Chipotle Sofritas (Copycat Recipe)

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Are you a fan of Chipotle's sofritas?  If you are looking for ways to increase your Chipotle consumption, but want to reduce your spending, consider learning how to make this quick and easy version at home.  You can also eat healthier this way, as our recipe has less carbs, sodium, and sugar, and is perfect for meatless Mondays. 

Even if you decide to just make the sofritas from scratch, and get the rest as take out from Chipotle, you'll be amazed at how delicious this vegan meal can be.

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Ingredients

We use a mix of fresh ingredients and pantry staples to make this recipe as simple as possible without compromising on taste.

• Tofu: organic, super firm vacuum packed, Non GMO
• Fat: olive oil
• Vegetable: roasted poblano pepper
• Canned goods: chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, chunky salsa
• Aromatics: garlic cloves
• Spices: cumin, chili powder, smoked paprika, salt
• Acid: apple cider vinegar
• Umami: nutritional yeast
• Citrus: lime juice

Questions

What are sofritas at Chipotle?

Chipotle describes them as the following: "Sofritas are an organic, shredded tofu braised in chipotle chiles, roasted poblano, and a blend of aromatic spices."

Are Chipotle sofritas vegan?

Absolutely!  There is no meat, dairy, 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.

Are the sofritas at Chipotle healthy?

Since they are made from organic tofu and real food ingredients, yes they are healthy.  Chipotle Mexican Grill does add sugar and salt to their sofritas, so if you make your own you can omit the sugar and lower your sodium intake by reducing the amount of salt that is added.

How much protein is in a Chipotle sofritas bowl?

For a serving size of 4 ounces, Chipotle Mexican Grill's sofritas have 8 g of protein.  For a ½ cup serving size of our recipe, it has 7.7g of protein.

What is the nutritional information in a serving size of Chipotle sofritas?

For a ½ cup serving size, our recipe has 189 calories, 6.7g carbs, 2.2g sugar and 331 mg of sodium.  Compare this with Chipotle Mexican Grill's 4 ounce serving size, of 150 calories, 9 g of carbs, 5g sugar and 555 mg of sodium.  Our recipe is lower in carbs, sugar and sodium, so if you are on a low carb, or are diabetic, you might want to try your hand at our recipe and skip the take out version.

Are Chipotle sofritas spicy?

Yes, they are spicy, but the spice level is just right when it is mixed in with other typical ingredients in a Chipotle burrito bowl.  Our recipe is a bit more spicy than Chipotle's, so you can taste it better when it's mixed with other ingredients like rice, pico de gallo, and guac. 

What do sofritas taste like at Chipotle's?

The Chipotle Mexican Grill's version of sofritas taste spicy, peppery, and have a strong cumin flavor. 

Our recipe is more spicy, but is less salty than the famous chain restaurant's version.  It has a smoky chili flavor which pairs well with rice and guacamole.  We recommend squeezing fresh lime juice on top of the sofritas just before eating.

How to Make

Gather all your ingredients.  Pablano pepper, chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, adobo sauce, olive oil, apple cider vinegar, dried spices, garlic, organic super firm tofu, and limes.

If you are using extra firm tofu that is water packed, you'll have to press it first to get the extra moisture out.  The best way to do this is putting folded paper towels underneath and on top of the tofu then placing a heavy cast iron skillet on top that is weighted down with a bag of sugar or flour.

For this recipe, we used super firm vacuumed packed tofu that had very little extra moisture. 

To char the poblano pepper, brush it with oil and keep it under the broiler for 15 minutes, turning half way through.  Once it has cooled for a few minutes, discard the stem then chop it up.

For this recipe, we use tofu crumbles.  To make the crumbles, just tare off small pieces of tofu from the block with your hands.

To make the Chipotle sauce, add the charred poblano, chipotle peppers, garlic, salsa, dried spices (cumin, smoked paprika, chili powder and salt) into a food processor.  Next add the apple cider vinegar, adobo sauce and nutritional yeast.

Blitz the ingredients to make your sauce, then slowly pour in the 2 tablespoons of olive oil while the food processor is still running.  When the sauce is done, it should be thick and smooth.  It shouldn't look like salsa.

In a large skillet, heat up 2 tablespoons of olive oil and brown the crumbled tofu for 8 minutes over medium heat stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon so it doesn't stick.

Add the homemade sauce along with 1 cup of water and stir to mix it all together.  Bring to a boil and simmer on medium low for 15 minutes.

Serve warm with a squeeze of lime juice in a burrito bowl, burrito, quesadilla or taco salad.  In the picture below, we have our sofritas served in a bowl with cilantro lime rice, pico de gallo, guacamole, and a small sprinkle of cheese.  If you want this to be vegan, use vegan cheese or sprinkle with fresh cilantro as the garnish.

Substitutions

• Don't have nutritional yeast?  Omit it, as it is optional, but provides more of an umami taste.
• Don't have chunky salsa?  Use fresh tomatoes, onion, and green pepper.
• Want it sweeter?  Add a bit of sugar.
• Want it less spicy?  Use less chipotle peppers.
• Don't have apple cider vinegar?  Use red wine vinegar.

Pro Tips

• Use super firm vacuumed packed organic tofu, it will shave off 30 minutes of pressing time.
• Use a good quality chunky salsa to save more time.
• Use nutritional yeast for more umami flavor.
• Make it spicy, as the spice will be leveled out when you add rice, guacamole and pico de gallo to your burrito or bowl.

Other Copycat Chipotle Recipes

• Steak Recipe
• Corn Salsa
• Pinto Beans
• Black Beans
• Honey Vinaigrette
• Fajita Veggies
• Queso Blanco
• Pork Carnitas

Other Vegan Mexican Recipes

• Taco Salad
• Refried Beans

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Recipe

Copycat Chipotle Sofritas

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★★★★★

5 from 2 reviews

• Author: Brooke
• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 40 minutes
• Total Time: 55 minutes
• Yield: 3 cups 1x
• Diet: Vegan

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Description

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.

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Scale 1x2x3x

Ingredients

• 14 ounces organic tofu, super or extra firm, drained (400g)
• 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided (60 ml)
• 1 poblano pepper
• 4 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
• 2 tablespoons adobe sauce (30 ml)
• 6 large garlic cloves, peeled and roughly chopped
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar (15 ml)
• 1 cup chunky salsa
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
• 1 cup filtered water (240 ml)
• 2 limes, cut in wedges
• 2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped (optional)

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Instructions

1. Press & Crumble Tofu:  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 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.
2. Char Poblano Pepper: Raise the oven rack to the second highest position and turn the broiler on high.  Using a pastry 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.
3. Make Sauce: 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.
4. Brown Tofu: Heat up 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large cast iron skillet over 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.
5. Braise the Sofritas: Add the sauce to the tofu and stir with a large wooden spoon until 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.
6. Burrito Bowl: Start with a base of cilantro lime rice, then add black or pinto beans, sofritas, pico de gallo, and guac.  Squeeze the lime wedge on top.  Finish with a sprinkle of chopped cilantro.

Notes

• We used Nasoya organic super firm water drained tofu to save 30 minutes of pressing time.
• For more umami flavor, use additional nutritional yeast.
• If you think it's too spicy, don't worry.  The spice will level out once it is mixed with other food in your burrito bowl, taco salad, or quesadilla.

• Category: Supper
• Method: Stovetop
• Cuisine: Mexican

Keywords: chipotle, sofritas recipe, ingredients

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