Instant Pot Chipotle Sofritas

A bowl of crumbled tofu sofritas in a smoky chipotle sauce topped with fresh cilantro and a lime wedge, served with rice.

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Instant Pot Chipotle Sofritas

This Instant Pot Chipotle Sofritas recipe is a game-changer for anyone who loves the bold, spicy flavors of Chipotle’s iconic plant-based protein.

By using the Instant Pot, you can achieve a deeply infused, braised texture in a fraction of the time it takes on the stovetop.

Prep Time15

Cook Time3

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Mexican

Diet: Vegan, Vegetarian

Servings:

Calories: 205kcal

Author: Smruti

Ingredients

14 oz firm tofu
1 cup vegetable stock or water
2 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 Poblano pepper
2-3 stalks cilantro (chopped)

For the sauce

½ medium onion (roughly chopped)
3 cloves garlic (peeled)
2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
2 tablespoon adobo sauce (from the can)
1 tablespoon taco seasonings
½ teaspoon roasted cumin powder
½ cup water
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vinegar

Instructions

Press the tofu between sheets of paper towel and remove the moisture. Once dry, cut the tofu into large chunks.
14 oz firm tofu
Roast the poblano pepper on an open flame. Once charred, remove from flame and transfer to a bowl.
1 Poblano pepper
Then remove the stem and chop the pepper (also remove the seeds and veins if you want it mild).
To make the sauce, add the poblano pepper with onions, garlic, peppers in adobo sauce, seasonings and water to a blender jar.
½ medium onion, 3 cloves garlic, 2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, 2 tablespoon adobo sauce, 1 tablespoon taco seasonings, ½ teaspoon roasted cumin powder, ½ cup water, 1 tablespoon sugar, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon vinegar
Make a smooth paste and set aside.
Set the Instant Pot to 'Sauté' and Normal. In the base add the oil.
2 tablespoon vegetable oil
Once the display reads 'Hot' add the tofu pieces.
Let the tofu brown for a few minutes. Turn them over and let them brown on all sides. It is okay for them to break while turning.
Once sufficiently charred, break up the tofu down further using the spatula.
Add the vegetable stock and deglaze. Follow this by adding the prepared sauce.
1 cup vegetable stock
Mix well and close the lid of the Instant Pot. Press 'Cancel' and set the mode to 'Pressure Cook' and 'High'. Set time to 3 minutes and turn valve to sealing.
Once the timer goes off, turn the valve to venting and release all of the remaining pressure.
Open the lid and mix well. Add salt or more adobo sauce if required.
Serve this chipotle sofritas with a side of steamed rice, shredded lettuce, tomatoes, avocado and my homemade tortillas. This pairs wonderfully with my instant pot refried beans as well.
2-3 stalks cilantro

Video

Notes

Adjust the Heat: We use a variety of spicy ingredients including the poblano pepper, chipotle peppers in adobo sauce and taco seasoning. Balance these well to get the spice level you desire. Adding too much of each may result in a super spicy dish.

The "Burn" Warning: As the sauce is thick, they tend to stick to the base of the instant pot. This gives a burn warning. To avoid that, deglaze with stock or water before pouring in the sauce.

Air Fryer Cross-Over: If you prefer crisp tofu, simply pop the crumbled tofu in the air fryer for 7-8 minutes at 375 F. This will crisp the edges sufficiently. Then add it back to the sauce and stock and pressure cook.

Do NOT add crumbled tofu: It may sound easy to add crumbled tofu directly into the instant pot but refrain from doing so. The bits tend to stick to the base and burn. And it is also a nightmare to clean the instant pot after. If you have crumbled tofu, cook them in a pan with some oil and then continue the recipe in the instant pot.

Instant Pot: Remember to always account for the time needed for the Instant Pot to come to pressure. The cook time listed does not account for this.

Note: Nutrition values are my best estimates using an automated calculator. If you rely on them for your diet, use your preferred nutrition calculator.

Nutrition