Chipotle Sofritas (Copycat)

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This Chipotle Sofritas copycat recipe tastes just like the original! Shredded tofu braised in spices makes a great vegan option for burritos, tacos, and salads.

Chipotle sofritas in a white bowl with rice.


 

To all my meat-eating friends: This recipe tastes better than you think it does. If you took a bite right now, you’d nod your head in puzzled agreement and say, “Huh, this DOES taste really good!”

And to my plant-based friends, I see you! We all need more delicious, vegan options for healthful, homemade meals. This recipe is easy to make at home so you can skip the lines at Chipotle (and it’s always more economical to make it at home, anyway).

Recipe ingredients

Labeled ingredients for Chipotle Sofritas.

At a Glance: Here is a quick snapshot of what ingredients are in this recipe.
Please see the recipe card below for specific quantities.

Ingredient notes

  • Oregano: Chipotle uses Mexican oregano, but you can use Italian oregano if that’s all that you have. They have different flavors (Mexican oregano tastes more like marjoram) but both taste great in this recipe.
  • Olive oil: Chipotle uses rice bran oil, but olive oil is more widely available (and probably already in your pantry).
  • Tofu: Start with extra-firm tofu and squeeze it to extract as much liquid as possible. There are two easy ways:
    1. Wrap in paper towels and place in a dish. Set a heavy object on top such as a cast-iron skillet with cans on top.
    2. Use a handy-dandy super-slick fast-and-easy tofu press (this is the one I have and it works really well).
    3. Once you’ve pressed the tofu, slice it into 8 slices. If you your brick is really divided into 2 bricks, cut each slab into 4 slices. You’ll know what I mean once you start looking at tofu.
Slices of tofu on a white plate.

Step-by-step instructions

  1. In a food processor, combine bell pepper, tomato, onion, water, chipotle chilies and adobo sauce, garlic, red wine vinegar, ancho chile powder, cumin, oregano, and salt and pepper to taste (I like ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper). Pulse until the marinade is slightly chunky and thoroughly combined. Set aside.
Sauce for Chipotle sofritas in a food processor.
  1. In a skillet over medium-high heat, heat oil until shimmering. Working in batches if necessary, carefully place the tofu in the pan, flip occasionally, and cook until the tofu is golden brown, about 10 minutes. Remove from pan and drain on a plate lined with paper towels.
Tofu slices being cooked in a frying pan.
  1. Roughly chop the tofu, or pulse the tofu in a food processor until the tofu is roughly in ¼ inch pieces.
Tofu in a food processor.
  1. Place in a bowl and add the marinade. Cover and allow to sit for at least 30 minutes, or overnight in the refrigerator.
Chipotle sofritas in a clear glass bowl before being cooked.
  1. To cook the tofu, heat a medium skillet over medium high heat. Add the marinated tofu and any remaining marinade. Add ¼ cup water and bring to a boil.
Chipotle sofritas in a black frying pan.
  1. Reduce heat and simmer, adding additional water to desired consistency (I prefer additional liquid for serving). Cook until tofu is heated through, about 10 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Chipotle sofritas in a white bowl with rice.

Recipe tips and variations

Someone scooping Chipotle sofritas in a black frying pan.

Recipe FAQs

What are the sofritas at Chipotle?

Sofritas are a spicy, tomato-braised shredded tofu dish. They get their heat from chipotle peppers in adobo sauce and are 100% vegan.

How do you press tofu?

Start with extra-firm tofu and squeeze it to extract as much liquid as possible. There are two easy ways: 1). wrap in paper towels and place in a dish. Set a heavy object on top such as a cast-iron skillet with cans on top. Or, 2). use a handy-dandy super-slick fast-and-easy tofu press (this is the one I have and it works really well).

What can I do with leftover chipotle peppers and/or adobo sauce?

Transfer to a plastic bag, label, date, and freeze indefinitely for future Chipotle copycat recipes. Chipotle peppers are also delicious stirred into mayonnaise or salsa and are a key ingredient in Chicken Tinga (or Cauliflower Tinga Tacos) and Vegetarian Stuffed Peppers.

