would be pretty, if you wanted to go with that particular twist. Here, we had a giant head of green cabbage from our CSA and I was bound and determined to use that sucker down to the last leaf. This recipe helped!

Grilled Tofu Tacos with Walla Walla Sweet Onion Slaw (and Optional Chicken)

Super simple grilled tacos, and no cooking indoors. Summer meal perfection.

Grilled Tofu Tacos with Walla Walla Sweet Onion Slaw (and Optional Chicken)

Grilled Tofu Tacos with Walla Walla Sweet Onion Slaw (and Optional Chicken)
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Grilled Tofu Tacos with Walla Walla Sweet Onion Slaw (and Optional Chicken)

Prep: 2 hours 20 minutes
Cook: 15 minutes
Total: 2 hours 35 minutes
Author: Kare
Yield: 10 -12 tacos
Smoky seasoned tofu (and/or chicken), creamy avocado, and crunchy slaw make these super easy summer tacos shine.

Ingredients

  • 2 14-ounce blocks extra-firm tofu

or, if using chicken for half:

  • 1 (14-ounce block extra firm tofu
  • and
  • 1 1/2 pounds boneless chicken thighs

For the marinade:

  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1/4 cup lime juice
  • 2 tablespoons cider vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 cloves garlic (minced)

For the slaw:

  • 1/2 medium cabbage (quartered and thinly sliced)
  • 1/2 medium Walla Walla Sweet onion (thinly sliced)
  • 1/4 cup lime juice
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Plus:

  • 1 large avocado (sliced)
  • 10-12 to rtillas (depending on how full you like to stuff your tacos*)

Instructions

  • Press tofu to drain. I place each block on a dinner plate on top of a layer of paper towels, then place more paper towels on top. Then I put 3-4 dinner plates on top and let it press down on the tofu for 20-30 minutes. Slice tofu into 6-7 1/2-inch pieces. Place in a zipper bag or container with airtight cover. If using chicken, add chicken to a zipper bag.
  • Make the marinade. Add all marinade ingredients to a small bowl and whisk until combined. Pour marinade over tofu and/or chicken. If using half tofu/half chicken, just evenly divide the marinade between the two. Place in refrigerator and marinate for 2 hours.
  • Heat grill to medium-high, about 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Cook tofu and/or chicken until browned and cooked through, 10-14 minutes. We only have one grill, so we always use the left side for my vegetarian stuff, and the right side for the meaty stuff. Remove tofu and/or meat from grill and let cool enough to cut into taco-size pieces (I just cut the tofu pieces in half).
  • Place the tortillas on the grill and heat until slightly browned and heated through, about 1-2 minutes on each side. Keep on a plate covered by a damp dishtowel until ready to serve.
  • While the tofu/meat and tortillas are cooking, make the slaw. In a large bowl, toss together all ingredients with salad tongs or your clean hands. Taste and add additional salt and pepper if desired.
  • To assemble tacos, grab a tortilla and lay one or two avocado slices on the bottom. Top with a coulple pieces of tofu or chicken, and top with slaw. Serve.

Notes

*Gluten-Free Option

Use corn tortillas (or other gluten-free tortillas)

Grilled Tofu Tacos with Walla Walla Sweet Onion Slaw (and Optional Chicken)