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    Homemade Vegan Chorizo

    01/15/2016 by Dora S. 75 Comments

    Jump to Recipe Jump to Video Print Recipe

    Chorizo is one of my comfort foods. Nothing beats a breakfast of huevos con chorizo, warm corn tortillas and salsa molcajeteada. Of course as a vegan, there aren't many chorizo options. This recipe though, might change your mind about vegan chorizo. This has to be my most tested recipe. I tried many versions of this, one made with quinoa, one with tempeh, another with tofu, and one with just mushrooms. After many failed chorizo attempts, I give you the best homemade vegan chorizo recipe you will be able to find.

    This recipe for homemade vegan chorizo is the only one you will ever need. It is spicy and crumbly, with notes of clove and coriander.

    The recipe takes a little bit of time, but believe it is worth it. This chorizo is spicy and crumbly, with tons of umami flavor and notes of clove and coriander. To make this chorizo you first have to press the tofu for 30 minutes. Place in between two plates with a heavy object on top. This eliminates the excess water in the tofu, creating a better texture for the chorizo. Then crumble it into a large bowl.

    chiles

    Take your dry chiles, and remove the stems and seeds. Bring a pot of water to a boil and drop the chiles inside. Turn the heat down to the lowest setting and let sit for 10 minutes.

    This recipe for homemade vegan chorizo is the only one you will ever need. It is spicy and crumbly, with notes of clove and coriander.

    Remove the chiles from the water and place in the blender. Reserve ½ cup of the chile soaking liquid. Add the garlic, oregano, cumin, cloves, paprika, coriander, apple cider vinegar, and ¼ cup of soaking liquid to the blender and process until smooth. If necessary add the remaining ¼ cup of the soaking liquid to get things moving in the blender. Strain the chile mixture. Add half of it to the crumbled tofu.

    This recipe for homemade vegan chorizo is the only one you will ever need. It is spicy and crumbly, with notes of clove and coriander.

    Mince your mushrooms finely. I recommend you do this with a knife not a food processor. Sauté them until golden brown and a bit crispy. Add the remaining half of the chile puree and cook for a couple more minutes until the mixture has thickened.

    This recipe for homemade vegan chorizo is the only one you will ever need. It is spicy and crumbly, with notes of clove and coriander.

    Sauté the tofu until golden brown and crispy. In a large bowl combine the cooked mushrooms and tofu and check your seasoning. The chorizo possibilities are now endless. I will be making papas con chorizo, torta de chorizo, sopes con chorizo, and many more dishes. I can't wait for you to try them. Enjoy!

    This recipe for homemade vegan chorizo is the only one you will ever need. It is spicy and crumbly, with notes of clove and coriander.

    The Recipe: Homemade Vegan Chorizo

    The finished chorizo will keep in your fridge for 3-5 days, or you can freeze for up to 3 months. To increase the spiciness add more chile de arbol.

    homemade vegan chorizo
    Save Recipe Go to Recipe Box
    5 from 12 votes

    Homemade Vegan Chorizo

    This recipe for homemade vegan chorizo is the only one you will ever need. It is spicy and crumbly, with notes of clove and coriander.
    Pin Recipe Print Recipe
    Prep Time40 mins
    Cook Time10 mins
    Total Time50 mins
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: Mexican
    Keyword: homemade, soyrizo, vegan chorizo
    Servings: 15 oz. (almost a pound!)
    Author: Dora Stone

    Ingredients

    • 1 block (12 oz.) Tofu, extra firm
    • ½ lb. Mushrooms, finely chopped
    • 6 Chile guajillo, dried, seeded
    • 2 Chile ancho, dried, seeded
    • 4 Chile de arbol, dried
    • 4 cloves Garlic
    • 1 tbsp. Oregano, dried
    • ½ tsp. Cumin, ground
    • 2 Cloves, whole
    • 1 tbsp. Paprika, ground
    • ½ tsp. Coriander, ground
    • ¼ cup Apple cider vinegar
    • 2 tbsp. Vegetable oil, optional

