Meet Alex Caspero
Alex Caspero is a Registered Dietitian, New York Times Bestselling Plant-Based Chef and mom of two. She aims to cut through the nutrition noise by providing real-life, nourishing tips for body and mind. Learn more about Alex.
Vegan Copycat Chipotle Tofu Sofritas tacos, just like you get at Chipotle! If you’ve tried their sofritas tofu before, then you’ve gotta try this copycat version. Braised tofu in a spicy adobo sauce with pinto beans and spices, this recipe is delicious! Vegan and easily gluten-free.
We are big fans of Chipotle. Since french fries are the only vegetarian option at 95% of most fast-food restaurants, it’s nice to have a national chain that we know we can grab a fairly healthy plant-based meal at. Now that Chipotle offers sofritas tofu as a vegan option, it’s become one of the few fast-food places where we know we’ll be able to eat a satisfying meal.
When we lived in California, we road tripped all the time. What, with Lake Tahoe, San Francisco, Monterey and Napa all within a two hour drive. Completely spoiled with all of the wonderful places around us, we traveled often as we weren’t quite sure how long we would actually be in Northern California.
After a quick weekend away, we’d often stop by Chipotle on the way home. A quick, easy and accessible stop for a late lunch on the road, knowing that the fridge would be almost empty upon our return.
I can’t remember when they introduced tofu sofritas but once we both tasted it, it became our go-to pick. Spicy, chewy and perfect on taco bowls, tofu sofritas is one of our favorite taco fillings.
Here’s how to make it at home.
Chipotle’s sofritas are made from shredded tofu braised in chiles and a blend of fragrant seasoning blends and spices. This copycat recipe is the same!
While the sauce has a few steps, it comes together rather easily.
To start, roast the poblano pepper. After rubbing the poblano pepper with a little oil, place on a baking sheet and roast for 15-20 minutes until charred on all sides. Transfer to a bowl, cover and let steam for 10 minutes.
Rub off the skin, then remove stem and seeds and roughly chop. If you prefer a spicier sauce, then don’t remove the seeds before placing into the blender.
Next, place the chipotle peppers, adobo sauce, garlic, tomatoes, cumin, salt and sugar in the blender (or food processor) and puree until smooth.
Shred or crumble the tofu either with your hands or using a box grater. Place in a bowl and set aside.
Heat olive oil over medium heat in a large skillet and add the onion. Cook until softened, but not browned. Stir in the tofu and cook for until tofu starts to get crispy and slightly golden. Use a wooden spoon to break up any large tofu pieces.
Add in the sofrito sauce along with the pinto beans and simmer for 15 minutes, until mixture is heated through and slightly thickened. I added in pinto beans for extra protein and fiber, but black beans or kidney beans would also work. Or, you can leave them out together.
In true Chipotle tofu sofritas fashion, serve these any way you like. I prefer it in tortillas with shredded lettuce, guacamole, salsa, brown rice and cilantro. The filling will keep for a while in the fridge in an airtight container, so feel free to make a batch to eat throughout the week!
It’s also fantastic in a vegan burrito bowl, wrap or burrito, on top of a salad or however you enjoy your favorite burrito filling.
Ideally, yes- if you have time. Tofu comes packed in water, and pressing the tofu before cooking will ensure that your finished dish isn’t watery. Removing the water from the tofu by pressing it allows the tofu to then soak up whatever sauce you are cooking it in– like this sofritas sauce! I have a tutorial here on how to cook tofu properly.
My tofu press is one of the workhorses in my kitchen for simple tofu press. Considering that we eat tofu at least a few times a week, it’s a no-brainer tool that I’ve got in my kitchen.
No tofu press ? No problem. Drain your tofu from the package, then give it a quick rinse. Wrap in a paper towel or kitchen towel and place a heavy object on top, like a cast-iron pan with a few canned goods or a few cookbooks.
Let the tofu drain for ~10-15 minutes, until most of the water is removed.
In a rush and don’t have time to press your tofu? In this case, just give it a big squeeze over the sink and allow as much water to be released as possible.
Yes! The sofritas tofu filling at Chipotle is vegan and gluten-free; just like this recipe!
If you want to keep the entire recipe vegan, serve with tortillas of choice and your favorite dairy-free toppings. To keep things gluten-free, then ensure that you use a gluten-free corn tortilla.
This vegan sofritas recipe tastes like a blend of paprika, cumin, and chile peppers. Spicy, a little bit of smoky, and a little bit of sweet, this recipe is the perfect balance of savory and comfort.
If you try this recipe, make sure to come back to leave a rating and a comment. Seeing you make my recipes makes my day and your feedback helps other readers!
PrintCopycat Chipotle Tofu Sofritas tacos, just like you get at Chipotle! If you’ve tried their sofritas tofu before, then you’ve gotta try this copycat version. Braised tofu in a spicy adobo sauce with pinto beans and spices, this recipe is delicious! Vegan and easily gluten-free.
New to pressing tofu!? Wrap in a paper towel and place a heavy object on top. Or, use a tofu press.
Tag @delishknowledge on Instagram and hashtag it #delishknowledge
If you like these Chipotle Tofu Sofritas, then you’ll want to try these other vegan tofu recipes: Vegan Tofu Nuggets , Peanut Tofu Buddha Bowl, Tofu Tinga Tacos
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(19 comments) leave a comment
Love the flavor.
★★★★★
As a taco junkie, this has become a weekly recipe.
★★★★★
This is good. Great job with recipe!!!
★★★★★
I like tacos in almost any form. The seasoning and fire in these are the best.
★★★★★
So glad you liked it! Thanks Robert!
My husband loves this spicy version.
★★★★★
I made these last night. Big hit with the kids!
★★★★★
Hi Alex,
What brand canned chipotle peppers and adobo sauce did you use for this recipe?
Hi Rupal, I used the Embasa brand
Thanks for this this yummy dish….
I increased some of the seasonings and used the whole can of fire roasted tomatoes. I decreased the chipotle peppers and adobo sauce from the recipes I love my food with kick but I knew the amount you had used would have been just too spicy for me. I just used one tablespoon adobo sauce and none of the chipolte peppers. You can always add more chipotle adobe sauce near the end when its cooking, if you find its not spicy enough. I plan to have it next time without the taco shells. I’ll just have it served alongside some oven roasted potatoes or potato pancakes and green beans, for a kinda breakfast at dinner time dish.
Hi Shannon, what kind of pepper did you use? Did you remove the seeds of the poblano? While a poblano isn’t as spicy as a jalapeno, sometimes you can get a hot one. Remove the seeds should decrease the heat significantly.
This looks so good I can’t wait to try this! I’ve been wanting to make sofritas for forever !!
★★★★★