What is a substitute for adobo sauce?

To make a substitute for adobo sauce, whisk together 1 tablespoon tomato paste, 1 tablespoon cider vinegar, 1 teaspoon chipotle powder (or ½ teaspoon EACH smoked paprika and cayenne powder), ½ teaspoon ground cumin, and a pinch EACH of oregano, garlic powder, and salt.

Complete your Sofritas burrito bowl

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A white bowl with rice and Chipotle Sofritas.

Chipotle Sofritas (Copycat)

This Chipotle Sofritas recipe tastes just like the original! Shredded tofu braised in spices makes a great vegan option for burritos, tacos, and salads.
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings 4 servings (1 cup each)
Course Main Course
Cuisine Mexican
Calories 128
4.99 from 254 votes

Ingredients 

For the Marinade:

For the tofu:

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil or rice bran oil (see note 2)
  • 1 (16 ounce) package extra-firm tofu pressed, cut into 8 slices (see note 3)

Instructions 

To make the marinade:

  • In a food processor, combine bell pepper, tomato, onion, water, chipotle chilies and adobo sauce, garlic, red wine vinegar, ancho chile powder, cumin, oregano, and salt and pepper to taste (I like ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper). Pulse until the marinade is slightly chunky and thoroughly combined. Set aside.

To make the tofu:

  • In a skillet over medium-high heat, heat oil until shimmering. Working in batches if necessary, carefully place the tofu in the pan, flip occasionally, and cook until the tofu is golden brown, about 10 minutes. Remove from pan and drain on a plate lined with paper towels.
  • Roughly chop the tofu, or pulse the tofu in a food processor until the tofu is roughly in ¼ inch pieces. Place in a bowl and add the marinade. Cover and allow to sit for at least 30 minutes, or overnight in the refrigerator.
  • To cook the tofu, heat a medium skillet over medium high heat. Add the marinated tofu and any remaining marinade. Add ¼ cup water and bring to a boil.
  • Reduce heat and simmer, adding additional water to desired consistency (I prefer additional liquid for serving). Cook until tofu is heated through, about 10 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Recipe Video

Notes

  1. Oregano: Chipotle uses Mexican oregano, but you can use Italian oregano if that’s all that you have. They have different flavors (Mexican oregano tastes more like marjoram) but both taste great in this recipe.
  2. Olive oil: Chipotle uses rice bran oil, but olive oil is more widely available (and probably already in your pantry).
  3. Tofu: Start with extra-firm tofu and squeeze it to extract as much liquid as possible. There are two easy ways:
    1. Wrap in paper towels and place in a dish. Set a heavy object on top such as a cast-iron skillet with cans on top.
    2. Use a handy-dandy super-slick fast-and-easy tofu press (this is the one I have and it works really well).
    3. Once you’ve pressed the tofu, slice it into 8 slices. If you your brick is really divided into 2 bricks, cut each slab into 4 slices. You’ll know what I mean once you start looking at tofu.
  4. Yield: This recipe makes about 4 cups Sofritas braised tofu, enough for servings, 1 cup each.
  5. Storage: Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
  6. Make ahead: The tofu can be added to the marinade and refrigerated a day in advance.
  7. Freezer: The marinade can be frozen for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before proceeding with marinating the tofu.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cupCalories: 128kcalCarbohydrates: 10gProtein: 10gFat: 6gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gSodium: 88mgPotassium: 348mgFiber: 3gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 525IUVitamin C: 30mgCalcium: 58mgIron: 2mg
Did you make this recipe?Tag @culinaryhill on Instagram so we can admire your masterpiece! #culinaryhill
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Meggan Hill is a classically-trained chef and professional writer. Her meticulously-tested recipes and detailed tutorials bring confidence and success to home cooks everywhere. Meggan has been featured on NPR, HuffPost, FoxNews, LA Times, and more.