    Instructions

    • Remove tofu from package and place in between two small plates. Place a can on top of the plates and leave like this for 30 min.
    • Bring a small pot of water to a boil. Remove the stems and seeds from the chiles and discard them. Drop the chiles into the boiling water. Turn heat down to the lowest setting and let the chiles sit in the water for 10 min.
    • Remove the chiles from the water and place in blender. Reserve ½ cup of the chile soaking liquid.
    • Add the garlic, oregano, cumin, cloves, paprika, coriander, apple cider vinegar, and ¼ cup of soaking liquid to the blender and process until smooth. If necessary add the remaining ¼ cup of the soaking liquid to get things moving in the blender.
    • Season the chile mixture with salt and pepper and pass through a fine strainer. Set aside.
    • Drain the water from the tofu and crumble with your hands into a large bowl. Pour half of the pureed chile mixture into the bowl with the tofu and stir to combine. Set aside.
    • Heat a large sauté pan to high heat and add 1 tbsp. of oil. Once the oil is hot add the finely chopped mushrooms and continue to cook until the mushrooms begin to brown, about 6-7 min.
    • Lower heat to medium-low and pour in the remaining half of the chile mixture. Stir and continue to cook for 3-4 minutes, until the mushrooms begin to absorb the chile mixture. Remove from pan and place in a large bowl.
    • Heat a non-stick sauté pan set to medium heat, add 1 tbsp. of oil. Add the tofu mixture and continue to cook until the liquid begins to evaporate and tofu becomes crispy, 7-8 minutes. You can make the tofu as crispy as you like. (Be careful not to overcrowd the pan or the tofu will never get crispy.)
    • Pour cooked tofu mixture into the bowl with the mushrooms and mix well to combine. Adjust seasoning.

    Video

    Notes

    The finished chorizo will keep in your fridge for 3- 5 days, or you can freeze for up to 3 months. You can add it to your tofu scramble, tacos, tortas, sopes, etc. To increase the spiciness add more chile de arbol.
    Tried this recipe?Mention @dorastable or tag #mexicangonevegan!

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    Previous Post: « Vegan Strawberry Tamales
    Next Post: Vegan Potato and Chorizo Tacos »

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. dorastable

      May 31, 2015 at 12:18 am

      Gracias!! Glad you like it.

      Reply
      • Michelle

        November 12, 2020 at 11:28 am

        Thank you for this recipe. I've enjoyed it so much. After cooking this, I put the mixture into icecube trays, and now I can use it in the morning with my eggs. I just stick a cube into a small bowl and microwave it for a minute and then I can mix it into my scrambled eggs. Thanks again!

        Reply
    2. Heather Leonard

      November 09, 2015 at 1:57 pm

      i made this yesterday for breakfast and it was absolutely AMAZING! i will never buy store bought chorizo again! i was just telling my bf how i wish there were more vegan Mexican recipes out there

      Reply
      • dorastable

        November 10, 2015 at 1:11 am

        Thanks for the comment Heather, glad you liked it!

        Reply
    3. Courtney

      January 05, 2016 at 2:24 pm

      I am very excited to try this recipe! Do you think I could double it & freeze the extra? I wonder how well tofu would freeze?

      Reply
      • Dora S.

        January 08, 2016 at 12:57 pm

        Hi Courtney. I've never frozen it before, but I know the texture of tofu changes when frozen. I'm not quite sure or it will affect the recipe. I will have to test it out and get back to you.

        Reply
        • Dora S.

          January 17, 2016 at 10:47 pm

          Hi Courtney, I tested it, and it can be frozen!

          Reply
    4. dorastable

      January 08, 2016 at 1:01 pm

      Hi Mariana, I have never frozen it before. I know the texture of tofu changes when it is frozen, but I'm not sure how it will affect the recipe. I will have to test it and get back to you.

      Reply
      • Dora S.

        January 17, 2016 at 10:48 pm

        Mariana, I did a test, and it can be frozen!

        Reply
      • Mica Harvey

        July 28, 2017 at 6:30 pm

        Was this tested? How did it turn out after freezing?

        Reply
        • dorastable

          July 29, 2017 at 12:01 pm

          HI Mica, yes, it was tested and it freezes very well. The recipe makes a big batch so you can freeze half of it to use later.

          Reply
    5. Raquel DeHoyos

      January 16, 2016 at 8:28 am

      Dora you're a genius! My vegetarian guy is going to love this! He was just telling me his story about the first time he had chorizo in LA years ago and he bought the kind that was so fatty is just melted into this big globby orange mess:) Will definitely pin this one for him so he can enjoy some tasty meatless chorizo this time.

