This homemade vegan chorizo is both simple to make and super tasty - a winning combo! It's an easy shortcut to add amazing flavor to many of your favorite Mexican dishes and because it's made from pantry staple ingredients you're never more than 30 minutes away from having some whipped together.
Trust me, once you discover how easy and delicious this Mexican style chorizo recipe is you'll be finding all kinds of ways to use it. It's just perfect on tacos, nachos, pizza, in a potato hash, chili or soup.....
Yum!
Table of Contents
Ingredient Notes
- TVP - textured vegetable protein. This sounds a bit like a chemical or something made in a lab, but TVP is actually a great vegan protein that's gluten-free and absorbs flavors really well which makes it perfect for something like tacos or chorizo. We like to use the Bob's Red Mill brand.
- liquid smoke - this stuff is the perfect shortcut for that smoky flavor and lasts for years in the pantry. We use it often in marinades. If you're not familiar with this ingredient, here's a great article all about liquid smoke.
- tomato paste - provides this recipe with a deep richness in flavor.
- coconut oil - we use refined coconut oil in this dish to avoid an overtly coconut taste. You could substitute a neutral flavored oil like canola etc.
- spice blend - here's where all the flavor comes in to play. Each spice here comes ready to party and gives it's own something special to the final dish. That being said if don't particularly like cinnamon or another spice you can leave it out.
- onion and baking soda - this is a trick we love to employ any time you want onion flavor without big chunks of onion in the final dish. See below of for the details.
- agave - you need a little something sweet to balance out the flavors here, but feel free to sub in your sweetener of choice.
Step By Step Instructions
In a medium sized bowl mix together all the seasonings very well. Set aside.
In a large bowl stir together hot water, liquid smoke, vinegar, coconut oil, agave, garlic, and tomato paste until well mixed. Add in the seasoning blend.
Then stir in the TVP until coated and set aside for 10 minutes.
While the TVP is soaking, set a large pan over medium heat and drizzle in the olive oil. Add onions and sprinkle baking soda over the top. Saute for 8-10 minutes until the onions are completely broken down and soft. You may need to add a splash of water now as the onions cook if the pan starts to dry out. This is a great trick to get onion flavor without onion texture. The baking soda actually raises the pH level and causes the onions to soften and brown more quickly.
Now add the TVP to the pan and cook for 15 minutes stirring occasionally until cooked through and browned.
Frequently Asked Questions
It's sausage. Typically very strongly seasoned and fatty. This recipe is for a Mexican style chorizo which is wonderful in tacos, nachos, chili, on pizza, and in soups.
Adding the baking soda or sodium bicarbonate to the pan raises the pH balance to create an alkaline environment. This quickly breaks down the cell walls of the onion causing it to lose it's structure. The result is almost like an onion paste that's able to dissolve into whatever you're cooking.
Storing and Freezing
This keeps well in the fridge for up to three days in an air tight container and can be reheated in the microwave or in a pan on the stove.
It will also keep in the freezer and is best used within 4 months. Defrost before heating.
Related Recipes
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Vegan Chorizo
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This homemade vegan chorizo is both simple to make and super tasty. It's an easy shortcut to add amazing flavor to many of your favorite Mexican dishes and because it's made from pantry staple ingredients you're never more than 30 minutes away from having some whipped together.
Ingredients
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 Tbs paprika
- 1 Tbs ancho chile powder
- 1 tsp pepper
- 1 tsp oregano
- ⅛ tsp cinnamon
- 1 cup boiling water
- ¼ tsp liquid smoke
- ¼ cup white vinegar
- ¼ cup refined coconut oil, melted
- 1 Tbs agave
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 Tbs tomato paste
- 1 cup TVP
- 2 tsp olive oil
- 1 cup onion, finely diced
- scant ⅛ tsp baking soda
Instructions
- Spices: Mix together the cumin, chili powder, salt, paprika, ancho chile powder, pepper, oregano, and cinnamon in a bowl until very well combined.
- Stir: In a large bowl stir together hot water, liquid smoke, vinegar, coconut oil, agave, garlic, and tomato paste until well mixed. Stir in the seasoning blend.
- Soak: Add TVP to the bowl and stir until completely coated. Set aside for 10 minutes.
- Onions: While that's soaking, heat up olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the onions and sprinkle with the baking soda. Sautee for 8-10 minutes stirring often until broken down and very soft. If needed add a teaspoon of water to the pan every once in while if needed.
- Cook: Then add the TVP to the pan and continue cooking for an additional 15 minutes until browned and cooked through. Some areas may get a bit blackened.
Notes
- Be careful not to use too much baking soda because this can cause a chemical taste that is not very good (trust me!) This is why I err of the side of caution and call for a scant ⅛ tsp.
- Use on tacos or as a 'meaty' component to chili, soups or even on pizza.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stove
- Cuisine: Mexican
Nutrition
- Serving Size: ½ cup
- Calories: 188
Keywords: vegan, chorizo, Mexican, gluten-free, dairy-free, easy
cholulagirl says
I have made this 3 times now. winner of a recipe, Kris!
★★★★★