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Home » Daniel Fast Compliant » Sofritas (VEGAN, OIL FREE)

Sofritas (VEGAN, OIL FREE)

Published: Jan 7, 2022 · Modified: Jan 15, 2023 by Gigi & Sersie

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This Sofritas recipe is a must-have if you love the flavors of Chipotle Mexican Grill. It's smoky, spicy, slightly sweet, and takes about 40 minutes to whip up. Even though this recipe is oil-free, the flavor is still off the charts. This Sofritas recipe can be used as a base in tacos, a bowl or burrito, or chilled to add on top of a salad.

close up of sofritas cooking in a pan with a wooden spoon

This Sofritas recipe has 13 key ingredients

  1. Tofu, extra firm (not silken)
  2. Green bell pepper
  3. Onion
  4. Garlic
  5. Date
  6. Chipotle chili powder
  7. Cumin, ground
  8. Chili powder
  9. Coriander, ground
  10. Oregano
  11. Tomato paste
  12. Coconut aminos
  13. Apple cider vinegar

This recipe uses a 14-ounce package of extra firm tofu. However, different brands have different package sizes, typically between 14 to 16 ounces. Go ahead and use the whole package. There's no need to section off 2 ounces because the recipe calls for 14 ounces.

top view of ingredients for sofritas recipe vegan oil free: tofu, green pepper, onion, tomato paste, spices, garlic, coconut aminos and apple cider vinegar
key ingredients for sofritas

Pro Tip for Removing Water from Tofu

For a firmer, chewier texture of tofu, it's essential to remove as much water as possible. Here is a hack I learned. Drain and slice the tofu, then place it in the freezer until frozen solid. Remove the tofu from the freezer and let it thaw in the refrigerator. This four-step (drain, slice, freeze, thaw) process removes more water, giving you beautifully firm tofu.

As stated in a 2012 article in Slate, "Freezing changes the texture of tofu drastically and almost magically: When ice crystals form, they create small holes in the tofu, making it far spongier, firmer, and chewier than it was before. No amount of draining, patting dry, or pressing tofu can minimize sogginess as much as freezing does."

How to Prepare

  1. Start by draining and pressing as much water out of the tofu as you can. One way to do this is to wrap the tofu in a clean tea towel, place a heavy skillet on top, and let it sit for about 10 minutes. Revisit the Pro Tip for another method that does take some preplanning but works beautifully.
  2. While you're waiting on the tofu, fire up the stove (or grill) over medium-low heat. Place the green bell pepper directly on top of the grate. Carefully allow the green pepper to char slightly on all sides.
  3. Add charred bell pepper, chopped onion, garlic, and date to a food processor (or blender) and process into a sauce. If the mixture is stiff, add 1 to 2 tablespoons of water to thin it out. It should be the consistency of a blended salsa.
  4. Preheat a dry skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add the tofu. Yes, it will stick, but don't worry about it. Let it cook in the hot pan to develop some crispy brown bits. Using a stiff spatula, scrape the brown bits while breaking down the tofu into a crumble.
  5. Reduce heat to medium-low. Add the dry spices, and coconut aminos, and stir well to incorporate. Let the seasonings cook for a minute or two. (It should smell amazing!)
  6. Stir in tomato paste, apple cider vinegar, and green pepper sauce mixture from the food processor (or blender) into the pan with the tofu and let cook uncovered over medium-low heat for about 5 to 7 minutes.
  7. Remove from the heat and enjoy!
slightly charred green bell pepper in tongs over a stove grate
Put green bell pepper directly over a medium-low flame to char slightly
Add charred bell pepper, garlic, onion, date to a food processor or blender.
Process into a sauce. If the mixture is too stiff, add 1 to 2 tablespoons of water to loosen.
Preheat a dry skillet over medium heat. Add drained and patted-dry tofu.
Using a stiff spatula, break apart the tofu and let it cook.
After some brown bits have formed, add spices and coconut aminos, and stir to incorporate.
Finally, add tomato paste, apple cider vinegar, and sauce mixture from the food processor (or blender). Stir will to incorporate and heat through.

