Vegetarian Soft Taco Casserole

This Vegetarian Soft Taco Casserole is made with taco-seasoned tofu, refried beans, and chunky salsa layered between soft flour tortillas and cheese. You need just a few main ingredients to make this delicious and filling dinner.

Casserole recipes sometimes get a bad wrap, but this Vegetarian Soft Taco Casserole is healthy, filling, and flavorful! It’s a great recipe to throw together on a busy weeknight or take to a friend who needs TLC. It’s cozy and comforting, and it has a lot of delicious taco flavors.

I’ve made many Mexican-inspired casseroles and bakes in the past because they’re easy to throw together and don’t take too much hands-on time. This Soft Taco Casserole has the added step of cooking the tofu, but it’s worth it!

Vegetarian Soft Taco Casserole Recipe Ingredients

• Tofu – I used well-pressed, extra-firm tofu. You can use super-firm tofu or firm tofu if you make sure to press as much liquid out of as you can. Tempeh can be substituted.
• Taco Seasoning – I usually make my own taco seasoning using spices like cumin, paprika, and garlic powder. I wanted this taco casserole to have a bit of a different taste, so I used a packet of store-bought taco seasoning.  I got the low-sodium version and it added that classic taco flavor.
• Refried Beans—I used one can of refried beans in this recipe. Vegetarian refried beans should easily be found at the grocery store. If you can’t, I have a great recipe here for making your own.
• Chunky Salsa – Chunky salsa is a great budget-friendly recipe ingredient. If you can find the black bean and corn kind, it will add tomatoes, corn, beans, and spices.
• Taco Sauce – I didn’t use much taco sauce in this recipe, but I did use it to coat the bottom of the pan and to cover the tortillas on top of the casserole. If you don’t have taco sauce, you can use enchilada sauce or salsa.
• Cheese – I used shredded cheddar and Monterey Jack cheese. You can use any kind of cheese you like, even dairy-free cheese, if you prefer.
• Flour Tortillas – This is a “soft” taco casserole so I used large flour tortillas to make the layers. You can use corn tortillas to make it gluten-free, just make sure to lightly warm the tortillas before using.
• Optional Toppings – Taco casserole can be topped with avocado, black olives, tomato, onion, fresh herbs, sour cream, hot sauce, fresh lime juice, etc.

Why Your Body Will Love This Casserole

• Total Tofu – This is a warm and hearty dish packed with protein. Tofu is a terrific meat-free protein source; half a cup of firm tofu contains nearly 22 grams. It’s also rich in calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium, which contribute to healthy bones. The isoflavones found in tofu may even prevent bone disease in women. They also reduce the not-so-great form of cholesterol, lowering the risk of heart disease and high blood pressure.

How To Make This Vegetarian Soft Taco Casserole

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Press your tofu, then crumble it into small pieces by hand. Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add olive oil and onions. Cook until the onions are soft, 2-3 minutes, and then add the tofu. Season with a pinch of salt and cook the tofu and onions together until the tofu is lightly browned.
2. Next, add the packet of taco seasoning and the water to the skillet and mix until combined. Cook for about 4-5 more minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove the pan from the heat and add the refried beans and the chunky salsa. Season with salt to taste, and feel free to add any other seasonings, such as cumin, paprika, or granulated garlic.
3. Cut your flour tortillas to fit the baking dish you are using.  I used a smaller one, but if yours is larger, you may not have to cut them to fit. Add about 1/2 cup of the taco sauce to the bottom of the baking dish and spread evenly. Top with two of the tortillas; you want the tortillas to cover the entire bottom and it’s okay if they overlap a little.
4. Top the tortillas with half of the bean and tofu mixture and spread it out evenly. Top that with about half a cup of the shredded cheese, or more if desired. Next, layer on your tortillas, then the remaining bean mixture, shredded cheese, and the last layer of tortillas, and then top with the remaining half cup of taco sauce and a big handful of shredded cheese.
5. Top the baking dish with foil and place it in the oven. Bake for about 20 minutes with the foil on, then remove the foil and bake for another 10-15 minutes, or until the casserole is heated through and the cheese is melted. Allow the casserole to cool for a few minutes, cut it into slices, and top it with your favorite taco toppings.

