Tofu Pasta Recipe

A white plate filled with tofu pasta topped with vegan parmesan and basil leaves. A silver fork placed on the right side of the plate.

This Tofu Pasta Recipe is the perfect weeknight dinner because it's ready in just 30 minutes! It's quick and easy to make, and packed with protein

Course Main Course

Cuisine Gluten-Free, Vegan, vegetarian

Keyword basil, tofu crumbles, tofu pasta, tomato sauce, vegan pasta

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 25

Total Time 30

Servings

Calories 507kcal

Author Sherri Hall

Equipment

Tofu Press

Ingredients

6 oz (170g) pasta of choice (I use rigatoni)
1 ½ tablespoon olive oil, plus more for the pasta
1 small red onion, finely diced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
7 oz (200g) extra-firm tofu, pressed and crumbled*
½ teaspoon smoked paprika
¼ teaspoon cumin
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon dried oregano
1 ½ cups tomato sauce
⅛ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
4-5 fresh basil leaves, chopped
Salt and black pepper, to taste

Instructions

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to package directions, until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water and drain the rest. Toss the drained pasta with some olive oil to prevent it from sticking. Set aside.
In a large rimmed skillet, heat 1 ½ tablespoons of olive oil until hot. Add the red onion and cook for 4-5 minutes, or until it starts to caramelize. Then, add the minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds or until fragrant.
Add the crumbled tofu and cook over medium heat for 7-8 minutes. Make sure to stir occasionally, until the tofu is golden brown. Then, add the spices and cook for 30 more seconds to toast them.
To the tofu, add half of the pasta water, tomato sauce, basil, a pinch of salt, and a few cracks of black pepper. Stir, and let the sauce simmer on medium-low heat for 3-4 minutes.
Add the cooked pasta and toss to coat. Add more pasta water as needed, to achieve the desired consistency. Taste and adjust the seasoning, adding more salt or black pepper if needed. Serve right away with vegan parmesan on top (optional).

Notes

Use extra firm tofu. Soft tofu or silken tofu won't work at all. They're too soft and won't crumble as extra-firm tofu does.
Use high-quality pasta. The pasta type you use makes such a big difference to the end result. For best results, use bronze-cut pasta. It has a much rougher exterior than regular pasta, which allows for the sauce to stick to the noodles and that makes the dish taste better.
Cook the pasta until al dente. For example, if the packaging says "cook for 8-10 minutes", you'll need to cook it for 8 minutes, which is the lower end of the recommendations. The pasta continues to cook in the sauce, so there is no need to cook it all the way through.
Add extra veggies! This tofu pasta recipe is so versatile and flexible. You can add any vegetable you like including spinach, red bell peppers, eggplant, grape tomatoes, etc.

*To press tofu, either use a tofu press or wrap the tofu block in a clean kitchen towel. Place a few heavy objects on top (books, jars, etc.) and press for 45 minutes to 1 hour.

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

Nutrition