Tofu Sofritas (Chipotle Copycat, Bettered)

This Tofu Sofritas recipe is an easiest copycat of Chipotle’s Sofritas, perfect for creating homemade meat-free burrito bowls, quesadillas, or tacos. Plus, this Sofritas recipe is also super easy, ready in less than 30 minutes, gluten-free, vegan, and low carb!

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I’m a baker at heart. If I could have it my way, I’d be baking breakfast recipes, lunches, and dinner. But I know that there’s a whole world of food beyond baking and my kids love to eat savory plant-based dinners.

I often do my Lentil Taco Meat, my Vegan Creamy Mushroom Pasta, or my TVP Taco Meat but if I want something a bit more fast-food-like, I go for my tofu sofritas.

What Are Sofritas?

Sofritas is a popular meat-free filling served at Chipotle. It’s delicious vegan meat for tacos, burritos, or to make taco bowls. It’s made of stir-fried shredded firm Tofu cooked in a spicy sauce made of chipotle chilies and a blend of spices.

Ingredients and Substitutions

All you need to make this recipe are a few simple ingredients:

• Extra-Firm Tofu – it’s very important to use extra-firm tofu or at least firm tofu for this chipotle Sofritas recipe. If you use a softer kind of tofu, your Sofritas will be watery.
• Olive Oil – or any oil you love like melted coconut oil or avocado oil.
• Cornstarch or arrowroot flour –  this is used to coat the tofu scramble and make it crispy.
• Dried Ancho pepper – deseeded, slightly dry roasted in a pan. This is the best option to replace the classic fresh Poblano pepper. It makes the Sofritas spicier and much faster to cook.
• Chipotle Dauce – I am using the La Morena brand.
• Chipotle Peppers in Adobo sauce – I used the same brand as above. It consists of marinated chipotle.
• Cumin, Smoked Paprika, Garlic – This spice mix makes the perfect combination.
• Lime Juice or lemon juice.
• Maple Syrup or Coconut sugar. This is optional, but it balances the spices in the dish.
• Tomato Paste – You can use thick tomato paste or tomato passata that has reduced.
• Vegetable Broth – or water with a seasoning cube.

How To Make Chipotle Sofritas

It’s super easy to make a Sofritas recipe at home.

Some recipes use oven-roasted fresh poblano peppers but here I am sharing a much easier, straightforward version of Sofritas that everyone can make in just 15 minutes.

1. First, open the tofu block and wrap it into some absorbent paper towels or a clean kitchen towel.
2. Next, place the block on a chopping board and top up with a heavy weight – a cookbook, for example. This makes a homemade tofu press.
3. Wait at least 20 minutes or until the tofu has released all its excess water.
4. After you have pressed the tofu, remove the weight on top of the tofu block. Scramble the tofu into tofu chunks of small size, similar to ground meat.
5. Then, place the tofu pieces into a mixing bowl and sprinkle salt and cornstarch on top. Stir to coat until sticky and gummy.
6. Next, warm some olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Stir fry the shredded tofu for 2-3 minutes or until golden brown.
7. While the tofu is cooking, make the Sofritas sauce.
8. First, slice the Ancho dried chili peppers. Next, remove their stem and the seeds inside.
9. Then, in a cast iron or non-stick pan, cook the chili peppers for 1 or 2 minutes on each side with no oil until fragrant, then transfer to the blender jug.
10. In a blender or food processor add all the remaining sauce ingredients including the 1/2 cup water vegetable broth and blend until thick and smooth.
11. Finally, pour the sauce over the cooked tofu and simmer for 15 minutes or until the sauce has thickened.
12. If too thick to your liking, add an extra 1/4 cup of water or vegetable stock.
13. Stir with a wooden spoon to make sure it’s evenly distributed and that all the flavors have blended well.

Tips for Making The Best Sofritas

While the recipe is quite simple, I have a few tips to make sure you make the best sofritas.

1. Choose the Right Tofu: Use firm or extra-firm tofu for sofritas to ensure a meatier texture. Silken tofu is too soft for this dish. If you can find super firm tofu, the texture will be even meatier.
2. Crumble for Texture: After marinating, crumble the tofu into small, bite-sized pieces. Crumbled tofu will give it a texture similar to ground meat and allow it to absorb more of the marinade.
3. Sauté to Perfection: Sauté the crumbled tofu in a hot pan with a bit of oil until it turns golden brown. This step adds a nice crispiness to the sofritas.
4. Add Aromatics: Enhance the flavor by sautéing aromatics like onions and garlic before adding the tofu. This adds depth to the dish.
5. Simmer for Flavor: Allow the tofu to simmer in the sauce for a while to absorb all the flavors. This step helps the sofritas reach its full taste potential.
6. Customize with Ingredients: Feel free to customize your sofritas with additional ingredients like bell peppers, tomatoes, or black beans. This adds variety and nutritional value to the dish.
7. Serve Creatively: Use sofritas in various ways – as a filling for tacos or tortillas (such as my Flaxseed Tortillas, Quinoa Tortillas, or Red Lentil Tortillas, burritos, bowls (like my Protein Bowl), or even as a topping for salads. Experiment with different combinations to find your favorite.

