Pati Jinich’s Vegan Chilorio Tacos with Tofu
A specialty of Mexico’s northern state of Sinaloa, chilorio is a dish served in almost every restaurant there.
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Chef, author, podcaster, and television host Pati Jinich created this recipe for Chilorio Tacos for the May, 2016 issue of Vegetarian Times. Jinich’s latest book, Treasures from the Mexican Table, was released in November, 2021.
IF YOU LOVE Mexican food, then it’s time to dig deeper into the regional cuisines found south of the border. I always say that the food of a country tends to resemble its people, and if there is one characteristic that defines Mexicans, it’s that they are very versatile. Take Chilorio Tacos. Chilorio, from northern Mexico, keeps evolving — I’ve made it with tofu here! And once you know how to make chilorio or any regional Mexican dish, it opens you up to an endless variety of preparations.
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Chilorio Tacos with Tofu
A specialty of Mexico’s northern state of Sinaloa, chilorio is a dish served in almost every restaurant there. Chilorio can be used in burritos, enchiladas, omelets, and sandwiches, or simply to top a bowl of steamed rice. Serve the Chilorio Tacos with your favorite taco fixings.
Ingredients
- 1 dried ancho chilies, rinsed, stemmed, and seeded
- 2 cups boiling hot water
- 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 cup coarsely chopped white onion
- 1/2 cup fresh parsley leaves
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt or coarse sea salt, divided
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
- 4 Tablespoons vegetable oil
- 2 pounds extra-firm tofu, cut into 1-inch x 1/4-inch thick strips
- 1 cup orange juice
- 12 small (6-inch) corn or flour tortillas, warmed
Preparation
Place chiles in small bowl and cover with 2 cups boiling water. Soak 10 minutes, or until chiles have rehydrated and are plump and soft. Purée chiles, 1 cup soaking water, vinegar, onion, parsley, garlic, salt, oregano, cumin, and black pepper in blender or food processor until completely smooth.
Meanwhile, heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add tofu, and cook 8 to 10 minutes, or until beginning to brown, turning occasionally. Reduce heat to medium, pour in orange juice, and simmer 5 minutes, or until juice has almost entirely cooked off.
Gently stir in ancho chile sauce, and cook, partially covered, 15 minutes, or until sauce has thickened and color has darkened. Mixture should very moist but not wet.
Fill each tortilla with 3 heaping Tbs. chilorio mixture.
Nutrition Information
- Serving Size per taco
- Calories 203
- Carbohydrate Content 19 g
- Cholesterol Content 0 mg
- Fat Content 10 g
- Fiber Content 4 g
- Protein Content 10 g
- Saturated Fat Content 1 g
- Sodium Content 173 mg
- Sugar Content 3 g