You'll be surprised by how velvety and downright indulgent this Silken Tofu Pasta Sauce is! It's quick and easy to make, ready in just 20 minutes, and so luxuriously silky that no one at the table will guess this dairy-free cream sauce is made from tofu.
👩🏼🍳 A Quick Look at Silken Tofu Pasta Sauce
- 🕒 Ready in: 20 minutes
- 👪 Serves: 6
- 🍽 Calories: 410
- 💪 Protein: 16g + tips to increase
- 🔥 Cooking Method: Stovetop
- 📖 Dietary Info: Dairy-free, vegan, vegetarian, and can be made gluten-free by swapping the pasta.
- ⭐ Difficulty: Easy
- ❤️ Why You'll Love It: Ultra creamy and comforting, this higher-protein pasta comes together in just minutes and tastes so rich, no one will believe it's made with tofu.
SUMMARIZE & SAVE THIS RECIPE ON:
I like to think of this pasta as a higher-protein take on vegan Alfredo. It's ultra creamy with a rich, velvety texture, and once you add some veggies, it easily turns into a complete meal on its own.
And I know what you're thinking…won't this taste like tofu? I've tested and eaten this dish more times than I can count, and I promise-you won't taste it. Plus, I've added blended cashews to the sauce for a creamier and richer texture.
This silken tofu Alfredo sauce is made with simple pantry ingredients and is meal-prep-friendly. Once you try it, it'll quickly earn a spot in your weekly rotation.
If you're into cooking with tofu, you can also check out my other creative silken tofu recipes for more easy ideas. This easy fried silken tofu is another one of my favorites.
what readers are saying:
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️I wanted to make a creamy pasta without any dairy, and this one hit the spot. The sauce is incredibly delicious.
-Stellathis review was submitted by a reader who made the recipe.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- 10 simple ingredients! This silken tofu pasta sauce comes together with pantry staples you likely already have on hand. Nothing fancy, just really good.
- An easy weeknight dinner. This silken tofu pasta has become my go-to pasta when I'm tired, busy, or just not in the mood to cook after work. I like to meal prep the sauce a few days ahead, so all I have to do is reheat it and toss it with pasta.
- A surprisingly high-protein dinner. Thanks to the tofu and cashew combination, this pasta provides 16g of protein and is versatile to add another protein source or pair with a high-protein side dish.
- Your family won't even realize it's vegan! The silken tofu Alfredo sauce is unbelievably rich and creamy, like it's made with butter and heavy cream. It's a total crowd-pleaser, just like this seitan chicken cordon bleu.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Silken tofu: Silken tofu has a high water content, is very soft to the touch, and when blended, it has a nice creamy consistency, perfect for a creamy tofu pasta sauce. Any firmness of silken tofu works here (soft, firm, or extra-firm silken), but do not try to use regular firm or extra-firm tofu here, as the texture will be grainy, rather than creamy. For more ways to cook this type of tofu, try my Korean kimchi jjigae, too!
- Raw cashews: Raw cashews are the secret to the rich, velvety body of this sauce, and most other silken tofu pasta sauce recipes don't use them, and you'll taste the difference. I tried this recipe with and without the cashews during the recipe creation process, and without them, it didn't have the same rich consistency and didn't cling to the pasta due to the lack of fat. For a nut-free version, you can replace the cashews with the same amount of coconut cream or vegan cooking cream.
- Spaghetti: You can use any pasta shape of your choice, but I think that creamy sauces like this go well with long pasta shapes such as spaghetti, tagliatelle, or angel hair pasta. You can also use any gluten-free pasta to make this recipe gluten-free.
- Nutritional yeast: Provides cheesiness and a savory and umami flavor to the creamy tofu Alfredo sauce. If you don't have it on hand, you can replace it with 1 teaspoon of soy sauce or tamari, if gluten-free, to boost the savory flavors of the sauce.
- Lemon juice: A few tablespoons of fresh lemon juice give tanginess and brightness to this pasta dish.
See the recipe card below for the full ingredient list with exact measurements.
Variations
Because the flavor of this tofu Alfredo sauce is so simple, it leaves you plenty of room to experiment and create something unique. Here are some of my favorite ways to switch things up and add more flavor.