      Reply
      • Dora S.

        January 17, 2016 at 10:46 pm

        I hope he enjoys it!

        Reply
    6. shelby

      June 27, 2016 at 10:28 am

      made the vegan potato and chorizo tacos the other day with my hubby and they were AMAZING!! we used to live in Mexico and we miss good Mexican food, but now we're vegan, so this was perfect and so delicious! a little time consuming, but well worth it in the end! thank you!!

      Reply
      • dorastable

        June 30, 2016 at 2:54 am

        I totally agree Shelby. Making the chorizo is a little bit time consuming, but so worth it. I'm glad you liked it!

        Reply
    7. Barbara V

      September 06, 2016 at 11:55 am

      Wow! This was really delicious. We topped some baked potatoes with some bean chili and this chorizo. Still have some in the fridge so I think it will go on the tostadas we have planned for tomorrow. I just discovered your website and can't wait to try more of your recipes!

      Reply
      • dorastable

        September 12, 2016 at 11:20 am

        I am so glad you like the chorizo Barbara!

        Reply
    8. @WorkInTheKitchen

      November 05, 2016 at 3:02 pm

      Hello, I made this tonight and wow. It is delicious. I'm going to make another batch tommorow for the freezer. Thanks!

      Reply
      • dorastable

        November 06, 2016 at 1:13 am

        I'm glad you liked it!

        Reply
    9. Burt Paulson

      November 18, 2016 at 10:58 am

      Are there chilis we can substitute for flavor but not heat? We are wusses when it comes to spicy food

      Reply
      • dorastable

        November 18, 2016 at 7:00 pm

        Hi Burt, I would just omit the chile de arbol. The the other two chiles are very mild, it's the arbol chiles that give it the spice.

        Reply
    10. Stephanie Chavez

      December 01, 2016 at 9:14 am

      I Just printed this recipe. Can't wait to try it!

      Reply
    11. eviebookworm

      February 10, 2017 at 2:26 pm

      Wonderful recipe! I cant wait to try it!

      Reply
    12. Jo

      February 14, 2017 at 6:20 pm

      This recipe is the absolute greatest ever! I even deleted the oil. I use it for everything and I even give it away as gifts. I always keep it in the freezer (without the mushrooms and tofu). It is perfection!

      Reply
      • dorastable

        February 16, 2017 at 8:30 pm

        Thanks Jo! It is also one of my favorites

        Reply
    13. Andrea

      February 21, 2017 at 2:44 pm

      I need this for my husband who is a vegan with high blood pressure and needs to cut out salt! But i really hate mushrooms, so it'll work with just the tofu crumble, right?? Thanks, it looks awesome.

      Reply
      • dorastable

        February 22, 2017 at 7:23 am

        Hi Andrea, you can use just the tofu crumble or you can do 1/2 tofu crumble and 1/2 TVP.

        Reply
    14. Raquel DeHoyos

      June 10, 2017 at 10:53 am

      Finally got around to trying your recipe, Dora. Both vegetarians at my brunch were in heaven! This recipe is definitely a keeper and pretty tasty with some fried up potatoes and salsa de aguacate. Yum!

      Reply
    15. dorastable

      September 18, 2017 at 2:32 pm

      Thanks for commenting Vanessa! This is one of my favorite recipes

      Reply
    16. dorastable

      September 18, 2017 at 2:32 pm

      It freezes really well. I put it on everything!

      Reply
    17. AB

      January 03, 2018 at 11:54 am

      This looks fabulous! Can't wait to try it. What about using frozen tofu and then squeezing the water out of it after it thaws? I have found that this is a great way to get flavor into tofu as it just seems to slurp up the flavors around it very fast.

      Reply
      • dorastable

        March 03, 2018 at 5:04 pm

        This would work as well!

        Reply
    18. Mariana

      February 04, 2018 at 2:14 pm

      Hola! Muchas gracias por compartir tu receta! Soy mexicana viviendo en Alemania. He estado tras la receta de chorizo vegetariano desde hace un tiempo, y no había encontrado recetas que me convencieran. Pero ésta de tofu está fabulosa! Huele y sabe igual que el chorizo de México -ja, con carne-. No le agregué los champiñones porque solo a mí me gustan, y el resto de la familia es anti. Pero aún sin champis supo buenísimo, con tortilla recién hecha y frijolitos refritos. mmhm!!