Make this into a delicious Sofritas Bowl with steamed kale, brown rice, and plantains and topped with fresh cabbage, cilantro, avocado, and lime. Wow! It's delicious and satisfying.

top view of sofritas bowl with sofritas, brown rice, steamed kale and plantains with sliced avocado and lime wedge; fork and napkin on the side

We hope you love this copycat Chipotle sofritas as much as we do. Please rate and leave a comment below. Be sure to share a picture on Instagram and tag us @danielsplaterecipes so we can see your creation!

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close up of sofritas cooking in a pan with a wooden spoon

Sofritas (VEGAN, OIL FREE)


  • Author: Gigi & Sersie
  • Total Time: 40 minutes
  • Yield: 4 1x
  • Diet: Vegan
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Description

This Sofritas recipe is a must-have if you love the flavors of Chipotle Mexican Grill. It's smoky, spicy, slightly sweet, and takes about 40 minutes to whip up. Even though this recipe is oil-free, the flavor is still off the charts. This Sofritas recipe can be used as a base in tacos, a bowl or burrito, or chilled to add on top of a salad.   #sofritas #oilfree #nooil #chipotlerecipe #sofritasrecipe #healthyveganrecipes #danielfastrecipes 


Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 15-oz. package of extra firm tofu (not silken)
  • 1 green bell pepper, slightly charred
  • ½ white onion, roughly chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
  • 1 date, pitted, soaked in hot water, and roughly chopped
  • 2 Tbsp chipotle chili powder
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • 1 tsp ground coriander
  • ½ tsp oregano
  • 2 Tbsp coconut aminos
  • 2 Tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar

Instructions

  1. Start by draining and pressing as much water out of the tofu as you can. One way to do this is to wrap the tofu in a clean tea towel, place a heavy skillet on top, and let it sit for about 10 minutes. Revisit the Pro Tip for another method that does take some preplanning but works beautifully.
  2. While you're waiting on the tofu, fire up the stove (or grill) over medium-low heat. Place the green bell pepper directly on top of the grate. Carefully allow the green pepper to char slightly on all sides. 
  3. Add charred bell pepper, chopped onion, garlic, and date to a food processor (or blender) and process into a sauce. If the mixture is stiff, add 1 to 2 tablespoons of water to thin it out. It should be the consistency of a blended salsa.
  4. Preheat a dry skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add the tofu. Yes, it will stick, but don't worry about it. Let the seasonings cook in the hot pan to develop crisp brown bits. Using a stiff spatula, scrape the brown bits while breaking down the tofu into a crumble.
  5. Reduce heat to medium-low. Add the dry spices and coconut aminos and stir well to incorporate. Let cook for a minute or two. (It should smell amazing!)
  6. Stir in tomato paste, apple cider vinegar, and green pepper sauce mixture from the food processor (or blender) into the pan with the tofu and let cook uncovered over medium-low heat for about 5 to 7 minutes. 
  7. Remove from the heat and enjoy!

Notes

  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 20 minutes
  • Category: Lunch/Dinner Entrée
  • Method: Stove
  • Cuisine: TexMex

Keywords: sofritas, green bell pepper, tofu, onion, garlic, coconut aminos, Chiptole Mexican Grill, date, chipotle powder, chili powder, coriander, oregano, tomato paste, coconut aminos, apple cider vinegar, healthy vegan recipes, nut free, oil free, no oil, gluten free, daniel fast recipes, daniel fast compliant

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Share a photo and tag us @danielsplaterecipes — we can't wait to see what you've made!

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Stpehanie

    January 14, 2023 at 10:37 pm

    Where in the recipe do I add the apple cider vinegar?

    Reply
    • Gigi & Sersie

      January 15, 2023 at 5:00 am

      Thank you for the question. We just updated the recipe. You'll want to add it towards the end with the tomato paste.

      Reply

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