If you’re a fan of Chipotle Sofritas, you’re in luck because now you can make it at home with this recipe!

This recipe is delicious, plant-based, easy to make, freezer-friendly, takes just 30 minutes to prepare, and features all the essential ingredients and spices you love from the Chipotle Sofritas recipe.

It is saucy, spicy, and flavorful, making it a satisfying addition to your favorite Mexican dishes such as burritos, tacos, quesadillas, bowls, and more. Whether you are a vegan or just looking for a healthy alternative, this recipe will impress!

Taking tofu sofritas with a spoon from the pan.

Jump to:

What is Sofritas?
Sofritas Recipe Ingredients
Step-by-step process of Chipotle Sofritas
Storage
Serving Suggestions
Tips and notes
More Mexican Inspired recipes
Chipotle Sofritas

What is Sofritas?

Sofritas is a well-known dish at Chipotle Mexican Grill. It’s a delicious plant-based protein option that serves as a meat alternative for vegans and vegetarians. The dish is inspired by sofrito, a flavor base in many Latin American, Caribbean, and Mediterranean cuisines.

Although the specific recipe’s ingredients can vary across different cultures and regions, the essential components of a sofrito recipe typically include onions, garlic, peppers, and tomatoes.

Chipotle’s sofritas are made using braised tofu, which is a blend of different spices, chilies, tomatoes, onions, and peppers. It’s an excellent plant-based protein option for various dishes such as burritos, burrito bowls, tacos, quesadillas, and others at Chipotle.

The best part is that you don’t have to visit Chipotle to indulge in this tasty dish. You can easily make your sofritas at home and use them to flavor your burritos, bowls, tacos, quesadillas, and more.

The dish may look fancy and time-consuming, but it’s quick and easy to whip up at home. The ingredients are minimal and accessible, making this recipe a breeze at home! You only need to simmer crumbled and pan-fried tofu in the incredible sauce made from roasted poblanos, chipotle peppers, adobo sauce, and tomato paste.

The result is a protein-packed, somewhat spicy, and crave-worthy tofu that will leave you wanting more. It’s much better than Chipotle, and once you taste it, you’ll be obsessed! So, if you’re in the mood for a delicious and healthy meal, try this recipe and enjoy the mouth-watering taste of homemade tofu sofritas!

Sofritas Recipe Ingredients

Below is the ingredients list and possible substitutions. The exact ingredient amounts are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.

This recipe features a plant-based protein source: Tofu. For optimal texture and shape, it’s best to use firm or extra firm tofu that is low in excess water.
Poblano peppers: The sofritas sauce is made by blending charred and mild poblano peppers, which add smoky and sweet notes to the dish without overwhelming spiciness. If you can’t find poblano peppers, substitute them with green bell pepper.
The recipe calls for chipotle peppers in adobo sauce for the right flavor. These jalapeño peppers are smoked, dried, and preserved in a tangy and slightly sweet adobo sauce, which adds depth to the dish. You can find cans of this at everyday grocery stores, typically in the Latin American/Hispanic section.
Tomato paste is added for a concentrated tomato flavor.
Lemon juice is added to provide a mild and slightly acidic taste.
A small amount of sugar is added to balance the tangy, smoky, spicy flavors.
Mexican oregano is used in this recipe, but Italian oregano can be used instead. They have different flavors, but both taste great in this recipe.
Cumin powder for an earthy depth of flavor.
Chipotle uses rice bran oil, but I have used olive oil.
Aromatics such as garlic and onion are included for sweet and umami flavor.
Lastly, salt is used to enhance all the flavors.

pre-measured ingredients for tofu sofritas.

Step-by-step process of Chipotle Sofritas

Pre-prep

Press the tofu. Remove the tofu from the packaging and drain off any excess water. Wrap the tofu block in a clean kitchen towel or a few paper towels and place a heavy object on top. Allow the tofu to press for at least 10 minutes. Alternatively, use a tofu press if you have one!

Roast the Poblano pepper.

Place the little mesh grill first. Turn your stovetop flame from high to medium. Place poblano pepper on the mesh grill. Then, use a pair of tongs to give the pepper a quarter turn every 3 to 4 minutes. This will take around 15 minutes in total.
Once you have roasted your pepper, you will need to steam it. This process will help you peel the tough skin from it more easily.
Place the roasted pepper in a bowl, then cover the bowl with a plate or lid. The bowl traps the steam inside. Steam for 10 minutes.
Then, remove the charred skin. You can leave a few small blackened bits on the skin if you want a more charred flavor. Then slice the pepper and remove the seeds.

Make the delicious sauce.

