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These Chipotle copycat Sofritas are a healthy, vegan-friendly protein alternative with tons of flavor. They're low sugar, low sodium, spicy, and great for adding to tacos or veggie bowls!
I have been loving these vegan Sofritas! After I saw this new addition at Chipotle, I knew I had to recreate Chipotle Sofritas at home.
This soritas recipe is perfect for anyone who wants to try a vegan protein alternative that is both hearty and satisfying. It tastes just like the original but is much better for you thanks to less oil, less sodium and less sugar than the Chipotle version!
Get those creative juices flowing as you cook these spicy, fresh vegan Sofritas - because you can add them to just about anything! They are even more enjoyable to eat as they are to cook!
Tools and Equipment You'll Need
What Ingredients Do You Need to Make Chipotle Sofritas?
Tofu Ingredients:
- 1 16oz block of firm tofu
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 15oz can black beans (optional)
Sofritas Sauce Ingredients:
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 2 tsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- 2 cloves minced garlic
- 1/2 tsp-1 tsp salt (to taste - nutritional info based on ½ tsp)
- 1/2 tsp coconut sugar
- 1/2 red or yellow onion, chopped
- 1 green bell pepper or poblano pepper, chopped
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 1/2 cup prepared salsa
- 1 chipotle pepper
- 1 tbsp adobo sauce
How to Make Chipotle Inspired Sofritas - Step by Step
For the Homemade Sofritas Sauce: Place all of the ingredients in a food processor or blender, blend until smooth
For the Tofu: Press and drain the tofu for 15 minutes to get rid of the excess water. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the tofu and crumble it using a wooden spoon. cook until golden brown and slightly crispy.
Once the tofu is cooked (about 8-10 min), pour the Sofritas sauce into the skillet and cook on medium/low heat until the flavors combine about 5-10 minutes.
Serve warm, topped with fresh cilantro or your herbs of choice.
What Makes These Vegan Sofritas Healthy?
- High in Plant Protein: Each serving of these tofu sofritas has about 12.4g of plant-protein. That's over 20% of your daily protein needs!
- Low in Sugar and Sodium: Compared to Chipotle Sofritas, this recipe is much lower in sugar (2g vs. 5g per serving) and sodium (330mg vs. 710mg at Chipotle)
- Vitamins and Minerals: Tofu is rich in calcium, magnesium, iron and phosphorous, and black beans are high in folate, magnesium and iron - making this a nutrient rich dish!
Will Kids Enjoy These Chipotle Sofritas?
Homemade Sofritas have great flavor and texture which can be appealing to kids, but can be pretty spicy thanks to the heat from the chipotle and poblano peppers. If your kids are more sensitive to spice but love the crumbled texture of tofu, you can always limit the amount of spices and peppers, or substitute in regular bell peppers instead of poblano/chipotle peppers. I served these sofritas to my kids and our neighbors kids as the filling for taco night, and they all gobbled them up!
What is Sofritas? Is It Always Vegan?
Sofritas are crumbled tofu in a rich and spicy sauce. The heat in the sauce comes from the smoky chipotle chiles, poblano peppers, and the spices. They are a great vegan alternative for protein in Mexican meals!
Sofritas are always vegan, but you may come across recipes on the web that have a meat-eater twist on the typical vegan Sofrita.
Is Chipotle Sofritas Healthy?
You may have seen that Chipotle has added vegan Sofritas to their menu! The surprising news? Chipotle's Sofritas have 710 mg of sodium, 5 g of sugar, and 8 g of protein per serving of 150 calories. So, you're getting the lowest protein with the highest sugar and salt content compared to the other protein options. That's why I created this recipe for a healthier alternative!
Where does this recipe originate from?
Sofritas come from the Latin American and Spanish word, "sofrito." This word means to lightly fry in a Spanish style way. In Spanish dishes, it is a base sauce that has tomatoes, garlic, peppers, and onions sauteed in olive oil.
What does Chipotle Sofritas taste like? Do they taste like meat?
Sofritas are chewy from the tofu, but have a spicy tomato flavor. They do not taste like meat. When you eat them, you'll find them to have a crumbly texture from the tofu.
Serving Ideas and Variations
While you can eat Sofritas on their own, I recommend adding them to a taco shell, a burrito or a bowl with other fresh ingredients for an awesome meal. You can think of Sofritas the way you think of using other protein you may eat for more ideas. Some of my favorite ways to serve them include:
- As a filling for tacos or burritos - topped with shredded lettuce or baby spinach, diced tomatoes, red onions, salsa, guac and anything else you like!
- As a base for bowls - with beans, guac, rice, tomatoes, corn, peppers, baby spinach, and salsa
- As an addition to vegetarian chili for an even meatier texture
- As a topping for nachos
Top Tips for Making Vegan Sofritas
- Make sure to use extra firm tofu for the recipe for the best crumble and to avoid the mushy feeling!
- When you saute the onion and pepper, saute until browned and clear.
- You don't have to use organic ingredients, but I recommend them! Especially for the tofu, it is important to avoid GMOs, fertilizers and pesticides.
- If you find your tofu sticking too much to the pan, just add a little more oil. You'll want the tofu to be golden brown and slightly crispy.
- If you are looking to avoid spice, try halving the peppers, and adding more after tasting to get it to the spice level you prefer. You can also substitute the poblano for a roasted bell pepper to get the same flavor without as much heat.
- If you want to add more flavor, try adding a touch more of salt and spices, or add a bit more of the adobo sauce.
