As a vegan, one of the foods I miss the most is the delicious spicy smokiness of delicious homemade chorizo seasoning. I’ve tried so many vegan soy chorizo recipes over the years, but nothing comes close to this delicious soyrizo recipe. With no meat or dairy anywhere in the recipe, this vegetarian chorizo is made from tofu crumbles to create soy chorizo that tastes absolutely delicious in any meal.
I love to make this vegan chorizo in batches, so I always have some on hand to spice up my meals or just snack on a handful when I’m feeling peckish!
As you’d expect from a soy chorizo recipe, this vegan chorizo is made with soy crumbles and a long list of spices to create yummy homemade chorizo that tastes just like the real thing… The only difference is that this recipe is made from tofu meat to create a tasty vegan experience with plenty of flavors!
What is vegan chorizo?
Vegan chorizo is made from soy sauce, vinegar, tofu, and plenty of spices to create the iconic flavors and tastes of real chorizo but without meat or dairy products. The tofu crumbles in the pan, so you get the chewy/crispy texture that’s just perfect.
I love to sprinkle these chorizo crumbles on pretty much everything I cook, and the whole family adores the extra flavor this tasty treat offers. Some of my family’s favorite things to add chorizo to include:
- Pizza
- Vegan chorizo tacos
- Vegan burritos or burrito bowls
- Nachos
- Stuffed peppers
- Soup
- Pasta sauce
- Any other dishes that need some extra tasty texture!
You can buy vegan chorizo from various specialist stores, but I think it’s far nicer to make your own chorizo so you can adjust the flavors and seasonings to suit your personal tastes. When you make it yourself, you also get the benefit of controlling the cooking times, so you get a yummy topping that’s the perfect balance of chewy/crispy depending on your preferences.
Vegan chorizo is really easy to make at home. Although there’s a reasonably long list of ingredients, these all get thrown in the same bowl to season the tofu crumbles, so the recipe is virtually effort-free and can be made in minutes.
This recipe involves baking the seasoned tofu crumbles in the oven. If you want your soyrizo cooked even faster, throw them in a skillet over medium-high heat and fry for 10 minutes… The soy chorizo will be slightly less chewy this way but just as tasty – perfect when you’re in a rush.
Is it healthy for me?
Soyrizo recipes are made from completely meat- and dairy-free ingredients, which means this delicious seasoning contains up to 60% less fat than regular chorizo while still offering around the same amount of protein, making it a nutritious snack or topping on any dish.
Vegan chorizo also contains dietary fiber, which pork chorizo doesn’t include. However, it is high in sodium, so it’s worth being a little cautious when sprinkling over sodium-rich meals like pizzas or nachos.
This recipe has only 130 kcal per serving. Because it’s made of tofu, it’s low in fat (9g per serving, 1g of saturated fat per serving) and high in protein (8g per serving). It also contains other nutrients, including potassium (225mg), Vitamin A (1086IU), calcium (42mg), and iron (2mg), plus 5g of carbohydrates and absolutely no cholesterol!
There is 593mg of sodium per serving in this recipe, however, those with high blood pressure should be cautious when using these vegan chorizo crumbles on other high-sodium dishes.
To help reduce the sodium content, you could swap the soy sauce for a low-sodium substitution, such as coconut aminos sauce (which has a slightly sweeter flavor than soy sauce but would be really tasty in this chorizo recipe).
You could also make your own vegan soy sauce with less salt. Most soy sauce recipes can be stored for up to a week in an airtight container.
Storage
I really like to make these tofu chorizo crumbles ahead of time and store them in the refrigerator for a quick and easy flavor boost for dinners. The vegan chorizo will last for up to 4 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
You could also freeze the chorizo, so you know you’ve always got some ready whenever you need it.
Notes
I prefer to bake this vegan chorizo as it creates a deliciously chewy texture that works wonderfully on a range of dishes. If you prefer, you could also cook the chorizo in a skillet over medium-high heat for around 10 minutes. Cooking the chorizo in the skillet won’t provide such a chewy texture as baking it does, but it’s a quicker way of cooking if you’re in a rush and still provides all the yummy spicy flavors.
If you want your chorizo to have more bite, add a pinch of cayenne powder to the spice mix. The smoky spiciness of the cayenne provides a wonderful lingering heat on the pallet that I think really adds to the recipe, although it’s also delicious just as it is!
I love sprinkling these chorizo crumbles over spaghetti bolognese, chili, baked potatoes, and salads. You could also use them to make tasty vegan chorizo tacos… A guaranteed winner for any family gathering or social event – even your carnivore friends won’t be able to get enough!
