With the introduction of Chipotle sofritas, vegans around the USA rejoiced. For anyone not familiar, Chipotle is a fast food chain that serves burritos, burrito bowls, tacos, and salads. The customer chooses a protein and then chooses from a selection of beans, veggies, salsa, and other toppings. Previously, the vegan option was to skip the proteins altogether and of course, pass on the optional cheese and sour cream. But now, Chipotle is offering a tofu sofritas option and it is super delicious!
When sofritas, the first dedicated vegetarian/vegan protein option, was rolled in at Chipotle’s West Coast locations, I waited with bated breath for it to reach me here on the East Coast. Spicy shredded tofu, braised with fresh spices in adobo sauce? Sign me up, right? I’m happy to say that, at least for me, sofritas totally lived up to my expectations when it finally got to Baltimore. Spicy, juicy, and full of flavor, it was a great addition to my vegan burrito. So why make a copycat sofritas at home when the original is so good? I’ll tell you my reasons 🙂
- Chipotle’s sofritas is a little on the salty side. Combined with the salsas and beans that they offer, it can make for an overall too-salty meal. By making sofritas at home you can control the salt level yourself, depending on your tastes and what the accompaniments are.
- Chipotle hack: if you decline a protein option, you get free guacamole! Otherwise, the guac costs $2 extra. When we have Chipotle we usually get it as take-out, so with a batch of sofritas in the fridge, I can get the free guacamole, add my homemade sofritas, and save money.
- General taste preferences: I personally happen to really enjoy the sofritas, but some people aren’t as sold on it. By having this method of shredding and braising tofu in your back pocket, you can make something similar but change up the spices, heat level, and/or amount of sauce according to your own preference.
This DIY sofritas tastes surprisingly similar to the sofritas you get at Chipotle, but with key differences:
- Not as salty (see above)
- Mouthfeel is not as oily (but cook with more oil if you prefer!)
- Chewier: I attribute this to the super-firm tofu that I used and to the slightly larger pieces of tofu.
- Cheaper! Duh!
Of course, the most important reason at all to make homemade tofu sofritas is that it’s incredibly tasty! It doesn’t have to be in a burrito bowl – we enjoyed this sofritas in collard green wraps; quesadillas; and in a bean dip! I imagine it would also make for a truly fantastic chili. (Or be used anywhere that soyrizo is called for). The method for the tofu is not difficult, and in this particular recipe, I don’t call for freezing – just pressing it for a few minutes before getting started.
In a nutshell: the tofu is pressed, then pan-fried at a high heat. Once it cools slightly, we chop or shred the tofu into tiny pieces, and return it to the pan along with a a vibrant sauce made from chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, chargrilled fresh poblano pepper (you can substitute another pepper if needed/desired), tomato, garlic, onion, and seasonings. To finish the Chipotle sofritas, the tofu simmers in the adobo sauce until the flavors and juices are absorbed. Yum! I chose to freshly grind the spices in my coffee grinder. I’ve been buying more whole spices in an effort to increase their shelf life and flavor. You can use already-ground spices but you may need to adjust the quantity. It’ll taste good no matter what, though!
If you give this Chipotle sofritas a try, let me know on Instagram by tagging @yupitsvegan and #yupitsvegan in your post. Happy cooking!
Copycat Chipotle Sofritas (Spicy Adobo Braised Shredded Tofu)
Ingredients
- 16 oz extra-firm tofu
- 2 tbsp grapeseed oil (or other neutral, high-heat oil)
For the spice blend:
- 1 and 1/4 tsp cumin seeds lightly toasted
- 1 tsp coriander seeds lightly toasted
- 1/4 tsp black peppercorns lightly toasted
- 1/2 tbsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp coconut sugar or other sugar
For the spicy adobo sauce:
- 1 medium poblano pepper
- 2 tb chopped chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
- 2 tb additional adobo sauce
- 1/2 cup low-sodium vegetable broth divided
- 1/2 white or yellow onion finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 and 1/2 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce (or tamari)
- 1 tbsp cider vinegar
- 1 tsp nutritional yeast (optional, for added umami)
- 1/4 tsp salt plus more to taste (I personally went up to almost 1/2 tsp.)
Instructions
Prep the tofu:
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Press the tofu using a heavy object & towels, or your tofu press, for at least 5 minutes to remove any excess moisture. Slice the tofu into about 8 slices.
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In a skillet, add 1 tb. or so of grapeseed oil over medium-high heat, until shimmering. Add as many slices of tofu as you can fit without crowding.
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Cook the tofu for 2-3 minutes on each side, or until evenly browned all the way around the outside. Remove from the heat and repeat with remaining slices of tofu. Set aside.
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Once the tofu has cooled, chop it into very small pieces, or to the size desired.
