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Are you a fan of Chipotle sofritas? If you are looking for ways to increase your Chipotle consumption, but want to reduce your spending and eat healthier, consider learning how to make this quick and easy version at home.
Interested in other protein sources for your burrito bowl? Try our Chipotle barbacoa and our Chipotle steak. You'll also love our crispy baked teriyaki tofu.
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Ingredients
We use a mix of fresh ingredients and pantry staples to make this copycat Chipotle sofritas recipe as simple as possible without compromising on taste. Some of the key ingredients are:
- Tofu: organic, super firm, vacuum packed, non-GMO
- Vegetable: roasted poblano pepper
- Canned goods: chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, chunky salsa
- Spices: cumin, chipotle chili powder, smoked paprika, salt
- Umami: nutritional yeast
See recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to Make
Gather the ingredients for the Chipotle sofritas.
- Wash the poblano pepper, then brush it with oil and place it on a small baking tray.
- Broil it for 15 minutes, turning halfway through. Discard the stem and cut into a few smaller pieces.
3. Press the tofu for 30 minutes. We like to wrap the tofu in paper towels and use a cast iron skillet filled with cans or a bag of sugar to weigh down the tofu.
4. Break off chunks of tofu from the block and crumble into small pieces.
5. Make the sofrito sauce by blending all the sauce ingredients together in a food processor until smooth.
6. Slowly pour in the olive oil while the processor is running. The sauce should be thick and relatively smooth at this stage.
7. In a large skillet, heat up 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil and brown the crumbled tofu over medium heat, stirring occasionally.
8. Mix the sofrito sauce into the browned tofu and simmer on low heat for 15 minutes. If the sofritas look dry, add ¼-1/2 cup of water.
9. Serve warm with a squeeze of lime juice. In the picture, we served it in a bowl with cilantro lime rice, Chipotle fresh tomato salsa, guacamole, and a small sprinkle of cheese.
Recipe FAQs
What are sofritas at Chipotle?
Chipotle describes them as the following: "Sofritas are organic, shredded tofu braised in chipotle chiles, roasted poblano, and a blend of aromatic spices." They are one of two meat-free menu options at this popular restaurant.
Are Chipotle sofritas vegan?
Absolutely! There is no meat, dairy, lard, or honey mixed in with the organic tofu, so it's perfect for vegans, vegetarians, and anyone else who wants to add more plant-based proteins into their diet.
What are sofritas made out of?
The main ingredient is organic tofu, but they also have oil, aromatics, and a unique blend of spices. Adobo sauce, chipotle peppers, and chipotle chili powder give this copycat recipe some heat and an awesome Tex Mex Southwest flavor. Chipotle Mexican Grill does add sugar and salt to theirs, but if you make your own you can omit the sugar and lower the sodium.
What exactly is sofritas?
Sofrito means "gently fried" in Spanish, and it is a popular cooking base for braised meat and stews in Spanish and Latin American countries. The main ingredients are uses garlic, onions, peppers, and tomatoes which are chopped and braised in oil.
Serve
Looking for other Chipotle recipes to serve with sofritas? You'll definitely want to try our recipes for Chipotle black beans, Chipotle pinto beans and Chipotle cauliflower lime rice. Add some color and flavor with these Chipotle fajita veggies.
Top your burrito bowl with our Chipotle corn salsa, Chipotle fresh tomato salsa, or Chipotle tomatillo-green chili salsa. You can also try a drizzle of this Chipotle honey vinaigrette for extra flavor. Round out your meal with these crispy, lime-flavored Chipotle tortilla chips.
Store
Make Ahead: This whole recipe can be made the night before, covered and stored in the fridge in an airtight container. Note that the tofu does absorb some of the spicy heat from the peppers when it sits in the fridge, so it will be less spicy the next day.
Leftovers: Any remaining sofritas should be covered and put in the fridge and are good in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Reheat: Reheat leftovers in a skillet over medium heat until heated through. If necessary, add a tablespoon of water to moisten.
Expert Tips
- Want to save time? Use super firm vacuumed packed organic tofu; you can skip the 30 minutes of pressing time.
