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    Home » Real Food » Plant Based Recipes

    Easy Copycat Chipotle Sofritas

    June 7, 2022 | By Kristen Chidsey | 11 Comments | *This post may include amazon links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

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    This is is the FASTEST way to make Copycat Chipotle Sofritas! This Mexican Spiced Tofu is vegan, plant based, and perfectly seasoned. Vegan tofu sofritas comes together in just 30 minutes and is delicious served in tacos, burritos, burrito bowls or taco salad. It is a super easy, healthy plant based recipe.

    This recipe for Copycat Chipotle Sofritas comes together quickly to create perfectly seasoned, hearty, healthy, plant-based taco meat made with tofu.

    This simple recipe for Tofu Taco Meat is a favorite vegan-friendly dinner recipe. While filled with incredible flavor, this simple recipe comes together fast, for a 30-Minute meal that is perfect for any night of the week.

    Cast Iron Skillet with tofu sofritas next to taco toppings.

    Copycat Chipotle Sofritas

    Chipotle made Sofritas famous. Their vegan protein option is made with crumbled crispy tofu that is braised in a slightly spicy, richly seasoned sauce.

    And let me tell you, this is tofu done right! It is not bland. It is not mushy. It is not rubbery. Even my meat-eating husband and son love this spicy alternative to taco meat. Seriously, if you think you don't like tofu, Sofritas is the recipe that WILL change your mind.

    And while I love Chipotle, you can easily make Copycat Sofritas at home that is lower in sodium and MUCH less expensive. Plus at home, you can go back for seconds!

    Ingredients for Sofritas

    Ingredients for sofritas labeled on counter.
    • Tofu: Be sure to use firm or extra-firm tofu. Silken tofu will NOT work for this recipe. You can find tofu in the refrigerated produce section at your local grocery store.
    • Oil: I recommend a neutral oil, such as canola or avocado oil for this recipe, as the tofu will absorb some of the flavors of the oil.
    • Poblano Pepper: A charred, skinned poblano pepper adds a great smoky, authentic flavor, but can be omitted to save time if desired.
    • Salsa: Salsa contains onions, peppers, and tomatoes and is full of flavor, making it a great short-cut ingredient. It adds A LOT of flavor to the sauce for the Sofritas without a lot of added ingredients. Use your favorite jar, canned, or homemade salsa.
    • Canned Chipotle Peppers: These peppers add incredible flavor to this sauce and should not be skipped. Because you won't need to use the full can, place the leftover chipotle peppers with adobe in an ice cube tray. Freeze until solid and then pop into a labeled freezer-safe bag. Store in the Freezer for 3-6 months. 1 cube equals about 1 tablespoon of chipotles with adobe sauce.
    • Sweetener: You need a bit of sweetener to balance the spiciness of this recipe. For a vegan-friendly recipe use maple syrup. Otherwise, honey works well in place of maple syrup.
    • Spices: To round out the flavor, smoked paprika and cumin are added to the sauce. Feel free to use regular paprika if you don't have smoked paprika on hand.
    • Lime: The juice of fresh lime will add just the right acidity to the Sofritas and finish off the flavor perfectly. Don't overlook this addition!

    How to Make Chipolte Sofritas at Home

    My copycat recipe for Chipolte Sofritas is also EASY to make--easy enough for a busy weeknight. There are several steps, but they are not complicated.

    Step One: Prepare Tofu

    It is important to press the tofu before pan-frying. This is a process that removes extra liquid in the tofu and will help your tofu crisp up beautifully.

    • Wrap the tofu in paper towels and place it on a plate.
    • Place a heavy skillet, like a cast-iron skillet on top of the tofu.
    • Let the tofu press for 20 minutes, up to 60 minutes, giving the tofu time to release excess water.
    Side by side photo of wrappying tofu and then pressing with a cast iron skillet.
    • Once your tofu has been pressed and all the water is removed, slice the block into ½-inch slices.
    • Tear or crumble each slice into approximately ½-inch pieces.
    Tearing tofu into small pieces over cutting board.

    Step Two: Prepare the Sauce

    Use the time that the tofu is pressed to prepare the Sofritas sauce.

