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Sofritas Recipe Tofu in a pan
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Homemade Sofritas Burrito Bowls Recipe

An easy to make homemade tofu Sofritas recipe featuring all the mouthwatering ingredients and spices we've come to love from Chipotle's Sofritas!  Easy to make, freezer friendly and oh so crave-worthy! vegetarian + vegan + easily gluten free | This recipe yields 4 C (915g) Sofritas | *SEE BLOG POST for links to build an Epic Burrito Bowl!
Course Dinner, Main
Cuisine American, Mexican
Keyword Chipotle Sofritas, Healthy Sofritas Recipe, Sofritas, Sofritas Recipe, Vegan Sofritas
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings 8 , 1/2 C Servings (without sauteed veggies)
Calories 135kcal
Author Traci York

Equipment

  • Tofu Press

Ingredients

For the Sofritas:

  • 1 block (200g) Firm Tofu* (see notes) drained, pressed and cut into bite size pieces (about) 1" (2.5cm) cubes
  • 1 Tbs Vegetable Oil like olive or coconut
  • 1 C (110g) Poblano Pepper medium dice, about one large poblano
  • 1 C (110g) Green Bell Pepper medium dice, about one large bell pepper
  • 1 C (150g) Red or Yellow Onion medium dice, about 1/2 large onion
  • 1 tsp Fine Sea Salt
  • 1 Tbs Cumin
  • 1 tsp Chili Powder
  • 2 tsp Minced Garlic or 1/2 tsp garlic granules
  • 2 Tbs Tomato Paste
  • 2 Tbs Adobo Sauce*** see note, reduce to 1 Tbs for less heat. Look for gluten free if needed.
  • 1 Chipotle Chili (optional) chopped fine, to take the spicy up!! Look for gluten free if needed.
  • 1 Can (411g) Fire Roasted Tomatoes
  • 1/2 C (110g) Vegetable Broth
  • 1/2 Lime juiced, plus more for serving

For the Peppers/Onion (optional):

  • 2 1/2 Tbs Vegetable Oil like olive or coconut, divided
  • 2 (430g) Bell Peppers large, one red, one green, sliced in long thin strips
  • 1 (150g) Red Onion large, sliced in 1/2 moons

Instructions

  • Prepare the Tofu:
    Preheat the oven to 350F (180C). Slice the pressed/drained tofu (using a tofu press or press with something heavy*) into (about) 1" (2.5cm) cubes and place on a parchment or silpat lined sheet pan. Bake for about 20 minutes or until the tofu is lightly golden. Some crispy edges is ok. This will dry the tofu out.
  • Make the Sofritas:
    In a large saute pan, add the oil and heat on high heat until it shimmers. Keeping the heat on high and adjusting as needed, add the poblano, bell pepper and onion. Saute, stirring/tossing/flipping only occasionally for about 8-9 minutes. Charring is good!
  • To the veggie mixture add the cumin, chili powder, and garlic. Stir to coat the veggies, then add the tomato paste, adobo sauce, chipotle chili (if using), fire roasted tomatoes, vegetable broth, and baked tofu. Stir and bring to a simmer. Stir, lid and simmer on medium-low for about 12-15 minutes.
  • Once the sofritas are done braising, spoon them into a food processor and either pulse for chunky sofrias, or process with longer pulses until the sofritas are of the desired consistency, stopping a few times to scrape the bowl down.
  • Transfer the sofritas back to the pan, squeeze in the lime juice, stir and taste for salt adjustment. Either cook on low a bit longer, lid off, to reduce the liquid further, or simply lid to keep warm.
  • Saute the Peppers/Onions (optional):
    **In your largest saute' skillet (I use non-stick), and working in two batches if needed, add the half the oil and heat on high until it shimmers. Add the onion/pepper mixture, a pinch of salt and saute' on high heat stirring occasionally for about 8-9 minutes. Charring is good and encouraged! The veggies should be tender crisp when done.
    Remove from pan as soon as they're done cooking, and place them in a bowl. The longer they set, the softer they get, so if possible, enjoy right away.
  • To Build an Epic Burrito Bowl:
    Spoon the sofritas and pepper/onion mixture into a serving bowl along with any or all of the following: Mexican brown rice or cilantro-lime brown rice, Mexican black beans, Mexican corn salsa, guacamole or avocado slices, chopped romaine lettuce or chili lime slaw, chopped cilantro, salsa, shredded cheddar and/or sour cream, lime wedges. A handful of crushed corn chips is really nice too - for the crunch.
  • Storage:
    Store sofritas and peppers/onion mixture in lidded containers in the refrigerator for up to three days. They both freeze beautifully too for up to two weeks. Gently rewarm on stovetop with a splash of water.

Notes

*TOFU: Look for organic and sprouted tofu. If time permits, freeze the tofu when you bring it home from the store. Something magical happens in the freezer. Thaw it in the refrigerator overnight, before use. Since tofu is packaged in water, we need press the water out of it to make room for flavor! To press thawed tofu, use a tea towel and place it under and on top of the tofu. Set it on a plate. Place something heavy on top, like a cutting board, another plate or a not-so-full box of wine to press the water out. We don't want it too heavy or it will squash the tofu. Move the tea towel a few times to a dryer area of the towel so it can absorb more water. Press for about 20-30 minutes, up to an hour if you have time.
**PEPPERS/ONION: The goal is to quickly cook the veggies so that they are tender-crisp, but not mushy. To many in the pan means the mixture will steam rather than saute. So, if cooking in a pan smaller than 12", cook the pepper/onion mixture in two batches. They need a bit of room to cook properly. 
***Find Chipotle Chilis in Adobo sauce in the Mexican food isle at your grocery. Look for gluten free if needed. Leftovers can stay fresh in a lidded container in the fridge for several weeks or months in the freezer. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 135kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Sodium: 1244mg | Potassium: 302mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 2212IU | Vitamin C: 105mg | Calcium: 80mg | Iron: 2mg