Vegan Chorizo
Make this perfectly spiced vegan chorizo in minutes! Then serve this soy chorizo on tacos, enchiladas, burritos, and even with tortilla chips! You can serve it with air fryer tortilla chips, as an appetizer, or add it as a spicy meat substitute to your favorite Mexican dishes.
Some people have a sweet tooth. Others have parseltongue (you go, Harry!). And yet others have spice mouth.
Wait. I don’t think that came out right.
But what do you call someone with a penchant for spice? Hmm, that might take a little more creative brainstorming. I’ll have another bowl of Vegan Chorizo to help me think this through.
The process of making this recipe is very similar to making sofritas. It begins with tofu.
Key Ingredients
You can find the full printable recipe, including ingredient quantities, below. But first, here are some explanations of ingredients and steps to help you make this recipe perfect every time.
Here are the ingredients you’ll need for this recipe, including substitution ideas:
- Extra firm tofu — You might get by with firm tofu, but I prefer extra-firm. Here’s more on buying tofu.
- Spices — You’ll need chili powder, garlic (fresh or ground), dried oregano, ground cumin, smoked paprika, ground cloves, ground coriander, and Mrs. Dash Chipotle-flavored seasoning.
- Vinegar — I use apple cider vinegar
- Soy Sauce — You can use regular soy sauce or a gluten-free version (tamari).
- Maple syrup — You can substitute agave nectar.
- Olive oil — Or use any neutral cooking oil.
- Cooked lentils — I use homemade cooked lentils, but you can also buy them in a can.
How to Make Vegan Chorizo
- Press tofu to remove excess packing liquid.
- Stir together the sauce ingredients.
- Cook pressed tofu in a skillet with olive oil. Use a potato masher to press the tofu into small bits.
- Add the lentils and the sauce and stir to combine.
- Simmer for several minutes until the sauce infuses the tofu.
- Serve with tacos, burritos, salads, and more.
Storage Tips
Transfer this chorizo into an airtight container and store it in the fridge for up to 7 days. Use a freezer-safe container to freeze for up to 2 months.
What Makes This Recipe Shine?
- FAST — This recipe comes together in around 30 minutes, making it a perfect weeknight meal.
- FLAVORFUL — All those seasonings combine deliciously to create the perfect flavor in every bite.
- FREEZER-FRIENDLY — Keep things simple in the kitchen with all the freezer-friendly recipes you can!
Serving Suggestions
Serve vegan chorizo with all your favorite Mexican dishes, such as:
- Vegan Tacos
- Vegan Empanadas
- Create a taco bar with Vegan Guacamole, Salsa, Taco Shells, and Vegan Nacho Cheese Sauce.
These Vegan Cinco de Mayo Recipes will give you even more ideas to choose from.
Recipes with Vegan Chorizo
If you love this vegan chorizo, use it as the meat substitute in any of the following recipes::
You can find even more tasty ideas with my Vegan Cinco de Mayo Recipes.
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Soy Chorizo
Ingredients
- 15 oz extra firm tofu
Chorizo Sauce
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- 3 cloves garlic peeled and minced
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 tablespoon Mrs. Dash Chipotle-flavored seasoning
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 3 tablespoons tamari or soy sauce if you’re not Gluten-free
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 3 tablespoons water
Chorizo Assembly
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 ½ cups cooked lentils (homemade or from a can)
Instructions
- Drain the packing liquid from a pacakge of tofu. Press the tofu to remove excess liquid from the cube of tofu.
- Combine sauce ingredients in a bowl.
- Stir together the sauce mixture and set aside to let the flavors blend.
- Place oil in a skillet over medium heat and cook until shimmering. Use tongs to place the tofu in the skillet and use a spatula to break it down into smaller pieces. Then use a potato masher to mash the tofu as it cooks.
- Pour the cooked lentils into the skillet.
- Add the sauce and stir, coating all of the tofu. Cook for 10 to 15 minutes until heated through.
- Serve immediately with tacos, burritos, etc. Or transfer to an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to 10 days.
(The products above contain sponsored links to products we use and recommend)
The nutrition information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator and should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
This post was originally published in 2015 and was updated to include new photos, new text, and an updated recipe in 2022.
This looks AMAZING! I can’t wait to try it! I’m a total chili head (that’s my term for spice mouth, haha).
Thanks, Rachael! So glad you like it. Oh, and I like “chili head” – it may be my new favorite term of endearment. I’ll say to folks, “You’re such a chili head!” And the’ll look at me like they do. Ha!
Adding this to my menu for the week. I love everything you make, but this looks especially good to me. Wish I had a bowl of it in front of me for lunch today!
Thanks, Lindsey! Better yet, you could be here and we could share a bowl together! 🙂