    • On a gas stove or grill, turn the heat to high. Place the poblano pepper directly over the flame. Allow the skin to blacken and bubble up, flipping to char each side. Alternatively, you can char the pepper under your oven broiler, turning it every few minutes.  Be careful to not let your pepper catch on fire. 
    3 photos showing charred pepper, pepper in sandwich bag, and chopped on a cutting board.
    • Once the pepper is charred, place it into a sealed plastic Ziploc bag to steam for 5 to 10 minutes, or until the skin easily slides off the pepper when you rub it with your fingers.
    • Take the pepper out of the bag and peel off the skin of the pepper, discarding the skin Cut the pepper open, remove the seeds, and then roughly chop the pepper.
    • Place the diced poblano pepper into a food processor fitted with an s-blade or blender. Add in the salsa, chipotle peppers, adobo sauce, salt, cumin, paprika, honey, and a bit of water to the food processor and process until smooth.
    Side by side photo of sofritas sauce before and after blending in food processor.

    Step Three: Prepare Sofritas

    • Heat a large heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat and add the oil.
    • Once the oil is glistening, add in the tofu pieces and saute until just browned, stirring often.
    Tofu diced up and browned in cast iron skillet.
    • Once the tofu is browned, add the blended sauce and bring it to a gentle boil.
    • Reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes, adding more water if needed.
    • Turn off the heat and stir the fresh lime juice into the tofu mixture.
    Sofritas in cast iron skillet next to burrito toppings.

    How to Serve Sofritas

    Whether you serve Sofritas on a burrito, a burrito bowl, or on a salad, they add so much flavor, protein, and texture to a variety of meals. Below are some of my favorite ways to use serve Copycat Chipotle Sofritas at home.

    • Add this tofu taco meat to taco shells, corn tortillas, or homemade flour tortillas, and top with your favorite taco toppings.
    • Serve Sofritas over Instant Pot Cilantro Lime Rice or Instant Pot Brown Rice to form your own burrito bowl.
    • Instead of using beans in the filling of Vegetarian Enchiladas, swap them out for equal amounts of these Homemade Sofritas.
    • Use Sofritas in place of taco meat to create a delicious vegetarian taco salad.
    Sofritas served in soft shell tortillas topped with avocado.

    Storing Sofritas

    Store leftover Sofritas in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 2 months.

    For the best texture, reheat the cold, defrosted Sofritas in a nonstick skillet over high heat until just browned and warmed through.

    More Meatless Tex-Mex Recipes

    • Vegetarian Enchiladas
    • Vegetarian Fajitas
    • Cauliflower Tacos
    • Lentil Tacos
    • Black Bean Tacos

    Need more inspiration for planning meals that your family will love? Sign up for my FREE Meal Plans and each week you will get a meal plan with a shopping list.

    If this recipe for Copycat Chipotle's Sofritas hit the spot, I would love for you to leave a comment and review below.

    Skillet with tofu taco meat with seasonings

    Sofritas

    An easy recipe for copycat Chipotle's Sofritas that creates seasoned, hearty, healthy, plant-based taco meat made with tofu.
    5 from 7 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: Mexican, Tex Mex
    Prep Time: 10 minutes
    Cook Time: 15 minutes
    Pressing Tofu: 20 minutes
    Total Time: 45 minutes
    Servings: 4
    Calories: 166kcal
    Author: Kristen Chidsey

    Ingredients

    • 16 ounce block extra-firm tofu
    • ½ tablespoon neutral oil I recommend avocado oil

    For the sauce:

    • 1 poblano pepper
    • 1 chipotle pepper in adobo
    • 2 tablespoons adobo sauce
    • ½ cup salsa
    • 2 teaspoons pure maple syrup honey
    • 1 teaspoon minced garlic optional
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • ½ teaspoon cumin
    • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
    • ¼-½ cup water divided
    • Juice of 1 lime
    Prevents your screen from going dark while preparing the recipe.

    Instructions

    Prepare Tofu

    • Wrap the block of tofu in paper towels. Place a heavy skillet on top of the wrapped tofu. Let the tofu press for at least 20 minutes. Alternatively, you can do this the night before preparing sofritas and leave the tofu pressing in the refrigerator.
    • Once the tofu is pressed, cut it into 1-inch slices. Rip each slice into small pieces--about ½ inch each.

