This post sponsored by the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. The delicious recipe and the opinions are all mine!
I have a fancy looking recipe of Air Fried Tofu Rancheros with Veggies for you today.
It uses Little Face Salsa, which is made by a Greensboro entrepreneur, Jax Manganiello.
Little Face is in the beginning stages and just beginning to get into local stores. When I met with Jax, she told me about all the meetings coming up with chains, and I’m excited to see her salsa in more stores.
Little Face Salsa comes in 3 flavors: Mild Jalapeno Cilantro, Medium Habanero Cilantro, and Hot Te “Kill” Ya Habanero.
Each one has a rich tomato flavor that is the star of the salsa.
The best part for me is that there is no artificial preservatives, and it uses all natural ingredients.
If you live in North Carolina, be sure to try Little Face’s salsas at the Homegrown Fare.
It’s presented by Lowes Foods May 19-21 at the N.C. State Fairgrounds in Raleigh.
The Got To Be NC Festival will feature 100 local food, wine, and beer companies. Admission is $3, but you and a guest can get in free if you show your Lowes Foods loyalty card.
Plus you can get a free gift while supplies last by mentioning Healthy Slow Cooking at the Got To Be NC merchandise booth.
More information about the Homegrown Fare and the Got To Be NC Festival is available at www.gottobencfestival.com.
My favorite part of this recipe is the crunchy tofu that’s studded with cumin
It’s so easy to make perfect tofu in your air fryer
The spices stick to the tofu without any oil, but you can spritz it if you’d like to make your tofu a little crispier.
I’ve started using extra firm tofu because you don’t need to press it. Sometimes, it’s labeled high protein.
I wanted to add some extra veggies, so I made a veggie topping that’s made up of grated carrot, yellow squash, and zucchini that’s mixed with a touch of salt and lime juice.
I used some Daiya cheese, but if you don’t do processed foods or eat oil-free, make my cauliflower queso and use it instead.
I warm up the tortilla with cheese and the bean mixture. The tortilla becomes crispy and the cheese melts.
Finally, you add all the other toppings on your tortilla and finish it off by piling on the salsa!
Got to Be NC Air Fried Tofu Rancheros with Veggies and Little Face Salsa
Ingredients
For the Spice Crusted Tofu:
- 1 - 20 0z container High Protein Tofu or Super Firm Tofu (or firm that's been pressed for at least 1 hour), cut into cubes
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin powder
- 1 teaspoon ground chili powder, or less if you prefer mild foods
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
For the Salsa Beans:
- 1 15.5 ounce can organic black beans, drained (save liquid to make brownies or chocolate cookies)
- 1/4 cup Little Face Big Taste Jalapeno Cilantro Salsa, or your fav mild salsa
- 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon liquid smoke, to suit your taste (or use 1/8 teaspoon smoked paprika)
- 1/8 teaspoon jalapeno powder, (or chipotle or cayenne) powder
- 1/8 teaspoon cumin powder
- salt, to taste
For the Veggie Topping:
- 1/3 cup grated carrot
- 1/3 cup grated zucchini
- 1/3 cup grated yellow squash
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- pinch black pepper
For the Base:
- 4 large flour or gluten-free tortillas, I used Ezekiel brand
- 1 cup shredded vegan cheese, or make oil free with my cauliflower queso
Instructions
- Make the Spice Crusted Tofu:Toss the tofu cubes with the cumin, chili powder, smoked paprika, and salt.
- Preheat your air fryer to 390° unless your model doesn’t require it. Once it’s hot, add the coated tofu to your air fryer basket.
- Set the cooking time to 5 minutes and when the time is up, shake or stir the tofu. Repeat for an additional 5 minutes.
- No air fryer? Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes, turn over and cook 10 to 15 minutes more - or until crispy.
- Make the Salsa Beans:Mix all the ingredients together in a small bowl.
- Prepare the Base:Take 2 tortillas and put on a baking sheet while preheating the oven to 350 degrees. Sprinkle (or spread) ¼ cup vegan cheese on top of each tortilla. Put ¼ of the salsa beans in the middle of the tortilla and bake for 15 minutes. This will warm the beans and make the tortilla crunchy.
- Once warm add on the Spiced Crusted Tofu, the shredded veggie topping, chopped tomatoes or other veggies you'd like to pile on like avocado or shredded lettuce.
- Top it all off with a heaping spoonful of Little Face Salsa!
Nutrition Information
Amount Per Serving Calories 468Saturated Fat 2gSodium 867mgCarbohydrates 45gFiber 16gSugar 4gProtein 25g
Kate | Life of a Ginger says
So I have to admit I’m not a big fan of tofu, but this looks delicious! I LOVE a good salsa. I will definitely be checking out Little Face’s salsas booth at Homegrown Fare!
leigh powell hines says
I adore salsa. So glad to learn more about this NC based company. The recipe you developed seems great. I like tofu. That fryer is neat. My tofu never looks as good as yours. It’s so perfectly friend.
Jen Busfield says
Oh my goodness – that tofu looks (and sounds) amazing! I am going to need to make it…SOON! I love that there’s cilantro in the mild and medium salsas! I love cilantro!
Jenni says
Deliciousness! Now I wanted cumin and chili powder crispy tofu! Glad to hear Little Face is growing–I really liked them when I met them at Flavors!
Angie | Big Bear's Wife says
Ooo I love this! I never would have thought it was Tofu by looking at the photos though! (Which is a good thing for me! haha) This looks amazing and those flavors are fantastic!
Angie | Big Bear's Wife says
Ooo I love this! I never would have thought it was Tofu by looking at the photos though! (Which is a good thing for me! haha) This looks amazing and those flavors are fantastic!
April @ Girl Gone Gourmet says
Beautiful recipe! You’ve inspired me to pick up some tofu – it’s not always on my list, but when it’s done right I really enjoy it. I love the crust you developed on it – sounds delicious. How wonderful to support an emerging new business – I loved reading about the Little Face story and will look for it the store!
Andrea Bates says
What a delicious looking recipe! Yummmm.
The salsa probably adds the perfect kick to it, too. I’m a mild salsa fan, so I’m going to have to look into it at the festival!
Rachel says
I love salsa, and your tofu rancheros look delicious with Little Face salsa on top. I bet it would taste good with chips too!
Fran says
I’ll be trying this. I love tofu!
Hadassah Patterson says
Fantastic ingenuity!
Meghan @ I'm Fixin' To says
Well, now I’m officially starving! These sound delicious! All three flavors of salsa sound amazing, as well! xx, I’m Fixin’ To
Johanna Kramer says
Wow, this sounds delicious. I love a good salsa and will definitely hit them up at the Homegrown Fare.