Vegan Chorizo with Lentils and Brown Rice

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Sometimes when it’s cold outside, you need to turn up the heat in the house. I’m not talking about your thermostat, I’m talking about the kitchen kind of heat. This Vegan Chorizo is made with lentils and all the right spices. You can serve it with air fryer tortilla chips, as an appetizer, or add as a spicy meat substitute to your favorite Mexican dishes.

Some people have a sweet tooth. Others have parseltongue (you go, Harry!). And yet others have spice mouth.

Wait. I don’t think that came out right.

But what do you call someone with a penchant for spice? Hmm, that might take a little more creative brainstorming. I think I’ll have another bowl of Vegan Chorizo to help me think this through.

The process to make this recipe is very similar to making sofritas. It begins with tofu.

Key Ingredients

You can find the full printable recipe, including ingredient quantities, below. But first, here are some explanations of ingredients and steps to help you make this recipe perfect every time.

Here are the ingredients you’ll need for this recipe:

• Extra firm tofu — You might get by with firm tofu, but I prefer extra-firm. Here’s more on buying tofu.
• Spices — You’ll need chili powder, garlic (fresh or ground), dried oregano, ground cumin, smoked paprika, ground cloves, ground coriander, and Mrs. Dash Chipotle-flavored seasoning.
• Vinegar — I use apple cider vinegar
• Soy Sauce — You can use regular soy sauce or a gluten-free version referred to as tamari.
• Maple syrup — You can substitute agave nectar.
• Olive oil — Or use any neutral cooking oil.
• Cooked lentils — I use homemade cooked lentils but you can also buy them in a can.

How to Make Vegan Chorizo

1. Drain the packing liquid from a package of tofu. Press the tofu to remove excess liquid from the cube of tofu.
2. Pour the sauce ingredients into a bowl.
   
3. Stir them together.
   
4. Place oil in a skillet over medium heat and cook until shimmering. Use tongs to place the tofu in the skillet and use a spatula to break it down into smaller pieces.
   
5. Then use a potato masher to mash the tofu as it cooks.
   
6. Add the lentils.
   
7. Add the sauce and stir, coating all of the tofu.
   
8. Cook for 10 to 15 minutes until heated through.
9. Serve immediately with tacos, burritos, etc.

Serving Suggestions

Serve vegan chorizo with all your favorite Mexican dishes, such as:

These Vegan Cinco de Mayo Recipes will give you even more ideas to choose from.

Recipes with Vegan Chorizo

If you love this vegan chorizo, use it as the meat substitute in any of the following recipes::

You can find even more tasty ideas with my Vegan Cinco de Mayo Recipes.

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• Drain the packing liquid from a pacakge of tofu. Press the tofu to remove excess liquid from the cube of tofu.

• Stir together the sauce ingredients.

• Place oil in a skillet over medium heat and cook until shimmering. Use tongs to place the tofu in the skillet and use a spatula to break it down into smaller pieces. Then use a potato masher to mash the tofu as it cooks.

• Add the lentils and the sauce and stir, coating all of the tofu. Cook for 10 to 15 minutes until heated through.

• Serve immediately with tacos, burritos, etc. Or transfer to an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to 10 days.

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Calories: 150kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 596mg | Potassium: 428mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 1384IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 68mg | Iron: 4mg

The nutrition information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator and should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

This post was originally published in 2015 and was updated to include new photos, new text, and an updated recipe in 2022.