Copycat Chipotle Sofritas

This copycat chipotle sofritas recipe is so delicious, healthy, easy to make, ready in 30 minutes, and tastes just like the original!

When I made this recipe for the first time it blew my mind. It tastes even better than Chipotle's and it's also much healthier.

Chipotle sofritas go amazingly well with dishes like burritos or tacos, but you can actually add them to your favorite recipes as your source of plant-based protein. It's full of flavor, so delicious, and ready in no time.

Whether you're new to plant-based eating, or not, this is a super tasty and affordable alternative to animal-based protein. That's why it's included in my Veganuary recipe collection.

Although sofritas are delicious by themselves, they go really well with rice, veggies, and some sauce like guacamole dip, vegan sour cream, or vegan cheese to make a vegan burrito bowl.

They also can be used anywhere else you need a protein-packed filling or topping, like Vegan Burritos, Vegan Tacos, or Vegan Enchiladas.

📋 Substitutions & variations

• Extra virgin olive oil is my favorite oil for this recipe, but any other will do.
• Make it oil-free: just omit the oil and cook the tofu in a non-stick frying pan.
• Feel free to use any type of onion you have on hand.
• I used the adobo sauce from the can of chipotle peppers.
• If you can't find chipotle pepper in adobo, don't worry, just replace it and the adobo sauce with 3-4 tablespoons of tomato paste.
• If you omit them, you'll need something to make your Chipotle sofritas spicy, like cayenne pepper or chili powder. Add it to taste until it's spicy enough for you.
• Red wine vinegar can be replaced with other vinegar like apple cider or white vinegar. Lemon or lime juice can also be a good alternative, but I think vinegar works best.
• Feel free to customize your Chipotle sofritas with your favorite herbs and spices.

🍽 Equipment

To make this recipe you'll need:

• Measuring tablespoons and measuring cups (or a scale) to weigh your ingredients.
• A frying pan and a spatula or wooden spoon.
• A food processor. You can use a knife if you don't have one to roughly chop the tofu into small pieces, but a food processor is the best choice.
• To make the sauce you could use a knife, a high-speed blender, or an immersion blender instead of the food processor.

❄️ Storage

• Refrigerator: store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.
• Freezer: store leftovers in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months. It might change the texture slightly (maybe a little chewier), though.
• Thaw: transfer to the refrigerator to thaw overnight.
• Reheat: it can be reheated in the microwave or on the stovetop over medium heat until warmed through. Add a little oil, water, or vegetable stock if needed.

💭 Expert tips

• I hardly ever press my tofu, it saves me time and effort and I think it's not necessary.
• If you press it, you'll get extra crispy tofu. You just need to wrap the tofu in a clean towel and apply a steady weight to squeeze out the moisture. Let it sit for 5 to 10 minutes.
• If you freeze the tofu and then defrost it, it'll become more porous, absorb flavors more easily and give it a more meat-like texture. I don't do it very often to keep things simple.
• Not into spicy food? Just omit the chipotle peppers and the adobo sauce and use 3-4 tablespoons of tomato sauce instead.
• Using a food processor is the best choice. A knife can be used to chop the tofu, but with the food processor the size and texture of the tofu crumbles will be just perfect.