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Comments

  1. This was seriously so good and better than Chipotle. The tofu cooked beautifully, I shredded mine with a cheese grater to create a different texture and forgot to add my tomatoes to the purée but overall came out perfectly. So yummy!5 stars

  2. This recipe was absolutely delicious! My family put it on soft tacos with mango, cabbage, and avocado. I will be making this again! Thank you.5 stars

    1. I’m so happy you and your family loved these sofritas, Tommy! The tacos sound delicious. Happy cooking! – Meggan

  3. The nutritional value can’t include the tofu. I added it into myfitnesspal and it shows the nutritional value for the tofu alone is over 400 calories.

    1. Hi Melanie, thank you for your comment. The nutritional information is for one serving and is an estimate. It’s great you’re using an app for a more accurate nutritional count. Take care. – Meggan

  4. Wonderful recipe! Came out exactly like the picture. I made too much marinade so I bagged it for another day! Thank you, Meggan!

  5. We have made this a few times and it is really delicious! My daughter rarely eats meat so this is a quick and easy recipe to make and she loves it! Thank you!!5 stars

  6. Your calories per serving does not include the actual tofu, just wanted to let you know. I will be going to make this
    Thank you

  7. Mine definitely came out mushy, but I am obsessed with how my sofritas smelled like the chipotle sofritas!! I will absolutely be trying this recipe again, I think part of the reason why mine came out so mushy was because I blended the tofu… I tried to not overdo it, but I think next time I should just chop it up instead.
    The marinade is absolutely delicious- I left my tofu in the marinade for about 45 minutes, honestly felt like I could have just put it on the stove instead of waiting. I had a lot of liquid in it- either leftover from the tofu, or possibly from the onion and bell pepper- so I didn’t add more water, and ended up leaving it to simmer for a good 15-20 min.
    I had my sofritas on nachos- so good! Looking forward to trying them in a quesodilla too!4 stars

    1. Mushy is usually from there being too much water in the tofu itself. I freeze then thaw my tofu squares, easiest way to do it!

  8. I made this sofritas recipe along with the black beans, rice, corn salsa, and tomato salsa copycat recipes and it tastes JUST LIKE the vegan lifestyle bowl from Chipotle. Making it at home also allowed me to upgrade the bowl with a dairy-free queso! Can’t thank you enough for such a wonderful collection of recipes!5 stars

    1. Hi Judith, I pulled this from the USDA website: “One (1) kilocalorie is the same as one (1) Calorie (uppercase C).” So a calorie and a kcal are the same thing. One serving is 66 kcals. I hope this helps! – meggan

  9. Really good chipotle sofritas recipe! I made this twice. The first time i put the hot pan friend tofu 3 at a time in my small blender and they turned to mush. The second time i let it cool down on a plate and put them 1-2 at a time in the processor for 3 quick pulses and it turned our a bit chunkier which was nice, with cilantro lime rice, corn salsa and some black beans and a chipotle dressing recipe i use, i have a perfect meal!5 stars

  10. Just made this to use as filling for vegetarian enchiladas and it’s amazing!!! Born and raised in Texas but had to move to NorCal for work, and I’ve been missing TexMex food greatly, and this hit the spot! However, I have quite a bit of the sofritas leftover after only making 6 enchiladas, how long do the sofritas last in the fridge? Also can they be frozen? Thanks so much for the delicious recipe :)5 stars

    1. Hi Alyssa, I’m glad you loved it, you’re welcome! I would recommend keeping in an airtight container for up to three days. I haven’t personally tried to freeze it, but I believe you could in an airtight container. I believe it will change the texture of the tofu to be more porous, so it may not be the same later. – Meggan

    1. LOL!!! yes it is Lauren, yes it is. Wow. Clearly I forgot to turn my brain on that day… I have no explanation for why I said that. I think I must have thought he meant soy sauce? Wow. In any case, thank you so much for being nice about my egregious error. 🥴 Thank you. -Meggan

    1. Thanks for sharing! You stumbled across the ONLY tofu recipe on my site, LOL. Sorry you got lost. -Meggan

  11. I love this recipe sooo much but when I make the marinade it turns out more like a chunky salsa. Just wondering if this is how it supposed to be or if I’m doing something wrong. They don’t look like the Sofritas at chipotle which is fine by me since the flavor is on point I just don’t know if they are supposed to.