- Want it sweeter? Add a bit of sugar to taste.
- Want more umami flavor? Make sure to use nutritional yeast.
- Want it more spicy? Replace the poblano with a jalapeno, serrano or habanero pepper.
- Want it to have the best flavor? Make it spicy, as the spice will be leveled out when you add rice, guacamole, and pico de gallo. Sofritas taste less spicy the next day.
Other Copycat Chipotle Recipes
- Copycat Chipotle Steak Recipe
- Chipotle Fresh Tomato Salsa (Copycat Recipe)
- Chipotle Barbacoa (Copycat Recipe with Video)
- Chipotle Tortilla Chips Copycat
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Recipe
Copycat Chipotle Sofritas
This quick and easy recipe shows you how to make sofritas that taste better than Chipotle's. Learn how to make this plant-based copycat meal into a spicy burrito bowl to please all your vegan and gluten free friends.
5 from 3 votes
Print Pin Favorite Rate
Course: Supper
Cuisine: Mexican
Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes minutes
Total Time: 55 minutes minutes
Servings: 3 cups
Calories: 189kcal
Author:
Ingredients
- 14 ounces organic tofu, super or extra firm, drained
- 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1 poblano pepper
- 4 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
- 2 tablespoons adobe sauce
- 6 large garlic cloves, peeled and roughly chopped
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons chipotle chili powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 cup chunky salsa
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
- ¼ cup filtered water
- 2 limes, cut in wedges
- 2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped (optional)
Instructions
If you use super firm, water drained tofu that's been vacuum packed, you don't have to press it; just drain any excess moisture from the package. If you use extra firm tofu that is water packed, drain the water, then press it for 30 minutes between layers of paper towel. A weighted down cast iron skillet works perfectly for this. Once it's pressed, crumble the tofu into smaller pieces with your hands and place it on top of a paper towel-lined cutting board.
Raise the oven rack to the second highest position and turn the broiler on high. Using apastry brush, brush the poblano pepper with olive oil and place it on a small baking tray. Broil for 15 minutes, turning halfway through. Once it's blistered, remove it from the oven and allow to cool for a few minutes. Remove the stem and discard, then chop it into large chunks, keeping the seeds.
Place the charred poblano, chipotle peppers, adobo sauce, garlic, spices, apple cider vinegar, salsa, salt, and nutritional yeast in a food processor. Puree for 30 seconds, then slowly pour in 2 tablespoons of olive oil while the processor is on and keep blending until it's smooth. This recipe makes 1 ½ cups of sauce.
Heat up 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a largecast iron skilletover medium high heat for 2 minutes. Dump in the crumbled tofu, then lower the heat to medium. Pan fry the tofu for 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it's golden brown. Add more olive oil if necessary to keep it from sticking.
Add the sauce to the tofu and stir with a largewooden spoonuntil well combined. Pour in the water and stir. Bring to a light boil, then reduce the heat to medium low and simmer for 15 minutes. Add a bit more water, if necessary, to make it saucy. Serve with lime wedges and other Chipotle copycat recipes.
Notes
- Want to save time? Use super firm vacuumed packed organic tofu; you can skip the 30 minutes of pressing time.
- Want it sweeter? Add a bit of sugar to taste.
- Want more umami flavor? Make sure to use nutritional yeast.
- Want it to have the best flavor? Make it spicy, as the spice will be leveled out when you add rice, guacamole and pico de gallo. Plus, sofritas taste less spicy the next day.
- Want it more spicy? Replace the poblano with a jalapeno, serrano or habanero pepper.
Nutrition
Serving: 0.5cupCalories: 189kcal (9%)Carbohydrates: 6.7g (2%)Protein: 7.7g (15%)Fat: 12.9g (20%)Sodium: 331.1mg (14%)Fiber: 1.4g (6%)Sugar: 2.2g (2%)Vitamin C: 17.1mg (21%)Calcium: 218.4mg (22%)Iron: 2mg (11%)
Serving sizes and nutritional information are only an estimate and may vary from your results.
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