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.

How does the baking soda help the onions cook down faster?

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.

Easy Vegan Chorizo - paper + heart

Name: Vegan Chorizo
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 20 min
Cuisine: Mexican
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; 1/8 tsp cinnamon; 1 cup boiling water; 1/4 tsp liquid smoke; 1/4 cup white vinegar; 1/4 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 1/8 tsp baking soda

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

Units Scale

1 tsp cumin
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp salt
1 Tbs paprika
1 Tbs ancho chile powder
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp oregano
1/8 tsp cinnamon
1 cup boiling water
1/4 tsp liquid smoke
1/4 cup white vinegar
1/4 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 1/8 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 tsp 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 1/8 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: 1/2 cup
Calories: 188

Keywords: vegan, chorizo, Mexican, gluten-free, dairy-free, easy