Vegan Chorizo
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!
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 132kcal
Ingredients
- 16 oz (454g) extra firm tofu
- 2 tbsp (29 ml) olive oil
- 2 tbsp (29 ml) tomato paste
- ½ cup (125g) pecans or walnuts (can be left out as well)
- 1 tbsp (21g) white vinegar optional, can also use apple cider vinegar, soy sauce, coconut aminos, or omit altogether
- ½ tsp chili powder
- 2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp ancho chili powder
- ½ tsp cayenne pepper optional
- 1 tsp chili flakes optional
- ½ tsp salt more to taste
- black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Release excess water off the tofu with a clean tea cloth and press the tofu to remove any remaining water.
- Next, chop tofu into crumbles and place them in a medium bowl. Place the nuts in a food processor and chop until they are like a "meat-like" consistency.
- Add all the spices, olive oil, vinegar, nuts, and tomato paste to the tofu. Stir well.
- Sautè the mixture in a large skillet until golden. This will take five to seven minutes and the result will be a delicious spiced vegan chorizo.
- Serve the chorizo hot.
Notes
- My #1 Secret Tip for this vegan chorizo recipe is to cook the mixture until the water has completely evaporated. This will give it that classic crumbled sausage texture! Cook the chorizo tofu on low heat, stirring every couple of minutes, until the water from the tofu has evaporated.
- Patting the Tofu Dry: For best results and shorter cooking times, make sure to remove as much excess water from the tofu before cooking it. I have skipped this step before and realised that it takes longer for the excess water to evaporate from the pan. So pat the tofu with kitchen paper or squeeze as much water from it as possible.
- Save Time: My other top tip is to lightly chop the tofu in a food processor to save on time and make clean-up a breeze.
- Meal Prep: I like to make this plant-based chorizo for weekly meal prep because the leftovers are so yummy throughout the week. You can make the recipe up to 7 days ahead of time.
- To Make Kid-Friendly: I simply reduce the amount of overall spices in the recipe, and omit any hot spices. Do not skimp on the tomato paste and vinegar, however! Without them, this vegetarian chorizo recipe will be lifeless and bland.
Nutrition
Serving: 0.5cup | Calories: 132kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Sodium: 191mg | Potassium: 101mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 1g