    Prepare Sauce

    • While the tofu is pressing, char the poblano pepper. On a gas stove or grill, turn the heat to high. Place the poblano pepper directly over the flame. Allow the skin to blacken and bubble up, flipping to char each side. Alternatively, you can char the pepper under your oven broiler, turning it every few minutes. Place the charred pepper in a plastic bag and seal. In about 5-10 minutes, take the pepper out of the bag and the skin will peel right off. Discard the skin and roughly chop the pepper.
    • Place the pepper, salsa, chipotle peppers, adobo sauce, cumin, salt, paprika, garlic, maple syrup, and ¼ cup of water into a food processor or blender and blend until smooth.
    • Heat a cast-iron skillet or heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat. Add in the oil and let heat until shimmering.
    • Add the tofu to the skillet and saute until browned, stirring often. Add in the sauce and bring to a low boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 10 minutes, adding an additional ¼ cup of water if needed.
    • Finish with the juice of the lime and taste to adjust seasonings as needed.
    • Serve in burrito bowls, burritos, tacos, or as desired.

    Notes

    Oil: I recommend a neutral oil, such as canola or avocado oil for this recipe. The tofu will absorb some of the flavors of the oil, this is why I don’t recommend olive oil, which has a distinct flavor.
    Poblano Pepper: You can save time by skipping the step of adding the poblano pepper. The pepper adds a great smoky, authentic flavor, but can be omitted if desired.
    Chipotle Peppers: Freeze extra chipotle peppers and adobo sauce to use in future recipes.
    Sweetener: If you are not vegan, feel free to use honey in place of the maple syrup. 
    Storage: Leftover Sofritas meat will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days and can also be frozen for up to 3 months. Defrost the Sofritas in the refrigerator and reheat in a nonstick skillet over high heat until just heated through and crispy.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 166kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 2118mg | Potassium: 173mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 720IU | Vitamin C: 25mg | Calcium: 166mg | Iron: 2mg
    Liked this Recipe? Tag me Today!Snap a picture and tag #amindfullmom on Instagram - I would love to see!
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    Categorized Under: 30-Minute Meals, Allergy Friendly Recipes, Dairy-Free Recipes, Gluten Free, Main Courses, Plant Based Recipes, Real Food, Vegetarian Recipes

    About Kristen Chidsey

    Hi, I am Kristen, creator of A Mind "Full" Mom. I believe that making a wholesome family meal does not need to be hard or expensive! I love nothing more than to share with you delicious solutions for your hungry family.

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    1. Paula K

      June 13, 2022 at 5:01 pm

      5 stars
      Just fantastic! Even my picky 12year old loved them!

      Reply
      • Kristen Chidsey

        June 13, 2022 at 6:59 pm

        When the picky eater is happy, you know it is a winner!

        Reply
    2. Eden

      May 13, 2022 at 4:51 pm

      5 stars
      Made these for dinner and they are awesome! So flavorful and good, can't wait to make them again. Taste just like Chipotle's!

      Reply
      • Kristen Chidsey

        June 13, 2022 at 6:59 pm

        I love hearing that, Eden!

        Reply
    3. Marleny

      December 06, 2020 at 11:16 pm

      What type of salsa did you use?

      Reply
      • Kristen Chidsey

        December 07, 2020 at 6:53 am

        Any jarred salsa works great in this recipe Marleny 🙂

        Reply
    4. Leah

      August 30, 2020 at 11:19 am

      Did I miss the amount of garlic to include? I came across it in the directions but don’t see an amount.

      Reply
      • Kristen Chidsey

        August 31, 2020 at 6:47 am

        Sorry Leah for that! It is 1 teaspoon of minced garlic (optional)

        Reply
    5. Jessica Formicola

      February 11, 2020 at 11:58 am

      5 stars
      These sofritas are even better than the ones at Chipotle! So flavorful and delicious!

      Reply
      • Kristen Chidsey

        February 11, 2020 at 6:51 pm

        WAHOO!!! I am so glad you enjoyed so much Jessica.

        Reply
    6. Shadi Hasanzadenemati

      February 11, 2020 at 10:51 am

      5 stars
      I'm made these for the weekend, everyone devoured it!

      Reply

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