Caramelized Chipotle Vegan Gordita Crunch
Sweet and spicy tofu ground "beef" in a crunchy taco layered with cheese sauce and a soft taco.
Servings: 6
Calories: 385kcal
Ingredients
Spicy Ranch
- 1 Cup Raw cashews, soaked*
- 1/2 Cup Non-dairy milk, unsweetened I used soy milk
- 1 Tablespoon Fresh chives, chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon Dill, dried
- 1/2 teaspoon Parsley, dried
- 1/2 teaspoon Garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon Onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon Salt
- 1-2 teaspoons Hot sauce
Caramelized Chipotle Tofu Filling
- 2 Tablespoons Olive oil
- 1/2 a Sweet onion, diced
- 2 Chipotles in adobo sauce, chopped
- 1 Tablespoon Agave syrup
- 1 Block Extra firm tofu, drained and pressed**
- 1 teaspoon Adobo sauce from the can
- 1 teaspoon Cumin
- 1 teaspoon Smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon Chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon Garlic powder
- 1/2 Cup Vegetable broth
- Salt and Pepper to taste
Cheese Sauce
- 2 Tablespoons Vegan butter, I used Earth Balance
- 2 Tablespoons All purpose flour
- 1 Cup Non-dairy milk
- 1 Cup Vegan cheddar style shreds, I used Violife
- 1 teaspoon Garlic powder
- Salt and Pepper to taste
The Rest
- 6 Hard taco shells
- 6 Flour tortillas
- Lettuce, shredded
Instructions
- Make the spicy ranch first. Drain the cashews you soaked and add them to a blender. Add the remaining ranch ingredients and blend on high until completely smooth. Put in the fridge until ready to use.
- Now make the tofu filling. Heat the olive oil on medium high in a large non-stick skillet. Add the onions and a pinch of salt. Sauté, reducing heat as needed until the onions begin to brown. 5-7 minutes.
- Add the agave and continue to sauté, until the onions are nice and brown. Another 2-4 minutes.
- Next, add the chipotles, and sauté for another 1-2 minutes.
- Then crumble the tofu you pressed into the skillet. Break up any large chunks with a spatula.
- Sauté the tofu, until it begins to brown. 3-5 minutes.
- Now, add the adobo sauce, all the spices and the vegetable broth. Then add a pinch of salt and pepper.
- Continue sautéing for another 5-6 minutes. The broth will be absorbed and you will have a nice spicy filling. Turn the heat off, but leave on the stove to keep warm.
- Now, make the cheese sauce. In a medium sized sauce pan, heat the vegan butter on medium.
- Once the butter has melted, whisk in the flour to create a roux. Simmer for 1-2 minutes.
- Then add the non-dairy milk and whisk to combine. Making sure there are no lumps. Simmer until it begins to thicken. 2-3 minutes.
- Add the vegan cheese, garlic powder and pinch of salt and pepper. Whisk until the vegan cheese has completely melted. Turn off the heat.
- To put together, spread a layer of cheese sauce onto a flour tortilla. Wrap that around a hard taco shell. Fill with tofu, top with lettuce and spicy ranch. Serve immediately, with more ranch to dip!
Notes
*To soak the cashews, soak at room temperature for at least 6-8 hours. Or boil for 15-20 minutes.
**If you need more information on how to press tofu, check out our HOW TO COOK TOFU guide!
Nutrition
Calories: 385kcal | Carbohydrates: 44g | Protein: 18g | Fat: 28g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Trans Fat: 1g | Sodium: 820mg | Potassium: 438mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 695IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 175mg | Iron: 5mg