As the countdown to the beginning of my fall semester comes to a close, I am continuing to grow and expand my repertoire of new recipes–including this (much improved) Chipotle sofritas copycat. Before we moved, Alex and I lived within walking distance of a Chipotle, making it an easy option for takeout on evenings I didn’t feel like throwing something together. Now, however, the closest Chipotle (and those sweet, sweet sofritas) is all the way across town, and I have such easy access to fresh, local ingredients that I’ve found myself wanting to cook at home almost every night. That hasn’t stopped me from craving those delicious burrito bowls, though! So, the only solution was the obvious one–recreate something similar (but better) at home.
A full taco spread–him with (local) ground beef and me with these Chipotle sofritas–was actually the first “sit-down” dinner Alex and I had at our new place after several hectic days of unpacking and putting together furniture. That was also the first time I made my creamy avocado salsa verde, too, which honestly was a dream come true with this sweet and savory bean and tofu combo. Wrapped up in a tortilla with warm pan-seared veggies, salsa verde, and some (vegan) sour cream, this recipe easily outshines anything Chipotle has to offer (in my opinion, at least). I’ve made it twice since we moved in and eaten it a variety of ways–from salads to a full-scale burrito bowl in addition to the aforementioned tacos–and every time I chow down I can’t help but wonder why it took me so long to make my own Chipotle sofritas copycat instead of spending $10 a pop. So good!
One of the most fun parts about this recipe, too, is that I get to my brand new mini Instant Pot if I’m cooking with dried black beans. One of the best things our local food co-op has to offer is a bulk section where we can buy dried beans, lentils, grains, and even coffee by the self-bagged pound. It’s a much cheaper, less wasteful, and more space-efficient way to stock up on non-perishables, and I’ve completely bought in to the idea of having a pantry full of 64oz mason jars and glass Ikea storage containers. We’ve been buying our coffee in bulk since we moved, but I’ve only recently started buying dried beans, etc, after finishing off the last of the cans we traveled with. My mini Instant pot (a 3qt Duo Mini we found on sale at Walmart) has been amazing for whipping up batches of dried beans in a fraction of the time it would take to soak them overnight or even boil them on the stove. My next goal is to try making lentils in it! Very exciting.
This recipe makes 6 servings.
Ingredients
- 1 block (16oz) firm tofu
- 1.5 cups black beans, cooked
- 2 tomatoes, whole
- 2 jalapenos
- 1 onion
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 cup vegetable broth
- 1/4 cup chipotle peppers in adobo (from can)
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro
- 2 tbsp lime juice
- 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 1 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 1 tbsp olive oil + 1/4 tsp olive oil, divided
- 1/4 tsp chili powder
- 1/4 tsp oregano
- 1/4 tsp cumin
- 1/4 tsp paprika
- 1/4 tsp coriander
- 1/4 tsp salt + 1 tsp salt, divided
- black pepper (pinch)
Directions:
- Boil/pressure cook black beans as needed if not using canned beans.
- Wrap tofu block in dish towels and press with a heavy object for at least one hour.
- Preheat oven to 425F.
- Wrap garlic cloves, 1/4 tsp olive oil, and black pepper in a small piece of parchment paper to create a garlic roasting pouch. Slice jalapenos in half and discard seeds if desired. Slice tomatoes in half. Slice onion into quarters.
- Spread vegetables onto a baking sheet with 1 tsp salt and 1 tbsp olive oil, add garlic roasting pouch. Bake for 20 minutes.
- While vegetables are roasting, slice pressed tofu into 2-3 thin slabs. Dry fry on a nonstick skillet until each side is golden brown and the slabs hold their shape moderately well/do not easily crumble. Rip or tear each slab into bite-sized chunks with your hands. Set aside.
- In a food processor or blender, add roasted vegetables/garlic, red wine vinegar, nutritional yeast, spices, lime juice, chipotle peppers in adobo, cilantro, and vegetable broth. Blend until a sauce has formed.
- Add tofu, black beans, and sauce to a large nonstick skillet and heat on medium-high, stirring to ensure that everything is coated with the sauce. Heat through and reduce sauce/tofu/bean mixture to your desired consistency. (For my preferred less-saucy version pictured above, I bring everything to a boil and reduce for 10-12 minutes.)
- Top with additional lime juice and cilantro, and serve with on tortillas with your favorite toppings for taco night, or with cilantro-lime rice and all of the fixings for the Chipotle burrito bowl experience.
This recipe keeps wonderfully in the fridge overnight, and lasts for up to a week after cooking. I’ve found that the flavors only meld and improve in their new lives as leftovers, and some of my favorite ways to enjoy these Chipotle sofritas are as lunch the next day with whatever I can find in the fridge. They can be eaten hot, room-temperature, or cold, and taste great either way. Enjoy!
Tofu & Black Bean Chipotle Sofritas
Ingredients
- 1 block firm tofu (16oz)
- 1.5 cups black beans cooked
- 2 tomatoes whole
- 2 jalapenos
- 1 onion
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 cup vegetable broth
- 1/4 cup chipotle peppers in adobo from can
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro
- 2 tbsp lime juice
- 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 1 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 1 tbsp olive oil + 1/4 tsp olive oil divided
- 1/4 tsp chili powder
- 1/4 tsp oregano
- 1/4 tsp cumin
- 1/4 tsp paprika
- 1/4 tsp coriander
- 1/4 tsp salt + 1 tsp salt divided
- black pepper pinch
Instructions
- Boil/pressure cook black beans as needed if not using canned beans.
- Wrap tofu block in dish towels and press with a heavy object for at least one hour.
- Preheat oven to 425F.
- Wrap garlic cloves, 1/4 tsp olive oil, and black pepper in a small piece of parchment paper to create a garlic roasting pouch. Slice jalapenos in half and discard seeds if desired. Slice tomatoes in half. Slice onion into quarters.
- Spread vegetables onto a baking sheet with 1 tsp salt and 1 tbsp olive oil, add garlic roasting pouch. Bake for 20 minutes.
- While vegetables are roasting, slice pressed tofu into 2-3 thin slabs. Dry fry on a nonstick skillet until each side is golden brown and the slabs hold their shape moderately well/do not easily crumble. Rip or tear each slab into bite-sized chunks with your hands. Set aside.
- In a food processor or blender, add roasted vegetables/garlic, red wine vinegar, nutritional yeast, spices, lime juice, chipotle peppers in adobo, cilantro, and vegetable broth. Blend until a sauce has formed.
- Add tofu, black beans, and sauce to a large nonstick skillet and heat on medium-high, stirring to ensure that everything is coated with the sauce. Heat through and reduce sauce/tofu/bean mixture to your desired consistency. (For my preferred less-saucy version pictured above, I bring everything to a boil and reduce for 10-12 minutes.)
- Top with additional lime juice and cilantro, and serve with on tortillas with your favorite toppings for taco night, or with cilantro-lime rice and all of the fixings for the Chipotle burrito bowl experience.
