This silken tofu pasta sauce is creamy, rich, and packed with flavors! A healthier pasta sauce that is low in fat yet packed with protein. No one will guess it is made from tofu!
Ever since discovering this silken tofu pasta sauce, there is no going back! It is a great way to sneak extra protein into your diet, and the seasonings used in the recipe perfectly mask the mild flavor of silken tofu.
The neutral taste and creamy texture of silken tofu make it an excellent base for the sauce, and I have used it to make vegan sour cream and tofu mayo in the past!
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💚Why you will love this recipe
- Creamy, rich, and incredibly delicious
- A good source of plant protein
- Great for meal prep - this sauce can be refrigerated for up to 5 days!
- Healthy and is lower in fat and calories compared to regular cream-based pasta sauce
🧄What you will need
📃Ingredient notes and substitutions
- Silken tofu - Any variety of silken tofu (extra firm to soft) can be used. Feel free to substitute it with soft tofu, but it might yield a grainier texture.
- Milk - Both plant-based milk and regular milk will work in this recipe. Use one that is unflavored and unsweetened.
- Nutritional yeast - An optional ingredient, but I highly recommend adding it as it gives the sauce some umami and cheesiness.
- Lemon juice - Freshly squeezed lemon juice is the best, but bottled ones will also work. It can be substituted with lime juice.
🔪How to make
Saute aromatics - Heat some oil in a non-stick pan. Add onion, and saute for 2-3 minutes until translucent. Add garlic next and fry for a minute.
Blending - Add all ingredients (including cooked onion and garlic) to a blender and blend until smooth. Add more milk if the sauce is too thick.
Adding pasta - Pour tofu pasta sauce into a pan, and heat until the sauce starts to simmer. Stir in cooked pasta of choice, and toss until everything is well mixed. Your pasta is ready to be served.
✅Helpful tips
- Onion and garlic - To make the process faster, you can substitute fresh onion and garlic with onion powder and garlic powder. However, the sauce might be less aromatic and flavorful.
- Adjust the amount of milk added - Reduce or increase the amount you add to the sauce depending on how thick you like your sauce. The variety of silken tofu (firm or soft) will also affect the amount of liquid used.
- Adjust the flavors as desired - While blending your silken tofu pasta sauce, taste it, and add more seasonings if needed. You can also season it with more salt after adding pasta.
- Sauce will thicken as it sits - Especially if you have added pasta to the sauce; hence I recommend serving it immediately. However, if your pasta gets too thick, you can easily revive it by adding a few tablespoons of water and reheating it.
✨Variations and add-ins
Pasta - This silken tofu pasta sauce is highly versatile, and you can add any pasta you desire. Spaghetti, linguine, penne, and fusilli are some great choices. Use the wholemeal version to add some additional fiber and nutrients to this dish.
Gluten-free - The ingredients used for the sauce are all naturally gluten-free. Hence, no changes need to be made. Just make sure to use gluten-free pasta, like those made from lentils or brown rice.
Make it spicy - Add a sprinkle of red pepper flakes or a generous drizzle of hot sauce before serving.
Herbs - Both fresh or dried herbs, like thyme, rosemary, Italian seasoning, and basil, can be added to enhance the flavor of this tofu pasta sauce. Dried herbs can be blended together with the rest of the ingredients. As for fresh herbs, I recommend chopping them up and adding them along with the pasta towards the end of cooking.
Veggies - Add some veg, like broccoli, cauliflower, carrot, and peas, to this pasta dish for an extra boost of fiber, nutrients, and antioxidants. Do blanch or steam your veggies before adding them to the pasta sauce.
Additional protein - Feel free to add some pan-fried or baked tofu, seitan bologna, vegan Italian sausages, or vegan chicken breast to bump up the protein content of your pasta.
❄️Storing suggestions
- Leftover tofu pasta sauce can be refrigerated in a jar or airtight container for up to 5 days. Heat it on the stove when ready to serve, and add in cooked pasta. You should thin it with a few tablespoons of milk or pasta water as the sauce thickens upon refrigeration.
- As for leftover pasta that is already tossed with the sauce, you can refrigerate them for 2-3 days in an airtight container. Heat it in the microwave or on the stove, adding a splash of water if the sauce thickens too much.
❔Commonly asked questions
Soft tofu works excellently as a substitute for silken tofu in this recipe. However, it might yield a grittier texture and will not be as smooth.
Silken tofu, or any other type of tofu, is naturally gluten-free as they are made from soymilk. However, as cross-contamination might occur during processing, purchasing from a certified gluten-free brand is recommended if you have celiac or other gluten allergy or intolerance.
🍽️More vegan pasta recipes
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📖 Recipe
Creamy Silken Tofu Pasta Sauce
Equipment
Ingredients
Pasta sauce
- 1 medium onion diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 block silken tofu drained (about 12oz/340g)
- 1 cup soy milk or other plant-based milk of choice
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice freshly squeezed preferred
- 2 tablespoon nutritional yeast (optional)
- ½ teaspoon salt or to taste
- ½ teaspoon ground pepper or to taste
To serve
- 4 servings cooked pasta of choice use gluten-free if needed
Instructions
- Heat some oil in a non-stick pan. Add onion, and saute for 2-3 minutes until translucent.
- Add garlic next and fry for a minute until fragrant.
- Add all ingredients (including cooked onion and garlic) to the blender and blend until smooth. Add more milk if the sauce is too thick.
- Add tofu pasta sauce to a skillet, and heat until the sauce starts to simmer. Stir in cooked pasta of choice, and toss until everything is well mixed. Serve immediately while warm.
Notes
- To make the process faster, you can substitute fresh onion and garlic with onion powder and garlic powder. However, the sauce might be less aromatic and flavorful.
- Reduce or increase the amount you add to the sauce depending on how thick you like your sauce. The variety of silken tofu (firm or soft) will also affect the amount of liquid used.
- The sauce will thicken as it sits, especially if you have added pasta to the sauce; hence I recommend serving it immediately. However, if your pasta gets too thick, you can easily revive it by adding a few tablespoons of water and reheating it.
- Leftover tofu pasta sauce can be refrigerated in a jar or airtight container for up to 5 days. Heat it on the stove when ready to serve, and add in cooked pasta. You should thin it with a few tablespoons of milk or pasta water as the sauce thickens upon refrigeration.
- As for leftover pasta tossed with the sauce, you can refrigerate them for 2-3 days in an airtight container. Heat it in the microwave or stove, adding a splash of water if the sauce thickens too much.
Nutrition
Nutrition info calculated is just a rough estimate and is provided as a courtesy. Bear in mind that value will vary based on variables like specific brand or type of product used. To obtain the most accurate representation, it is highly recommended that you calculate it on your own with the actual amount and type of ingredient used.
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