Serving Sofritas

There are many ways you can serve Sofritas: plain or with black beans.

If you love black beans or just want to add a boost of plant-based protein, then stir a drained 14-ounce can of black beans in the pan.

Serve Sofritas as a:

• Burrito bowl – on top of cooked rice, with corn, salsa, a drizzle of lime juice, and lettuce.
• Tacos – use lettuce leaves or my gluten-free coconut flour tortilla recipe or fill with the Sofritas meat-free filling. Top up with crunchy vegetables like shredded lettuce, chopped red onion, cabbage, or tomatoes.
• Burritos – wrap in corn tortillas and place the burritos into a large 9×13-inch baking dish. Top up with salsa sauce and vegan cheese. then broiled in oven 350°F (180°C) until hot. Serve with a dollop of coconut cream, homemade guacamole, and fresh cilantro.
• As a dip for my Vegan Cornbread Recipe.

Storage Instructions

This Sofritas recipe is perfect for making ahead vegan dinners as it stores for up to 4 days in the fridge or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Place the leftover Sofritas in an airtight container and freeze or refrigerate until ready to use.

If frozen, thaw the container in the fridge the day before serving.

Frequently Asked Questions

More Vegan Dinner Recipes

I love to create vegan dinner recipes. Below I listed  our favorites for you to try:

Szechuan Tofu

Vegan Birria Tacos

TVP Taco Meat

Mexican Black Beans

Sofritas (Copycat But Better)

A copycat Chipotle Sofritas recipe made with simple ingredients for delicious, meat-free burritos or tacos.

4.67 from 9 votes

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Prep Time: 15 minutes mins

Cook Time: 20 minutes mins

Total Time: 35 minutes mins

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: American

Servings: 6 servings

Calories: 112.5 kcal

Author: Carine Claudepierre

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Ingredients

US Customary – Metric

For the tofu

• ▢ 14 ounces Extra-firm Tofu - equivalent 1 block (14-16oz)
• ▢ 1 tablespoon Cornstarch
• ▢ ½ teaspoon Salt
• ▢ 2 tablespoons Olive Oil

For the Sauce

• ▢ 1 Dried Ancho Pepper
• ▢ 1 can Chipotle Pepper in Adobo Sauce - 3.5 oz/100g
• ▢ 2 tablespoons Chipotle Sauce
• ▢ 3 Garlic Cloves - crushed
• ▢ 1 teaspoon Cumin
• ▢ ½ teaspoon Smoked Paprika
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon Chili Powder
• ▢ ½ teaspoon Salt
• ▢ 1 tablespoon Lime Juice
• ▢ 2 tablespoons Maple Syrup
• ▢ 2 tablespoons Tomato Paste
• ▢ ½ cup Water
• ▢ ¼ cup Vegetable Stock

To serve – optional

• ▢ 2 tablespoons Lime Juice

Instructions

• Wrap the tofu block in absorbent paper and place it on a chopping board. Add on top a heavy book or anything flat and heavy to put pressure on the tofu block, so it releases its extra moisture.
• Press the tofu for 20 minutes.
• Remove the weight on top of the tofu. Pat dry the tofu one more time in a clean towel, then scramble it into small pieces.
• Place the tofu scramble in a shallow bowl and sprinkle one tablespoon of cornstarch and salt. Stir to evenly coat, and the cubes look sticky.
• Warm 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat.
• Add the tofu scramble in a single layer and sizzle for a few minutes on one side then stir and keep cooking until all the tofu scrumble is golden-brown and crispy. Season with salt.

Sauce

• Slice the dried Ancho chili peppers, remove their stems and the seeds inside. Discard seeds and stem. Then, in a cast iron or non-stick pan, cook the chili pepper for 1 or 2 minutes on each side with no oil until fragrant, then transfer to the blender jug.
• In the blender, add the remaining sauce ingredients: chipotle pepper in the Adobo, chipotle sauce, crushed garlic, tomato paste, cumin, paprika, lime juice, maple syrup, water, and vegetable broth. Blend until smooth and thick. Set aside in a bowl.
• When the tofu is cooked, add the Sofritas sauce.
• Simmer for 15 minutes, don't put a lid on the pan, keep cooking until the sauce is slightly thick. If too thick, thin out with a splash of water or vegetable broth.
• Serve with salt, pepper, and a drizzle of lime juice.
• Use to fill taco shells or on top of a buddha bowl.

Equipment

Dutch Oven

Measuring Cups and Spoons

Mixing Bowl

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Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 112.5kcal | Carbohydrates: 9.7g | Protein: 5.4g | Fat: 6.1g | Saturated Fat: 0.9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1.2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3.7g | Sodium: 605mg | Potassium: 198.8mg | Fiber: 0.6g | Sugar: 5.7g | Vitamin A: 239.2IU | Vitamin C: 3.9mg | Calcium: 38.2mg | Iron: 1.3mg | Magnesium: 24.4mg | Phosphorus: 76.7mg | Zinc: 0.5mg