      Reply
      • dorastable

        March 03, 2018 at 5:04 pm

        ¡Qué bueno que les gustó!

        Reply
    19. Sandra Escalante

      March 03, 2018 at 4:35 pm

      Hi, would you recommend making larger batches and freezing?

      Reply
      • dorastable

        March 03, 2018 at 5:07 pm

        Yes! It freezes really well. I would double the recipe, then freeze it

        Reply
    20. Sandra Escalante

      March 03, 2018 at 4:40 pm

      Also can you do all the prep the day before and grill the next day?

      Reply
    21. Lutz

      April 07, 2019 at 10:30 am

      Chorizo is one of my Mexican faves. My wife is hasn't eaten pork or beef in fifteen years and I tried this recipe to have her try. We made tacos with fried potatoes ave are both in love. This recipe is now added to my staples list

      Reply
      • Dora S.

        April 12, 2019 at 9:46 am

        I'm so glad you liked it!!

        Reply
    22. Angelica

      May 29, 2019 at 10:49 am

      Would it be okay to press the tofu overnight? I've made this recipe before and it tasted great my only thing was the tofu didnt crispy up enough for my liking I think maybe it still had to much water?

      Reply
      • Dora S.

        June 07, 2019 at 12:28 pm

        Yes, you can press it overnight. Some people have also said that freezing the tofu helps.

        Reply
    23. Angeline

      June 05, 2019 at 6:07 pm

      I love this recipe. Soyrizo is always a hit and miss. As time consuming as this is, I am hooked and make it regularly. I added about 1/4 cup of walnut meat to give it a more "meat - like" texture. I soak them in water for 20 minutes, then just add them to the food processor before mixing them in with the rest of the ingredients. Overall, the seasoning and flavor of this recipe is amazing.

      Reply
      • Dora S.

        June 07, 2019 at 12:32 pm

        Thanks Angeline. I think walnut meat is a great addition to this!

        Reply
      • Brian

        June 17, 2019 at 1:06 pm

        Raw or dry walnuts?

        Reply
        • Dora S.

          June 18, 2019 at 2:38 pm

          Raw

          Reply
    24. Rutvi Shah

      August 08, 2019 at 6:14 pm

      Such a yum recipe! I wanted to know if you know the nutritious value of the recipe such as calories and carbs and fats and all that? Thank you?

      Reply
      • Perla

        August 14, 2019 at 8:24 pm

        Enter the recipe into the my fitness pal app and you should be able to get that information

        Reply
    25. Perla

      August 14, 2019 at 8:22 pm

      I just found your blog a few weeks ago and I made this recipe on Sunday. It was fabulous. I also made just the sauce today and used it to make chorizo spiced black beans those also turned out amazing. Keep up the good work! Real Mexican flavor vegan recipes are hard to come by so I'm so glad I found your blog ;-)

      Reply
      • Dora S.

        August 20, 2019 at 5:01 pm

        I'm so glad you liked it!! I'll have to try chorizo flavored beans, that's a great idea.

        Reply
    26. Shellie

      August 20, 2019 at 5:21 pm

      I also just found your blog and very happy I did. I just made this. Delicious. Can't wait to try some of your other recipes.

      Reply
      • Dora S.

        August 22, 2019 at 11:21 am

        Welcome Shellie!!

        Reply
    27. Lucia

      September 18, 2019 at 6:41 pm

      Hi Dora, I would love to make this, but I have a question: Do you mean blender or food processor? I believe a blender might make the texture too mushy. Could you clarify? Many thanks!

      Reply
      • Dora S.

        September 30, 2019 at 8:42 pm

        Hi Lucia, I blended the sauce in the blender. I chopped the mushrooms with a knife and I crumbled the tofu with my hands.

        Reply
    28. Diana

      October 19, 2019 at 4:33 pm

      This recipe is fabulous. My tofu did not crisp up but the flavors were spot on. Thank you.

      Reply
      • Dora S.

        October 21, 2019 at 9:18 pm

        So glad you liked it!!

        Reply
    29. Joey

      January 22, 2020 at 7:09 pm

      could you use tvp instead of tofu?

      Reply
      • Dora S.