- Vegan carbonara: Fry a few strips of vegan bacon on the side, then chop them into pieces, and sprinkle them over your silken tofu pasta. This simple tofu ham also works great to add a smoky, meaty component to the dish.
- Mushroom and thyme: Sauté a mix of cremini and shiitake mushrooms in olive oil. Add them to the sauce and season with ½ teaspoon of dried thyme.
- Pesto sauce: Add a few dollops of your favorite pesto to the sauce just before adding it to your pasta.
- Lemon and herb sauce: Add 1-2 tablespoons of freshly grated lemon zest and a handful of your favorite herbs such as basil, dill, or parsley.
- Korean-Inspired: Just like in my easy gochujang pasta, you can add 1-2 tablespoons of gochujang paste and blend it with the rest of the ingredients for a spicy kick.
- Boost the Protein: For more protein, you can add 150g of cooked tofu, which increases the protein to 28g, 100g of tempeh brings it up to 35g, or 50g of shrimp or chicken creates a dish with about 30g of protein.
How to Make Silken Tofu Pasta Sauce
To start, you should cook your pasta in salted boiling water following the packaging instructions, until al dente. You can taste test if you aren't sure. Al dente pasta should have a "bite", but shouldn't be hard to chew. The pasta will continue to cook when you add the sauce later, so don't overcook it in this step!
When the pasta is cooked, drain it and reserve about a cup of pasta water. Unlike regular water, pasta water is full of starch, which helps emulsify the silken tofu sauce so it coats the pasta beautifully.
- Step 1: Soak cashews in boiling water for 30 minutes, or until they're plump and soft.
Short on Time? You can skip this step if you have a high-speed blender or do a quick soak by boiling them in hot water for 10 minutes.
- Step 2: Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add the olive oil and let it heat until sizzling. Add the diced onion and season with a pinch of salt. Sauté for 10 minutes, or until the onion is transparent and starts to caramelize.
In the last 1 minute, add the minced garlic and saute until fragrant. Do not rush this step. Cooking the onions fully releases the natural sugars in the onion, which gives the sauce more complex umami and savory flavors
- Step 3: Add the drained and rinsed cashews, if you soaked them, the sauteed onion, silken tofu, lemon juice, nutritional yeast, pasta water, and spices to a blender.
- Step 4: Blend the sauce on high speed until creamy and completely smooth. No chunks of onion should remain. Taste and adjust the flavor if needed, adding more salt or black pepper to taste, or lemon juice for tanginess.
- Step 5: Pour the creamy tofu sauce over the cooked spaghetti and toss to coat. Add more pasta water if you need to thin out the sauce.
- Step 6: Cook over medium-low heat for 1-2 minutes, or until the sauce thickens and coats the spaghetti well. Serve and garnish with fresh basil. For a meal, I love serving this silken tofu pasta dish with some toasted buttery garlic ciabatta or this vegan bruschetta.
Expert Tips
- Salt your pasta water like the ocean. Adding salt to the boiling water will flavor the pasta from the inside out. As a rule of thumb, add 10g of salt and 1L of water for every 100g of pasta.
- Don't rinse the pasta. Some people suggest rinsing pasta to prevent sticking, but that's bad advice. It washes away the starch that helps the sauce cling. Instead, toss it with a drizzle of olive oil to keep it from sticking. The only exception is if you're making a pasta salad like my cold risoni pasta salad or another cold pasta dish.
- Sauce consistency. The sauce thickens as it cools. When reheating, it may need a splash of water or non-dairy milk added to make it creamy again.
- Storage leftovers. For best results, store the pasta and sauce in separate airtight containers and combine them before serving. This way, the sauce will keep for 4-5 days in the fridge. If the sauce and pasta are already combined, store them in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 days.
Silken Tofu Pasta Sauce FAQs
Yes, you can use soft tofu packed in water in a pinch. However, do not use regular firm or extra-firm as it will produce a grainy texture. 
Yes, you can freeze it for up to three months, but it is likely to change the texture of the sauce after thawing. If the sauce splits or seems to be a bit grainy after freezing, return it to a blender and blend again before reheating.
Sure. You can use an immersion blender or a food processor instead. If you're using an immersion blender, add the ingredients to a large bowl to prevent splattering during blending.
