Vegan Chorizo

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My homemade vegan chorizo recipe is incredibly flavorful, packed with protein, and can be prepared in under 30 minutes using crumbled firm tofu, tomato paste, nuts, and spices. It’s naturally gluten-free, perfect for taco night, breakfast burritos, burrito bowls, and so much more!

Ever since my family and I adopted a vegan lifestyle, I’ve used tofu in everything from silken tofu scramble to tofu cream cheese and even tofu ice cream. Tofu’s versatility truly amazes me!

So I set out to create a vegan chorizo that’s wholesome, spicy, and packed with flavor, just like my meatless tofu meatballs. With each bite, you’ll want to add it to every dish!

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🥘 Ingredients

Honestly, the ingredients to make my vegan chorizo are actually pretty easy to find at your local grocery store! All you need are the following pantry staples:

Extra Firm Tofu: This soy product is the key ingredient to this recipe. For the best texture, I use extra firm tofu. When I can’t find that, I use firm tofu and press it thoroughly before cooking to drain excess water.

Olive Oil: I use olive oil to add a savory flavor and richness to the chorizo as well as preventing the tofu from sticking to the pan.

Tomato Paste: Just a spoonful of this will give the chorizo its rich and tangy flavors. It is easy to find at the local grocery store.

Pecans: Adds umami flavor and extra staying power to this chorizo tofu recipe.

Distilled White Vinegar: To enhance the flavors of the ingredients and to bring the whole dish together, I use a touch of vinegar.

Spices: To give the vegan chorizo its typical spicy flavor, I use a mixture of chili powder, smoked paprika, dried oregano, garlic powder, onion powder, ground cumin, ancho chili powder, cayenne pepper (optional), and chili flakes (optional). If you want a less spicy version, just adjust the seasonings like I do for my kids to make it kid friendly.

Substitutions

Tofu: I have also made this recipe without tofu and substituted it for chopped mushrooms, smashed pinto beans, lentils, tempeh, or plant-based ground beef crumbles!

Oil: Any type of neutral-flavored oil can also work in this recipe. Some of my favorites are avocado oil and refined coconut oil!

Nuts: Don’t have pecans? No problem! I have used walnuts and cashews before, which worked well in this plant based chorizo recipe. If using cashews, the flavor profile will be slightly sweeter, but still delicious!

Vinegar: When I don’t have white vinegar, I use apple cider vinegar. It’s a great substitute.

Spices: If you don’t have ancho chili powder, you can use diced whole ancho chiles (start with a very small amount and add more as needed since these chiles are powerful!). Alternatively, when I want to reduce the heat, I omit the cayenne, chili flakes, and ancho chili powder altogether when I make this for my kids.

🔪 How To Make

Making my homemade vegetarian chorizo is so simple! Read on to learn how to cook soy chorizo at home!

Dry the Tofu: First, I wipe the excess water from the tofu. If using firm tofu, press it to remove any additional water.

Chop the Tofu: Next, I chop the tofu into crumbles and place them in a medium or large bowl.

Chop the Nuts: Then, I add the nuts in a food processor and quickly blitz until they are like a “meat-like” consistency.

Add Spices: Next, I add the spices, oil, vinegar, chopped nuts, and tomato paste to the tofu crumbles, stirring the mixture well until combined.

Heat the Skillet: Next, I sauté the meatless chorizo in a large skillet over medium heat to medium-high heat, until golden brown and all the water has evaporated, or for five to seven minutes. Stirring frequently. Once it has cooked, I scrape the browned parts at the bottom of the pan and give it a good toss.

Serve. Now, enjoy your vegan Mexican chorizo however you like! I spoon it onto vegan tacos on top of nachos, as a topping for tostadas or taco salad.

📖 Variations

I love that I can enhance the flavor of this recipe or change the texture with a few swaps. Here are some of my favorite variations:

Change The Protein: Instead of tofu chorizo, I sometimes make tempeh chorizo, seitan chorizo, or even mushroom chorizo! Just make sure to finely dice the tempeh, seitan, or mushrooms and cook with the other ingredients until the liquid absorbs.

Chorizo Stir-Fry: Make a vegetable and chorizo stir-fry by stir-frying 2 or 3 cups of your favorite veggies in olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the veg chorizo to the pan once the veggies just turn tender and cook until the liquid has evaporated, according to the recipe directions.

Papas Con Chorizo: When I want to make this dish more filling, I add leftover roasted potatoes to the tofu mixture to make vegan papas con chorizo! Then, just add that to a tortilla to make chorizo potato tacos!

🍽 Serving Suggestions

There are so many delicious ways to enjoy this veggie chorizo recipe! Here are a few of my top vegan chorizo recipe ideas:

Vegan Chorizo Tacos: When it’s my turn to host Taco Night with our friends, I love making these almond flour tortillas and topping them with a healthy helping of this spicy chorizo. They’re divine, stuffed with fresh ingredients like fresh cilantro, salsa, this homemade healthy guacamole recipe, vegan sour cream, diced tomato, lime wedges, and white onion.

Added To Other Recipes: Apart from tacos, this healthy chorizo pairs well with pretty much anything! My husband’s favorite way to eat vegan chorizo is mixed into these Yemista Greek stuffed tomatoes and peppers , paired with a side of jalapeno peppers. My kids, on the other hand, enjoy my less spicy version with this healthy veggie burrito bowl for a fresh and flavorful light lunch on weekends or a protein power up meal after school.

🧊 Storage Directions

Refrigeration: Once my leftovers have cooled, I simply transfer the mixture to an air-tight container and store it in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.

Freezing: When I want to store them for longer, I’ll transfer the cooled vegan chorizo to a freezer-safe container and freeze it for up to 3 months.

Reheating: You can warm the chorizo in the microwave or skillet. For the microwave, I pour the contents into a microwave bowl and heat on medium for 1-minute intervals until warmed through. I also use the skillet over medium heat to give the leftovers a quick warm-up before stuffing my tacos with it.

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