        February 09, 2020 at 9:15 pm

        Yes, just make sure you soak it in water before hand

        Reply
    30. Claudia Sames

      January 23, 2020 at 6:04 pm

      Hi Dora,
      Your recipe looks really good! I would love to try it but we can't eat soy, what would you use instead?
      Thank you!

      Reply
      • Dora S.

        February 09, 2020 at 9:16 pm

        Hi, you can substitute the tofu with lentils or with a mixture of cauliflower and walnuts.

        Reply
    31. Dianne

      February 11, 2020 at 7:49 am

      I made these tacos to share with non-vegan friends last week, and they were a huge hit! The chorizo is very quick and easy to make, and starting with dried chiles gives it such a rich, authentic flavor. Definitely a keeper!

      Reply
      • Dora S.

        February 29, 2020 at 3:24 pm

        So glad you liked it!

        Reply
    32. Elysha

      February 17, 2020 at 6:10 pm

      This was absolutely amazing!! I’m trying to eat plant based and this is making it easy for me! I feel like it tastes way better than any Chorizo I’ve had before! Thanks so much!!! I accidentally pulverized the mushrooms in my food processor, but I feel like it made the recipe better! It was sort of a mushroom paste but it turned out delicious!

      Reply
      • Dora S.

        February 29, 2020 at 3:26 pm

        I'm so glad you liked it! Using the food processor really saves time.

        Reply
    33. 9er

      February 27, 2020 at 5:53 am

      Hi Dora. Thanks for this great recipe. I never liked chorizo as a kid because it always seemed to have gristle or cartilage. Problem solved! Since mine didn’t crisp up, I formed the final mush into patties and fried them briefly. A vegetarian could add an egg as a binder. Maybe a vegan has a suitable binder idea. Regardless, this is an amazing recipe. The vinegar really rocks it. I’m going to use more chiles de arbol next time.

      Reply
      • Dora S.

        February 29, 2020 at 3:29 pm

        I felt the same way, because cheap cuts of meat are used to make it there's always some grizzle in there. Gross!

        Reply
    34. Roxi

      May 08, 2020 at 2:26 pm

      I made this and it's the best chorizo I've ever ate. My kids LOVE it and so does my meat eating Mexican macho man. My hubby said do not buy store bought, anymore. Thank you, Dora!

      Reply
      • Dora S.

        May 09, 2020 at 5:02 pm

        I'm so happy to hear that!! I know it's a little time consuming, but it's totally worth it.

        Reply
    35. Arlete

      June 08, 2020 at 1:46 pm

      I want to try this but do I have to put mushrooms? I don’t like them

      Reply
      • Dora S.

        June 14, 2020 at 12:22 pm

        No, you can used mashed cooked chickpeas or lentils instead of mushroom or even chopped up cauliflower

        Reply
    36. Lupe Pena de Martinez

      July 11, 2020 at 10:59 am

      He sido vegetariana por 8 años y chorizo es una de las pocas cosas que extraño. Ya no tendré que extrañar nada -
      quedo increíble, hasta mis hijos se sorprendieron cuando me vieron cocinando carne (ja!). Hice taquitos con tortillas hechas a mano y una salsita verde.
      Gracias por la inspiración.

      Reply
      • Dora S.

        July 11, 2020 at 6:06 pm

        ¡Qué bueno que les gustó!! A mi me gusta engañar a todos mi amigos omnis con esta receta.

        Reply
    37. Theresa

      July 27, 2020 at 9:03 am

      I am mexican and was doubtful this would taste good. It was GREAT. I add a bit more vinager when I reheated the chorizo. Tasts just like pork chorizo. Mix wirh papas (potatoes paid fried) . This will really keep me on the path to be vegan.

      Reply
      • Dora S.

        July 27, 2020 at 1:34 pm

        Hi Theresa, yay!!! I'm so happy that yo liked it. I know it was super helpful to me when I first started eating vegan,

        Reply
    38. Elizabeth

      September 30, 2020 at 6:58 pm

      Hi Dora,
      This recipe sounds and looks amazing! Do you think I can use the chorizo with potatoes as a filling for vegan tamales?
      Thank you!

      Reply
      • Dora S.

        October 03, 2020 at 4:06 pm

        Yes Elizabeth that would work!

        Reply

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