Tofu Tacos al Pastor

Slowly, my husband has been coming around to tofu. When I told him I was going to make this dish and I could sub chicken for him, he surprised me by saying he'd eat the tofu. I think what put him over the edge was the fact that it would be marinated, grilled, and served in a taco with avocado and grilled pineapple, two of his favorites. I decided to finally take the extra step in draining and pressing the tofu, freezing it overnight, thawing it and pressing it again. Though it was a few more steps, the end product was well worth it. It had a much different texture, and it really soaked up the marinade well. 

I got the idea for these tacos from Bridget's Tacos al Pastor, made the traditional way with pork. Since well pressed tofu tends to soak up liquid faster than meat marinades, I cut the time to 30 minutes. I also made a simple cabbage slaw and served these with hot sauce and greek yogurt rather than the two chile salsa Bridget made. I do plan to make these again and try the salsa, but to keep this a quicker, weeknight meal, I went without it. 

The flavor in the tofu was deep, and the sweetness of the pineapple paired with the creamy avocado was perfectly balanced. You really can't go wrong with this combination! 

Tofu Tacos al Pastor

adapted from Bridget at The Way the Cookie Crumbles

1 14 oz. package Extra Firm Tofu

6 corn tortillas

1 pineapple, peeled and sliced (less 2 slices)

1 avocado

1/4 small red cabbage, shredded

1/4 c. cilantro, minced

1 lime, juiced

marinade (as written, I halved this):

2 slices of pineapple, cored and chopped

1 small yellow onion, chopped

1/2 c. orange juice

1/4 c. distilled white vinegar

1/4 c. guajillo chile powder 

3 garlic cloves, halved

2 tsp. kosher salt

1 tsp. dried oregano

1 tsp. ground cumin

1 large chipotle chilie and 2 tsp. adobo sauce from canned chipotles in adobo

Drain and press tofu for 10 minutes.

Wrap in plastic wrap, freeze until solid, or overnight.

Thaw, drain and press again for 10 minutes.

Slice tofu, place in a bowl.

Add all marinade ingredients to a blender, puree. 

Pour over tofu, stir to coat and place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

Slice cabbage very thin, add to a bowl, toss in cilantro, lime juice, salt and pepper.

Refrigerate.

Heat a grill over medium-high heat.

Place tofu and pineapple on the grill. 

Cook for 4-5 minutes per side, until grill marks appear.

Remove from the grill, slice pineapple into matchsticks.

Serve with sliced avocado, slaw, and warmed corn tortillas.