For best results, reheat it on the stove. Place the sauce and cooked pasta in a small pot with a splash of water or non-dairy milk. Heat over medium heat until warmed through, stirring frequently. You can also use the microwave. Place the sauce and cooked pasta in a microwave-safe bowl with a small splash of water or non-dairy milk. Heat on 70% power for 2-3 minutes, stirring every 30 minutes or so.
No, there's no need to press it. Silken tofu is very delicate and can't be pressed because it will fall apart. Also, we're blending the sauce, so there's really no need for it.
Serving Suggestions
For a simple starter, this green arugula and spinach salad pairs perfectly with the creamy tofu sauce and pasta. It also goes well with easy roasted frozen Brussels sprouts.
Enjoy it as a side dish paired with some baked tofu meatballs or marinated air fryer tempeh to boost the protein of your meal.
More Vegan Pasta Recipes
If you tried this Silken Tofu Pasta Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it goes in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting today!
📖 Recipe
Silken Tofu Pasta Sauce
Equipment
Ingredients
- ½ cup raw cashews
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 cup pasta water plus more as needed
- 12.3 ounces silken tofu drained
- ¼ cup nutritional yeast
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
- 1 lb dry spaghetti use gluten-free if needed
Serving
- Fresh basil chopped
- Vegan parmesan
Instructions
- Soak cashews in boiling water for 30 minutes, or until they're plump and soft. You can skip this step if you are using a high-speed blender.½ cup raw cashews
- Meanwhile, cook the spaghetti in salted boiling water following the packaging instruction, until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water before draining. After draining, return the pasta to the pot and coat it with a drizzle of olive oil to prevent it from sticking.1 lb dry spaghetti
- Then, heat a cast-iron skillet or another large skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add olive oil and let it heat until sizzling. Add the diced onion and season with a pinch of salt. Saute for 10 minutes, or until the onion is transparent and starts to caramelize. In the last 1 minute, add the minced garlic and saute until fragrant.1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 medium yellow onion, 3 cloves garlic
- To a high-speed blender, add the soaked cashews (make sure to drain and rinse them), sauteed onion, silken tofu, lemon juice, nutritional yeast, pasta water, and spices.1 cup pasta water, 12.3 ounces silken tofu, ¼ cup nutritional yeast, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice, ¼ teaspoon sea salt, Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
- Blend the sauce on high speed until creamy and completely smooth. No chunks of onion should remain. Taste and adjust the flavor if needed, adding more salt or black pepper to taste, or lemon juice for tanginess.
- Once the sauce is ready, pour it over the cooked spaghetti and add toss to coat. Add more pasta water if you need to thin out the sauce. Cook over medium-low heat for 1-2 minutes, or until the sauce has thickened and coated the spaghetti well.
- Serve right away and top with vegan parmesan and fresh basil!
Video
Notes
- Salt your pasta water well: This seasons the pasta from the inside out-aim for about 10g salt per 1L water per 100g pasta.
- Don't rinse the pasta: Rinsing washes away the starch that helps the sauce cling. If sticking is a concern, toss it with a little olive oil instead. (The only exception is for cold dishes like pasta salad.)
- Adjust the sauce as needed: It thickens as it cools, so when reheating, add a splash of water or non-dairy milk to loosen it back up.
- Storage: For best results, store the pasta and sauce in separate airtight containers and combine them before serving. This way, the sauce will keep for 4-5 days in the fridge, and the pasta will keep for 3 days. If the sauce and pasta are already combined, store them in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 days.
- Reheating:
- Stovetop: Add the sauce and cooked pasta to a small pot with a splash of water or non-dairy milk. Heat over medium heat, stirring frequently, or until warmed through.
- Microwave: Add the sauce and cooked pasta to a microwave-safe bowl with a small splash of water or non-dairy milk. Heat on 70% power for 2-3 minutes, stirring every 30 minutes or so, or until warmed through.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated with third-party calculations without including the optional ingredients.
Kate says
Had silken tofu and was searching some recipes. This is one is fantastic
Petranka says
Happy to hear you liked the recipe, Kate! Thanks for the review! 🙂
Stella says
I wanted to make a creamy pasta without any dairy and this one hit the spot. The sauce is incredibly delicious.