Prep the spice blend:
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In a dry skillet over medium heat, toast the cumin seeds, coriander seeds, and peppercorns just until they start to smell fragrant. Add them to a spice grinder or mortar & pestle, along with the oregano and sugar. Grind into a fine powder.
Char the poblano pepper:
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If you have a gas stove, then turn on a burner with a low flame and place the pepper over the flames, using metal tongs if needed to hold it in place. Rotate the pepper occasionally, until it is browned on all sides and soft in the middle. The pepper should look like it has collapsed in on itself. You could also grill the pepper, or roast it in the oven until browned and soft. See the notes for suggestions on managing the spiciness or substituting for this ingredients.
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Remove the skin, stem and seeds from the pepper.
Prep the sauce and braise the sofritas:
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In a blender or food processor, combine the poblano pepper, chipotle peppers, adobo sauce, about half of the water or broth, onion, garlic, tomato paste, soy sauce, vinegar, and optional nutritional yeast. Process until completely smooth.
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Add the sauce to a large skillet or saucepan along with the chopped, fried tofu. Bring to a gentle boil and then reduce the heat to medium.
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Add the rest of the water/broth, the salt, and about half of the prepared spice blend. Cover the pan, and cook for 5-7 minutes.
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Taste for seasoning and add more salt and/or more of the spice blend as desired. Stir, cover again, and cook for about 5 more minutes, or until most of the liquid is absorbed and the raw onion and garlic taste is gone.
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Enjoy in a burrito bowl, or anywhere else with Mexican-inspired flavors!
Recipe Notes
This recipe is definitely spicy. Make sure that the poblano pepper is thoroughly cooked, not just charred on the outside, but soft on the inside. And pair the sofritas with things like refried beans or guacamole/avocado to help balance out the heat. If you don't like spicy food, also try using only half of a poblano, or cutting down on the chipotle peppers. Or, substitute the poblano with a roasted red bell pepper to get the same delicious roasted pepper flavor without the heat.
Looking for more recipes to serve alongside this tofu sofritas? May I recommend:
I'm Shannon, the writer and photographer of Yup, it's Vegan! I'm a morning person based in Baltimore, USA. My mission is to create healthy plant-based recipes that anyone would enjoy, using seasonal produce with inspiration from global flavors.
Alyssa says
Hello!
I tried this recipe, and it was delicious! I cut down on spiciness for my roommates by using an Anaheim pepper in place of the poblano, and I used tomato sauce in place of the paste+extra adobo.
Lindsey says
This recipe is phenomenal! I like it so much better than the Chipotle version and my boyfriend who doesn’t generally like tofu absolutely loves tbis as well. Sometimes I don’t add the poblano due to time and it tastes just as good. Great recipe!! Everyone must try it!!
Chad Hammons says
I was pretty turned off by the concept of tofu until I tried Chipotle’s Sofritas, and wow, it turned into one of my favorite things to get from there, and I’m not even Vegan! This recipe is extremely close to Chipotles, and is definitely making me want to explore more applications of tofu! Thank you so much for this recipe!
Ava says
I have made this recipe several times, and love it. I would like to make a double batch of the Adobo sauce. I know in some recipes, just multiplying every ingredient by 2 doesn’t work. So for the Adobo sauce, would everything double, or will that change the flavor? Have you made a double batch before?
Shannon @ Yup, it's Vegan says
Hi Ava, glad you love the recipe! If you double the sauce exactly, it will likely be too salty. I would recommend you double everything except the soy sauce and salt. Start with 3 tb of soy sauce (so only 1 tb more) and the same 1/4 tsp of salt, and add more of those two things to taste toward the end of cooking. Hope that helps!
Kelly says
This came out perfectly. It was delicious. It’s been awhile since I’ve been to Chipotle so I can’t say how close it is a copycat of their recipe but we really enjoyed it on a taco salad.
Becky Searcy says
I would like permission to post this recipe on our blog. I made it and it was awesome. Thank you. Becky
Shannon @ Yup, it's Vegan says
Hi Becky, so glad you loved the recipe! If you want to reprint the recipe I ask that you adapt it in your own words. If you just want to share a photo and/or link back to this page (rather than a full recipe), that’s fine with me as well.
Erin says
Thank you for this wonderful recipe! I made these sofritas today and think they’re absolutely scrumptious! I didn’t puree the sauce because my blender is broken, but the outcome wasn’t negatively affected in the least! Took me maybe an hour to prepare. Better than Chipotle, and probably better for you. Great on wheat tortillas with some hummus, lettuce and a little extra adobo sauce.
Caroleflower says
I discovered Chipotle Sofritas early this year. Delicious, never has it been spicy though. My BF who cannot eat spicy foods, loves it and he’s not even vegan or vegetarian. I always add my own hotness with some salsa or chili sauce. Always wondered how to recreate this at home, can’t wait to try it!!