    1. Hi Samantha, I think mine also looked like chunky salsa. It probably depends on your food processor (or some people might use a blender and it might grind up more). I don’t think you’re doing anything wrong. You could try running the processor longer if you want it smoother, but that might not make a huge difference. I think it could even depend on how juicy the tomato is or something like that! The way it looks for my photos vs. my video are just COMPLETELY different, but it all tastes the same. So, I think you’re fine. The real question is – are you happy with it? If you’re happy, then I’m happy. -Meggan

    2. If you want to have some liquid to the salsa, just add a little water to the mixture and it will loosen up.

  12. taste just like the real thing! Great flavor! Makes for a tone of leftovers that lasted me a week!5 stars

  13. Thank you so much for this delicious recipe! I just had Chipotle’s sofritas for the first time and immediately looked up recipes so that I could make it at home. I pressed my tofu for about two hours and it was stayed firm and crisp. The spice level was perfect. I served it as a “burrito bowl,” adding chopped greens, brown rice, chopped onions and just a dab of sour cream. Everyone loved it!5 stars

  14. Easy to do – tastes great but very spicy hot. I’ve eaten at Chipotle many times and it was never this spicy hot. Unless you really like it hot, cut the chipotle chile to 3/4 or at most 1. The rice was terrific though.

    1. Hi Marilyn, I appreciate the feedback and I’m so sorry that it was spicy. I’m going to change the recipe to make the chipotle chiles optional. I know I have 2 listed, but the problem is I never mentioned you are supposed to take the seeds out. If you take the seeds out, 2 are probably fine, but it also depends on the particular pepper. So I think optional is best, I’ll leave the adobo for sure, and I’ll mention about taking the seeds out if you use them. I’m so sorry about that! Thanks. -Meggan

  15. The meals look delicious, appetizing, fresh and wonderful. In fact i salivated when i was critically looking at the meals.
    Congratulation Meggan
    Thank You.5 stars

  16. FYI – use Mexican oregano! It has a completely different flavor profile but ultimately the correct flavor profile.

  17. Hi,
    I have question :) is there any chance to substitute the chipotle chilis and adobo sauce? I live in Europe and don’t think I can buy it here. Loved the sofrita at chipotle’s though :) I don’t eat very spicy if that helps haha
    Best,
    Lisa

    1. Hi Lisa! One of the characteristics of chipotle chilis in adobo sauce is the smokiness. So, if you wanted a substitute that was mostly unrelated (you probably don’t have chipotle chili powder there, for example), you could try smoked paprika. It is NOT the same, of course, it won’t taste the same. But it might taste good? Mind you, I haven’t tried it, so I don’t know (and I don’t really know how much to use either, not without testing it, but you could add a spoonful at a time and go from there). But if I were going to try to use something that wasn’t chipotles in adobo, I’d probably try smoked paprika. If you can find any dried chilis of any kind, though, they would be worth using! I’m not sure what you have. I hope this helpful or at least gives you something to think about. Good luck! If you have more questions, just let me know. Thanks! -Meggan

  18. I have made this recipe multiple times now with no adjustments to put in salads and it tastes great. It’s just spicy enough to feel the heat and I can always add some hot sauce if needed. Since my can of chipotle chilies had too many for me to use at once, I froze the extras and they worked just as well when I made this again.5 stars

    1. Hi Hillary, thank you so much! That’s amazing, I’m so glad. It’s always nice when people like the recipes on my site. :) Take care. -Meggan

    1. Hi Crystal, if you want it to taste like Chipotle’s Sofritas there is no substitute for the ancho chili powder (other than throwing a few whole ancho chilies in, instead). But if you aren’t worried about that, you could definitely try substituting regular chili powder, or another chili powder (chipotle chili powder, for example). It will change the flavor, but if YOU like it, that’s all that matters. I hope that helps. Good luck and if you need anything else just let me now! Thanks. -Meggan

  19. Hi, I cooked this dish because my daughter became vegetarian and she likes the Chipotle’s a lot so I decided to try It at home. I think the recipe is good and it’s pretty tasteful. However it is way too spicy for is…the sauce even stinks our eyes! Did I get the wrong adobo sauce? I bought the Embasa Chipotle Peppers in Adobo Sauce. I tasted it by itself and it’s really spicy. I am a person eat decent spicy level but this one is so much! Lol.