Taco Casserole Recipe Frequently Asked Questions

• How can I make this recipe gluten-free? Use either gluten-free flour tortillas or corn tortillas. Also, make sure that the taco sauce is gluten-free.
• How can I make this casserole vegan? Use dairy-free cheese, and it will be vegan. You can also omit the cheese completely if you prefer.
• Do the flour tortillas get soggy in the casserole? They get a little soft because that’s just how flour tortillas are, but I don’t find the texture off-putting.  If you are worried, though, you can toast the tortillas for a few minutes in the oven first so they aren’t as soft.  You could also use corn tortillas instead of soft, flour ones.
• Is this casserole freezer-friendly? Yes, you can freeze it before or after baking it. Use a freezer-friendly, airtight container and freeze it for up to 3 months. For best results, bake it in the oven directly from frozen.
• How long will leftovers last in the refrigerator? If stored in an airtight container, they should last about 4-5 days.

Have a question I didn’t answer? Ask me in the comment section below, and I will get back to you ASAP.

Looking For More Mexican Inspired Vegetarian Casserole Recipes?

Vegetarian Stuffed Pepper Casserole with Soyrizo

Rice and Bean Taco Casserole

Cheesy Enchilada Rice Casserole

Black Bean Enchilada Casserole with Butternut Squash

Cheesy Potato Enchilada Casserole

Vegetarian Soft Taco Casserole

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• Author: She Likes Food
• Total Time: 55 minutes
• Yield: 6 1x
• Diet: Vegetarian

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Description

This Vegetarian Soft Taco Casserole is made with taco seasoned tofu, refried beans and chunky salsa that is layered between soft, flour tortillas and cheese. You only need a few main ingredients to make this delicious and filling dinner!

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Ingredients

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• 2–3 teaspoons olive oil
• 1/2 yellow onion, diced
• 1 (14 oz) package extra, or super firm, tofu, pressed for at least 15 minutes
• 1 (1 oz) package taco seasoning, I used low sodium (or about 2–3 tablespoons homemade taco seasoning)
• 1/2 cup water, or a bit more
• 1 (15 oz) can vegetarian refried beans
• 2 cups chunky salsa, I like to use the bean and corn salsa
• 1 cup taco sauce, or red enchilada sauce
• 2 cups shredded cheese, or more if desired.
• 8 medium sized flour tortillas
• Optional toppings: black olives, onion, avocado, tomato, fresh herbs, sour cream, salsa, hot sauce, etc…

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Instructions

1. Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees F.  Press your tofu and then use your hands to crumble it into small pieces.  Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add olive oil and onions.  Let cook until onions are softened, 2-3 minutes, and then add in the tofu.  Season with a pinch of salt and cook tofu and onions together until tofu is lightly browned.
2. Next, add the packet of taco seasoning and the water to the skillet and mix until combined.  Let cook for just about 4-5 more minutes, stirring occasionally.  Remove pan from the heat and add in the refried beans and the chunky salsa.  Season with salt, to taste and feel free to add in any other seasonings, such as cumin, paprika or granulated garlic.
3. Cut your flour tortillas to fit the baking dish you are using.  I used a smaller one, but if yours is larger you may not have to cut them to fit.  Add about 1/2 cup of the taco sauce to the bottom of the baking dish and spread around evenly.  Top with two of the tortillas, you want the tortillas to cover the entire bottom and it is ok if they overlap a little.
4. Top the tortillas with half of the bean and tofu mixture and spread out evenly.  Top that with about half a cup of the shredded cheese, or more if desired.  Next, layer on your tortillas, then the remaining bean mixture, shredded cheese, last layer of tortillas and then top with the remaining half cup taco sauce and a big handful of shredded cheese.
5. Top baking dish with foil and place in the oven.  Bake for about 20 minutes with the foil on, remove the foil and bake for another 10-15 minutes, or until casserole is heated through and cheese is melted.  Allow casserole to cool for a few minutes, cut into slices and top with your favorite taco toppings.

Notes

The amount of flour tortillas will depend on the size of your baking dish and the size of the tortillas.  I used a baking dish that was a bit smaller than the regular 9×13 size and used 8 medium sized flour tortillas, that I trimmed a bit to fit the pan.

• Prep Time: 15 mins
• Cook Time: 40 mins
• Category: Vegetarian, Dinner
• Method: Stovetop, Oven
• Cuisine: Mexican Inspired