Jeff says
Great recipe! I just made this last night for the first time, and decided to double the recipe, since we were going to share it with friends and I wanted to have leftovers. I’m glad that I did, as even doubling it, I filled a 1.5 quart slow cooker.
While I am far from a professional chef, I’m still pretty comfortable in a kitchen. This took me close to two hours from the minute I stepped into the kitchen to having it ready to serve, which is significantly different than the 25 minutes cited above.
I didn’t have the raw ingredients for the spice mixture, so I opted for ground cumin, oregano and coriander from my spice rack, and was quite pleased.
Overall, this recipe is fantastic, and very similar to the Chipotle version. It was a hit with me and with our friends. I’ll definitely be making it again, but will just consider the caveats I found above.
Thanks for sharing!
Shannon @ Yup, it's Vegan says
Hi Jeff, I’m glad that you enjoyed the recipe, though that seems really frustrating that it would take two hours to finish making! It really did take only 25-30 minutes for me when I was testing out the recipe. Do you mind me asking which parts of the process seemed to be the biggest time suck for you? I haven’t remade this recipe in a couple of months so maybe it’s time for me to do that and see how I can streamline the instructions and workflow further. Anyway, thanks for your feedback! I appreciate it.
Jeff says
Hi Shannon, my apologies for my delayed response. I appreciated yours. I found that by the time I got the water pressed out of the tofu and sliced it while the oil heated, and then got all of the spices and other ingredients measured, chopped, and food processed, it took me quite a bit of time. While I realize it was my first time making it (which always is a learning curve), it would still probably take me the better part of an hour if I were to make it again, which I hope to. It’s a GREAT recipe and well worth the time, but I just need to become more efficient for this to be one of my go-to’s. Thanks again for posting this recipe and for your responsiveness!
Julie says
Shannon, this makes me so excited! I loves sofritas but the closest Chipotle is a 45 drive. Thank you for this!
Mike says
Awesome! Just what I was looking for so I could make make a sofrita burrito at home. My daughter and I made this recipe tonight. I used a little less adobo for the first try. I would put more in next time if it was just for me, but for the family, I used about 1/2 the recommended amount. Made a mixture of black beans, corn, cilantro, tomato and lime, some fresh guacamole and lime rice. Put it all in a large burrito shell and rolled a fantastic dinner. Thanks!
Saen Mark says
looks awesome…i’ll try this…
Nick says
I’m not vegan (and previously didn’t even like most tofu applications) but love Chipotle’s sofritas, and used this recipe for a taco night with friends as a welcome alternative to the mounds of ground beef. So delicious, thanks!
Shannon @ Yup, it's Vegan says
Really glad to hear it, Nick! Thanks for your comment!
Lara Hughes says
Hi Shannon,
Thanks so much for putting up this recipe with photos. I only just tried chipotle vegan option (I live in Vancouver, Canada) and as I’m always looking out for burrito fillings, I had to try and re-make it. I followed your recipe and it was the first time actually that I had ever tried poblano pepper and was amazed that it wasn’t too spicy. I did chicken out (or should I say tofu out) of including the chipotle peppers in adobo sauce and instead added in in some drops of some liquid smoke. With the substitution it still tasted great but I must admit it was missing something. So next time I’m going to try to at least put a little bit of the chipotle pepper in and the sauce.
Thanks again and keep up the good work!
Lara
June Nishihara says
In lieu of liquid smoke, a substitution of smoked paprika can be made. My favorite brand is Pimenton De La Vera of Spain.
Since the ground spices are oil soluble, I fried the spices in coconut oil prior to adding the blender contents (poblano chile, chipotle chile, adobo sauce and etc.)
Ama says
Amazing recipe!!! One question – do you need to fry the tofu? How would it be different if i just cut it up and put it in the sauce vs. frying it first?
Shannon @ Yup, it's Vegan says
Hi Ama,
Sorry for the late reply! Frying the tofu affects the texture by drying it out inside and crisping it on the outside, so that it can soak up all of the flavor of the adobo sauce and still hold a chewy texture after doing so. I haven’t tried skipping that step so I’m not really sure what would happen – I imagine it’d be tasty all the same but the tofu might start to fall apart. If you try it let me know!
Dee says
What would be the conversion of using the powder spices vs the seeds?
Shannon @ Yup, it's Vegan says
A 1:1 substitution should work just fine, plus possibly a bit more to taste 🙂
Maya says
Fantastic recipe. It’s perfectly spicy and savory (and I LOVE Chipotle sofritas; have been eating them since they started offering them). The only peppers I had on hand were jalapeno, so I roasted 2 of those and threw them into the blender with Cholula and Melinda’s (habanero pepper sauce) and the other ingredients. Omitted the onion because I didn’t have any. The nutritional yeast and tamari are definitely key. Delicious!
