OK, so.. sofritas, it’s not a thing. I mean, it’s a thing. But it’s not a real thing. It’s a Chipotle thing. I think?

(I hereby ban the letters t, h, i, and n, in said order, from the remainder of this post!)

But anyway, I thought it was an actual established smoky saucy tofuy dish, but my extensive research (read: cursory Google search) has led me to determine that it’s a Chipotle dish.. which means:

We’ve got Chipotle to thank.

Thank you, Chipotle, for such an intensely flavorful vegetarian take on a Mexican meaty main course. Thank you, Chipotle, for a healthier option when we’re craving Mexican comfort food. Thank you, Chipotle, because this stuff is cheap, y’all. I mean, not at Chipotle, because I can’t get over the fact that Chipotle charges you for chips and salsa and so I, like any reasonable human being, boycott their establishment.. but that’s not the point, OK?

So, if I lost you at the term sofritas–and if not then, then with my circuitous prose–let me catch you up. Sofritas is essentially browned, crumbled tofu with beans in a smoky, spicy, super flavorful sauce. You can load it into burritos or tacos or just eat over rice with some guac, and you miss all of the funky parts of tofu and narrow in on all the perfect parts. What that means is.. even if you “don’t like tofu”, you will love this stuff.

I adapted this recipe from the lovely Lindsay at Pinch of Yum by adding mushrooms, pinto bean aquafaba (fancy way of saying I didn’t drain the beans), upped the garlic, and served over brown rice instead of white.

Print Tofu Sofritas Bowl Cook Time 40 minutes Total Time 40 minutes Servings 6 people Calories 272 kcal Author Cheryl Malik Ingredients 1 tbsp roasted poblano pepper

4 tbsp chipotle peppers in adobo sauce

2 tablespoons adobo sauce

3-4 cloves garlic

½ cup fresh tomato salsa

2 tablespoons coconut or avocado oil

½ teaspoon salt

1 picnh a pinch of sugar or honey

1½ cups uncooked brown long grain rice

4-5 tbsp limes

2 pieces large handfuls fresh cilantro

1-2 tbsp Oil of choice , for sautéeing

8 ounces baby bella mushrooms , sliced

16- ounce block extra-firm tofu

1 14- ounce can pinto beans , rinsed and drained

2-3 pieces avocados

½ cup minced red onion

1 tsp minced red onion

1 tsp crumbled feta , cotija, or queso fresco

1 tsp chopped cilantro Instructions Roast your poblano pepper: carefully hold the pepper over the flame of a gas range, until skin turns dark and blistered. Rotate to treat entire pepper. Alternately, preheat your broiler and lay the pepper 6 inches or so from the heat, directly on the rack with a baking sheet on a rack underneath to catch any liquid. Broil until the skin turns dark and blistered then turn over to treat all sides. Let cool slightly Make the rice: cook rice according to package directions, adding juice of 2 limes. Fluff rice with a fork when done and stir in a handful of chopped cilantro and generous pinch of salt. Make sofritas sauce: remove stem from roasted poblano pepper and place in food processor or blender, along with chipotle peppers, adobo sauce, salsa, oil, salt, and sugar or honey. Pulse until mixture becomes a mostly smooth paste. Make sofritas: slice tofu and press with paper towels to dry. Heat a glug of oil over medium-high heat and then fry mushrooms until softened. Add another glug of oil, then fry tofu until beginning to turn golden and get crispy. Scramble the tofu with a spatula or wooden spoon, then add in sofritas sauce and undrained pinto beans. Simmer about 15-20 minutes, adding more water if necessary. Make guacamole: Scoop the flesh of avocados into a bowl, then mash. Stir in minced red onion, a handful of chopped cilantro, and juice of 2 limes. Season generously with salt. Assemble the sofritas bowls: ladle sofritas over rice, then a generous spoonful of guacamole. Garnish with red onion, cheese, or cilantro, if desired. Remove stem and place in a blender or food processor with the chipotle peppers, adobo sauce, salsa, oil, salt, and sugar. Recipe Notes Pulse until a mostly smooth paste forms. Nutrition Facts Tofu Sofritas Bowl Amount Per Serving (6 g) Calories 272 Calories from Fat 108 % Daily Value* Fat 12g 18% Saturated Fat 5g 31% Cholesterol 1mg 0% Sodium 1670mg 73% Potassium 711mg 20% Carbohydrates 32g 11% Fiber 7g 29% Sugar 5g 6% Protein 13g 26% Vitamin A 1705IU 34% Vitamin C 6mg 7% Calcium 106mg 11% Iron 4mg 22% * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

You know what would go well with this? Uh.. a freaking chelada!

And avocado salsa!