One of those i can’t believe it’s tofu tofu dishes:
sofritaaaas ….
Introduced to the world through none other than Chipotle fast casual dining.
(not-so-short sidebar: I had never heard of Chipotle before moving to the States and quickly discovered its versatility on family road-trips; a highway stop where each of us could find something we liked from the diverse menu — not just plant-based options but also a choice of how it’s served — from burritos to bowls to tacos, quesadillas and salads with all those yummy toppers to pick and choose from… what I didn’t realize at the time is that their well-loved guacamole is made fresh by the staff every.single.day. (we got the full scoop from our son when he worked there a couple summers ago ((sidebar within a sidebar: the human interaction stories are always my favorite part of shoptalk – and nobody reenacts a scene quite like our youngest jambon – but i’ll keep it to the food for now)) — needless to say, not every convenience food chain is made equal).
So… what are sofritas?
Chipotle Sofritas (derived from the Spanish sofrito which means sautéed or fried) are made up of sautéed shredded tofu slathered in a sauce of chipotle chilies, roasted poblano pepper (mild), tomato and spices (you can easily adjust the heat level from the chipotle peppers if zing is not your thing, please read Notes in recipe card).
The sauce takes about 15 minutes to pull together – including the poblano roasting time – so simple and results in a complex smoky layered flavor. I’ve made some refinements to the sauce in this version using generous amounts of salsa to create ample saucy smoky goodness (no dry guy tofu here!) and adding walnuts for texture.
The tofu prep is equally simple — sliced, sautéed in some olive oil (to texturize, those crispy seared bits are so yum) and then broken down into a scrambled-egg like texture.
My bowl contains: saucy sofritas, quinoa (I pop it in the rice cooker while prepping the sauce), black beans, walnuts, chopped bell pepper, cilantro and of course, fresh guac!
- the tofu:
- 1 x 14 oz (397 g) block organic tofu (extra firm)
- the sauce:
- 1 fresh poblano pepper (poblanos are a relatively mild pepper that acquires a beautiful rich flavor when roasted)
- 1 + ¼ cup (12 oz/340 g) of your favorite salsa
- 2 Tbsp diced chipotle peppers, (I am using La Costeña brand diced peppers sold in a glass jar - this preparation is milder than chipotle peppers in a can -- if you're using canned chipotles in adobo sauce (hotter!) unless you are very familiar with your chipotle tolerance, I recommend starting with 1 single pepper from the can and working your way up from there).
- 4 cloves of garlic, or to taste
- 2 tsp cumin powder
- ⅓ tsp salt, or to taste
- serving accompaniment possibilities quinoa/rice or simply greens of choice (cabbage/broccoli), black beans, walnuts, fresh cilantro -- topper possibilities: chopped bell peppers, chopped tomatoes, green onions, guac, etc.
- Heat oven to 375 F
- Coat your poblano pepper with a little olive oil and place on a baking sheet to bake for about 12 minutes, turning halfway through. The poblano should be nice and seared. Remove from oven allow to cool a bit and then remove the stem (it should come out effortlessly at this point when pulled).
- Place block of tofu in a clean kitchen towel, wrap and gently squeeze to release excess moisture and cut tofu into slices (roughly ⅓") you'll end up with about 7 slices.
- Warm a skillet over medium-ish heat with a generous dollop of olive oil. Once the oil is warm, add tofu slices to the skillet allowing them to sizzle for a couple minutes on each side to acquire some browning. Using a wooden spoon or spatula, break up the tofu into chunky pieces (like a chunky scrambled egg). Turn off heat.
- Meanwhile, prepare the sauce: in a small processor combine: the full roasted poblano pepper (minus the stem), garlic cloves, salsa of choice, chipotle (please see notes under Ingredients for heat guidance), cumin powder and salt - process until relatively smooth (note: if you taste the sauce at this stage it will be 'spicier' on the tongue in the absence of being mixed in with food - when the sauce is mixed in to the tofu etc. it is a more balanced heat).
- Add the sauce to the scrambled tofu, turn on heat and mix together to combine and warm through.
- Taste the mixture and decide on seasoning adjustments, more salt, etc. you can also add the walnut into the sauce at this stage or serve on the side or skip as preferred
- Serve as desired with accompaniments and toppings.
psst: don’t discount the walnuts! they work so well with the sofritas – you can also mix them right in to the skillet with the sauce if preferred (which is what I typically do), great texture, crunch and bonus nutrients.
looks fantastic! note the addition of black beans directly to the mix, love it; thanks for sharing
https://imgur.com/a/kvud1lw
Our family agrees on Chipotle too! Your sofritas look incredible. I don’t know why I haven’t tried making them at home before. I’m excited to try your version, I’m guessing they are even better :)
Well this is certainly different. I love a great tasting sofrita and it looks like you have one here. I would never have thought of serving it with scrambled tofu, but why not? This looks really, really tasty and spicy, just like I like it. What a great meatless meal Kelly! Thanks!
I would never even given Chipotle a glance, but I will now with your reco. We have them here in Toronto (not venturing down to the states quite yet). But a homemade version sounds even better! The colours in this dish are mouthwatering!
My new favorite way to enjoy plant-based eating! Rich and yummy.
Truly tempted to try this one, I adore anything chipotle – oddly enough, I just had my lunch, that included tofu – slowly I warm up to this baby…
but it had meat too, so let’s say I am firmly on the fence ;-)
I will let you know when I make it…
hope you are stepping into Fall in great spirits!
hellllo Sally, recently reunited with my Mom across the border after two years….. definitely stepping into fall with a happy, more peaceful heart ~ 🤎 ~ love to you friend, x