Shannon @ Yup, it's Vegan says
So glad to hear you enjoyed it and it worked well with jalapeno!
caitlyn says
THANK YOU for this recipe! this is seriously the best tofu recipe i have tried yet. i didn’t use a poblano, but instead just added some more chipotle peppers (which made it super duper spicy) but it still turned out delish. thank you thank you thank you!!!!!!!!!!!!
Shannon @ Yup, it's Vegan says
So happy you enjoyed the recipe, and glad to hear it worked out fine without the poblano!
Jackie says
I’ve made this recipe twice now and it has totally revolutionized burrito bowls at my house! The sofritas are so full of flavor, it is an awesome burrito topping. Thank you for cracking the sofritas code!
kudesh says
I’m going to try to make this today I just wanted to know if I freeze the left overs how long will they stay good
Shannon @ Yup, it's Vegan says
Hi Kudesh, I haven’t frozen this particular dish before, but I’m guessing the tofu would become a little spongier in the freezer. If you don’t mind that then I think it would probably last for a few weeks.
Preeya says
I think this is the first time I’ve ever left a comment on someone’s blog before, but I just had to tell you that this recipe is life changing! This is vegan food at its finest. Since finding this recipe I have made these sofritas three times (I didn’t change a single thing any of the three times). The sauce is so incredibly flavorful and full of umami – I was literally licking the blender. LOL. Thank you so much for sharing!
Preeya says
Oh, and I’ve had Chipotle’s sofritas multiple times..this recipe blows theirs out of the water.
Shannon @ Yup, it's Vegan says
Hi Preeya — I’m so glad you decided to leave a comment! 😀 thrilled to hear that you are loving the recipe. It’s one of my favorites, too. Happy holidays!
Andrea says
I just have to tell How DELICIOUS this recipe was!! Soooo good!!!
Shannon @ Yup, it's Vegan says
Awesome!! So glad that you loved it :):)
rika@vm says
My first time at Chipotle’s was pretty good and I really like their Sofritas bowl, it was in a smaller city in Oregon. My second time was horrible, it was in Portland and I witnessed cross-contamination of vegan food and ‘meat.’ Eww, I know. Yay for a homemade Sofritas recipe…bookmarking this so I don’t need to eat out at Chipotle’s and worry about it. Looks so delicious….drools!
Shannon @ Yup, it's Vegan says
I know this doesn’t happen to everyone but personally I get pretty sick if I accidentally have any meat/meat juices =/ so it sucks to hear that they weren’t separating them properly. 🙁 but anyway, thank you! (And thanks for your other lovely comments, too :))
Kelsey Allis says
Just tried this recipe today with a friend. We were both excited to try a new tofu recipe but the end result was super spicy!!!! Probably could have done without the chipotle peppers… overall great!
Shannon @ Yup, it's Vegan says
Hey thank you for the feedback!! I should have been more clear that it’s quite spicy … Sorry about that 🙁 I will add a note to the recipe about reducing the peppers if you don’t like heat. Glad you enjoyed it otherwise!
Mariella says
can you sub a bell pepper for the poblano to tone down the heat?
Shannon @ Yup, it's Vegan says
Yes – that should work splendidly
Melissa @ Nourish By Melissa says
Delicious! I bought some tofu this week and almost forgot about it in my fridge so I needed a yummy recipe to use it in asap! This is perfect 🙂
Shannon @ Yup, it's Vegan says
Hope you enjoy!!
Amy says
This truly sounds delicious. Glad you posted it on the Virtual Vegan Linky Potluck!
Shannon @ Yup, it's Vegan says
Thanks, Amy!
Bailey says
Love this!!! Cant wait to try it! Also, thanks for sharing the guacamole trick! That is good to know!
Shannon @ Yup, it's Vegan says
Thanks! If there is a way to get free guacamole.. I will always find it =P
Gail Thieme Kelly says
Yes l didn’t know that about the guac! This looks yummy, will try!
Annie says
I also haven’t had a chance to try Chipotle’s sofritos – but I think homemade sounds way better anyway!
Meredith @ Unexpectedly Magnificent says
I have yet to try Chipotle Sofritas, but my fiancé ordered it the last time we went and he really liked it! I will definitely experiment with this recipe. 🙂
Shannon @ Yup, it's Vegan says
I was really surprised the first time by how good it was! Let me know if you try it out 🙂
Anabel Pepe says
Where can I buy the tofu to make the sofritas
Keisha Sharonda Wilson says
Walmart
Cheryl says
Finally!!! We never go to chipotle because moes down the street has tofu! Can’t wait to try theirs.. And yours!
Shannon @ Yup, it's Vegan says
I go to Chipotle a little too often for my own good! I hadn’t even heard of Moe’s before but I just looked it up and there is one only a couple of blocks from my office :O I will be trying it very soon!