OMG you guys, this Sofritas recipe is DA BOMB. If you love the Sofritas at Chipotle’s, then you are going to love this. Don’t get me wrong, I love Chipotle’s restaurants, but there aren’t any local ones, so what’s a guy to do? Well, I put my DIY spirit to use and created this.
The texture is spot on – although make sure you are using firm or extra firm tofu – and the flavor? Ah the flavor… Spicy, but not overly spicy that it’s unpleasant, and sweet, but not so sweet that you feel like you’re eating dessert for dinner. Basically just enough sweetness to balance out the spices and keep it delectably savory. It’s just right, I’m telling you, if Goldilocks ate Sofritas, these are the ones she would want.
The marinade for the tofu uses simple ingredients you probably already have in your pantry. If you don’t have canned chipotle peppers (you know, the little cans with the red sauce) then you can find them in the Mexican section of any supermarket or big box store. Stacked high, right next to the refried beans and boxes of hard shell tacos. Once you have all the marinade ingredients on hand, pop them in the blender and you’re good to go, seriously, no chopping or cutting boards required. You could also use a mason jar and immersion blender, that way you can pop on the lid and store any leftover marinade in the fridge (or even freezer).
The rest is pretty straight forward, crumble the tofu, saute, add marinade and some water, and let the mixture simmer. 10 minutes should do it. You can turn out this dish easily on a weeknight, in fact the rice cooker will take longer to turn out a pot of steamed rice, so get that started first if you’re making burrito bowls. If not, stuff the Sofritas into warmed corn tortillas and top with cilantro and guacamole for a fun hands-on meal. Some assembly required 😉
- 3 chipotle peppers in adobo, plus 2 tablespoon of the adobo sauce
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ cup water
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- Juice of two lemons, about 3 tablespoons
- 2 tablespoons coconut sugar, or brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- ¼ cup tomato paste
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2 16 ounce bricks tofu, firm or extra firm (drained)
- ½ the marinade recipe
- 1 cup water or reduced sodium vegetable stock
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil
- Add all the marinade ingredients to a blender and process until smooth. Alternatively, combine the ingredients in a mason jar and puree with an immersion blender.
- Crumble the tofu into half-inch chunks with your hands and set aside.
- Melt the coconut oil in a dutch oven or non-stick pan over medium heat. Once the oil is beginning to shimmer, add the crumbled tofu and allow to cook until beginning to caramelize and turn golden on one side, 3-4 minutes. Stir and cook 3-4 minutes further, scrapping any crispy bits from the bottom of the pan using a bamboo or wooden spatula.
- Create a well in the center of the pan and add half of the marinade. Stir gently and allow to cook for 2-3 minutes.
- Add 1 cup of water or vegetable stock, and stir to combine.
- Partially cover and allow to simmer for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally and adding more water if required.
- Remove from the heat and serve hot in tacos, burritos, or over rice to create burrito bowls.

Hey David!
I haven’t tried sofritas yet, but judging from your photos, must be really good!
thanks! let me know if you give them a try 🙂
Making right now…what do I do with the other half of the marinade??
Hi Kelly, you can keep it in the fridge for up to a week, or it can be frozen for up to 6 months. That way the next batch will be super fast to prepare 🙂
I’m making this today…..do I presse the liquid out of the tofu before crumbling?
You can. I’ve done it both ways if it’s very wet I squeeze out the water with my hands over the sink. Nothing too complicated.
Thanks!
My pleasure! Hope you love it as much as I do!