Begin by heating a skillet over medium heat and adding olive oil. Once the oil is heated, add chopped red onion and minced garlic and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions are softened and the garlic becomes fragrant.
After that, add salt, oregano, sugar, cumin powder, tomato paste, chipotle peppers, lemon juice, and adobo sauce to the skillet. Mix everything well and let it cook for about 3 to 4 minutes. This will help combine all the flavors and ensure the sauce has a nice consistency.
Next, transfer the onion and garlic mixture to a food processor with ¼ cup water and roasted poblano pepper. Process everything

collage of making the chipotle sauce for sofritas.

Make Tofu Sofritas

Heat the 1 ½ tablespoon of olive oil in the skillet over medium heat. Rip the block of tofu into smaller chunks and lightly fry in the pan for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add the sauce and stir to combine. Simmer for 10 minutes, allowing the Chiptole sofritas to absorb the flavor.

It’s ready. Serve this vegan chipotle sofritas recipe hot, as desired. Enjoy!

Storage

When storing your sofritas, it is essential to follow some guidelines to ensure that they stay fresh and flavorful for longer. First, allow the sofritas to cool to room temperature before transferring them to an airtight container. This will prevent condensation from forming inside the container, which can cause the sofritas to spoil faster. Once the sofritas have cooled down, store them in the fridge for up to four days.

If you have leftovers that you want to save for later, the best way to do this is to store them in an airtight container in the freezer. This will help prevent freezer burn and keep the sofritas tasting great for up to three months.

When you’re ready to enjoy your sofritas again, you can either thaw them overnight in the fridge or defrost them quickly in the microwave. To reheat the sofritas, use either the microwave or the stovetop over medium heat. If the sofritas are a little dry, add a little water or vegetable stock to moisten them up.

Serving Suggestions

If you’re looking for delicious and nutritious meal ideas, try these tasty dishes featuring chipotle sofritas, a plant-based protein option.

For a burrito bowl, you can serve the chipotle sofritas over a bed of cilantro lime rice, black or pinto beans, and top it off with some mouth-watering pico de gallo or corn salsa, fajita veggies, pickled jalapeños, pickled red onions, guacamole, sour cream, or vegan alternatives.
When it comes to sofritas tacos, you can fill some warm corn or flour tortillas with the sofritas and then top them with some refreshing and crunchy shredded romaine lettuce, guacamole, chopped onions, and fresh cilantro. For an extra zing, you can drizzle some chipotle southwest sauce on top of it.
To make some quesadillas, spread a layer of chipotle sofritas onto a tortilla, sprinkle some cheese on top, and then fold it in half. Cook it in a skillet until it turns crispy, and then cut it into wedges and serve it with some salsa and guacamole.
If you’re in the mood for some nachos, you can arrange a layer of tortilla chips on a baking sheet, then add some spoonfuls of chipotle sofritas. Sprinkle it with some shredded cheese, black beans, jalapeños, diced tomatoes, and olives, and then bake it in the oven until the cheese is melted and bubbly. Serve it with some salsa, guacamole, and sour cream to add richness and flavor.
If you’re thinking of a refreshing salad, you can create a vibrant salad by combining some chipotle sofritas with mixed greens or your favorite salad greens. Add toppings like diced avocado, cherry tomatoes, cucumber slices, roasted chili corn salsa, and black beans. You can then drizzle it with tangy dressing such as avocado-cilantro or chipotle southwest to add some zest and liveliness.
For stuffed peppers, you can fill some halved bell peppers with chipotle sofritas mixture, black beans, and cilantro lime rice and bake it until the peppers are tender. Top it off with some shredded cheese and broil it for a few minutes until the cheese turns golden and bubbly.
Finally, you can use the chipotle sofritas as a filling for a hearty breakfast burrito. Add some creamy, buttery avocado and zesty salsa to make it more satisfying and enjoyable.

sofritas served on tostadas with lettuce, cilantro crema, and beans.

Tips and notes

Don’t skip roasting the poblano pepper. This step adds a unique smoky depth and subtle sweetness to the sauce, resulting in a flavor that resembles the popular Chipotle sofritas.
To prepare the tofu, it’s essential to drain the water out of it to achieve the desired texture. There are various ways to do this, including using a tofu press, wrapping the tofu brick in paper towels or a tea towel, and placing a few heavy books or a cast iron pan on top. It’s recommended to let the water drain for at least 30 minutes.
Sautéeing the crumbled tofu in a hot pan with a bit of oil until it turns golden brown adds a nice crispiness to the sofritas, which is crucial for the perfect texture.
If the sofritas sauce isn’t as smooth as you’d like, blend in a splash of vegetable broth until you reach the consistency you desire.
Finally, the spice level in these homemade vegan sofritas is medium. If you find it too spicy, you can reduce the amount of adobo sauce. On the other hand, if you want to turn up the heat, you can increase the amount of adobo sauce until it reaches your desired level of spiciness.
You can use 2 teaspoon of chipotle powder instead of chipotle peppers and adobo sauce!

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