Vegan Chorizo
This Vegan Chorizo has a flavor that’s deep, warm peppery and will make your taste buds sing with satisfaction. It’s texture and flavor make it perfect for tamales, arepas or as a base for a spicy pasta sauce.
- Prep Time: 30
- Cook Time: 25
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 8 cups
Ingredients
- 1 block extra-firm, organic tofu
- 1 medium onion, finely diced
- 1/2 pound Wood Ear Mushrooms, cleaned and finely diced (See note below)
- 1/2 pound King Oyster or Portobello Mushrooms, cleaned and finely diced
- 2 TBS olive oil , may be omitted if you choose to dry saute your onions and mushrooms
- 2 cups Four Chile Hot Sauce
- Salt and Pepper, as desired
Instructions
- Drain and press your tofu for about 30 minutes. Or, sometimes, when I’ve been extra industrious and have planned ahead, I use tofu that I have previously frozen and thawed. I use the method describe here. According to The Spruce, ” Freezing tofu removes excess moisture, making the tofu more able to soak up marinades or sauces in a stir-fry dish.” Using previously frozen tofu also gives it a nice, chewy texture that I like for some dishes…like Chorizo.
- Crumble tofu and set aside.
- Heat a large frying pan (I use my trusted cast iron pan) to high heat and add 1 tbsp. of oil, if using. Once the oil is hot add the finely chopped mushrooms and continue to cook until the mushrooms begin to brown, about 8-10 min. Do not overcrowd your pan. If necessary, do this in batches to facilitate browning. Remove mushrooms from pan and place in a large metal bowl. Set aside.
- Add onions to pan and fry for 7-10 minutes. No need to clean the pan after removing the mushrooms. Put onions into bowl with mushrooms.
- Using the frying pan you used for the mushrooms and onions, add about 1 tbsp. of oil. Add the crumbled tofu. Cook, stirring constantly, until the tofu is crispy. This can take about 10 minutes. Do not overcrowd your pan for best results….and crispy tofu.
- Once the tofu is crispy, add the mushrooms and onions back into the frying pan.
- Add the 2 cups of Four Chile Hot Sauce and stir to combine. Cook on medium low for 5 minutes to marry the flavors.
- Taste for seasoning and adjust as necessary.
- Remove from heat and enjoy!
Notes
- You can find Wood Ear mushrooms in most produce sections of Asian markets. I really like using them for this dish because of their umami, unique texture and visual interest. Don’t be put off by the funky smell of these mushrooms. They’re supposed to smell this way. They are so delicious and so unlike any other mushroom. I predict that they will soon go on your list of favorite mushrooms.
- Not sure how to dry saute? Well, no worries. Check out this article at www.theKitchn.com. great article on how to dry saute mushrooms. And, be sure to also check out this article where Chef Chad Sarno, Vice President, Plant-Based Education at the Rouxbe Online Culinary School, explains how to dry saute onions.
- If you’re interested in delving deeper into plant-based cooking, check out Rouxbe Online Culinary School Plant-Based Professional Certification Program. If you enroll using my affiliate link, you’ll get a $75 discount. (Note: Though there is the potential for my compensation here, please know that only recommend programs that I believe in and use. I am a proud graduate of the Rouxbe Online Culinary School Plant-Based Professional Certification Program.)
- Note: This recipe makes about 8 cups of Chorizo. I usually divide the recipe and freeze half for later use. (It’s great as a base for a Spicy Pasta Sauce.)