Silken Tofu Pasta Sauce
This silken tofu pasta sauce is rich, creamy, and surprisingly indulgent, like a vegan Alfredo with a boost of protein. Made with simple pantry ingredients and ready in just 20 minutes, it’s an easy dinner you'll want on repeat.
Servings: 6
Calories: 410kcal
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
Serving: 1g | Calories: 410kcal | Carbohydrates: 65g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Sodium: 109mg | Potassium: 419mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 1IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 46mg | Iron: 2mg