    Any feedback is great!5 stars

    1. Hi Janice, I’m sorry that this is too spicy for you! You didn’t buy the wrong thing.

      The recipe card SHOULD say that you adobo sauce and “chipotle chiles to taste, if desired.” As you have found out, Chipotle chiles are incredibly spicy, so how many you add (if any) depends on your personal preference/tolerance for spicy food, and also the size of the peppers in the can you have.

      In an attempt to give you some information on how many to use, I have a Vegetarian Stuffed Pepper recipe on my site which has a filling to stuff 4 large bell peppers. This recipe uses 2 chipotle chiles. People with very low tolerance of spicy food have found this dish to be very spicy with the 2 chipotle chiles. For me, I am constantly working on my ability to consume spicy food (I feed myself spicy food as practice because it gets easier over time), and I am fine with the 2 chipotle chiles in that dish. If you think you have a high tolerance for spice, you could do 2 chipotles in this sloppy joe recipe. If you’re not sure, do 1. If you know spicy food is hard for you to eat, don’t do any! Just do the adobo.

      Hopefully this helps!

      Meggan

  20. I love this. I follow your recipe exactly, except I roast the tomato and the pepper which I think adds a lot of flavor. Thanks for this recipe :)5 stars

  21. This was really good, although I need to work with the texture of the tofu. Mine came out way too fine. I think next time I will just try chopping the tofu rather than using the processor. But I mixed it in with some backbeans and corn to add more texture to it, and it tastes amazing!

  22. Absolutely delicious! I need to work on the tofu texture a bit but the sauce is spot on. Well done! 5 stars

  23. I chopped the tofu fine, but it was still spongier than I ‘d prefer.  Perhaps slice the tofu into more slices (16) before pressing?

    1. Hi Marla, I imagine tofu varies greatly by brand. You could definitely slice it more thinly before pressing if that’s what your tofu needs. Thanks! -Meggan

  24. This is the real deal. As a vegetarian, I adore Chipotle’s sofritas and am so happy I found this recipe. It truly tastes just like theirs! Mine came out too wet, which I think is due to my food processor making the tofu bits too small, so next time I’ll chop it. Love that there’s really no chopping of veggies if you use a food processor. Will have to check out some of your other Chipotle recipes:)5 stars

    1. Hey Ariadne! Yes, it’s okay to freeze tofu! It will actually absorb the flavor of the marinade even better through the freezing/defrosting process. It might be a little firmer and less soft, more chewy, but I’m assuming if you’re eating tofu you don’t mind that! If you need anything else, just let me know! Thank you so much for the great question. :D

  25. I made this a week ago and am obsessed! I am going to make this again tonight but am wondering if you have tried freezing it?5 stars

  26. Delicious! I made this along with the lime rice, veggies and pinto beans!
    Trying to cut down on the meat at my household and this definitely hit the spot.
    By any chance how long will this keep? It’s just two of us and will like to keep it as long as possible. 
    (5x meal prep, hopefully!)
    Thank you so much for sharing!5 stars

  27. I plan on trying this ASAP! I’m attempting to start meatless Monday’s. What could i substitute to make this dish with less sodium?

    1. Hi Lynn! Thanks for commenting. I was looking at the recipe trying to figure out WHY the sodium was so high in the first place when none of the ingredients are particularly, well, salty. I went back to the nutrition calculator and changed “Chipotle Chilis” to “Chipotle Peppers” because the program was pulling in canned chili and artificially inflating the sodium in the process. So, the sodium is reflected accordingly now and is much lower. Tofu itself isn’t very salty. When you choose your chipotle peppers and/or adobo sauce (whether you buy them together or separately) you should look at the labels for the one with the lowest salt. And, feel free to use less than the 1/2 teaspoon salt recommended in the recipe for your final seasoning. I hope this is helpful, sorry for the confusion, and if you need anything else just let me know! Good luck and take care. -Meggan