Vegan Carnitas
You all seemed to love my take on the vegan tofu gyro so I knew I had to make another fun, new “meaty” tofu recipe! While I didn’t eat carnitas often before going plant-based, I surely am obsessed with this version that captures the flavors and textures of traditional carnitas pretty dang well! As the dubbed “tofu queen” on social media, I will show you all the simple steps to make this crispy vegan meat including using the proper tofu, a peeling technique, and the perfect marinade of spices. You may expect this recipe to be complicated, but it is anything but. You can have delicious vegan carnitas tacos on your dinner table in less than 30 minutes! AND it still tastes great the next day- but I highly recommend you reheat stovetop to regain that crispiness. 😉
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What are carnitas?
Carnitas are tender, slow-cooked Mexican pork that’s typically simmered until juicy, then crisped up in a pan. They’re often used for stuffing into tacos or bowls. Maybe you’ve seen it at Chipotle before.
So what’s are vegan carnitas?
My version of vegan carnitas is made from a flavorful, spiced tofu simmered in a savory citrusty sauce and crisped to perfect, just like classic carnitas. To get that thin texture like meat, we will use a peeler to shave super firm tofu into strips.
I am honestly shocked how delicious these vegan carnitas turned out. And I know most people would expect this recipe to be extremely time consuming but they’re actually not hard to make!
Vegan Carnitas Ingredients
- Super firm tofu – this is a must! I tried making this recipe with extra firm tofu (even pressed for hours) and it didn’t shave quite right or get the texture I wanted. You can find super firm tofu at lot of grocery stores near the other tofu products.
- Carnitas marinade: avocado oil, cumin, chili powder, oregano kosher salt*, pepper
- Braising base (sautéed aromatics): onion, jalapeńo, garlic, orange juice
- For the taco: Flour tortillas plus optional toppings: fresh lime, diced onion, diced cilantro (Tip – if anything, top with fresh lime! It’s AMAZING!)
How to Make Vegan Carnitas
1. Make your Tofu Carnitas Strips
Pat dry your block of extra firm tofu.
Using a peeler on the side of the tofu that is smaller, begin making strips of “meat”. Your tofu may crumble a little bit on the sides, but that’s okay. You will still be able to make plenty of strips.
Make as many strips as possible and place them in a shallow bowl.
2. Marinate the Tofu Carnitas
In a small bowl, whisk together your marinade. Pour it over your tofu strips and using a spoon or your fingers, gently toss your strips to help them get evenly coated with the marinade. Don’t worry if some break – these pieces get nice and crispy and will create some great texture in your carnitas.
Set the tofu strips aside to marinate.
3. Make your Braising Base
In a large skillet/saucepan, add 1 tbsp of olive oil over medium heat. Add your finely diced onion and jalapeño. Sauté for approximately 5 minutes. Add your garlic cloves and sauté for another minute or so.
Turn heat down slightly. Deglaze the pan with your orange juice and stir for a minute.
4. Cook your Tofu Carnitas
Turn the heat up to med-high. Add your tofu strips and gently toss in the liquid. Tongs are helpful at this stage. As best as you can, separate tofu strips that are stuck together.
Cook your tofu carnitas for 10-14 minutes, tossing the mixture every 2-3 minutes. You may find a spatula works better at this stage. Allow the tofu to go untouched for as long as possible without burning to help it get nice and crispy.
Tip: At the end, add 1 tbsp of water and cover the pan for 30 seconds. This will help it crisp up even more!
Step 5: Make your Vegan Carnitas Tacos
Make yourself some vegan carnitas tacos using flour tortillas. You can make anywhere from 4-6 tacos, depending on how much you fill them. Top with onion, cilantro, and fresh lime.
FYI- the fresh lime makes a HUGE difference!
Storage
Store the vegan carnitas in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. I recommend reheating stovetop to regain that crispiness, but you can also use the microwave if that is more convenient.
How to Enjoy Vegan Carnitas
Common Questions
I personally found super firm works the best. I suppose if you pressed your extra firm tofu for a long period of time you can get a similar consistency, but I cannot vouch for this.
Kosher salt has larger, flakier crystals and no added iodine, which makes it easier to pinch, dissolve, and season food more evenly. Iodized salt has finer grains and includes added iodine for nutritional purposes, but it can taste slightly sharper and is harder to control when cooking.
1 tsp of kosher salt does NOT equal 1 tsp of iodized salt. 1 tsp of kosher salt is LESS salty than iodized salt, so if you are substituting iodized for kosher, make sure to start with less and add more as needed.
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Vegan Carnitas
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Ingredients
- 1 block super firm tofu needs to be super firm! See notes
Marinade
- 4 tbsp avocado oil or oil for choice*
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tsp cumin
- 1.5 tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp oregano
- 3/4 tsp kosher salt* See note*
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
Carnitas Base
- 1 tbsp avocado oil or oil of choice
- 1/2 cup finely diced white onion
- 2 tbsp finely diced jalopeño
- 2 cloves minced garlic
- 1/3 cup fresh orange juice (approx 1 large orange)
Optional for Tacos
- 4-6 taco flour tortillas
- finely diced onion
- finely diced cilantro
- fresh lime highly recommend!
Instructions
- Start by making your tofu carnitas strips. Pat dry your block of extra firm tofu.Using a peeler on the side of the tofu that is smaller, begin making strips of "meat". Your tofu may crumble a little bit on the sides, but that's okay. You will still be able to make plenty of strips. You may even want to throw some of those crumbles into the mixture because they crisp up beautifully!Make as many strips as possible and place them in a shallow bowl. Tip: I alternated between various sides of the tofu block to make my strips, especially if one side started to get more crumbly.1 block super firm tofu
- In a small bowl, whisk together your marinade. Pour it over your tofu strips and using a spoon or your fingers, gently toss your strips to help them get evenly coated with the marinade. Don't worry if some break – they will create some great texture in your carnitas. Set the tofu strips aside to marinate.4 tbsp avocado oil, 1 tbsp soy sauce, 2 tsp cumin, 1.5 tsp chili powder, 1 tsp oregano, 3/4 tsp kosher salt*, 1/4 tsp black pepper
- In a large skillet/saucepan, add 1 tbsp of oil over medium heat. Add your finely diced onion and jalapeño. Sauté for approximately 5 minutes. Add your garlic cloves and sauté for another minute or so. Turn heat down slightly. Deglaze the pan with your orange juice and stir for a minute.1 tbsp avocado oil, 1/2 cup finely diced white onion, 2 tbsp finely diced jalopeño, 2 cloves minced garlic, 1/3 cup fresh orange juice
- Turn the heat up to med-high. Add your tofu strips and gently toss in the liquid. Tongs are helpful at this stage. As best as you can, separate tofu strips that are stuck together.Cook your tofu carnitas for 12-14 minutes, tossing the mixture every 2-3 minutes. You may find a spatula works better at this stage. Allow the tofu to go untouched for as long as possible without burning to help it get nice and crispy.Tip: At the end, add 1 tbsp of water and cover the pan for 30 seconds. This will help it crisp up even more!
- Make yourself some vegan carnitas tacos using flour tortillas. You can make anywhere from 4-6 tacos, depending on how much you fill them. Top with onion, cilantro, and fresh lime. You could even add avocado strips.Tip: the fresh lime makes a HUGE difference!
Notes
1 tsp of kosher salt does NOT equal 1 tsp of iodized salt. 1 tsp of kosher salt is LESS salty than iodized salt, so if you are substituting iodized for kosher, make sure to start with less and add more as needed. *Nutrition facts calculated for 5 tacos (including tortillas) without toppings
