This Chipotle Sofritas recipe, made with shredded tofu braised in spices, tastes just like the original and makes a great vegan option for burritos, tacos, and salads.
To all my meat-eating friends, I promise this recipe tastes better than you think.
Seriously. If you took a bite right now, you’d nod your head in puzzled agreement and say, “Hm. This actually tastes really good!”
I’ve seen it a million times. Okay, about 40 times. But still! DATA DOESN’T LIE.
One reason I am posting Chipotle Sofritas is because I have a Type-A personality and want to finish the project I started: Sharing all Chipotle copycat recipes.
A second reason is because vegan Chipotle Sofritas is delicious whether you’re a vegan or not.
How to Press Tofu
- Start with extra-firm tofu and squeeze out as much liquid as possible, either by wrapping it in paper towels and placing a heavy dish on top like a can, brick, or even a cat, or by using a quick and easy tofu press.
- After pressing, slice the tofu into eight pieces. If you have two smaller bricks, cut each into four slices. You’ll see what I mean when you look at the tofu.
While pressing the tofu, prepare the easy Sofritas marinade by blending together fresh tomatoes, peppers, onions, some chiles, and a variety of spices.
Throw everything in a food processor or blender and hit BLAST. Marinade = done.
Brown the tofu in a pan to give it texture and flavor. SO GOOD. When I snack on it, it reminds me of griddle cakes (but that’s probably just me).
Depending on the size of your pan, it’s okay to brown your tofu in batches. Use enough oil to cover all the areas where the tofu is going to touch. But don’t worry if it feels like it’s sticking! Just leave it in the pan and when it’s ready, it will release. If you try to flip it too early, it might stick.
Blend the browned tofu in your food processor or blender just enough to break it down into chunky, coarse crumbs. Try not to pulverize it. Those big pieces add a nice texture to the final dish.
Speaking of the final dish, all that’s left to do is combine the shredded tofu with the marinade. Toss it together in a large pan and simmer it on the stove until heated through.
If you like more liquid in the pan, add more water.
Make Chipotle Sofritas tacos, burritos, salads, bowls, and quesadillas. Meatless Monday will never be the same!
Chipotle Sofritas recipe
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
Description
This Chipotle Sofritas recipe, made with shredded tofu braised in spices, tastes just like the original and makes a great vegan option for burritos, tacos, and salads.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil or rice bran oil (or any other neutral oil)
- 1 (16 ounce) package extra firm tofu pressed, cut into 8 slices (see notes)
- For the Marinade:
- 1 medium tomato quartered
- 1/2 yellow onion quartered
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 (about 1/2 cup) green bell pepper deseeded
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon ancho chile powder
- 2 chipotle chilies (see notes)
- 2 tablespoons adobo sauce from canned chipotle chilies in adobo sauce (see notes)
- 1/2 teaspoon dried italian oregano
- 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 cup water plus additional water as needed for braising the tofu
Instructions
- Heat some oil in a skillet over medium-high and cook the tofu in batches, flipping it around until it’s golden and crispy, about 10 minutes.
- Take it out and drain on paper towels. While that’s happening, toss together the marinade in a food processor: tomato, yellow onion, garlic, green bell pepper, cumin, ancho chili powder, chipotle chilies, adobo sauce, oregano, red wine vinegar, salt, pepper, and some water—blend until it’s a bit chunky.
- Once the tofu is cooled a bit, chop it up into rough 1/4-inch pieces or pulse it a couple of times in the food processor, then toss it with the marinade in a bowl, cover, and let it sit for at least 30 minutes or overnight.
- When you’re ready to cook, heat a medium pan over medium-high, add the marinated tofu and any leftover marinade, pour in a quarter cup of water, bring it to a boil, add more water if you want it saucier, then turn it down to simmer and cook until the tofu’s heated through, about 10 minutes. Done!
Notes
- Drain the tofu, wrap it in paper towels, and place it in a dish. Set something heavy like a can on top for about 15 minutes to remove excess moisture, or use a tofu press if you have one.
- Meanwhile, strain the adobo sauce into a small bowl, pressing down on the chipotle chilies to extract at least a quarter cup of the liquid, and reserve the remaining chilies and sauce for another use.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Main course
- Cuisine: Mexican
Nutrition
- Calories: 174 kcal