This is the base recipe that turns tofu into a mince substitute: crumble it, season it hard, and bake it until the edges go dry and browned so it behaves like ground beef. On its own it’s 32g of protein for 281 calories, and it carries into tacos, pasta, chilli or a rice bowl.

The oven does the work here. Spreading the crumble thin and baking it drives off water, which is exactly what gives you that loose, meaty texture instead of wet scrambled tofu.

Ingredients

  • Extra-firm (high-protein) tofu — 350 g block [P 60 C 6 F 28]
  • Mushrooms — 1 cup, finely chopped [P 3 C 2 F 0]
  • Low-sodium soy sauce — 2 tbsp [P 1 C 2 F 0]
  • Olive oil — 1 tsp
  • Pepper, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, chilli powder — a generous amount, to taste

Method

  1. Heat the oven. Preheat to 450°F / 230°C.
  2. Crumble the tofu. Drain and pat dry, then crumble it into small chunks with a fork.
  3. Season. Add the mushrooms, soy sauce, olive oil, pepper, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder and chilli powder. Mix well.
  4. Bake. Spread the tofu thin on a large baking tray and bake ~30 minutes, stirring halfway, until dry and browned at the edges.

What to eat it with

  • Tacos — pile into tortillas with salsa and slaw.
  • Pasta — stir through marinara for a plant-based bolognese (the photo).
  • Rice or lettuce bowls — with veg and a drizzle of soy or sriracha.

Variations

  • Any veg: finely chopped onion, pepper or carrot fold straight in.
  • Classic “meaty” flavour: swap the olive oil for sesame oil and finish with sesame seeds.
  • Smoky: add ½ tsp smoked paprika or a dash of liquid smoke.

Honest notes

  • Fibre: low here — roughly 1–2g a serving, since it’s almost all tofu. Pair it with beans, veg or whole-grain tortillas to bump it up.
  • The tofu weight: the book lists “1 block (approx. 84g)” — a typo. 84g can’t provide 32g of protein a serving; the macros reflect a full ~350g high-protein block, which is what’s written. Leaner brands lower the fat and calories.
  • Season boldly: with so few ingredients, the spice mix is the whole flavour — be generous.