Jump to Recipe

The best tofu Chipotle sofritas recipe perfect for vegan tacos or Chipotle sofritas burrito bowls! Wondering “What is sofritas?” We’ve got the answer and an easy recipe. 

A skillet filled with sofritats. The best tofu Chipotle sofritas recipe perfect for vegan tacos or Chipotle sofritas burrito bowls! Find out what is sofritas and how to make it!

We have been longtime burrito bowl lovers over here. I think the first taco/burrito bowl I posted was this Quick Taco Bowl with Guac in 2014! More recently we did an amazing Instant Pot Black Bean & Brown Rice Burrito Bowl, and after that one I got some requests for a copycat of Chipotle’s sofritas, which are a popular burrito bowl addition. If you’re a fan of bowl meals too, don’t miss my whole post of 30+ BEST Buddha Bowls. 

Chipotle sofritas are a spicy high protein vegan taco “meat” alternative. It’s easy to make a great addition to tacos, burritos, and burrito bowls. Almost like a tofu scramble, but with completely different flavors. If you have kids and would like to try more tofu recipes, be sure to try these Crispy Baked Tofu Nuggets too! 

What is Sofritas? 

When I first heard about the sofritas at Chipotle, I noted how similar the word sounded to soffritto, which is the Italian base for many dishes from soups to pasta sauces. Like Italian soffritto, and the French version, mirepoix, Spanish/Latin sofrito is a a mix of finely chopped veggies like onions and peppers that are sauteed together. 

I’ve only seen tofu sofritas at Chipotle Mexican Grill, although we have a completely plant-based Mexican restaurant in Santa Barbara, Vegan Green Go, which uses similar ingredients like soyrizo. Chipotle sofritas are made with crumbled firm tofu in a spicy, smoky Chipotle pepper sauce. 

Chipotle Sofritas Ingredients

The ingredients for sofritas sit on a wooden board and include tofu, garlic, green bell pepper, tomato sauce, chipotle peppers, tomato paste, oregano and cumin, and a yellow onion.

I came up with this Chipotle copycat sofritas recipe after a quick look over their listed ingredients. 

Sofritas Recipe

Tofu is sliced and patted dry to make sofritas.

Step 1: Cook the Tofu

Drain the tofu and pat dry. Cut into slices. Though I’ve shown a traditional extra firm tofu from Sprouts in the ingredients image, I actually recommend using Trader Joe’s high protein extra firm tofu (shown in the video) here if at all possible. It’s much more firm and you wont have any risk of mushy sofritas. I like to cook tofu slices until lightly browned, then break up into crumbles with a wooden spoon. Transfer the tofu to another dish and set aside. 

Onion and bell peppers saute in a skillet to start making sofritas.

Step 2: Make the Chipotle Sauce 

Saute the onion and bell pepper until browned and translucent. Then add the remaining sauce ingredients. 

A can of Embasa chipotle peppers in adobo sauce.

If you haven’t used chipotle peppers before, this is a great time to learn. Chipotles in adobo are spicy peppers. You can use the peppers and/or the adobo sauce to add heat to Mexican recipes. I love adding a little to black beans. A little adobo sauce would be great in this Cuban Black Bean recipe or these Pinto Beans. Or even this Instant Pot Chili. 

Crumbled tofu is added to a chipotle sauce for making sofritas.

Step 3: Add the Tofu to the Sauce

 

A skillet filled with chipotle sofritas sits on a marble countertop.

Does it need more flavor? Add a generous pinch or two of salt and a splash more adobo sauce for heat. 

How to Use Chipotle Sofritas 

A vegan burrito bowl with black beans, rice, chipotle sofritas, guacamole and salsa.

Yield: Serves 4

Sofritas

Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes

The best tofu Chipotle sofritas recipe perfect for vegan tacos or Chipotle sofritas burrito bowls! Wondering "What is sofritas?" We've got the answer and an easy recipe. 

Sofritas

Ingredients

  • 1 block extra firm tofu, Trader Joe’s High Protein recommended
  • 2 tablespoons olive or avocado oil, divided
  • 1 small yellow onion, diced
  • 1 small green bell pepper, diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 teaspoon dried cumin
  • 1 teaspoon oregano
  • 1/2 cup tomato sauce
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 1 chipotle pepper, finely chopped
  • 2 teaspoons adobo sauce, plus more to taste
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
  • 1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves

Instructions

  1. Remove the tofu block from the packaging and drain. Pat dry with a towel. Cut into 3/4" slices and pat dry again.
  2. Heat oil in a skillet over medium high heat. Add the tofu slices and cook until browned, about 4 minutes. Flip and brown on the other side. Use a wooden spoon or spatula to break the tofu up into crumbles. Continue to saute for another few minutes to brown. Transfer crumbled tofu to a plate and set aside.
  3. Heat the remaining oil in the same skillet. Add the onion and bell pepper and saute over medium heat until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, cumin, and oregano and saute one minute longer.
  4. Add the tomato sauce, tomato paste, chipotle, adobo sauce, salt, and water. Simmer over low heat 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
  5. Add the crumbled tofu and red wine vinegar and stir to combine. Add more salt and/or adobo sauce to taste. Garnish generously with fresh cilantro.
  6. Serve your chipotle sofritas as a taco filling or part of a burrito bowl.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 195Total Fat: 11gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 1mgSodium: 476mgCarbohydrates: 10gFiber: 3gSugar: 4gProtein: 19g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated by Nutritionix. I am not a nutritionist and cannot guarantee accuracy. If your health depends on nutrition information, please calculate again with your favorite calculator.

© Marina Delio
Cuisine: Mexican / Category: dinner